Q: What’s a good way to promote communication and collaboration through the use of new technologies and the virtual world?

A: TakingITGlobal, the world’s most popular on-line community for young people interested in making a difference, is headquarted in Toronto, Canada. They have an open-concept office with “pods,” a design which facilitates open communication and impromptu discussions. With staff in remote places around the world, team members also uses synchronous virtual technologies that allow for ideas to be shared in the virtual world.

Co-Founder and Executive Director Jennifer Corriero explains, “As a youth-led organization driven by the collaborative power of Internet technologies, we strongly believe in organizational democracy.”

The majority of the staff is in their mid-20s and part of the “Net Generation”, and they tend to appreciate the use of such technologies, which encourage flexibility, freedom, and collaboration.

“Our online community is a vibrant network of socially-engaged youth leaders who embody the WorldBlu principles in their daily lives and through their actions to address global issues,” Corriero continues. “It is thus imperative that TakingITGlobal practices organizational democracy as a fundamental guiding principle. Democracy is a vital precondition for us to achieve our vision, where youth everywhere are actively engaged and connected in shaping a more inclusive, peaceful and sustainable world.”

For more information on TakingITGlobal and their democratic principles, click here