I am very excited to hear about the Connected Generation 2009 unConference – launched today – which will look at ways that organisations can use social media and the web to engage with young people. 

For anyone not familiar with the term, an ‘unconference’ is an event which does not follow the traditional conference stereotype – there is no agenda as such, you create the programme on the day based on what you want to learn.  (If you came alone to the Chain Reaction event in 2008, you will understand how this worked!)  

This event has been founded by Tim Davies, a consultant and trainer in youth participation (If you haven’t already read his plan for Online Citizenship for Young People you need to now!)

As Tim explains on his blog;

Since the 2008 UK Youth Online* unConference I’ve met a whole load of fantastic people working to explore and use social technologies in youth work, youth participation and outreach work with young people. From software developers and central government policy makers, to local authority web teams and front-line youth workers – and of course, many young people themselves – as volunteers, activists and innovators. However, in all these meetings, I’ve not come across a forum that brings together practitioners, social entrepreneurs, developments, policy makers and young people to get stuck into sharing their learning and building the sorts of informal and formal networks that will drive forward greater and more effective uptake of social technologies to make a difference in the lives of young people.

So – I though it might be time for another unConference. And this is the rather roundabout way of announcing: Connected Generation 2009 – unConference – exploring youth engagement in a digital age.

It’s taking place on the 11th July, it’s free to attend, in the same place in Central London as last years thanks to Steph Grey and DIUS…

So why am I so excited about this event? 

Well, because the work that we do at Chain Reaction involves young people, and we want to continue to engage and work with young people.  I think that this will be a really valuable opportunity to learn from the great and the good in the world of youth participation. 

The majority of our volunteers are young people.  Through our volunteering programmes and through events and online networks, the Chain Reaction project offers young people – the leaders of tomorrow – an opportunity to learn practical tools and develop their networks.

In 2008, over a quarter of the national event attendees were under the age of 21, and a large proportion of the event was planned and delivered by young people.  These young people—the leaders of tomorrow— were involved in planning and delivering a large part of the event agenda, engaging in chairing and facilitating sessions, presenting and debating.  Their participation brought a different energy to the event, challenging all of us to be more grounded yet more ambitious.

And just like the 2008 event, this year we plan for the same level of youth involvement – if not more.  This year, we will work with a group of young people to develop the core journalistic skills to enable them to report on the Chain Reaction event 2009, and subsequent events and activities (full details of which will be available in a few weeks time)

So these are the reasons why I have booked my ticket.  This event is for anyone whose work involves young people – click here to register now!

Young Reporters from SENSE Media, at Chain Reaction, day 2, 18/11/2008, London