It's the final count dooown!

Tim has already discussed the changes with the forum, so I'll leave that out of this update.

Instead, I'll let you guys know a little bit more of what we've been doing beyond the construction of that

On the 06/08, I missed a day of university (i'm a baaad boy) so I could go into YouthworX to help out Amanda before our planned meeting in the afternoon where Tim and Rebecca would be joining us.

Amanda and I discussed "beyond friday" when the competition would be over. I wanted to set them up with a solid plan for when we leave, to ensure that this new networking system we have implented still thrives beyond Tim and I's absence!

Amanda has planned a large networking meeting in September that will be housed at Unitec, where over 100 youth organisations will attend for the purpose of being introduced to YouthworX and the networking masterpiece that is the forum!

Amanda and I sat down and together we divised a three-step action plan to advertise before this networking meeting.

The first step: sending off an introductory group e-mail to all youth organisations and contacts within those. Amanda will introduce herself and YouthworX in this e-mail.

The second step: another e-mail a couple of weeks later sent to the same e-mailing list. This e-mail will advertise the network meeting, and invite them to come along. There will also be a short survey attached to this e-mail, encouraging them to discuss what they would like to see in the meeting. This is a meeting of minds where they can all get together and put forward all ideas forward in what will be an open, creative environment.

The third step: A reminder about the meeting that will be e-mailed one or two days before. The e-mail will also make mention about morning tea that will be provided, an delicious incentive that will surely gain attendance! Unitec provides huge computer labs capable of housing many people. Tim and I have agreed that we will come back for this meeting and regularly check in on Amanda to see that things are going fine.

We advised her that keeping up with this networking system is a good thing, and for her not to think of it as something that is a "task". That in order for it to work, she must adopt it into her daily routine - like brushing teeth! She completely agreed and is excited by this.

For tomorrow's meeting, I arranged for Amanda to call people from different youth organisations to come into the hired computer lab in Unitec where we will introduce them to YouthworX and the forum.

We will have them all interact with the forum here and provide a simple tutorial that will explain what it is, how it can benefit them, and how they can use it. By doing this, they will hopefully be creating a buzzing discussion and many others will join in on! If we do that, then we have achieved our target for the day.

Here is the plan for tomorrow that I had Amanda write up, to make our meeting tomorrow more organised:

YouthworX On-line: Let’s make it GO bro!

Sector Contribution Meeting
Where the goal is to activate the forum component of the new YouthworX website through organized contribution from the Youth Sector.

Date: Friday 8 August 2008

Time: 8:45am ~ Meet at Unitec
9:30am ~ Meeting starts

Hosted by: YouthworX + Team Hamburger of the yMedia Challenge

Venue: Room 2014, Unitec, 132 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, North Shore City
(09) 815 4321 x. 5601

Attending: Cam Calkoen YES Ability Achievement Centre
Shannon Mawdsley Sport North Harbour
Jon Shepherd in2it
TBC Youthline
TBC Safer Families

Format: Meet and greet, Seated discussion style;
Introduction to YouthworX
Introduction to yMedia, our project and the benefits of use;
Briefed for today’s contribution;
Seated on Computers and GO;
Morning tea, discussion and feedback.


An e-mail was also sent today to remind people about the meeting.

Stay tuned for more as we enter the last day of the yMedia Challenge. :)

- Kenneth