4 minute read
GOING BEYOND TECHNOLOGY: CREATING CONNECTIONS ONLINE
The YCI Forum was hosted on the video conferencing platform Zoom. In addition to video calls in both full “meeting” mode and “breakout rooms”, these discussions were augmented with multimedia tools such as Mural (a visual platform that was used to capture feedback and enable collaborative discussions), Mentimeter (a data collection, survey and visual presentation platform that enabled the creation of infographics in real-time), QiQo Chat (a chatroom add-on for Zoom), and Otter.ai (a live transcription tool). Marcello Peruzzi, a graphic facilitator from Housatonic based in Bologna, Italy, also captured and visualized the program live.
“I LOVE the graphic facilitation.
It helps me to concentrate when there is a
lot of content and it is very dynamic (and beautiful). ”
Further means of communication were offered through a dedicated WhatsApp group for this year’s cohort and the general YCI Forum Facebook group that connects all years’ cohorts. But how to actually foster connection between these globally dispersed and, in many cases, socially isolated YCIs?
The program aimed to create multiple opportunities for participants to speak with each other and to build camaraderie. On the first day of the program, YCIs were paired with a buddy, someone who would accompany them on their program journey and hopefully beyond. Breakout room discussions and collaborative projects mixed participants in various constellations and offered opportunities for getting to know each other.
Strong bonds were created between the participants in their smaller sharing sessions groups, with whom they spent a lot of time. This multilayered network of connections was further enhanced when participants were placed into Hub Huddles to connect with other YCIs in their local area and encouraged to maintain that contact after the Forum.
Faye Kabali-Kagwa, a member of the Cape Town YCI Hub, was appointed the official “Vibes Manager” of the YCI Forum. In her role she led a daily check-in ritual at the beginning of each main session and a series of activities and games including a YCI Forum 2020 quiz that were interspersed throughout the program to keep the energy in the sessions. A daily rainbow color-coded dress code, a suggestion to have something that is alive in your space, and an invitation to rename yourself with your preferred name and pronouns, were further ways that the facilitation team tried to create a personal and inclusive atmosphere during the YCI Forum.
THE ZOOM ROOMS ARE ALIVE: BREAKOUT SESSIONS
In order to facilitate the conversations that were still lingering in the minds of participants before the end of the program, a portion of the final session opened up in a series of breakout rooms where participants were invited to choose which room they would like to visit •THE BREAKDOWN ROOM for mental hygiene and wellbeing / take a breather/ reflect on your feelings •THE BON(D)FIRE for bonding and storytelling; •THE LIBRARY to talk about potential collaborations/co-creations; •FAYE KK’s KITCHEN where we’re always whipping up something delicious. This is the space for exchanging recipes, eating together, or exchanging stories; •ROOM FOR REVOLUTION a space to dream big; •THE BIERSTUBE to have a drink or a coffee, listen to some music, and unwind; •THE BATHROOM to gossip; •RO’s THEATER for impromptu performances.
YCIs were also encouraged to add songs to the collaborative “Sound of YCI” Spotify playlist, which was played during the breaks in the program. A takeover of the Salzburg Global Instagram account by Chino Aricaya, “Social Media Ninja” and member of the Manila YCI Hub, helped YCIs to get to know each other by sharing their introduction Instagram Stories and making these available for others to watch at any time. YCIs were encouraged to share their experiences during the program on social media, particularly image-sharing platform Instagram, using the hashtags #SGSYCI and #YCI2020.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PROGRAM CAN BE VIEWED ON INSTAGRAM:
YCI 2020: www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17859082772169085 YCI 2020 2.0: www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17946172972376165 YCI Visuals: www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18120212068179838 YCI 2020 Intros: www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17959912600356370 See NEXT PAGE for the full Instagram feed image (presented as two columns), which was created over the full 10 days of the program, one image tile at a time [GO TO >>]
“The final day break out rooms about everything
from Food to Bond Fire Convos etc. was really special. It felt informal, and relaxed and I had both hilarious and extremely challenging conversations that didn’t feel too scripted/forced. Really enjoyed them!
“In 10 days, we were able to create a community that has never even met in person, but are connected through passion and purpose and most of all, the willingness to struggle together for something bigger than ourselves.
“The Salzburg Global YCI Forum has opened doors to a
