Hey, hey, summer seems to be in full swing and I am feeling pretty happy about that!

I am working on the Summer WorkshopProject. It is great having Ashley to 'bounce ideas' off of!

Had a meeting today with Ashley and Martin. We discussed how we can revamp the workshop part of the site and make it more user friendly. I believe that empowerment is within the user, thus creating a site for all users to use all over the world. I think this means taking into account the language that we use, thinking of the resources and availability in other countries, getting away from north american perspectives and getting our users to critic our kit, having online resources and information for facilitators to be able to download and use for their workshops, AND always keeping in mind that less is more!

Met with Manisha and Meeta, our workshop facilitators for the Java Workshop.

Attended the TIG workshop, "How to Promote Yourself". Jesse did a great powerpoint presentation!

Continuing to Market the workshops.

In the middle of writing an email to the research volunteers. I am needing to get them motivated!

Sent out reminders for the workshop.

I start my volunteer work with ALFA. The adult literacy organization. I will be tutoring 2 individuals in the area of english. I am really excited about this. ALFA takes a bilingual/bicultural approach to literacy and a student based needs approach to tutoring. I believe in and practice both these methods and philosophies.

I think that is it for now. Everyone enjoy the summer while it lasts!!!!!

Hmmm, I thought I should write my update while I am still feeling 'inpired' to do so.

The Trillium workshop series is really monopolizing a lot of my time. However, it was great meeting Ian, a gentleman who is really motivated in helping us out and creating a marketing plan that will ensure success for our workshops. Ashley has also joined us in the market aspect of our workshop series.

Welcome Ian and Ashley!!!!

I am already thinking into the future, september, and how to create a successful pool of resources for our next workshop series. I believe TIG is starting to customize their workshop series to these 4 areas: (not excluding new ideas that members would want) a)Connect to Your Career
b)New Media and Web Development c) Self Expression Through the Arts d) Organizational Skills and Leadership Development. Thus, the workshops that we give can go under one of these four categories. From a marketing perspective, we would be able to market TIG and the services that we provide more successfully. It was brought to my attention that Toronto is a real 'user based' city. Meaning, people like to be able to go to an organization and use their services or be referred to another organization for the services they need. Not that we just want to be used as a 'service', but I think this will help in bringing in more specific individuals that match with our organizational goals.

I am in the mist of creating a form for workshop volunteers to fill out. This will help me to get the pertinent information that I need more quickly and accurately.

I am still plugging away at our database, approving and researching.

Our lab is starting to come together bit by bit. Last night we actually had our first workshop under the "Trillium Series". Martin did a great job facilitating, Houshi was great at assisting. I felt completely independent of it, which I believe is a very good sign as far as creating something sustainable is concerned. I would like to get our team to come up with good workshop programs and resource files in order to create a sustainable program. Martin has already taken the lead with the web design workshops.

Today is office clean up day,yay!!!

I started my volunteer job this week. I am volunteering at The Nook Literacy Centre. I got to play with the kids for the first hour and a half, then assisted them with their home work. It was alot of fun!!!!! Great way to release alot of energy.

I will also be volunteering at the ALFA centre, which is an adult literacy program. This entails one on one tutoring a few hours out of the week. I also hope to get involved with their fundraising program. My goal is to get my degree in linguistics, then eventually open up my own schoo. Sooo, I am on my way, each little step helps me to atain my goal.

I believe that is all for now.

Cheers!

The Trillium Workshop series are taking up most of my time!
Set up the first meeting with members, organized interests. Met with Jen, we went over the trillium workshop series, we arranged the workshop schedule up until August, hopefully everything will work out smoothly. We will be having the first facilitators meeting this evening.

I am having success engaging new individuals from the community to conduct a workshop!

Facilitated a workshop at Leaside High School related to anti-racism. It went pretty well.

Still importing events, orgs, scholarships.

Had the TIG gang at the house, great cake!

That is all I can remember for now...will add more when I think of it.

Ok, so here goes...

I finished writing a budget for workshops, translations, and resources. They were then given to Vanessa.

Daily management of research volunteers, there seems to be an great increase of events to be posted and are posted on everyday!

Attended all the March worskhops, just to welcome individuals, get email info and make sure everyone filled out feedback forms.

I actually facilitated the "Dismantling Cultural Barriers Workshop". The preparation for this workshop was a bit challening. I tried 2 months in advance to schedule presenters for my workshop. I was turned down many times on the account of the date of the workshop. Most of the presenters schedule their events in the fall. Soo, I guess everyone is needing quite the advance notice for workshops. I re-learned what I have know all along, that is when desiring to work with different individuals from different cultures, it is best to establish a relationship and build trust.

Finished the YMCA workshop reports for the month of April, only needing comments from the facilitators so that I can wrap it up.

Finished scheduling and booking workshops for the month of April. Sent out emails and flyers to advertise the worskhop.

Taking in daily requests for workshops and responding to individuals rsvping for workshops.

Went to a Guidance Counsellors Leadership meeting with Jen. It went really well. The Coodinator for the Toronto District School Board was interested in us going and giving workshops for their students taking leadership courses.

Met with Karis, trained her on the admin site.

Went to a meeting at the Y's women's shelter, STOP 86. They are interested in having us facilitate a workshop on jewelry making. I found a facilitator willing to do this, thanks to Karis!

Started working on projects for youth service week. Perhaps we can do a clothing drive for STOP 86 during youth service week.

Attended the Youth Service Week launch.

One of our TIG members came in with their art, I was able to take picture to be uploaded for the global gallery.

Started importing the OYPA orgs.

Tonight is the Hip Hop workshop, should be lots of fun...

Talents verses Interests

Now, are talents and interests the same thing? Hmm, I
don't think so. For example, I am interested in foreign films, books, little children, latin american art, linguistics, language acquisition, basketball, and belly dancing!!!! Now, am I talented or gifted in these areas? Maybe to some degree, but hey, I'm no Vince Carter! But I would sure like to meet him! (well, that's another story now isn't it?) I will just leave him to lets say, yet another interest...

Well, I must say I am quite a talented person. My talents really focus in the area of people and relationships, gosh, I think I could have been another Freud in another life! Or yet, another Martha Stewart, I'm pretty good at entertaining, making flower arrangements and baking delicious monster cookies! I happen to think children are the best thing in the world!!! Which is why I think I'm a good teacher. I'm definitely the Karen Kane of the salsa world, but you know, I really don't want to boast.

The pieces of the puzzle in which I seem to cover at TIG are Researching and importing resources and information in the TIG database.

I am working like a mad woman organizing, facilitating, planning future workshops here in Toronto. This also includes marketing and advertising for the workshops, answering questions, updating rsvp lists, room bookings, shopping, preparations,pre-meetings with facilitators, modifying workshop kit, follow up feedback meetings, ymca reports, hmm, I am sure I am probably forgetting something. Exciting new! One of the schools in Toronto asked us to facilitate a workshop! Soo, more planning...

Projects that I am currentlsy working on;
Fashion Show Fundraiser
Workshops-Cultural Barriers,Stopping Racism, YMCA house
Toronto Volunteer Program
Translation

March-I definitly want to get the Toronto Volunteer Program rolling! Plus, my own personal workshop,'Cultural Barriers'.

I am really enjoying getting these workshops under way!
I look forward establishing a volunteer program. What I am thinking is having a feature on our site that members in the gta can join in on a currently running volunteer progect in the community. These projects can be anything from giving out food to homeless people or cleaning up the park. So, what do you think of this idea? Any feedback is much appreciated!

We had our first Toronto team meeting, which was an idea party at my place. Now comes the challenge of coming up with more interesting meeting to engage members!

I must say, I really enjoy working with quite the dynamic team!