Become a Global Changemaker

If you are aged between 16 and 19 years old, care about this world's issues and want to do something about it, have a look at this wonderful opportunity to become a Global Changemaker and attend the Global Youth Summit in London from 21 to 27 November.
The call for applications is now live on www.global-changemakers.net and will run until Friday, 6 August.

Some criterias to apply:

- Applicants should be social entrepreneurs, community activists and/or volunteers aged 16-19 during the event.
- Applicants have to demonstrate their communicative abilities, track record and motivation to join the network and take their work further.
- A full application consists of a written application form detailing the applicants' personal details and previous work as well as a 2-minute YouTube video in English.

For the 60 selected participants, all costs involved in taking part in the summit (travel, visas, accommodation, meals, activities during the summit) will be covered by the British Council.

About Global Changemakers
Global Changemakers is a global and growing network currently consisting of 375 young social entrepreneurs and community activists from 91 countries around the world who have demonstrated a significant track record of achievement in their local communities. The mission of the programme is to empower youth worldwide to work together to catalyse positive social change and is built on 3 pillars - action on the ground (Community Action Projects), personal knowledge & growth (the sharing of best practices + exposure to and interaction with experienced activists), and giving youth a voice (at key global events such as the Global Humanitarian Forum, World Economic Forum & Clinton Global Initiative).

For more information and to apply, visit the global changemakers website on: http://www.global-changemakers.net/

And do spread the word!

Photo (c)Christopher Tribble

Storybird: Create your Digital Stories

Thanks to the Free Technology for Teachers blog, I have discovered a great collaborative storytelling website called Storybird.

Storybird allows anyone to create picture book stories using existing templates. You can chose from a very wide variety of art works. This is of course a perfect tool to work with children but even for adults. I very much enjoyed writing my little story, Home (see below), and I intend to write some more. Mainly to exercise myself, as I'm seriously considering working with an illustrator/artist when I will have a clearer idea of what I'd like to write for this kind of medium. However, I am not ready yet for such an adventure so I will start with these "storybirds," because that will be one way of learning, but also sharing. So I would urge you to try it out, alone or with your kid, and if you don't have children -like me- get the one living inside of you. Enjoy!

Home on Storybird

Stranger Festival in Amsterdam

Some 50 young people and 25 teachers from the schools I am working with on the INDIE project are now here in Amsterdam and actively participating to the Stranger Festival organised by the European Cultural Foundation. I've been working on this partnership for months and I am really happy to see how productive, dynamic and hard working our young people are.
If you are interested in video have a look at the Stranger Festival website and don't miss the Stranger Award Show Live broadcast tomorrow at 20:30.

Young People, Get your Mobile Phones!

I have been heavily involved in the creation of a competition for young people within the project I am currently working on, called Inclusion and Diversity in Education (INDIE). Getting ideas from my previous job experience and having seen what great things come out of films made with a mobile phone... I have thought that it would be great to ask the young people in secondary schools to make films with their mobile phones about diversity in their school, home and everyday life. Luckily the people I am working with on this project loved the idea and we developed it together: INDIE goes Mobile is now launched! The competition info and rules exist in several languages as it is open to all secondary school students in 9 European countries. So young people, get your mobile phones and show us how you see diversity!