“Youth in Action: Youth Empowerment and Leadership Development in Armenia” project is implemented by “Youth Initiative Centre” (YIC) NGO in partnership with the Armenian branch of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), World Vision Armenia (WVA) and Media Initiatives Center (MIC) co-funded by the EU and KAS.
The project targets youth CSOs, youth initiatives, youth workers, including youth leaders and mentors, young politicians, young and digital influencers, video bloggers, podcasters, and decision-makers at local and national levels.
The project will equip youth CSOs with the necessary capacities for better composition, management, and use of resources. Young professionals will benefit from the fellowships and will foster their skills to work in a diverse environment, target community issues, and design and implement local initiatives. The action foresees mastering public management skills among youth through simulation of the responsibilities of legislative, executive, and judicial powers in Armenia, and fostering the skills of youth and adolescents in advocacy, including advocacy building and policy development.
The Institute of Youth Worker, its terms and references, competencies, and liabilities will be thought about, developed, and suggested. This will increase the understanding, importance, and necessity of the profession. Youth leaders and mentors will showcase the theoretical and empirical practices, achievements, know-how, and learned lessons to recruit, study, and represent the youth agenda in the process of decision-making. Youth leaders will also enhance their media literacy, public speaking, communication, and networking skills to be able to deliver the right messages to society.
0.1 Mapping and gap analysis of available non-formal learning civic education tools and practices for the CSOs, youth and practitioners, with a particular focus on youth empowerment, leadership and media literacy, will form a clear picture of potential opportunities, needs and existing shortcomings for further activities.
0.2 Development of Innovative Civic Education Tools for Non-Formal Learning (sub-granting) aims to develop innovative civic education tools for non-formal learning, targeting various groups, including youth, with a special focus on female leadership, media literacy, social inclusion (with a focus on IDPs), peace building, and conflict-transformation practices for youth.
0.4 Annual Youth Forum will be a recurring event held in various regions of Armenia, including Armavir, Tavush, Lori, Shirak, Syunik, or Gegharkunik. Its primary purpose is to serve as a platform for public consultation between various sectors, including public and private entities, CSOs, and youth.
1.1.1 Capacity Building of Youth Multipliers training will be conducted for youth multipliers from different regions. The training will focus on communication, leadership, organizational, project management, peace building, and conflict-transformation skills. This capacity building initiative aims to facilitate connections between youth multipliers, encouraging them to share best practices and experiences while promoting a deeper understanding of youth and societal issues.
1.1.2 Capacity Building of Youth Workers training will focus on mentoring for youth workers, covering topics such as youth participation and career exploration, non-formal learning methodologies, understanding youth’s social, psychological, and physical needs, coaching techniques, and project management skills. After completing the training, the mentor-youth workers will actively participate in relevant action activities, such as idea labs, hackathons, and the “Model Armenia” program, where they will serve as coaches and mentors for young people.
1.3 In the frame of Fellowships for Youth, interested in CSOs or public sector developments a 3-months remunerated fellowship (on the job trainings) for 36 youth representatives, interested or working in the CSOs or public institutions, will be offered via an open call for fellows. The fellowships will be announced in 2 rounds and selected fellows will take part in a training, explaining program objectives, reporting modalities, visibility rules and clarifying opened questions.
1.4 Improving public policies through CAY (Children, Adolescents and Youth)-led mobilization model will support youth to plan and conduct child-led, adolescents and youth mobilization activities (ex. Engaging young people to end violence against children), by training them and engaging them in regional advocacy groups.
1.5 Capacity building for youth CSOs: around 40 CSOs will benefit from capacity-building and will be selected through an open call, based on a clearly defined criteria by the project team and including geographical diversity. At least 20 institutional and organizational capacity-building (trainings, ToT or coaching) will be conducted and based on individual needs and capabilities of each selected CSOs. These training sessions may cover the topics related to HRM, project management, proposal writing, communication, action and strategy plan building, advocacy activities, M&E, engagement with the public sector, etc.
2.1 Creating and Strengthening Youth Centers and Youth Spaces in Armenia activity’s primary goal is to establish safe and supportive environments for youth in the regions of Armavir, Gegharkunik, Lori, Shirak, Syunik, and Tavush. The project will involve 1,200 young people, benefiting the entire Armenian civil society.
2.3.1 GLOW (Girls leading our world) camps aim to empower adolescent girls aged 13-15 through two 7-day GLOW camps in all regions of Armenia. Each camp will accommodate up to 40 participants, totaling 80 girls overall. The primary focus of the camps is to provide these young girls with essential leadership skills while highlighting the crucial role of women in leadership positions.
2.3.2 Each of the Eight Online Leadership Schools aims to bring together at least 15 participants, with a particular focus on reaching out to young people in remote areas. The main objective is to provide foundational knowledge on leadership competences to the participants.
2.3.3 Two 6-day (5 nights) Leadership Labs will create a valuable space for aspiring young leaders to network and enhance their knowledge as community leaders. Drawing inspiration from successful models piloted in Armenia, such as the “I am the community” model by UNDP, the Leadership Labs will be co-designed with the input of young multipliers, some of whom will actively support the Labs’ implementation in person.
2.4 Idea Labs aim to promote youth creativity, leadership, and increase youth’s role in society. It will involve 45 young change-makers, and at least 150 young people will indirectly benefit from the initiative. The selected candidates from the Idea Lab will receive seed funding to test their innovative ideas at the local level.
Duration 01.03.2023 – 30.06.2026 (40 month)
CONTACT
E-mail: youthinaction@yic.am
Facebook: facebook.com/EmpoweringArmenianYouth
