FOCUS
This month’s focus will be on Youth Empowerment, looking at the impact that youth action can have upon a wide range of development issues. From a UNESCO Youth Conference in South Australia to a rehabilitation program for child soldiers in Sierra Leone, IYP Action Partners are empowering others in their drive to bring about change. In this edition of IYP Voice, we have included as much material as possible to inspire and inform you in your own projects to bring about change.
Next month, IYP Voice will focus on Indigenous Youth issues, inspired by the major Indigenous Youth conference which will be held during June in Vancouver, Canada. We would like to hear from those of you whose projects are focused in this area, are indigenous youth or are members of indigenous youth organizations. As globalisation becomes a more powerful and potent force, the importance of identifying and recognizing indigenous rights and issues is increasing.
See June’s Voice to read more about the great work of OIYP Action Partners in this area!
We hope you enjoy this issue.
The OIYP Voice Team
Editor: Catherine Loy
ACTION PARTNER NEWS
Jonathan Whittall
OIYP 2004 Action Partner, South Africa.
My action plan was for Human Rights education and community development in the townships of Cape Town. I returned to Cape Town, energised and ready to implement my action plan. As soon as I started at university I was voted chairman of Amnesty International, University of Cape Town. I had to restrategize my action plan to fit in with the great honour of leading an amazing student human rights movement. I decided to use the skills I had learnt through IYP, and to refocus my attention on a greater need, and one that I was in a better position to meet. I decided to approach Amnesty International, national head office in South Africa, and request that I set up the Children's Rights section of AI SA. I developed a proposal, and they agreed to support me as I attempted to make children's rights a more prominent focus for the organisation. It has been a slow road, although we have made progress. The team and I are planning to run a pilot project for Human Rights Education in disadvantaged schools throughout the country during this semester.
On the 26th December 2004, I was shocked into action with the tsunami that effected many countries around the world. I immediately raised money to go to Indonesia to assist the survivors. In Medan I met up with Global Relief, a South African humanitarian organisation. I became the team coordinator of a group of emergency medical personnel. We operated from Meulaboh for 3 weeks. On my return from Indonesia, I was stunned at the relative insignificance of many of my daily duties. I decided to take a 6 month sabbatical from university, and to volunteer with Global Relief.
I have been based at the South African Operations Centre for the last 2 months doing project development and human resource management. I have now been asked to head up Global Relief’s involvement in Africa. I have developed a project for Global Relief to involve itself in Sudan and Somalia. I am planning to leave for these countries as soon as the funding comes through. In Sudan, I will be in charge of conducting a comprehensive needs assessment in collaboration with local NGOs. In Somalia, I will act as team co-ordinator of 5 medical relief workers and 5 psychosocial specialists. I am currently based in Indonesia, for the next month, where I am working on trauma intervention, and researching other areas of involvement for Global Relief. I am really excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. Before returning to university, I will complete my Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance.
I feel that it is necessary to keep you up to date with my plans, and to thank you for the role all of you have played in my life. It would not have been possible for me to have effectively involved in the things I have been, if it wasn't for the contacts and skills I received from IYP2004. I would really like to stay involved in IYP, and hope to assist you in the planning and execution of the next event.
Email Jonathan about his activities at: jonathanwhittall@yahoo.com.au
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Selene Biffi,
OIYP 2004 Action Partner, Italy.
After I got back from Sydney, I started working on my action plan, the aim of which was to establish an online platform to allow youths to share their knowledge and experience in order to tackle the issues affecting their communities and the world at large. I decided to call it "Youth Action for Change". We started by providing youths with free online courses taught by other young people using a peer-to-peer training methodology. We also decided to provide mentoring to youth-led projects and help with campaigns and other youth initiatives. Although fairly new, we now reach people in over sixty countries, spanning all the five continents.
You can see more about us at
Meg Foley
OIYP 2004 Action Partner, Australia.
My action plan was to educate people, especially school students, about the refugee issue, detention and refugee treatment in Australia. I haven’t really had much of a chance to continue my action plan as I spent 6 months visiting Baxter Detention Centre every day and could not speak at the schools in Port Augusta.
I am still campaigning for refugee rights, although I have had to stay out of the media, and ‘keep my head down’ so as not to affect my husband’s visa application. This violates my freedom of speech and shows that the refugee policy violates everyone’s human rights. I am now writing a lot of letters to politicians and newspapers and speaking to individuals to keep the issue relevant.
I feel that, as part of a huge network of people, we have achieved a lot but still have a long way to go. This week (22/03/05) is a critical week, as there are in-depth discussions about the refugee policy in cabinet. Hopefully our lobbying and advocating will see a change in policy and an end to mandatory detention.
As I mentioned before, a huge challenge for me was visiting my husband in Baxter International Detention Centre. To be faced everyday with the reality of detention was full-on. Dealing with the guards and workers at the detention centre and with the Port Augusta community was difficult. Thankfully there were some amazing people who live in Port Augusta who support the refugees and are very active in visiting and advocating for them.
I suppose I had both positive and negative experiences while I was visiting Baxter. It was always hard to see how the detainees, especially the children, were treated. However, it inspired me and angered me into working harder for and with them. The best experience was when my husband was released. But this was also a very hard time – I had to leave people who had become like family to me. And I had to leave people knowing what sort of treatment I would be leaving them in. At the time there were three men who were almost dying whilst protesting on the roof at Baxter so I found it very hard to be happy while I could see them and know what they were going through.
I have now experienced some negative attitudes when I go out with my husband (who is Afghan and is on a Bridging Visa, so he can’t work, get an education or any government benefits). It is hard to see him being treated without respect. No-one understands, or wants to understand, his situation and will not help him. He faces a lot of walls when dealing with institutions like banks etc. He especially has a lot of trouble getting ID and explaining that he doesn’t have a birth certificate or passport. I am embarrassed sometimes to be Australian, when I see how we treat people who are from diverse backgrounds. And I worry about people who don’t have the support my husband has.
To inquire about Meg’s activities, email her at: Meg-foley_am@yahoo.com.au
STORY OF THE MONTH
Our Story of the Month comes from a speech made by James Hallowell, OIYP 2004 Action Partner from Sierra Leone, at the IYP Taste of the Nation fundraiser held in Sydney on March 10 to raise money for the continuing projects of IYP. James has been working to rehabilitate child soldiers in the wake of the conflict which has ravaged Sierra Leone for more than ten years. His project uses music and the creative arts, as well as other forms of support, to help rebuild and heal devastated young lives.
Sierra Leoneis one of the smallest states in West Africa, with a population of about 5.6 million people. Though a small country, it has a very rich culture, some qualities of which include respect, friendliness and hospitality. We love foreigners and are willing to open our doors to them.
You may or may not be aware that for over a decade my country has been saddled by political conflict that has left hundreds of thousands dead. A decade of war has damaged the country’s fragile economy and infrastructure, and we are only now trying to pick up the pieces.
At a deeper level, the conflict has also left a deep sense of mistrust and division among its people. It has particularly had a severe impact on youth. Young people, some as young as 5 years old, were forced to serve on both sides of the conflict as child soldiers. It is these children and young people who have grown up knowing nothing but war who are the focus of my organization, Peacelinks.
Peacelinks is trying to play its part in the overwhelming task of reconstruction, reintegration and rehabilitation of all the sides that have been affected by the conflict in my country.
PEACELINKS is based in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. It aims to empower children and young people to step forward and make positive differences in community and nation building. Our programs tap the creative talent and capture the bubbling energy of young people through music, arts and crafts, vocational skills training and scholarship programs. We bring light where there is darkness by providing services that cater for the physical and emotional needs of children and youth, many of whom have grown up knowing nothing but war, grinding poverty, disease and hence a bleak future.
One of the most unique aspects of Peacelinks programs is our use of music as a tool for breaking down barriers with young people who are otherwise impossible to reach. I can remember a young combatant called Sheku aged 13 who I introduced to our demobilization and reintegration program. For weeks he could not speak to any one. Several attempts were made to reach him, all proved impossible. Sheku later responded to our staff, when we were playing a track from our musical CD titled “Believe In Peace.” He started by nodding his head. When the track ended, he requested that that we re-play the track. The music prompted Sheku to start talking and tell us his story.
Sheku explained that he was staying with his grandmother, at the age of six, when he was captured. The rebels instantly killed his grandmother in a very gruesome manner. Sheku was taken by the rebels and stayed with them until he turned 13, a period of seven years.
He explained “During my stay with them I was constantly beaten. I was given a gun to use for personal protection. Initially, I refused to accept it explaining that it was too heavy for my physical size. I was beaten for refusing. After that I was compelled to not only carry a gun but to use it as well against those who are opposed to the ideas of the struggle. ”
Sheku’s story is similar to that of many young women and men in Sierra Leone who at crucial times in their development as children were not only forcibly removed from their families, denied love and the basics of childhood but were also forced to commit horrific acts of violence under threat of death.
Sheku is now demobilized, reintegrated into society, reunited with his dad and is now attending school in Freetown. PEACELINKS now takes care of his school fees and provides his supplies and uniforms. Sheku is concerned that people still see him as a rebel and this makes him very angry. He emphasized that the crimes committed while in captivity were not of his own making. He was forced to commit those atrocities.
SO, how does Sheku’s and story and my work with Peacelinks relate to OIYP? Well to explain that I first need to tell you a little about how Peacelinks came into contact with OIYP.
We have had an ongoing relationship with OIYP since 1999. A representative from Peacelinks attended the first ever Oxfam International Youth Parliament here in Sydney in 2000, just after the Olympics. I myself attended the second sitting of OIYP last July and am now an “action partner”.
From our first meetings, the relationship with OIYP has played a big part in transforming Peacelinks from a small community-based organisation in the early 1990s to a well respected national organization that serves the emotional and physical needs of young people in extremely difficult circumstances such as Sheku. At a time when my country and many other parts of the world are going through tough times as a result of misguided policies on children and youth, OIYP’s financial and technical support has been instrumental in strengthening our capacity to better serve our vulnerable constituency.
Time and space will not permit me to delve into all the support that Peacelinks has received from OIYP. I will mention just two
In 2003, PEACELINKS received funding from the OIYP Small Grant Project. This support enabled us to continue with our rehabilitation programs for war-affected children. We used the money to purchase sewing machines to run an income generating project for former child soldiers.
Furthermore, apart from the financial support, OIYP provided training in the form of capacity building to improve our service delivery to our vulnerable constituency. I personally have benefited from two such training sessions: on project management and Public Advocacy respectively, and have in turn transferred some of those skills to other members of staff who are currently applying it in the field.
This support and the international network we have become part of has not only empowered and transformed us as an organization for the better, it has also rather unexpectedly opened other doors as well. As a result of the track record with OIYP, other donors felt confident to step forward and support our work. In other words, OIYP was among the first to give us a chance at a time when others were reluctant to do so.
OIYP’s support has enabled several young men and women, whose lives were once ravaged by war and poverty, to become productive and responsible citizens. Through our educational programs many young people have traded guns for books and are now proud students or have graduated and are gainfully employed. By giving the country’s future leaders a shot at a decent life, our work is directly contributing to stabilizing the community and solidifying the country’s hard earned peace.
As an organization, we are now planning to expand the skills training program to benefit many more young people and hence replicate it in other parts of the country. Today we are able to entertain such a dream due to the support of OIYP.
If we young people receive the right kind of support and guidance to play leadership roles, it will motivate and inspire the next generation to become agents of positive change in society. Make real the visions of future leaders for positive social change, and support their efforts in every meaningful way.
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT THROUGH THE ARTS
In an additional story this month, Natalie Roberts, OIYP 2004 Action Partner and Y Show Performer from South Africa, traces her journey from IYP delegate in Sydney to teaching dance in a marginalised community in Santiago, Chile. Funded in partnership by both IYP and Cirque du Soleil, Natalie’s story demonstrates how effective the arts can be in bringing about change for and through young people.
As an Action Partner of IYP 2004 and as a dancer of the Jazzart Dance Theatre in South Africa, I have taken on a project that is probably the biggest challenge of my time.
My journey began in January of this year. I chose to initiate my Action Plan in South America, Chile in the city of Santiago. During June and July I met Orlando Vargas, who is a performing artist from Circo del Mundo, while participating in the creation of the “Y Show” for the IYP in Sydney, Australia 2004. We connected like a house on fire, but the only catch to the light was… he spoke Spanish and I spoke English!
My Action Plan is to travel and teach the dance syllabus of the Jazzart Dance Theatre. Orlando expressed the need for dance to be taught in the marginalized communities of Santiago where dance projects are not initiated, Jazzart being a Contemporary/African Dance Company. As a representative of the Jazzart Dance Theatre, I decided to take one year to integrate dance and combine it with circus in these communities as well as to open a constant international exchange program between South Africa and South America.
I have been in South America for four months and spent the first two months studying the language of Spanish in its raw form and getting to know my way around the city of Santiago. Orlando introduced me to all the contacts necessary for our Action Plan and we have spent many hours in meetings and writing project proposals.
I am currently teaching in the marginalized community of Cerro Navia in Santiago.
I am training in circus technique and I teach dance to the Mini Company of Circo del Mundo. I am constantly choreographing throughout the year with students of Miguel Pizarro Dance School in Viña del Mar, which is one hour’s drive from Santiago.
Orlando and I are combining his circus skills with my dance skills to produce a show towards the end of the year.
Orlando and I everyday are learning to understand the difference in our cultures.
As a work and partner relationship we are learning to trust, respect and support each other in every way.
Being two young individuals, we have experienced problems with people/ organizations not taking our work seriously and it’s been hard for them to trust our project proposals. But we have been working hard to find ways to show our professionalism in our fields. As our work has slowly progressed, these organizations have seen the results in our students that we teach and they have become impressed by our knowledge in our professions. More project proposals are being offered to us, and we never say no to more work.
This journey will never end, there are days when we are frustrated, days that are positive and negative, but we never lose hope. The love and passion for our profession is the strongest of all!
“We are defining the power of Art”
MAY FEATURE
Our May Feature is made up of the responses of a number of IYP delegates to the UNESCO International Youth Leadership Event held in Adelaide in March this year. Thao Pham, Josh Creamer and Sai Awn Tai report on their experiences at the conference and explore the issues and concepts raised at the event which inspired them in their own work. Trish Whitelooks in-depth at Forum Theatre, one of the concepts explored at the event which, through audience and actor interaction, had a huge impact upon many of the delegates.
“Peace One Day” – Thao Pham.
I was very fortunate to attend the UN International Youth Leadership Event in Adelaide in March this year. The most awe-inspiring aspect of the conference was its focus on the arts and its almost infinite ability to achieve social change. It was the first time I heard about “Forum Theatre”, an exciting experience in truly interactive theatre and one which I hope to use in my work. I also attended an Environmental Workshop on Climate Change.
The title of one of the films shown at the event, Peace One Day, speaks for itself and, as one of the people who appeared in this film said, in order to have peace for all 365 days, we must begin with one. For those in the IYP network who are working in the area of Peace and Conflict, you will understand how distant a dream this may seem. Is it possible for us to create a world without conflict when we cannot even achieve a single day in which there is a global ceasefire?
The British documentary Peace One Day follows one man, Jeremy Gilley, on his journey towards achieving such a dream. Although he eventually manages to get a UN resolution for the proclamation of a day of global ceasefire, the reality remains distant from the ideal.
What does peace mean to you? How far would you go to achieve it? I believe those questions apply to all our action areas. This film made me stop and ask myself: What do I believe in? What have I done lately to achieve it? This was difficult for me because questioning myself is a confronting experience. It has made me respect all the more those of you who keep fighting for the “impossible” dream!
Crossing Boundaries - Josh Creamer
The International Youth Leadership Event promised an exciting mixture of Youth, Arts and skills in Leadership. IYLE was based more around presentations with a variety of guest speakers, the highlight of which was IYP facilitator Tim Goodwin. Tim spoke about leadership as an unnatural phenomena ever changing and that it was up to us as youth leaders to adopt our own form of leadership.
The workshops at IYLE gave me the opportunity to meet Michael Furdyk from TakingItGlobal, an experience I was looking forward to. IYLE was about people sharing their knowledge and experience with us, the delegates, in an interesting open format with creative new learning arenas such as the theatre forum that was conducted. Forum Theatre was an interesting way of tackling issues such as Native Title and Globalisation.
IYLE was good chance to catch up with some old friends from IYP and provided the opportunity form some new networks. IYLE taught me how activities such as the arts can cross boundaries to create a common interest among those who are normally the most divided. Arts can cross war zones and racial divides to bring people together, sharing and learning.
Inspiring Youth to Leadership - Sai Awn Tai
It was unforgettable movement and remarkable event. More than 200 talented young leaders participated in The International Youth Leadership Event which took place at the Adelaide Festival Centre from 1-4 March 2005.
Young people are important contributors to participate in key decision making in order to bring about change in the community. Young people should not wait to take leadership responsibilities until the older hand over, they should take responsibility by themselves and regard themselves as key people in the community.
Several documentaries and films shown at the event inspired me, as I am keen to become a documentary and film maker. Peace One Day, a film which was documented by Jeremy Gilley from London, shows how he worked hard to achieve the Global Cease-fire Day for one day each year. He met the Dalai Lama, Kofi Annan, Mary Robinson, Shimon Peres and many more, but 9/11 interrupted his achievements.
The Forum Theatre was the most interesting idea - it encouraged the audience to get directly involved in drama for solving problems. It also encouraged each audience member to investigate the issues and offer suggestions until a solution comes about. This idea makes all audience members concentrate and get involved in the drama.
WomAdalaide 2005, which took place in the Botanic Gardens, gave us more enjoyment as we (some delegates from OIYP), danced in front of the stage in the rain. Although our whole bodies got wet, the fascinating song and singers from Africa made us forget about the rain.
Forum Theatre – Trish White.
Forum Theatre is an excellent tool to encourage discourse and debate, as well as educate, in a very entertaining and involving manner. It was developed by Augusto Boal in the 1960s in an effort to turn theatre into dialogue between audience and stage, and works from improvisation to create a scene of a specific oppression or situation. It is highly interactive and blurs the line between spectators and actors to the point where everyone can be classed as a ‘spect-actor’. It is able to tackle issues as diverse as drug use and bullying, HIV/AIDS issues, broad scale social oppression and small scale interpersonal relationships –sometimes all in one play! Because it entertains, it is accessible to people of all backgrounds and most audiences readily become absorbed in the scene.
Forum theatre scenes can be one-act plays or just short scenes. In the first instance, they are presented to the audience in their entirety. The play shows a protagonist who is trying to deal with an oppression and failing because of the resistance of one or more obstacles (antagonists). The scenes are a tragedy: the ending is failure.
The facilitator (‘joker’) then announces that the play will be performed again, but with a twist: if you would do something differently to what the protagonist (n.b. not antagonist) has chosen, stand up/put up your hand and call out ‘STOP!’ They actors will freeze, and the audience member is invited forward to show their solution of the moment. The other actors must stay in character, but can be manipulated by the protagonist.
Once the intervention is performed, the joker invites discussion of the solution, and further solutions can be put forward.
For a good general idea of Forum Theatre and the ways it can be used, take a look at www.wwcd.org/action/boal.html.
