- Concept Note - Rationale Currently, global, European and national developments are provoking great concern among young people. Despite many benefits of globalisation we see growing isolation and nationalism, international solidarity and human rights being questioned, and deepening challenges in gender equality and climate change. As an international youth movement, AYUDH is taking up its responsibility to act as an active member of European civil society. However clear our motivation, though, it alone is not sufficient. Youth activists need to be equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to create real social impact. They need to learn how to design, implement and evaluate projects, how to inspire others, how to communicate effectively and how to lead teams. Youth leaders need to work on their integrity and self-awareness, and this can be served by introspection and mindfulness. We believe that training in Social Impact Leadership and Design Thinking can provide the basis of capacity our youth activists need to act. AYUDH has designed this program to offer a comprehensive training course for youth activists in this respect. It is offered to a total of 30 youth activists aged 18-26 from Denmark, Greece, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Germany. Aims & Objectives The aim of the program is to train youth activists in Social Impact Leadership via personal transformation and empowerment. The program will increase the ability of the participants to understand social issues they consider important and to collaboratively design, test and implement youth-led Social Impact Projects. The objectives are: 1) To provide a framework for participants to develop, test and apply key competences for Social Impact Leadership, including critical thinking and social, civic, intercultural and digital competences, as outlined in the Paris Declaration. 2) To foster participants personal development including mindfulness, creativity, confidence, civic courage and personal effectiveness. 3) To strengthen participants identity as European citizens through intercultural exchange, deepening an appreciation for shared fundamental values and supporting transnational mobility. 4) To support the formation of a community of youth activists who support, inspire and encourage each other in designing and carrying out projects that affect change in their local communities. 5) To strengthen AYUDH s organizational capacity through the development of its leadership base, and by expanding its educational resources. Program Elements Three transnational seminars form the core of the program. These are complemented and supported by the other program elements of project development, self-study and online exchange. The seminars will bring together all participants (pax), including their national team leads, for six days each. Each seminar will include training in leadership competences, project work, mindfulness practices and a cultural visit for a full or half a day. Learning will take place through a blend of expert input and peer-education, facilitated by the educational team. The hosting partner group will prepare all logistics They will take place in: 1. AMBITION - Berlin, Germany (27 Jan 01 Feb 2018) 2. ENDURANCE - Athens, Greece (28 April 03 May 2018) 3. IMPACT - Bilbao, Spain (01 06 September 2018) During seminar 1, SAP will facilitate a training course in Design Thinking and High Level Leadership, and during seminar 2, Gopi Kallayil, Chief Evangelist for Marketing at Google, will coach the youth in project design, public speaking and fundraising.
Throughout the program, participants will deepen their understanding of six social themes: 1. Climate Action 2. Education 3. Gender Equality 4. Human Rights 5. Intercultural and Interreligious Understanding 6. Peace and Security Two social media platforms will connect participants throughout the program. They will foster an exchange on the six social themes and provide inspiration on healthy habits and self-development. There will also be two motivational webinars with a renowned Social Impact Leadership expert. Each national group will design and implement one Social Impact Project during the program. This experiential learning process will provide an opportunity to test, apply and evaluate the personal leadership competences acquired during the seminars. The Social Impact Project should specifically address one of the six social themes. Participants will also be given tools and training to develop a daily routine of mindfulness, which includes journaling and a simple meditation to enhance concentration and self-awareness. After the program is completed, pax will have acquired essential competences (knowledge, skills and attitudes) needed for Social Impact Leadership. They will be equipped with a toolkit of methods for designing and implementing projects to address social issues of concern to them. Participant Profile Participants should: Be youth activists who want to further develop their competence for Social Impact Leadership Be between 18 and 26 years old Come from one of the partner countries Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain Have the openness and curiosity to learn and an interest in intercultural exchange Have the ability to work in a team and be proactive Demonstrate commitment to the the program (estimated 360 hours over the period of one year) and take part in all three seminars. Have good English skills in writing and speaking and a good level of digital skills Have the curiosity to deepen their knowledge on the six social themes addressed through the program and gain the competence to collaboratively design and implement a youth-led Social Impact Project After the program is completed, pax will have acquired essential competences (knowledge, skills and attitudes) needed for Social Impact Leadership. They will be equipped with a toolkit of methods for designing and implementing projects to address social issues of concern to them. Upon completion, they will receive Youthpass, the certificate of the European Union to certify non-formal learning.
Draft Programme: Seminar 1 AMBITION Location: Berlin Germany. Dates: from 27.01.2018 to 01.02.2018
Draft Programme: Seminar 2 ENDURANCE Location: Athens Greece. Dates: from 28.04.2018 to 03.05.2018
Draft Programme: Seminar 3 IMPACT Location: Bilbao Spain. Dates: from 02.09.2018 to 07.09.2018