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'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
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
Young People The project will focus on the age group 18-35 but the frames are not exclusive. The group includes college and university students, young people out of the formal educational system, employed and unemployed young people. 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%).
Youth Organizations and Structures These include NGOs working with youth, informal youth groups, youth councils and parliaments, youth centers and public agencies working with youth or any structure out of the formal educational system, which works with young people and influences their values and behavior. The concrete themes (spheres of work) of the organizations/structures to be involved in the action vary and are not selection criteria.
Global Society
Activities
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
Expected Results
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.
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.
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.