TakingITGlobal

2 Guide to Action Introduction Welcome to TakingITGlobal's Guide to Action. It has been designed to help you turn your dreams into reality. This guide is informed by the experiences of youth leaders from around the world in addition to Masters research conducted by TakingITGlobal's Co-Founder, Jennifer Corriero, on Youth-Led Action in an International Context (http://research.takingitglobal.org/youthaction) We hope this guide will provide you with the direction and support you need to better work towards making the change you want to see in the world. Good luck and remember to have fun! Process Overview Guide available at: http://www.takingitglobal.org/guidetoaction REFLECT & GET INSPIRED Think about the changes you would like to see happen, whether they are in yourself, your school, your community, your country, or even the world. Who or what inspires you to take action? Seeking out sources of inspiration can give you great ideas and help you to find the strength to turn your vision into a reality. IDENTIFY & GET INFORMED What issues are you most passionate about? Learn more by gathering information about the things that interest you. By informing yourself you will be more prepared to tackle the challenges that lie ahead. LEAD & GET OTHERS INVOLVED Being a good leader is about building on the skills you have and knowing how to leverage the strengths of others. Write down the skills that you and your team members have and see how each member of your team can use their strengths to lead in different ways. Remember that good leadership includes good teamwork! HAVE A LASTING IMPACT Monitoring and evaluation are important parts of project management. During and at the end of your project you'll want to identify the obstacles you face and the lessons you are learning. Encouraging other youth to get involved in the issue you care about is a great way to sustain your efforts. Remember, even if you don't achieve all of your expectations, you likely influenced others and experienced personal growth! GET CONNECTED Networking can give you ideas, access to knowledge and experience, and help in gaining support for your project. Create a map of your networks and track your contacts. PLAN & GET MOVING Now that you are equipped to take action, it's time to begin planning. Start with identifying the issue you are most interested in taking action on and one goal you can work towards. When you have your plan, stay positive and focused. Encountering obstacles is normal. You often learn more from things that are difficult than those that are easy! 1 2 3 4 5 6 InTroduCTIon

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