Reinventing Democracy in the Digital Era (UNDEF): Difference between revisions

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'''Youth'''
'''Youth'''


Gender (20%), Age: young people 18 – 30 years old (15%), Anti-discrimination criteria (10%), Years of relevant experience or/and prior relevant activities (10%), Potential for organizing follow-up activities (10%), Belonging to associations with wide networks (5%), Communication skills (5%), Reliability / Commitment (5%), Country of origin / nationality (5%), Availability of sponsors (10%), Uninterrupted access to social networking (5%).
==Outcomes and Outputs==
 
==Activities==
 
'''Output 1.1: 5 Regional Co-Laboratories of Democracy held with a total of 100 participants'''
 
The Future Worlds Center intends to conduct a total of 5 Co-Laboratories throughout the project, each lasting 5 full working days, and taking place in different continents. The major product of each Co-Laboratory will be a detailed virtual report with all ideas, clarifications, processes, and final results documented in great detail.
 
'''Output 1.2: At least 1000 ‘Shadow Participants’ to Co-Laboratories recruited'''
 
Before attending a Co-Laboratory, each participant is asked to identify and recruit additional 10 ‘shadow participants’. This will significantly enlarge the total number of participants and increase the validation of the results during each Co-Laboratory. Since participants themselves will represent a diverse mix of ethnic and social backgrounds, so will the additional participants, as they are likely to be identified within the socio-economic environment of each participant. Participants will however be asked to try and identify representatives of different youth organizations or active youth/ civil society groups. By recruiting 10 shadow participants each, the total number of young people involved per Co-Laboratory will reach 200. The shadow participants will contribute through virtual means, through the website, the IdeaPrism™ or email, depending on the particular circumstances. In addition, however, the virtual participants will also be in charge to reflect on the proceedings and also “broadcast” the progress of the project using their respective channels, i.e., via email, Twitter™, Facebook™, Blogs, YouTube™ movies, etc.
 
'''Output 1.3: 13 Regional Webinars on Participatory Democracy held'''
 
A number of regional webinars will be held in the framework of the project and after the Co-Labs being held. The first webinar will aim at introducing participants to the project and the concept of participatory democracy and will address issues on media literacy. The following webinars will focus on increasing interaction among the participants and will work as platforms for exchanging ideas and work on country specific activities. In addition, the webinars will serve as a tool for discussing topics of interests and sharing success stories. Overall, the webinars will support participants to complete their follow up activities. Moreover, in these webinars participants will be invited to discuss the progress of their action plans. Thus, webinars will ensure interactive participation among the participants and smooth operation of the process. Due to the time frame, three Webinars with participants from Europe/ Africa/ the Americas, and two Webinars with participants from Asia/ the Arab States – in total 13 regional Webinars will be organized.
 
'''Output 1.4: Two Global Webinars on Participatory Democracy held'''
 
Global webinars on participatory democracy will be taking place during the implementation of the project. The webinars will ensure global coordination of the project outputs and will give participants the opportunity to discuss and exchange ideas on topics of common interest. The global webinars will support and encourage communication among the participants in an effort to empower youth to actively participate in the democracy processes. The webinars will be organized using standard technologies (available to FWC) and the results uploaded to public cloud for open access. The first Global webinar will take place after the Co-Labs in Europe, Africa and the Americas (Q5) have been implemented and will invite participants from those regions. The final Global webinar will take place in the end of the project (Q8) and will include participants from all continents.
 
==Expected Results==


'''Outcome 1: Structured youth dialogue has capacitated and empowered youth, and strengthened the level of engagement among youth across the world'''
'''Outcome 1: Structured youth dialogue has capacitated and empowered youth, and strengthened the level of engagement among youth across the world'''


The necessary requirement for any action to be successful is that the youth has clarity of their situation and are able to articulate their thoughts and goals clearly. Future Worlds Center will coordinate and carryout co-laboratories in which 100-125 youth and citizens’ representatives/leaders, will participate. Doing so will develop a common language and a shared understanding of the situation for youth and capacitate them to formulate their ideas, suggestions, and strategies with clarity. They will work together to develop shared action plans. They will co-author a book and produce video clips to promote their action plans. Moreover, they will co-develop a Manifesto for 21st Century Democracy. As a result, the participating youth will regain their interest in the democratic process and their faith toOutcome 2: Social media is increasingly used in advocacy efforts to strengthen the voice of youths across the world.
*Output 1.1: 5 Regional Co-Laboratories of Democracy held with a total of 100 participants
*Output 1.2: At least 1000 ‘Shadow Participants’ to Co-Laboratories recruited
*Output 1.3: 13 Regional Webinars on Participatory Democracy held
*Output 1.4: Two Global Webinars on Participatory Democracy held


'''Outcome 2: Social media is increasingly used in advocacy efforts to strengthen the voice of youths across the world'''
'''Outcome 2: Social media is increasingly used in advocacy efforts to strengthen the voice of youths across the world'''


A series of 1-min video clips and a best video clip competition will serve as a major step towards engaging a few thousand people in evaluating and selecting ideas using modern social media and Apps. This is envisioned as the launching of a global mobilization process which will engage thousands of people in critical and reflecting thinking by sharing and discussing the video clips. The results of best video clip- voting process will be disseminated to the media, organizations and decision makers through various communication channels and are expected to make an impact in the political agenda.
*Output 2.1: “50 Proposals for Action towards designing ideal future systems of governance” video-clips uploaded on YouTube™
*Output 2.2: A YouTube™ best video clip competition held: Voting among the 50 Proposals for Action
*Output 2.3: A promotional video clip promoting young people’s voice produced and shared globally in social and traditional media  
*Output 2.4: A Global Democracy Facebook™ Group to launch social media campaigns created and maintained


'''Outcome 3: Increased number of tools to strengthen youth participation in democratic processes'''
'''Outcome 3: Increased number of tools to strengthen youth participation in democratic processes'''


A number of tools to strengthening youth participation will be created through the project. This includes publicizing a collectively authored e-book and the Manifesto for 21st Century Democracy, as well as the operational action plans. These deliverables will empower citizens to express their ideas for the future of democracy and the system of governance. The expected support of international organizations and networks will further assist in connecting citizens with policy makers such as members of the government and parliament, international institutions and local authorities.  
*Output 3.1: One collectively authored e-book published
*Output 3.2: Manifesto for 21st Century Democracy: “Requirements of a new system of democracy” established
*Output 3.3: 5 Action Plans created and implemented
*Output 3.4 Grants for projects proposed by participants


==Beneficiaries==
==Beneficiaries==

Revision as of 02:23, 20 April 2015

RDDE UNDEF
Contract Title Reinventing Democracy in the Digital Era (UNDEF)
Contract Number UDF-GLO-13-532
Funding Agency United Nations Democracy Fund
Partners Talents Coaching & Consulting Kenya Ltd (Kenya, Africa)
Kwansei Gakuin University (Japan, Asia)
National University of Patagonia (Argentina, Americas)



'Reinventing Democracy in the Digital Era (UNDEF)' 's key objective is to increase youth participation in democratic governance by empowering young people from across the world to invent and propose new, innovative and concrete actions. More than 1000 young people will contribute with ideas face-to-face and virtually during five Co-Laboratories engaging ICT and structured democratic dialogue methodology. The process is designed to mobilize young people and to increase interaction among youth globally with the aim to advocate for and enable meaningful youth participation in democratic processes.

This project is being implemented in Cyprus by the Future Worlds Center, Kenya by the Talents Coaching & Consulting Kenya Ltd, Japan by Kwansei Gakuin University, and Argentina by National University of Patagonia.


Overall Objectives

Overall development goal

Empowerment and active participation of young people at all levels of governance around the world.

Project objective

Communication and collaboration among youth across the world is strengthened using structured dialogue, new innovative ICT-based solutions and tools to find common ground for increased participation.

Expected outcomes

Outcome 1: Structured youth dialogue has capacitated and empowered youth, and strengthened the level of engagement among youth across the world.

Outcome 2: Social media is increasingly used in advocacy efforts to strengthen the voice of youths across the world.

Outcome 3: Increased number of globally produced tools to strengthen youth participation in democratic processes.

The Vision of this Project

Our world is currently faced with a number of major challenges, ranging from increasing inequality, which leaves large parts of society without access to basic needs; wars and security threats; a food system in crisis and the carrying capacity of our planet being at its tipping point. The Millennium Development Goals are reaching their end date in a year’s time from now, and a new global framework is currently being negotiated among the world leaders. One of the key questions, however, is how democratic and participatory is this and other democratic processes when youth are not being included?

Young people between 15 and 25 years old represent a fifth of the world’s population, yet they remain largely absent from or underrepresented in political decision-making processes. Today’s young people will be the leaders of tomorrow, and it is imperative they start developing a feeling of ownership through meaningful participation in democratic processes. Achieving meaningful participation of young people in democratic governance and decision-making processes is hence the key challenge addressed by this project.

Global Approach

The reason for choosing different regions is to be able to engage young people from all over the world in global deliberations and integrate their ideas, visions, and aspirations into a comprehensive set of clearly expressed text- and video products. The global character of the project will give them the opportunity to express their thoughts more freely, without any constraints related to religion, gender, or any other factor. Over the years, FWC has collaborated with a number of organizations in many International and European projects and/or was invited to work for the development of several other programs. FWC has secured the commitment of implementing partners in relevant regions together with whom further organizations truly interested and capable in identifying the best possible delegates and co-organizing the envisaged activities will be identified. The detailed work plan of regional partners including promotion and dissemination of the activities will be developed when the network is in place. The project will conclude with a manifesto or think piece, which will collate all the outcomes of the five co-Laboratories. It shall be disseminated primarily through the participating organizations’ own networks and online networks, as well as through the links that Future Worlds Center has established with the global Beyond2015 campaign, CIVICUS and the International Forum of National Platforms.

Structured Democratic Dialogue Process (SDDP)

The project is based predominantly on the Structured Democratic Dialogue Process (SDDP). We chose this particular methodology because of its uniqueness in mobilizing participants. In addition, the SDDP methodology is based on scientific laws, which have been repeatedly validated, empirically and scientifically, in the arena of practice. Taking all this into consideration, the co-Laboratories of Democracy will be implemented using the methodology of structured democratic dialogue. This methodology supports groups of diverse stakeholders with conflicting opinions and interests to effectively discuss a matter of joint concern, integrate their knowledge, and democratically redesign their socio-organizational systems and practices reaching consensus agreement for effective collaborative action. Using this approach, the 100 youth and citizens’ representatives will develop a common language, a shared understanding of the problematic situation in which they are embedded, and will be better equipped to formulate their ideas, suggestions, and strategies with clarity. The interaction will empower youth to take follow-up actions and thus ensuring their strong commitment to the project.

Participants of the co-Laboratories will design and develop concrete ideas for action and will have the space and support to build their own action plans around them. The facilitating team will assist the participants in identifying ways to promote their ideas, engage with political decision-makers, as well as mobilize members of the community. A manifesto, jointly drafted, will be used to engage the media encouraging them to host live debates between project participants and national or international policy makers thus connecting them with youth and citizen pioneers.

Target Groups

Youth

Outcomes and Outputs

Outcome 1: Structured youth dialogue has capacitated and empowered youth, and strengthened the level of engagement among youth across the world

  • Output 1.1: 5 Regional Co-Laboratories of Democracy held with a total of 100 participants
  • Output 1.2: At least 1000 ‘Shadow Participants’ to Co-Laboratories recruited
  • Output 1.3: 13 Regional Webinars on Participatory Democracy held
  • Output 1.4: Two Global Webinars on Participatory Democracy held

Outcome 2: Social media is increasingly used in advocacy efforts to strengthen the voice of youths across the world

  • Output 2.1: “50 Proposals for Action towards designing ideal future systems of governance” video-clips uploaded on YouTube™
  • Output 2.2: A YouTube™ best video clip competition held: Voting among the 50 Proposals for Action
  • Output 2.3: A promotional video clip promoting young people’s voice produced and shared globally in social and traditional media
  • Output 2.4: A Global Democracy Facebook™ Group to launch social media campaigns created and maintained

Outcome 3: Increased number of tools to strengthen youth participation in democratic processes

  • Output 3.1: One collectively authored e-book published
  • Output 3.2: Manifesto for 21st Century Democracy: “Requirements of a new system of democracy” established
  • Output 3.3: 5 Action Plans created and implemented
  • Output 3.4 Grants for projects proposed by participants

Beneficiaries

Direct beneficiaries Participants of co-Laboratories (100-125 persons) Taking into account that each of the five global co-Laboratories of Democracy will have approximately 20-25 participants, a total of about 100-125 youth leaders from across the world will become the primary agents of change.

Directly involved as co-organizers, sponsors, trainers, etc. (170 persons) We estimate that 30 individuals from each of the 5 regions will be involved, working in management and/or decision/policy level positions. Furthermore, many organizations from across the world have also already committed in writing to support various aspects of the project as sponsors and/or co-organizers and/or hosts of the planned co-Laboratories. Assuming that at least 1 person per organization is directly involved, we have approximately additional 20 direct beneficiaries.

Directly involved through social media (1000-1250 persons) Each participant is expected to secure at least 10 others from the same country or region, with diverse backgrounds, to contribute to the process through the App. This will lead to 1000 – 1250 people involved in addition to the 100 participants.

Indirect beneficiaries (at least 10,000 individuals) Although it is difficult to estimate the number of unique and serious video clip viewers, people who will read and discuss the content of the reports/ books and the manifesto, and those who will take actions based on ideas and proposals found in the above products, the number of indirect beneficiaries is of the order of thousands. Of course, the wider public is also considered to be an indirect beneficiary.

External Links