By seeing possibilities and trends before they hit the mainstream, and thinking about how they might add value to work with youth and communities.... and finding ways to incorporate those innovative and effective approaches within organizations.
I'm fond of anyplace that I've had a deep connection with people who live there: El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Rwanda, Kenya.... my workspace in my dining room.... the park where I like to go running.
I want organizations to see themselves as facilitators in supporting youth and communities to access information and ICTs rather than organizations trying to be in the middle. I want us to trust people to lead their own development.
Currently I'm working with Plan International's Africa programs to see how new media and mobile technology can help youth more fully participate in the local, national and global development process. How it can help them access information, how they can use new media to generate dialogue in their communities and nations and the global community. How it can help them to bring their opinions and discussions to a broader audience to push for change from their own perspectives and engage others to join them.
In the past I've worked with Plan USA's Youth Engagement and Action program, Plan International's overall Global Youth Engagement initiative, Plan USA's major and planned giving area.
Before that I worked for 10 years in El Salvador with Plan and with the Lutheran World Federation's Dept for World Service in the areas of child rights, prevention of violence/child abuse, child participation in the development process, child and youth media, disaster preparedness and response, and supporting local organizations to advocate around compliance with the Peace Accords.
