Call for Partners: Young Mediterranean Voices

What’s Young Mediterranean Voices?

YOUNG MEDITERRANEAN VOICES is a 3 year programme, primed to become the central flagship regional youth network connecting civil society, education institutions and policy-makers across Europe and the Southern Mediterranean countries.

The overall objective of Young Mediterranean Voices programme is to: “Empower young people to enhance a culture of dialogue, to contribute to public policy and shape media discourses, and to create a shared understanding with peers across the Mediterranean on how to address issues of common concern to their communities.

 

Which countries are included in the South Mediterranean neighborhood?

Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia.

 

How can you be part of Young Mediterranean Voices?

Whether you already belong to the Young Arab Voices network or you’re looking forward to joining the programme as a debate club, you can apply to enlist your debate club in the YMV network through one of the 4 regional hubs. We will announce the hubs selected in April 2018.  

 

 

What’s different with Young Mediterranean Voices?

Young Mediterranean Voices have implemented a ‘Hub’ structure to ensure a greater geographical reach, whilst also engaging hard to reach and marginalized communities.

 

The ‘Hub’ plays an important role in the delivery of the programme by cascading trainings and competitions nationally, and are those directly involved with the young people.

 

During the first year, Young Mediterranean Voices in Lebanon is implementing its hubs among the following essential partners: Civil Society Organizations, Universities, and Youth Networks.

 

 

What is the role of hubs?

There will be 4 regional hubs; Beirut & Mount Lebanon Hub, Bekaa Hub, South Lebanon Hub and North Lebanon Hub. The ‘Hubs’ play an important role in the delivery of the programme by cascading trainings and competitions nationally, and are those directly involved with the young people. In addition, The ‘Hubs’ will help setting up Debate Clubs, Coach Monitor and Evaluate trainings in hub remit as well as reporting Progress Reports to British Council country manager

 

What is the role of hub leads?

Hub leads will be nominated by the regional hubs and they will act as focal points. They will have the opportunity to participate in the upcoming Training of Trainers in order for them to be more informed about debate theory and practice. After the training, they should demonstrate the ability to lead, monitor, evaluate the progress and cascade local debate activities. It is important to note that hub leads will communicate directly to the country manager and the corresponding essential partner.

 

 

Who are the beneficiaries?

The beneficiaries and stakeholders of the programme are divided into the following principal categories:

 

• Young people (“YMV community debaters”), in the participating programme countries, - principally aged 16 to 25 - from diverse backgrounds.
• Youth leaders (“YMV Ambassadors network”), who have gone through the first level of YAV Training and are primed to be involved in a next level of media and advocacy work,
• Young Mediterranean Trainers principally aged between 18 – 35 who have gone through the delivery of YMV trainings (national, regional and master levels)
• CSOs - Youth NGOs and Cultural Organisations; Educational Institutions – Schools and Universities (“YMV Debating Hubs”) working at the delivery level and benefiting directly from the programme’s capacity-building measures, exchange schemes and support.
• Decision-makers who can benefit from knowing the priorities and needs of their young constituency and hearing their direct and credible voices that would inform their planning and decisions.
• Media interested in having access to authentic voices that are not usually heard in mainstream media, as well as organisations working in the domain of digital media and digital debate facilitation.
• Public sector institutions, interested in promoting education and social development as well as open and pluralistic society.

 

 

 How will communication take place?

The coordinator of the debate club, belonging to a specific hub, will communicate the debate club activities to the Hub Leads who will communicate the progress to the British Council Country Manager ensuring easier and smoother interactions amidst the programme.

 

 

 

What will happen to existing university debate clubs?

There will be 4 hubs across Lebanon, one hub for each of the 4 regions; Beirut & Mount Lebanon, Bekaa, South Lebanon and North Lebanon which will encompass both old and new university debate clubs.

 

 

What will happen to existing Civil Society Organizations (CSO) clubs?

Civil Society Organizations that launched debate clubs within their circles and who have members aged between 16 and 25 can still carry on their debate activities during the new phase and will communicate its activities to one of the 4 chosen hubs.

 

 

In which language will we debate?

Debate clubs shall choose to debate in either Arabic or English following the international debate standards.

 

 

For more information:

 

Elie Gemayel

Programme Manager | Arts & Society
Email: Elie.Gemayel@lb.britishcouncil.org
 

 

Rita El Khayal

Projects Support Officer

Email: Rita.ElKhayal@lb.britishcouncil.org