Launched in January 2006 with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Global Kids’ Digital Media Initiative (DMI) is a series of interrelated programs designed to encourage and support teenagers in thinking critically about the role of digital media in their lives, promote constructive use of new media forms, and document their experiences. Within the program, Global Kids is using contests, online dialogues, a virtual world, podcasts, a blog, machinima, and other venues to gather valuable feedback and views from young people about their relationship with emerging media. These voices are being used to advise the MacArthur Foundation’s new Digital Media, Learning and Education Initiative. 

The activities of the DMI include:

The Virtual Video Program: Through an intensive weekly after school program conducted in collaboration with the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, New York, Global Kids is engaging a cohort of twenty-five youth in the creation of machinima (animated films made with video games) about critical global issues and themes related to digital media.

Media Masters: The Media Masters program, or m(2), works with young people to foster the acquisition of digital media production and analytic skills through youth engagement in participatory media or "Web 2.0" tools. Participants use web tools to map, remix, blog, create multimedia presentations and slideshows, do graphic design, create data visualizations and more in order to gain critical social skills and cultural competencies that will be critical to their participation in civic life. Media Masters is a partnership with MIT's Project New Media Literacies in which Global Kids will bring its global issue oriented and interactive educational approach to MIT's new media literacy Learning Library.

The Digital Media Youth Advisory:  In order to align the DMI with youth needs and concerns, Global Kids has established a Youth Advisory of GK Leaders who meet on a monthly basis to provide feedback on and help guide the DMI and advise experts and practitioners working within the MacArthur Foundation’s new Digital Media, Learning and Education Initiative.   

Online Youth Dialogues: Global Kids is using the Newz Crew website (newzcrew.org) to foster dialogues about current events issues related to the relationship between youth and digital media. In addition, Global Kids will use its Youth Circles approach to facilitate FOCUS, an annual online dialogue for youth worldwide to discuss the role that emerging media play in their lives.

The DMI Podcasts: Global Kids and the Youth Advisory have produced a series of twelve audio and video podcasts highlighting various aspects of the initiative and addressing themes related to youth and digital media.

Global Leadership in Second Life: Global Kids is utilizing its unique presence in the virtual world of Teen Second Life to engage youth from around the world in interactive workshops through which they gain leadership skills, learn about global issues, and carry out projects and events to educate their peers. In summer 2006, Global Kids organized an intensive three-week summer camp for youth in Second Life. At the conclusion of the camp, the youth involved created an interactive maze to raise awareness about the issue of child sex trafficking around the world. Global Kids conducts programming in Second Life in collaboration with UNICEF and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and it has brought in guest speakers, such as the MIT professor Henry Jenkins and actress Mia Farrow.

Holy Meatballs of Divine Spongiform: Global Kids’ Digital Media Initiative Blog (dmi.globalkids.org) provides the public with access to youth voices on digital media in a range of mediums and ongoing updates on the DMI’s activities. The DMI Blog is published by Global Kids youth leaders and staff members and read by over 10,000 fans on a monthly basis.

The MacArthur Foundation Advisory Council: Barry Joseph, Director of GK’s Online Leadership Program, is serving as a member of the MacArthur Foundation’s Youth and Digital Media Advisory Council. In addition, Barry is participating in ongoing meetings with leading academics and practitioners in the field and authoring a chapter on the DMI’s activities for the Foundation’s upcoming series on Youth and Digital Media.

The Essay Contest: In February and March 2006, Global Kids conducted an essay contest in which young people from around the world offered critical reflections on their relationships with digital media. GK received over 130 essays from around the world that addressed a range of themes. The contest entries were remarkable and provided insight into such themes as race and gender online, technology stress, and the generation gap. These findings were recorded in a highly positive final report by an independent evaluator.