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Models Services Conference
Nation1 & Global Youth Networks
International Youth Models Services Conference
Prepared by Nick Moraitis – nick@nation1.net
Nation1's mission is to create an integrated and participatory youth network, linking young people to nurture differences and leverage similarities: to find common cause and work together for realization of shared goals.
Background:
Nation1 was proposed at the 2b1 World conference of decision-makers on children's IT issues. It was taken up by the current youth project team at the 2nd Junior Summit on the Global Information Infrastructure held at MIT, in November 1998 (http://www.jrsummit.net).
Key elements:
At the core of Nation1 will be a computer-based network ("Network"), to connect young people, and provide decision making tools to allow more efficient work. Features will include:
· Efficient online "massive conversation" group, and personalized messaging.
· Participative and flexible options for individual group structure, and a voting/polling mechanism.
· Multilingual support.
· Flexible database creation and search facilities.
· News creation and dissemination mechanism.
Secondary elements:
· Outreach into local communities, preferably via already existing community youth groups / church groups / UN agencies, to ensure participation from those who can not get direct access to the computer network. These Regional Groups will provide a basis for local action, coordinated on a global level via the Network, as well as a focal base and resource center for youth-inspired local community based projects.
· Ties with research institutions will involve mutually beneficial partnership providing the latest technology, and information to young people. Conversely, young people's ideas and opinions can be analyzed within the research framework.
· A global children's online Kids Bank, would generate revenue using a variety of methods, including electronic commerce, to put back into children-inspired projects.
Who is involved:
Nation1's expanding youth taskforce involves youth leaders and tech gurus from Morocco to Mexico, and San Francisco to Kuala Lumpur. We currently have 125 volunteers spread over approximately 35 countries. Nation1 also has an adult advisory board, including academics, experts including the architects of the Personal Computer, the Internet and multimedia, representatives of UNESCO, media companies and aid organisations.
Nation1 is an integrative youth network and we will develop our project together with the resources of other young people and youth organisations.
The MIT Media Laboratory is a key supporter, and we have a full-time Nation1 Research Scientist developing links between Nation1 and faculty/students at MIT and at other universities. Other partners include the Global Youth Action Network (www.youthlink.org), the ONE DAY Foundation, and Futurekids.
How you can help
· Endorse the Project. Above all Nation1 requires support from other youth organisations. We do not want to create this alone. The goal of our taskforce is to generate momentum behind the concept of a youth network. Our vision for Nation1 involves an integrative and cooperative creation, as much as any of the specific plans we have produced. We want to work together, and utilise the resources in all youth organisations to bring this about.
· Provide Funds or Resources. Nation1 requires some administrative support and hardware, as well as funding for promotion. We are currently developing funding relationships with a number of Foundations and corporations. Previous sponsors include Swatch, Sega, Lions Clubs, Apple, American Airlines etc.
· Volunteer Programmers/Web developers. We hope to safeguard the integrity of our project, and for the most part, volunteer programmers, and other youth can be found within the ranks of our partner organizations to physically create the majority of the technical & other infrastructure we have designed.
How to find out more:
o Talk to our representative, Nick Moraitis, from Melbourne Australia nick@nation1.net
o Visit our project informational website at http://www.nation1.net
o E-mail us at info@nation1.net.