It didn't take long for Vaughan's newly created Youth Cabinet to make a big splash. Thanks to the drive and determination of a core group of volunteers, the voices of Vaughan's youth will be added to a cross-country checkup as part of a United Nations World Summit on Information Society.
The report, which will place Vaughan shoulder to shoulder with larger urban centres like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, was the brainchild of a former Maple resident who has been instrumental in connecting kids and computers around the world.
In 1999, Jennifer Corriero co-founded TakingITGlobal - a non-profit dot-com that has connected, supported and inspired more than 89,000 people in 200 countries across the globe. She's helping to organize the consultation in early August, asking area teens how technology has and will impact their lives. Once the results are compiled with the other Canadian cities, Corriero will travel to New York in October to present the findings at the United Nation's headquarters.
As a past member of Canada's delegation to the World Summit on the Information Society, Corriero has traveled to Sweden, Malaysia, the Czech Republic and France presenting her ideas as to how the youth and technology can work to improve society. Her global experience has provided invaluable insight as Vaughan's politically active youth seek to lobby for greater involvement in municipal affairs.
"She's brought a very unique perspective to Vaughan's Youth Cabinet. When you're operating in isolation, you don't really know what else is going on in the world. Jennifer's travels has helped get the gears moving in our heads and showed how we can do more," said Nick Pasquino, 22, who has also played a leading role in bringing youth-orientated initiatives to the forefront in Vaughan.
For the 25-year-old Corriero, now back at York University pursuing her Masters in the faculty of Environmental Studies, involvement in local politics and the trailblazing path that would follow began almost by fluke.

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