LOL Youth Founding Member, New Zealand
Contact innovator
Pero Sardzoski
Tetovo, Macedonia (the former Yugoslav Republic of)
Lene Jensby Lange
Roskilde, Denmark
Geraldine De Fazio
Toronto, Canada
Alex Bell
GB
Lisa Gottfried
Napa, United States
Hector Grimaldo
Vietnam
A global movement promoting intercultural empathy & curiosity by young people
for young people.
Link Online Learners
location_on
Napa, United States
We host a series of weekly live video link ups between young people of different cultures from all around the world. LOL sessions are where your own seemingly ordinary culture and way of life becomes extraordinarily educative to others globally. We make impact in empathy-building, addressing cultural misunderstanding and creating an international movement recognised by theOECD& British Council.
Being a part of LOL has allowed me to engage with young people from all over the world in an environment that is safe and comfortable, and have discussions about countries we may not know much about.
Overview
HundrED has not validated this innovation
Anyone can submit their innovation to HundrED Open. All information on this page is provided by the innovator and has not been checked by HundrED.
Innovation page has been created
by
Pero Sardzoski
on
June 4th, 2020
Key figures
Innovation Overview
ALL
Target Group
400
Children/Users
38
Countries
2020
Established
Not-for-profit
Organisation
3 595
Views
Updated on
November 10th, 2021
about the innovation
Link Online Learners - Where ordinary young lives teach extraordinary lessons globally
HUNDRED'S FIRST BABY - THE WORLD'S FIRST EDUCATION INNOVATION BROUGHT TOGETHER, WHOLLY CREATED AND RUN BY HUNDRED'S OWN GLOBAL COMMUNITY
Until now, education innovations have been created outside of HundrED and then brought into its community. This innovation only exists through the collaboration of HundrED's ambassadors, academy members and innovators in what we believe is a unique first in HundrED's history to meet the needs of the world's young people whatever their circumstances.
What we do?
IMAGINE GAINING THE RICH INSIGHT & LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCES OF A 'ONCE-IN-A CHILDHOOD' INTERNATIONAL STUDENT HOMESTAY... BUT ON A WEEKLY BASIS AND FOR FREE!
We run global, youth-led online intercultural exchanges each week. These combine all the insights and rich experiences of a student international exchange visit and family homestay - but on a weekly basis, from their own homes and completely free of charge.
GOOD FOR THE PLANET, GOOD FOR HUMANITY
Unlike having to fly miles at great financial and environmental cost all our sessions are available to youth aged 10-18 via their school or independently at no cost whatsoever.
Our content is youth led, chosen by them - one to three months ahead.
Topics range from fun intercultural games and conversations as entry points to member-generated extended international collaborations that foster meaningful understanding as well as deep empathy and unique insight from designing first-hand experiences together.
On the one hand, they are collaborating naturally and internationally in a way many adults in their lives don't. On the other hand they are pioneers in developing deep international interpersonal skills and knowledge.
IMAGINE LEARNING THIS MUCH FROM MAKING CLOSE FRIENDSHIPS AROUND THE WORLD
So far, we've had sessions including:
A live tour of Mecca- A youth commentary on Egypt's moving of its ancient mummies - Postal food exchanges and live video tastings between countries - Local market tours in Vietnam - Backyard tours and chicken feeding in Nigeria - A tuk-tuk tour of Hanoi - A video tour of London's landmarks - A mountain rescue dog live demonstration from the US - A best-selling author interview from the UK - A live lake canoe tour in the US - A series of live international plays scripted, directed and performed by our youth members - An anniversary ball curated and directed by our youth members - International quizzes - Sharing of traditional & grandmothers' recipes Internationally - An international fashion show - Speaking at international youth and education festivals - A tour of New Orleans Mardi Gras celebrations - Recording of a studio-quality mix of 'We Are The World' with professional studio technicians and youth -made video - A series of 'ASK ME ANYTHING' published podcasts (entitled 'This Global Life') encapsulating international curiosity and dispelling myths perpetuated by older generations.
These are the kinds of quality interactions that only usually happen in once-in-a-lifetime school foreign exchange trips. We are making them happen four times a week, to create really powerful bonds and genuine friendships between young people from truly diverse countries, belief-systems and lifestyles.
Why we do it?
Our mission is to ensure that the next generation are internationally fluid, empathetic and deeply curious. Our mission is to create a movement of young people very comfortable in interacting, collaborating and developing authentic friendships across cultures, world views and geographical boundaries. We believe that empathetic listening and active engagement with people from places you may never go to will help build a world that appreciates and fiercely defends our shared humanity for generations to come.
Many countries describe their 'special relationship' with other nations, whom they value as trusted friends and allies and would not dream of getting in conflict with.
Link Online Learners has created hundreds of these 'special relationships' and thousands of moments of international empathy that our youth members will take into adulthood and will underpin their view of others in the world.
We believe these are life-changing, opinion-forming moments and we are proud to have created these opportunities.
Media
See this innovation in action
Milestones
Achievements & Awards
May 2021
Link Online Learners is shortlisted for the British Council ELTon awards 2021 - for best use of digital innovation in education globally
April 2021
Link Online Learners' first year of operational end-of-year Quality Assurance review is successfully completed. We have had an amazing year - and just as importantly - every youth member and adult volunteer has been kept safe online each and every time we have met.
March 2021
Before our grand black tie and ballgown celebratory red carpet party, we reminisce on our first birthday! Check out the film in our media section.
June 2020
Innovation page created on HundrED.org
June 2020
Link Online Learners announces television's Baasit Siddiqui as its global ambassador
May 2020
Link Online Learners lead safeguarding volunteer attends British Council video-conference training on 'e-safety and safeguarding' to ensure we are compliant with the same level of safeguarding procedures and practices.
April 2020
Link Online Learners cited in OECD/ HundrED report on quality education for all during Covid 19 crisis. https://hundred.org/en/collections/quality-education-for-all-during-coronavirus
April 2020
Our safeguarding policy and procedures are refined in consultation with the NSPCC, COBIS and The British School of the Netherlands' International Leadership Academy. Our adult volunteer recruitment procedures involve triangulated background checks, with professional and character references aligned to the YOTI verification system and the UK's DBS safeguarding procedures.
March 2020
Link Online Learners becomes the world’s first education innovation created by the pooled talents of existing HundrED innovators, ambassadors and youth ambassadors
March 2020
We start with safeguarding as our core principle - At the commencement of international online services LOL in Link On Learners in Q1 2020, administration ensured that the Health & Safety of our youth membership and adult volunteers was of paramount importance. Initial contact and advice was sought from the British Council and the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) as well as the Council of International Schools (COIS) as leaders in the field in order to put into place a robust and internationally acceptable quality Health and Safety framework and review process. The research and Framework was put into place in March 2020, along with staff induction and training with extensive scenario planning.
March 2020
Link Online Learners sets out to do what we believe has never been done successfully in the same way before. We will safely recruit adults from within almost any jurisdiction in the world, put them through a robust safeguarding and vetting procedure of international standard and then once cleared and inducted to this international standard, clear them to work with any child from almost anywhere in the world. Safely. It's not at all easy, so we call in some world class experts. Follow our progress in the following months' milestones.
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