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PYALARA considers the "Youth 4 Change" project one of
the best methodologies it has developed to secure the
positive engagement of young people in action oriented
frameworks.
"Youth 4 Change" aims to empower groups of young people
in the Jenin and Salfit areas which were chosen as
target areas due to the new circumstances our country
is living, as a result of the Israeli withdrawal from
Gaza and the northern West Bank by which areas like
Jenin, will be negatively affected. In addition, the
fact that Israel is still proceeding with the
construction of the wall, including areas like Salfet,
resulting in the isolation of the citizens living
there, turning it into a prison surrounded by the wall
and "Ariel" settlement.
These circumstances may create a state of uncertainty
among young people living in the affected areas ,this
way, we at PYALARA, view an incessant need for
intervention on the two-above-mentioned areas.
Through our program we are trying to raise the awareness
of young people about the importance of unity , the
rule of law and the great role youth may play in their
societies.
The project also educates and spreads awareness among
Palestinian youth on civic issues through usage of both
print and visual media.
The project is based on conducting
various workshops with groups of young people, through
which they can raise their self-esteem, and awareness
about their effective role in the society and ability to
exert change within their local communities.
The project is conducted through
training around 15 coaches from 6 different locations
in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza strip.
These coaches help the young participants to identify
their problems on the societal level through a series of
empowerment workshops. Afterwards the young people
narrow down their problems, through a democratic
process, into one main issue, they all feel important to
tackle.
After the group has
selected a main problem, our media team intervenes to
assist the young people in producing a TV episode and a
newspaper supplement tackling the main issue. Throughout
the TV episodes, the group of young people are given the
responsibility and opportunity of being the full
production team; they produce the reports, carry out the
sketches, and present the episode. In regard to
newspaper coverage, the young people are trained on the
basics of print journalism, and assisted in covering the
selected issue on the pages of The Youth Times.
The young people, hence, transform from being passive
neglected members in the society, into active role
models for their peers.
Project Goal:
"Youth 4 Change" is a project designed to create cadres
of highly-activated young people in underprivileged and
marginalized locales in the northern west bank, to use
media as a vehicle to stimulate debate, attention and
eventually make a difference in issues relating to the
rights and well-being of Palestinian youth.
Project Objectives:
·
Creating substantial platforms and occasions for youth
to voice their problems and needs, especially in
emergency situations.
·
Spreading awareness among Palestinian youth in
underprivileged areas on issues of their concern such as
how to become a good citizen, concepts of democracy,
youth rights and duties, etc
·
Building a cadre of youth empowered to voice their
problems to the public as well as officials.
·
Creating receptive audiences for youth speakers.
·
Finding attractive and relevant educational themes on
civic issues from among youth themselves.
·
developing different but mutually supportive speaking
roles and channels for youth who want to engage in
public dialogues, and create conditions for continuity
and multiplication.
Project Beneficiaries:
Direct Beneficiaries:
60 university students and 600 adolescents from the
Salfit and Jenin areas
Indirect Beneficiaries:
300,000 young people, viewers of Palestine TV.
120,000
readers of The Youth Times newspaper.
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