KIDLINK - Global Networking for Youth 10 - 15 years of age

Odd de Presno

Abstract

Today, knowledge has a short life, and society has become very complex. We often experience that it is faster and better ask others for advice, than to visit the library or search in databases.

This is the essence of what KIDLINK is all about. The primary objective of this global grassroots organization is to help youth 10 - 15 years of age build a global personal network using telecommunications.

All kids are welcome, they be rich, poor, handicapped, children of immigrants, socially disadvantaged, even kids with mortal diseases. Since the start in 1990, more than 85,000 youth living in 101 countries have participated (by April, 1997), and new kids are joining every day.

A report about the KIDLINK experience.

P A P E R for Barranquilla

KIDLINK - Global Networking for Youth 10 - 15 years of age

By Odd de Presno
KIDLINK Founder/Project Director
opresno@kidlink.org

My name is Odd de Presno, and I am the founder and Project Director of KIDLINK. By profession, I am an independent writer of books and articles about Internet, online services, and computers.

My home is on the south coast of Norway in a small town called Arendal. It is about 3.5 hours by car from Oslo, the capital of the country.

o O o

Today, knowledge has such a short life, and society has become so complex. Again and again, we experience that it is often faster and better to ask others for help and advice, than to visit the library or search in databases.

We have a word for this. We call it personal networking, and this is the essence of what KIDLINK is about.

Our primary objective is to help youth 10 - 15 years of age build a global network using telecommunications.

All kinds of kids are welcome, they be rich, poor, handicapped, children of immigrants, socially disadvantaged, even kids with mortal diseases.

When they are 16 years old, and have to leave KIDLINK, we refer to them as "KidLink graduates." Through our activities, they have made friends in many countries, and acquired communications and multi-cultural skills. We think that these skills, combined with subsequent education and training, make them better candidates for employment in tomorrow's global economy.

So what is KIDLINK?

It is a large grassroots movement based on volunteering effort. There are hundreds of adults involved in helping the children network. All of us are volunteers. Nobody is getting paid, and that includes me.

We are not a political organization, even though many of our volunteers and organizers have strong political views about peace, environment, religion, education, or whatever.

KIDLINK is impartial as to what methods are being used to solve the problems of the world today. We do not promote specific solutions to problems, or political points-of-view.

This is important. Otherwise, some parent somewhere could deny their kids the right to participate in our programs.

KIDLINK is an activity provider -- we give kids something to do. KIDLINK is safe, challenging, fun, educational.

Participation is free, but all kids MUST submit their answers to these questions:

  1. Who am I?
  2. What do I want to be when I grow up?
  3. How do I want the world to be better when I grow up?
  4. What can I do now to make this happen?

The answers may be sent by electronic mail to RESPONSE@LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU, or be submitted at http://www.kidlink.org/RESPONSE/.

There's a fair amount of energy in these questions. They often provokes thoughtful answers, and sets a serious tone for the KIDLINK project. This tone is the "KIDLINK tone," or ideology, if you like. It is something that sets us apart from other initiatives.

Teachers use the responses as a springboard for classroom discussions. Many use them to help their students to better self-awareness, while others care less about getting the kids to think about what kind of world they would like to see in the future, and what specifically they can do to achieve their vision.

As KIDLINK evolved, we discovered that many young people are very concerned about the environment, drugs, wars, poverty, and other social ills. Here is a database containing what today's youth feel and think about the future. As individuals, their words may not carry much weight, but together they are a force. We have always published sample responses in our newsletters, and encourage studies of the material.

By the way, these answers are also the visiting cards of participating kids. Telling who you are is a good starting point for a global dialog.

Here is an early sample response from Brazil. It was dated October 30, 1990. The author was then 13 year old Cezar de Faria Lemos living in Curitiba:

Since the start five years ago, more than 85,000 youth living in 101 countries have sent in their responses, and new kids are joining every day (Numbers as of April, 1997).

The total number of words that these kids have sent to KIDLINK counts to more than seventeen copies of the Holy Bible! About half of them are from kids in the United States. However, KIDLINK is particularly interested in having kids participate from the less fortunate parts of the world. Right now, our high-priority areas are Africa, Asia, and the countries in the former Soviet Union.

When the kids have submitted their answers, they are invited to join one of our KIDCAFE forums. Here, children 10 - 15 years of age talk about anything they like. No adults are allowed to say anything.

The only adult that we have ever allowed to speak here - just once - was President Bill Clinton of the United States. Children from a school in North American school were selling cakes to support the American trade deficit, and the President requested a chance to send a personal message to them.

We have KIDCAFEs in several languages: Portuguese, Spanish, English, Scandinavian languages, and Japanese. The Spanish KIDCAFE is called KIDCAFE- SPANISH. We are in the process of establishing dialog in yet other languages, like German, and Icelandic.

KIDLINK takes languages seriously. Last year, we appointed a Manager of Multiple Languages, Marisa Lucena of Brazil. Since then, we have been very active translating texts and messages to promote communication across language barriers.

Sample KIDCAFE message: FROM ALEXANDR STOLPOVKY IN RUSSIA to Murillo in Brazil:


      Hi Murillo.
      Now we have holidays. In Russia the weather is 
      cold but the winter is not snowy. What weather is 
      now in Brazil?
      I very much like Elvis Presly too! But I haven't many 
      Elvis Presley's songs.
      When your school holidays began and over? Do you 
      have a snow this winter?

      Good Bye, Stolposky Alexandr.

They talk about everything. Boy meets girl. What music do you like? Where did you spend your holidays? What do you think about your teachers? And school?

If you want to learn more about what the young generation are concerned about, read their dialog.

Teachers use it in the classroom, for example in language education and current awareness. Also, listen to this:

One day a kid from USA talked about the Columbus day and how he had found America. Another, from Norway, protested at this and said that a Norwegian - Leif Eirikson - discovered America long before Columbus.

This caused an Icelander to point out that it was Leif Eirikson's father who came from Norway, and not Leif Eirikson himself. Leif was actually an Icelander, as he was born there.

Then a letter came from Peru that asked: "What did they find? We were here already and had a culture and society no less than them. What Columbus and Leif did, was to accomplish the task of sailing over the ocean, and coming for a visit."

By hearing different opinions, the kids learn how to understand each side, and be more capable of figuring out for themselves what they think of the events in question.

Some teachers prefer a more planned environment. The KIDFORUM conference is an outlet for works by kids on a series of topics specified in advance. It is designed to promote exchanges between classroom groups of students. Monthly topics are selected and scheduled in advance so that teachers can make plans for their classes to participate.

Sample topics: