Personal Advancement
York grad inspires Net GenerationAs a young girl, Jennifer Corriero dreamed of visiting the countries she learned about through stamp collecting. Today, she's doing all that and more. As co-founder of TakingITGlobal (TIG), an online community for youth, she has travelled far and wide in her bid to help bridge cultural differences. LINDA WHITE |
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 [ 2006-04-26 ] |
As co-founder of TakingITGlobal, an online community for youth, Jennifer Corriero (left) has travelled far and wide in her bid to help bridge cultural differences.
Along the way, the York University student was crowned by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader (2005) and Global Leader for Tomorrow (2002). She has also become poster girl for the "Net Generation," consulting for companies such as Microsoft and Xerox.
"Technology can be a tool of empowerment for young people," Corriero says. "It's about increasing ways they can use it for social purposes ... as they become more aware of global issues and their own communities."
The idea for TIG came from a conversation Corriero had with co-founder Michael Furdyk while rollerblading at a conference in Ottawa. "We talked about what we would do if we had all the resources we needed to do whatever we wanted to do," she says.
"We imagined a place for young people to share their ideas and experiences, learn about different countries and cultures, collaborate on projects, and become more engaged in global issues."
The pair first met at a technology and entrepreneurship summer program, when Corriero worked as project manager for a website funded by a Canadian philanthropist dedicated to promoting Canadian women's history.
"We decided to focus on creating a website and virtual learning centre and virtual platform for dialogue and expression," Corriero says. They formed a team and consulted with people from around the world. "We started to establish goals for ourselves."
As TIG's executive director, Corriero has attended conferences around the globe, including the Global Knowledge Partnership in Malaysia when she was just 19. She has presented at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, the Stockholm Challenge Global Forum in Sweden, Hague International Model United Nations and the 2003 UNESCO Youth Forum in Paris.
Corriero is pursuing her Masters Degree on "Youth Engagement and Capacity Building Across Cultures" -- a program she designed herself. Her interdisciplinary undergraduate degree, completed at York, combined her interest in business, communications, technology and culture.
Admittedly, there were times when Corriero and Furdyk considered pulling the plug on TIG. "We had no money and it was taking a lot of time," she explains. "We'd reach roadblocks every now and then and didn't know how we'd get around them. Something would happen. We built relationships and exchanges in value."
The turning point came at the World Economic Forum in 2002, when Corriero received a Global Leader of Tomorrow Award.
"It was really inspiring to be amongst that group of people and realize we all faced challenges," she says. "I realized there was always going to be a lot of unknowns ... it helped me reflect on leadership and feel more confident."
Today, Corriero is committed to building TIG's financial foundation so they can plan for longer-term growth. She'd also like to build staff so TIG is less reliant on its founders. She remains committed to empowering youth and appreciates their differences and common goals.
"There's a common desire for peace, for more understanding ... there's a sense of hope, optimism and creat- ing a world that is better for all," she says. "We all cry, get angry and want to enjoy life."
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TAKINGITGLOBAL
QUICK FACTS
TakingITGlobal is an international organization led by youth and empowered by technology. Its goal is to connect youth from around the world and to provide the information and inspiration needed for them to improve their local and global communities.
TIG's flagship program, TakingITGlobal.org, is a non-profit social venture that provides tools to launch and manage projects and organizations. Its partners include United Nations agencies, corporations and youth organizations. It boasts 100,000 members from more than 200 countries and receives more than 1.4 million hits a day.
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