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Michael Furdyk

Director of Innovation at TakingITGlobal

Michael Furdyk is a prominent figure in the field of global education and technology, recognized for his innovative contributions as a co-founder of TakingITGlobal, a network that empowers youth to engage with global challenges through education. His work focuses on fostering understanding and action among young people regarding critical issues facing the world today.12

Background and Achievements

  • Technology Entrepreneur: Furdyk has a strong background in technology, having founded successful online ventures such as BuyBuddy.com and MyDesktop.com, which was acquired by Internet.com in 1999. His entrepreneurial efforts have earned him recognition as one of the "10 tech revolutionaries redefining the power and face of philanthropy" by Contribute Magazine in 2008.13
  • Awards and Recognition: He has received multiple accolades, including:
    • YTV Achievement Award (2000) for business achievements.
    • IWAY Award for Community Service (2003) recognizing his contributions to information technology.
    • Intercultural Innovation Award (2013) from the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations for his work promoting intercultural dialogue.2
  • Media Presence: Furdyk has appeared on platforms like The Oprah Winfrey Show and has delivered presentations at TED, showcasing his commitment to leveraging technology for social good.1

Current Role

As a member of the International Advisory Group at ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), Furdyk continues to influence educational practices globally, advocating for the integration of technology in fostering global citizenship among students.12

His contributions reflect a dedication to enhancing educational opportunities and driving social change through innovative approaches.

Highlights

Apr 17 · linkedin

Excited to launch the new version of the Create to Learn skill development platform, featuring tutorials from 67 First Nations, Inuit and Métis creatives. The new experience was designed by the Deloitte Digital team and built by the accessibility experts at HEY NOVA: https://lnkd.in/gZhKEGCK

Today at the Indspire Soaring Student Conference, hundreds of students have the opportunity to explore these engaging video tutorials on a wide variety of digital skills and cultural teachings. Thank you to Marilyn Whittingham and Grace Jin for generously championing this work as part of our long-term partnership & support from Deloitte, Lenovo for their Foundation's support allowing us to grow the program with many new tutorials (and more to come!) and our friends at imagineNATIVE for helping us include many inspiring creative professionals.

We're also grateful to the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada #CanCode program which supported the development of this project from the very start, before we pivoted during the pandemic from in-person training to this web platform which has allowed us to reach many youth. The Emploi et Développement social Canada (EDSC) / Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) Supports for Student Learning program is helping us expand the reach even further. And of course, a huge thank you to the creative professionals who have shared their skills and talents with youth so far, and our team for finding and fixing bugs and developing content. Nominations for additional creators (and bug reports) welcome!

Libby Long Richards Jaxson Khan Katie Goulet Gillian Salazar Alexandra Biron Genevieve Wong Kaitlynn Tomaselli Shing Leung Amita Kapur, PMP Danielle Truong Kirsten Dodd Dallas Pelly Jade Roberts Mathieu Larocque Marianna Connors Kathryn Lancashire Susie H. Craig Taylor

Aug 20 · linkedin

Did you know? From 2017-2022, our #RisingYouth program awarded more than 7,000 grants to youth-led community impact projects. This year, we launched the Sprout Ideas Fellowship, a 10-month learning experience for over 100 alumni to support them in growing their projects as social innovators!

You're invited to make a contribution to the Sprout Ideas Fund to help us support these important initiatives -- we're halfway to our goal of $50,000: https://lnkd.in/gDwxyGys

Examples of projects underway across Canada include:

  • Community Food Hub by Sitra Suleiman: promotes intra community support to combat food insecurity by creating a food hub and using community fridges and pantries
  • Cree Visual Cards by Sheila Cook: an Indigenous language revitalization project to guide Cree families in learning the language at home and provide educators will an easy-to-use resource 
  • Graph Legend by Meladul Haq Ahmadzai: a newcomer-led initiative providing workshops and partnerships with local organizations and schools to help high school students graduate
  • Africentric Picnic Basket by Adolphina Wilson: Food packages, picnic event and skills sharing workshop series to raise awareness of local food security issues developed with a cultural lens
  • Men Making Amends by Jonathan Wilson: a well-being initiative supporting urban racialized men in improving both their mental and physical health, and building stronger relationships with their loved ones and communities.
  • Rural Ontario Community of Queer Youth by Mabe Kyle: a peer support group that is spearheading the creation of a multimedia oral history project called Queer Country Crossroads: stories of rural 2SLGBTQIAP+ life to share stories that deserve to be heard and told.
  • Pollinators for Seniors by Derek Nguyen: creates intergenerational relationships and green spaces to connect with nature, promotes pollinator habitats, and uplifts vulnerable individuals in long-term care homes, community support centres, shelters, and schools.

I hope you'll consider making a contribution to support these and many more innovative youth-led community initiatives. A big kudos to our small but mighty team that has brought this program into reality: Kristle, Loizza, Juliana, Simeh, Barbara & Jennifer!

Related Questions

What are some of the key projects Michael Furdyk has worked on at TakingITGlobal?
How did Michael Furdyk's early tech companies influence his later work in education?
What inspired Michael Furdyk to focus on global education programs for youth?
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How has Michael Furdyk's work been featured in the media?
Michael Furdyk
Michael Furdyk, photo 1
Michael Furdyk, photo 2
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Location

Toronto, Ontario, Canada