Sorry to go nuts and spam the CLC blog today; I just have a lot to say and might not have the time to post for a while again.

Right now, I'm sitting at the training session for Change That Clicks. There are 15 wonderful coordinators here from Boys and Girls Clubs all over Canada, and I'm sure you'll get to meet the one(s) in your community shortly, but I just wanted to say that it's all really exciting. Sheridy (and Emily, Mai, Kimia, myself, others I'm sure) developed wonderful curriculum for the Change That Clicks workshops, full of activities and fun things for the participants to do. I hope I will have the chance the help facilitate with some of the coordinators in Toronto, and I hope all of you will take the opportunity to do so as well!

Cheers,
Nyla

Bonjour à toute la communauté francophone de TIG,
Hello TIG Members,

Nous vous invitons à découvrir le profil des experts participants au Débat en ligne sur la souveraineté alimentaire le Samedi 15 novembre 2008 de 14 h à 16 h (heure de l'Est).
N'hésitez pas à préparer vos questions à l'avance ou à les poster sur la page TIG dédiée à l'évènement.
http://events.takingitglobal.org/21343


Santiago Alba, Action Contre la Faim


Santiago est directeur technique et de recherche d’Action Contre la Faim Canada. Titulaire d’une maitrise en agriculture et en développement rural de l’Université Cornell (Etats-Unis), d’une autre en audit environemental et d’un Baccalauréat en ingénierie agricole de l’Université La rioja (Espagne), il a travaillé dans le développement rural et sur les enjeux environnementaux en Europe. Ensuite il est parti effectué un travail de terrain en Afrique et a travaillé avec la section espagnole de l’International AIDS Agency et des fondations privées sur des processus de réformes locales et de développement des capacités. Avant d’occuper son poste actuel à Action Contre la Faim (ACF), il a travaillé au sein de l’Institut de Développement Africain à l’Université Cornell.
Au cours de ces 14 dernières années, le parcours académique et professionnel de Santiago l’a conduit à se concentrer sur l’évaluation et la gestion de programmes de développement rural durable.

Il est actuellement membre du Groupe des Directeurs techniques et apporte son soutien au Conseil Scientifique de l’AFCIN. Il coordonne des projets et des recherches sur des sujets tels que la nutrition, l’eau et les systèmes sanitaires, la sécurité alimentaire et les changements climatiques.


Amélie PANNETON, Carrefour Tiers Monde

Amélie Panneton, 22 ans, agente d'éducation à Carrefour Tiers-Monde
Après un stage de trois mois en théâtre d'intervention au Pérou, elle a été responsable des activités d'éducation pour Intermon Oxfam à Vitoria-Gasteiz en Espagne. Détentrice d'un baccalauréat en études internationales et langues modernes, elle travaille à Carrefour Tiers-Monde dans le domaine de la sensibilisation et de l'éducation au public, et s’'intéresse particulièrement aux enjeux liés au commerce équitable, à la souveraineté alimentaire et à l'économie solidaire.


Amélie CHARBONNEAU, Carrefour Tiers Monde

Âgée de 22 ans, Amélie CHARBONNEAU est étudiante au baccalauréat en Travail social. Elle travaille comme stagiaire au sein de Carrefour Tiers-Monde comme.
Dans le cadre, des Journées Québécoises de la Solidarité Internationale, elle est en charge du volet jeunesse. Elle rencontre des jeunes du
secondaire pour parler des enjeux relatif à la souveraineté alimentaire.
Elle s’intéresse beaucoup aux enjeux internationaux tels que la pauvreté, l’environnement, la prévention du VIH/SIDA…car elle considère qu’ils nécéssitent qu’on y apporte des solutions globales. Elle est également engagée dans la lutte des femmes.

Pour finir, n'oubliez pas d'enregistrer le lien du chat dans vos Favoris, et de vous munir, si possible d'un casque micro :
http://projects.takingitglobal.org/clccanada/chat

Au plaisir d'échanger avec tous Samedi !

As a second entry, I also did a workshop on Climate Change for a grade 7 class yesterday. It was my first time working with such young youth, but I think it worked really well and climate change is definitely an issue that they are ready to discuss and understand and learn about at that age. I have also uploaded the detailed curriculum for that (developed by myself and Mai) under "Climate Change Workshop- Grade 7" under documents and links.

I know many of you are still looking to do workshops with young kids on issues like Climate Change, and her'es what I came up with, in terms of working with 12 year olds.

1. Some of the concepts take time to grasp fully; it is important to have atleast 2 hours or more for the workshop. (Can be done in one day, or divided into two days)

2. It is absolutely vital to have a teacher present in order to do the discliping for their class. In grade 7, whenever a class comes together for something like a workshop, there tends to be behavior problems and the teacher's authority is really important for that.

3. Hands-on, visual, drama-related activities work really well.

4. Try to keep group size small. 15 people per facilitator should be the max. They need a lot of special attention.

5. Stay away from big words and complicated concepts

6. Ask them tons of questions, and be prepared to answer tons of their questions. Grade 7 youth seem to have a lot of questions regarding climate change, and a lot of misconceptions have to be cleaned up.

7. THIS IS VERY IMOPORTANT: AT THAT AGE, YOUTH SEEM TO ONLY IDENTIFY WITH CLIMATE CHANGE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL. WHEN IT CAME TO DISCUSSING WHAT THEY CAN PERSONALLY DO (RECYCLE, EAT LESS MEAT ETC)- THEY WERE VERY ENTHUSIASTIC AND EXCITED ABOUT IT. HOWEVER WHEN I STARTED DISCUSSING WHAT YOUTH AROUND THE WORLD ARE DOING, GOVERNMENT AND POLICYMAKING, THE CYD IN POLAND- THEY WERE APATHETIC AND DID NOT RELATE. Try to keep the workshops as personal as possible.

8. On the same token, the introduction to TIG should be kept to a bare minumum. I did the TIG poem powerpoint which worked perfectly for that age, but they were still too young to want to personally get involved. I would recommend you just do the poem, explain that TIG works with a lot of young people and was founded by young people, and that you work for them and you're here representing them, and then just move on to Climate Change.

9. Also, I tried the TIG scavenger hunt and it did not work at all. It was too difficult for the kids to browse the website when they had never seen it before, they got bored and frustrated. I offered candy for the first person to finish the scavenger hunt, and even then they did not want to do it. In general, it is best to stay away from takingitglobal.org with that age level, beyond explaining that we have a website.

10. Websites and internet should be stayed away from in general, unless it is an online game. AS much as technology is awesome and works with the older kids, for 12 year olds, if they are being asked to sign on to computers and they can't play online games on them, they get disappointed and no longer want to be online.

Once again, it is best to just focus on what climate change is, and what one can personally do about it. Stay away from using computers, and explaining too much in detail what TIG/CYD etc. is and what they do.

It was a really cool experience and I hope the curriculum helps you guys!

Cheers,
Nyla.

Hey everybody!
It feels like forever since I wrote something for CLC, but I've been insanely busy with TIG (and other commmitments).

So far for November, I've worked a lot on developing curriculum for different things. First, I've worked with Ryan Tremblay, organizer for the One Million Red Ribbons Campaign, for training curriculum for HIV/AIDs Day of Action. Some of it is related specifically to the OMRR campaign, which unfortunately runs only out of Toronto this year. Basically, Ryan plans to use this curriculum to train youth volunteers about HIV/AIDs so that they would be ready on the DAy of Action to go out, hand out the red ribbons, and engage their communities in HIV/AIDs awareness. I have taken out the OMRR specific items- and posted the rest of it in a HIV/AIDS 2008 Day of Action folder under Documents and Links. If you are planning to run HIV/AIDs workshops, you are more than welcome to use some of this material!

Parts of it are still in the works, so be patient if you say a bolded "To be completed" section in the document. If you have any questions about the curriculum, please email me/call me and I can run you through it.

Toute l'équipe francophone de TIG et Liaisons Locales Canada vous invitent à notre prochain débat en ligne sur le thème de la SOUVERAINETÉ ALIMENTAIRE. Vos questions seront les bienvenues mais les sujets principaux qui seront discutés et présentés par nos experts invités du Carrefour Tiers-Monde et probablement d'autres organisations francophones comme l'AQOCI ou Jeunesse Canada Monde sont le commerce équitable, l'importation de produits alimentaires des pays en développement, la consommation responsable et enfin les solutions à la crise alimentaire.

Ce Chat en ligne est destiné à tous les francophones membres de TakingITGlobal.

Pour rejoindre ce débat en ligne le samedi 15 novembre 2008, visitez http://projects.takingitglobal.org/clccanada/chat à 14h (Heure de l'Est) ou à 19h GMT.

Pour savoir l'heure du Chat, dépendant de votre pays, utilisez ce site: http://www.timezoneconverter.com/

Hi everyone !!

The Secondary Schools' United Nations Symposium (SSUNS) is Canada's premier high school conference, bringing together over 1000 students from around the globe. It is held November 6th-9th, 2008, at the Delta Centre-Ville hotel in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (visit: http://ssuns.org/aboutus/welcome.php?menu=1)

Today was really an amazing one ! During the morning, I prepared the presentation depending on my exceptional audience: a youth committee of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Here is a description of the UNEP, many thanks to Mahak Jain, Director of Public Relation with SSUNS, for sending me this valuable information and thanks also for requesting a TCP presentation for the UN delegates coming together to Montreal this year:

Established in 1972 through the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the designated body for the discussion of all environmental issues. Notably, the UNEP often works jointly with and/or funds environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs). From encouraging sustainable development, creating international environmental conventions, helping countries and regions deal with natural disasters and climate change, the UNEP plays a crucial role in both the protection of ecosystems and in promoting environment-related development.

This session of the UNEP at SSUNS 2008 focused on some of the more imminent issues involving the environment today. It discussed ways to manage natural disasters at the local, regional, and international levels. It looked also at the ongoing climate change as leading to a global food crisis and present possible solutions. Thirdly, it looked at how agriculture degrades the environment and offer possible ways rectify existing damage and prevent future problems.

The Committee Topics, this year, were:

Topic #1:
Natural Disaster Management
Topic #2:
Climate Change and Development
Topic #3:
Agricultural and Environmental Degradation

As a Climate Project Volunteer Presenter (see The Climate Project Canada: http://www.climateprojectcanada.org/ or The Climate Project -international page-: http://theclimateproject.org/), I did many presentations in the province of Quebec, in Montreal and in Quebec City during the World Youth Congress 2008 and I hope to organize other ones in Morocco and in other countries as well.

My first presentation was for BNP Paribas, it was in French and it went very well, all the participants were enthusiastic, asked many questions and appreciated the content of the presentation especially the solutions for corporations and individuals in terms of housing, transportation and food.

Today, it was different for may reasons: it was my first English presentation, my first presentation related to a UN programme which is the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), my first presentation to more than 50 bright and dynamic students, my first presentation to an international delegation (UN delegates from Saudi Arabia, USA, Canada, Niger, Monaco, Russia, Bangladesh, Bahamas, Korea, Morocco, Tunisia, Netherlands, Somalia and other countries) and it was the very first presentation where I had a lot of enthusiasm and many questions from the participants.

If you'd like to host a TCP presentation in your community, please GO TO http://theclimateproject.org/presentation.php
A TCP representative will contact you. Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about climate change.

The Climate Project, a nonprofit organization based in Nashville, TN, began operations in June 2006 with the mission of increasing public awareness of the climate crisis at a grassroots level in the United States and abroad. By April 2007, a diverse group of 1,000 volunteers from throughout the U.S. had been trained by Al Gore himself to present a version of the slide show featured in the Academy Award-winning film An Inconvenient Truth.

TCP presenters have reached a combined 4 million people worldwide. Our hope is that by raising the awareness of our fellow citizens about this crisis and informing them about potential solutions, all of us, together, can preserve the climate balance on which humanity and our planet depend.

Yassir
TCP Volunteer Presenter
http://theclimateproject.org/

D'abord, toutes mes sincères félicitations au nouveau Président élu des États-Unis, M. Barack Hussein Obama.

Félicitations aussi à tous ses partisans et au monde entier puisqu'il a scandé haurt et fort, tout au long de sa campagne, qu'il voulait devenir le président de tous les américains et le président d'une superpuissance qui contribuera à la résolution des conflits mondiaux, citons les changements climatiques, la concrétisation des OMD, la lutte contre la pauvreté, l'égalité hommes femmes et la lutte contre le racisme.

Bref, son message reflète le changement que la quasi-totalité des gens, jeunes et vieux, hommes et femmes, pauvres et riches, noirs ou blancs, désirent voir se réaliser, c'est un espoir de contribuer au progrès de l'humanité.

Enfin, il est président dans une situation mondiale et américaine relevée de défis, de problèmes notamment la crise économique, 2 guerres à gérer en plus des réformes sociales comme l'assurance médicale !

Merci à tous les francophones d'avoir posté leurs opinions sur http://fr.discuss.takingitglobal.org/thread/34047/?start=0 !
Yassir
CLC Canada
TakingITGlobal

Image tirée de :
http://www.barackobama.com/index.php

UNIFEM Toronto Chapter
FUNDRAISING & AWARENESS EVENT
Attend a provocative film screening in Toronto presented by the United Nations Development Fund for Women, in an effort to raise awareness and funding for the Global programs fostering women’s empowerment and gender equality. Join the Toronto Chapter of the Canadian Council for UNIFEM for an empowering evening event.

Film Screening: "Credit Where Credit is Due"
This BBC Production about Microcredit in Bangladesh is a film that recounts how taking out a loan revolutionized the lives of village women Jahanara, Bilkis, Nargis, Minara, Majeda and Shonda -- not only increasing their incomes but also helping to improve their, and their children's, health. The film is part of a series about the issues of globalization and its effect on people and communities around the world.

November 17, 2008
The Textile Museum (Dundas St. W. & University Ave.)
6:30pm - 8:30pm

Register Online (click here)
Tickets are $20 ($10 for students)
All proceeds will go to UNIFEM, advancing women worldwide

About UNIFEM
Placing the advancement of women's human rights at the centre of all of its efforts, UNIFEM focuses its activities on four strategic areas: Reducing feminized poverty. Ending violence against women. Reversing the spread of HIV /AIDS among women and girls. Achieving gender equality in democratic governance in times of peace as well as war. The Canadian Committee of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM Canada) was founded in 1993 as a national organization of women and men working to support UNIFEM in its worldwide efforts for women's empowerment and gender equality. The UNIFEM Canada Board of Directors and its chapters develop awareness campaigns and raise funds for UNIFEM programs through educational seminars and fund-raising activities. UNIFEM Canada is a not for profit charity. Read more http://www.unifem.ca
"Women want a world free from hatred, violence and poverty, a world of equal opportunties and rights, a world that is prosperous and secure for all." -- Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director, UNIFEM.

Hey!

I've been somewhat missing in action the last couple of weeks mainly because I was busy with my midterms, and also because I haven't really had much TIG-related stuff to do, so now that I'm more available- I just wanted to drop by a quick note.

Lately, I've been helping Sheridy with the development of the ChangeThatClicks facilitator training material. She's trying to make the training as interactive as possible, and has decided to include online games- so as a result, I have found out about some really cool websites with educational games (if anybody needed them for something). As well, as a result of helping her, I am now much more familiar about the content found on the TIG website. The training runs mid-November.

Salut chers membres francophones de TIG et chers partenaires,

Après le succès de Liaisons Locales Canada à organiser le Chat sur les changements climatiques l'année dernière en plus du Chat sur les jeunes et la démocratie aujourd'hui le 27 octobre qui a été marqué par la participation de 51 membres de TIG du monde entier, on vous invite à ce nouveau Chat.

Pour commencer, connaissez-vous ce que veut dire la SOUVERAINETÉ ALIMENTAIRE ?

Ou, êtes vous pour ou contre le fait que le Canada ou les pays du G8 importent des produits alimentaires des pays en développement ? Quelles raisons militent en faveur de votre opinion ?

On attend votre participation en grand nombre !!
Yassir

Un grand merci à tous ceux qui ont répondu présent aujourd'hui à notre appel de participation au Live Chat de Liaisons Locales Canada et qui a été diffusé sur la radio CBC.

Cet événement fait partie de Montreal Matters, http://www.cbc.ca/montrealmatters/, une exploration des thèmes qui intéressent la population montréalaise, cette année LA JEUNESSE était le thème qui a piqué l'intérêt de CBC.

Ce qui a distingué notre Chat du reste des activités était cette participation mondiale des membres de plusieurs pays: Canada, Angleterre, Kenya pour ne citer que quelques uns.

En plus, la composante radio du Chat était fantastique puisque plusieurs jeunes du monde entier ont appelé pour partager leurs opinions sur la façon dont Internet a changé leur vie, et j'ai appelé à mon tour.

Bref, merci pour votre participation !!

Au plaisir de vous rencontrer et de vous parler lors de nos prochains événements,
Yassir El Ouarzadi
Creating Local Connections Canada/ Liaisons Locales Canada http://projects.takingITglobal.org/clccanada Montreal Youth Engagement Coordinator
Coordinateur de l'Engagement des Jeunes de Montréal
montreal@clc.takingitglobal.org http://profiles.takingitglobal.org/yassirovich TakingITGlobal
http://www.takingITglobal.org/

LE FRANÇAIS SUIT

Hi dear participants in the Highly Poetry project !

I want to thank all the members of this project who submitted their verses or poems and participated in the Poem Without End called Highly Poetry ! for their contributions, your writings and verses are really inspiring and I am glad to know more about your projects, your ideas and your passions whether it be climate change, fighting poverty, MDGs or HIV-aids, through POETRY !!

I seize this opportunity to invite all those who have not had participated yet and who are members of the Highly Poetry project to email their verses to me at: montreal@clc.takingitglobal.org. I will try to publish them as soon as possible.

The project page is: http://projects.takingitglobal.org/elouarzadi (we are now more than 220 members from all over the world, CONGRATS TO EVERYONE) , all the verses that have been submitted are now published, don't hesitate to read the poem which is in 5 versions (different poems around the same idea: encouraging youth to express their passions).

Thanks everyone !!
Looking forward to working with you and reading your poems !!
Yassir
TakingITGlobal
Founder of Highly Poetry Project.
http://projects.takingitglobal.org/elouarzadi

-------------------------------------------------------

Salut chers amis et chers poètes participant au projet Vivement la poésie,

Je tiens à remercier tous ceux qui ont contribué au succès du projet en m'envoyant leurs vers poétiques et leurs poèmes pour contribuer à la réussite du POÈME SANS FIN appelé Vivement la poésie !
C'est avec grand plaisir que j'ai admiré vos poèmes et que j'ai fourni tous les efforts nécessaires pour leur publication sur le site du projet: http://projects.takingitglobal.org/elouarzadi (on est maintenant plus de 220 membres du monde entier !)

Je profite de cette précieuse occasion pour inviter tous ceux qui n'ont pas encore participé au projet Vivement la poésie dont le but est d'ENCOURAGER LES JEUNES À EXPRIMER LEURS PASSIONS ET LEURS INTÉRÊTS à m'envoyer leurs poèmes et leurs commentaires à montreal@clc.takingitglobal.org

MERCI POUR VOTRE CONTIBUTION AU SUCCÈS DU PROJET !
Au plaisir de vous rencontrer et de lire vos poèmes,
CE PROJET DONNE UNE VISIBILITÉ INTERNATIONALE À VOTRE TRAVAIL ET À VOS TALENTS POÉTIQUES ET ARTISITIQUES.
Yassir
TakingITGlobal
Fondateur du projet Vivement la poésie !
http://projects.takingitglobal.org/elouarzadi

Hello all Quebec TIG members !

We want to thank you for your contribution in the TakingITGlobal website and also for being members of this online community of young leaders !

We would like to encourage you to stay active on TIG and to share with the other members your opinions, your artwork, your blogs and your reactions to the debates available to you through the discussion forums.

It is our pleasure to read your thoughts. That's why we are here to help you out if you need more information about anything related to TIG !

We are looking forward to reading your contributions in the TIG application, weither it be in the Panorama, in the TIG blogs, in the discussion forums or in the project and group pages ! So, feel free to participate and to leave your mark on the TIG platform.

Sincerely,

The TakingITGlobal Québec team
Ilyes El Ouarzadi | ilyes@clc.takingitglobal.org
Yassir El Ouarzadi | montreal@clc.takingitglobal.org
Justine Castonguay-Payant | justine@takingitglobal.org
Sessi Hounkanrin | sessi@takingitglobal.org

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bonjour à tous les membres québécois de TakingITGlobal !

Nous prenons quelques minutes de votre temps pour vous remercier de votre contribution sur TakingITGlobal.org et d'être membres de cette communauté de jeunes leaders !

Nous aimerons vous encourager à demeurer actifs sur TIG et à partager avec les autres membres vos opinions, vos œuvres d'art, vos blogues et vos réactions aux débats et aux sujets mis à votre disposition sur les forums de discussion.

Il nous fait énormément plaisir de vous lire, c'est pourquoi nous sommes là pour vous aider si vous avez besoin de plus amples informations sir nos activités !

Nous avons hâte de lire vos contributions aux rubriques de TIG que ce soit le Panorama, les blogues, les forums de discussion ou encore les pages de projets et de groupes! Donc, n'hésitez surtout pas à participer et à laisser votre empreinte sur la plate-forme francophone et québécoise de TIG.

Cordialement,

L'équipe de TakingITGlobal du Québec
Ilyes El Ouarzadi | ilyes@clc.takingitglobal.org
Yassir El Ouarzadi | montreal@clc.takingitglobal.org
Justine Castonguay-Payant | justine@takingitglobal.org
Sessi Hounkanrin | sessi@takingitglobal.org

In Bangladesh,
We have the 8th largest labour force,
Yet we are the most corrupted.
I want to be that lawmaker, police the people of Bangladesh.

We have a beautiful democracy,
Yet no true leadership.
I want to be that leader, be the strength of Bangladesh.

We have acres of undeveloped farmland,
Yet the cities are overcrowded.
I want to be that architect, plan the structure of Bangladesh.

We have strong international relations,
Yet not enough export partners.
I want to be that diplomat, bring you all to Bangladesh.

We have the some of the richest paddy fields,
Yet some of the worst floods in the world.
I want to be God, change all of Bangladesh.

But i am none of that.
All i am is a mere writer,
Writing, hoping to inspire the people of Bangladesh.