Free To Be.

Youth Philanthropy Worldwide (YPW) conference

check out YPW by clicking here Today I attended the Youth Philanthropy Worldwide Conference at Stanford. Not only was I a participant but I presented myself! I talked a little bit about my Girl Scout Gold Award project (Connecting Youth to Youth) and then showed everyone my 4 minute movie of the Publik Kreavity Drama Krew. The Drama Krew creates and performs skits, dances, and songs with the message of spreading AIDS awareness in their community (which is in Alexandra Township, Johannesburg, South Africa). So, I showed my movie, I was actually the last one all of the presenters for that day, and I really enjoyed going to this conference. Two years ago when I was in 8th grade (this conference is for high schoolers) I asked if I could go even though I wasn't in high school and YPW said sure! And now, two years later, I'm speaking at the conference (AND i'm in college.. hahah). In one of the workshops during the conference a group of about 5 or 6 and I were talking about how to fundraise for a project we would be working on (hypothetically). And we came up with all the normal ones like bake sales and a-thons (jog-, run-, walk-, read-, etc.). We also came up with these even cooler ideas like selling crafts from the country and culture you're working on a project for or have a dodgeball tournament and do something that teens would actually WANT to do on a Friday night. After we brainstormed fundraising ideas, the group leader asked how we would get the word out and advertise for a project or an event we're working on. I said word of mouth is really important but no one can just rely on that. Others said flyers, but lots of people don't even read the flyers and won't get interested enough to come. Then the leader asked about mass emails. I would definitely do that but this other girl said that adults think that teens use email all the time but really we're using myspace and connecting that way. then ANOTHER girl said, "if you contact 'Tom' (who's the 'founder' of Myspace), he'll add your event to this events listing.. and then people can type in their zip code and find what's in their area." Also, there are bulletiens that myspacers use all the time to tell something to all their friends. I think this is such a cool idea! Also, CraigsList is a great way as well to find neat events, but I'm not sure how many teens use it. Anyone who really wants to hook into the however many billion dollars teens spend per year needs to find what teens are using, like, and what the trends are and get in and spread whatever they want teens to know! If you get into something that's already "in" then whatever you want to tell them could be automatically "in" and "cool" too! Another thing I was thinking about is how all of these conferences I've been going to lately (C5, Girl Scouts conference (Lead the Way), and this one) are really really intense and exciting while you're there but then when you leave WHAT do you do!? I think there are two things that could make this feeling go away a little bit (the after the conference feeling): the first idea I had was to somehow have like online groups (like Myspace or a blog) where you can easily keep in touch and no one really has to work THAT hard to start a converstion with someone they thought was interesting, either a participant or a speaker. The other idea I had was something the YPW has done a great job doing during this conference today and the one 2 years ago that I attended was that one of the main purposes for this conference is to help these students START projects and to help them keep going and keep that good feeling in them after the conference. I know this YPW conference is a little different than other kinds of conferences, but there could still be a component of the conference with the purpose of continuing the connections people are making at these conferences. The way YPW did this was by giving great and easy examples of how to start things, like you just need to email YPW, tell them you were at the conference and say I want to do a project but I have no idea what it should be about! That's fine and it's so easy to do! Also, they gave a list of organizations that they are involved with and recommend. And what was really neat was that four young adult presenters (myself included) spoke about projects we're working on at the moment. Two of the projects were ones that started from conferences exactly like this one today since YPW gives these great ideas of projects to start. The other two projects (mine and FACEaids) aren't directly related to YPW (but I was definitely inspired by YPW to do this project) but still we're youth and we're doing these neat but realistic projects. I think these ideas relate well to this seminar because all of these components needed to make fundrasing, spreading the word about a project, and conferences better and easier can easily be things used in technology (like Myspace, blogs, online forums or groups). And also since so many teens and young adults use the internet and technology ALL the time in ways that adults wouldn't even think of, it's so easy to hook these teens into IMPORTANT causes and things that matter in our world. Teenagers in the US have access to billions of dollars and I believe that the money can be used in a great way if we just find ways to get the teens' attention. I've also added lots of links in the left column related to this post, check them out! [EDIT: 3/3/06 7:51PM] I'd also like to add something about something Benedicte said in a comment of hers on my blog awhile ago. She said that I've talked about many conferences that I've been to but not as much about me and my personal things (Benedicte, if I totally misread what you said, please tell me, and I don't mean to mean this in any mean way (ha, three 'means)). But at first I was thinking that yeah, I am talking an awful lot about conferences.. but now I'm understanding that these conferences and activities I'm doing really reflect what I enjoy doing and who I am. I love technology (the C5 conference), I'm a Girl Scout (the Girl Scout conference), I love leading (the Girl Scout conference, lead the way, again), and my interest in social activism (the YPW conference today). Also, these conferences reflect how I like to learn (talking, connecting, and collaborating with others). I love seeing what other people are doing and how I can get ideas with things I'm doing! So yes, just to tag this on, I think this little side note is connected enough with the YPW Conference today!

posted by Cassie @ 3/03/2006 06:40:00 PM