TakingITGlobal

TakingITGlobal, which is also known as TIG, is a charitable non-governmental organization focusing on global issues by promoting awareness and engagement among global youth. It was founded in 1999 in Toronto, Canada by Jennifer Corriero and Michael Furdyk, who are the Executive Director and Director of Technology respectively. TIG uses an online social network aimed primarily at youth to raise awareness and discussion on a number of global issues and encourages youth to take action that affects their local and global communities. While a majority of the organization’s work is conducted through their website, TIG has also organized online e-courses, training programs and youth forums. TIG's involvement with international conferences ranges from being a coordinating committee member of the Mexico YouthForce for the XVII International AIDS Conference to being an organizing partner for the 4th World Youth Congress (Conference Website) which was under the patronage of the Governor General of Canada.

TIG's stated mission is to "provide opportunities for learning, capacity-building, cross-cultural awareness, and self-development through the use of Information and Communication Technologies." TakingITGlobal's website lists seven objectives, which includes being the "preferred online destination for youth interested in cross-cultural expression, dialogue, networking, and collaboration" and to "mainstream recognition that young people are a key stakeholder in all aspects of society including national and international policy."

When founding the organization in 1999, co-founders Corriero and Furdyk wanted to "work together to create a global network for young people who either have an idea that they want to develop, or who want the opportunity to work on someone else's project." This was the foundation for one of the world's first online social communities. Within a year of its official launch on September 2, 2000, (predating services such as Facebook, MySpace and Friendster), the network was populated by thousands of teenagers from over 100 countries. As the services and programs of TakingITGlobal evolved, Corriero now calls TakingITGlobal "a platform to support collaboration among young people in developing projects, in understanding and grappling issues, and influencing the decision-making processes, especially around those that are directly affecting young people." TakingITGlobal merged with the Global Youth Action Network and developed various programs to strengthen youth participation in global decision-making, such as forums of the United Nations.

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