TakingITGlobal - Inspire. Inform. Involve.

This is the second posting pertaining to this presentation that will be happening in Saskatoon. The reason we are posting it a second time is because of the change we have made in the timing of this presentation...it will be at 3:30 p.m.

When I was in Asia with Microsoft I had the opportunity to meet with Katherine Walraven (Education Program Manager) at TakingITGlobal. She is willing to come to Saskatoon to see if we would be interested in accessing Taking It Global. At the end of August she will be flying past Saskatoon and I have convince her to land here for a day or so. She would be willing to present Taking It Global network and how it could be used in our schools on August 31 at 3:30 p.m. This is a program that I have been following for a couple of years and I think it has a lot of merit and would be something we will be using in the cyber school student lounge next year, but since I was thinking of having her drop by I was thinking about expanding the viewing audience.

Please reply to the email below if you would be interested in attending said presentation so I can set up an appropriate venue:

August 31, 2009
3:30 P.M.
Location: TBA

Below is some information about the program

Website: http://www.tigweb.org/

The Vision
Youth everywhere actively engaged and connected in shaping a more inclusive, peaceful and sustainable world.
Our Mission
We enable a collaborative learning community which provides youth with access to global opportunities, cross-cultural connections and meaningful participation in decision-making.
Who We Serve
We serve youth primarily between the ages of 13 to 30 through:
• an online community and initiatives that focus on enabling actively engage youth.
• education programs geared towards middle and high school students.
What We Offer:
• Global online social network and hub for civic participation
• Content & tools for educators to facilitate rich, interactive learning experiences
• Outreach & Collaboration tools for events, networks, campaigns, and causes
• Research, development, and sharing of best practices on youth engagement
• Facilitated learning experiences through workshops, webinars, and e-courses
Why Bother?
• Global awareness and understanding across cultures is key to the future of the planet
• Student dropout and disengagement rates are at all-time highs, and costing billions in lost economic opportunities and crime
• Preventable diseases and health issues are on the rise globally, with young people often the most vulnerable and affected
So Far...
• 4 million young people reached in 2008, over 14 million since launch in 2000
• Engagement across 12 languages, and in every country and territory in the world
• Thought leadership through presenting at over 500 education, technology, development, business, and youth conferences and events
• Partnerships across sectors with over 8 U.N. agencies, dozens of international civil society organizations, several top-tier technology companies (Google, Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco, HP), and leading-edge foundations across North America.
• Global recognition from the World Economic Forum and Tech Museum of Innovation

I am aware of the poor timing of this presentation but this worldwide organization is not the easiest to book and it is very exciting that she can make it to our corner of the world.
TakingITGlobal - Inspire. Inform. Involve.