CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

TED-Ed Workshop One: Express your ideas worth spreading
Presented by Ashley Kolaya | Mon 5 Aug, 2-4:00pm

Learn how to organise and present your story through a workshop led by the worldwide leaders. Spreading innovative ideas to audiences around the globe.

TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. TED believes passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world. TED-Ed is their youth and education initiative, leading a workshop that will support delegates in developing their personal narrative in the form of a TED-style talk. 

TED-Ed Workshop One: Express your ideas worth spreading
Presented by Ashley Kolaya | Mon 5 Aug, 2-4:00pm

Learn how to organise and present your story through a workshop led by the worldwide leaders. Spreading innovative ideas to audiences around the globe.

TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. TED believes passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world. TED-Ed is their youth and education initiative, leading a workshop that will support delegates in developing their personal narrative in the form of a TED-style talk. 

TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world.

TED believes passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world. The TED team will be leading a workshop to support delegates in developing their personal narrative in the form of a TED-style talk.

Each workshop can be done independently, but by doing both you can gain a more complete experience. You will be gaining a greater understanding of human rights and practical skills to take action in defending and promoting them.

Want to learn about how Amnesty International creates strong digital campaigns for human rights impact? In this practical skills workshop, we’ll be covering key principles of digital campaigning, including copywriting for digital, social listening, audience mapping and creating key messages.

The workshop will start with the introduction of Roots for Reconciliation project – as the largest Pan-European peace-building initiative currently implemented by YMCA Europe.

The next part of the workshop will focus on The ‘Do No Harm’ methodology. It is widely used among international and increasingly local humanitarian and development organisations. In Germany, for example, a large group of NGOs has committed themselves to mainstreaming ‘Do No Harm’ within their operations.

Do No Harm Concept/Methodology has been an integral part of ROOTS project activities since its start in 2007 and continues to be so. Participants will get the general overview of the concept and how the concept is applied in RfR activities – making sure that all activities are conducted in a safe space and under minimised risks of tension and conflict.

Large groups of the world’s citizens are living their lives with daily injustice and human rights violations. This is a fact that we can no longer accept.

Luckily, poverty and injustices are made by people and can therefore be changed by people! The YMCA – as the biggest youth organisation in the world – has a unique possibility to drive this change. Join us in this session to figure out how!

The participants of this workshop will have a clear understanding of the challenges of young people in the justice system.

Three main levels of intervention in this area will be highlighted in order to give an overview to the participants while explaining the process of transformation of the youth in conflict with the law and the young at risk of being delinquent based on the philosophy of the subject to the citizen.

The animation of the workshop, like a team building session, will allow the participants to visualize the spaces of intervention on the field, to experiment some feelings of the young people and to discover a success story of a young person.

If you’ve got ideas worth creating, campaigns can change the way a society thinks and how decision-makers act.

Attend this innovation hub designed to develop, refine, generate or collaborate on a campaign that could influence societies, communities and decision makers.

Heard about the ice bucket challenge? Movember? No make-up selfie? #IAMWHOLE? Why Not? Stop Poverty. They all started with a simple idea to influence positive change.

Global Citizenship is youth engagement through formal training with non-formal learning prospects, which increases capacity building and peer-based education.

Addressing the main issues that each individual recognises within their own communities. Choose from the 8 Dimensions (culture, religion, politics, economics, history, the environment, government and the law, science, technology) and Discovery of the Self.

We will investigate the methods of successful communication – why is this important? What are the key methods of communication, conflict resolution and mediation? This final session allows the group to reflect on all teachings and actively use their new knowledge and skills within their communities.

Shane says: “I pretty much had my life together, and I met Jesus, and he messed me up!” He challenges whether we have missed the point of the message, whether our lives reflect the radical revolution that was intended, and if this is relevant on a global scale. Subtext – How radical faith empowers YMCA creativity. Based on the content of Shane’s The Irresistible Revolution book.

When a 19 year old young man was shot dead on the porch where Shane lived in Philadelphia he was compelled into activism, to reimagine the world; that it doesn’t have to stay the way that it is. His activism turns instruments of death into tools for peace, and has been replicated as acts of peace and justice around the world.

Making our celebrated YMCA heritage relevant for the 21st C. Based on the content of Shane’s Red Letter Christianity book

Works of art created by ‘knife amnesty’ weapons, will be on display. Inspire ‘the possible’, through community activism.

​With a keynote speech from Arthur Thomas of Yale Divinity School and presentations from Judith Fagelson (World Jewish Relief) and Lotifa Begum (Muslim Aid), young leaders will be invited to debate and question what role faith plays in driving civic engagement to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals.

What have you witnessed in your community? How does your YMCA engage young people to affect change and have a global impact? How are these initiatives linked to faith, grounded in religious values?The UN’s SDG’s are an urgent call to action. How, as Young Leaders within the YMCA movement, can we inspire and mobilise others through faith to help deliver them?

This panel will help expand worldviews through listening to the successes of young Native American/Indigenous leaders, using story telling as a means to empower solution-based approaches to the inequities indigenous and under-represented youth face, and further build a community on a global scale.

From the phenomenon of call-out culture to on-the-ground movements around gun violence and climate change, young people are utilizing their media savvy to circumnavigate traditional systems.

A study by Viacom Velocity found youth today are 2x more likely to trust brands than traditional institutions, and 4x more likely to trust brands than politicians—brands are in a new position of trust and access. With that, brands realize the responsibility to share their values to resonate with a younger consumer base. Consumers and marketers alike believe brands can be a useful tool to make lasting impact.

In this session we will unpack how brands can move past purpose to share their power in this new landscape.We will be joined by leaders from global brands as well as youth advisors to engage in dialogue on these topics and will have opportunity for audience engagement.

In this session participants will be inspired by the work YMCA did and does for and with refugees.

Personal experiences; interaction with the participants; video presentation and a view on the future will be presented by practitioners from different countries.

A representative from the International Organisation for Migration of the United Nations will give an update about the current situation with refugees.

In different countries YMCA volunteers and professionals are working for and with refugees/migrants/asylum seekers/internally displaced persons. In this session stories, experiences, challenges from Spain, Germany, Northern Ireland, Finland/Lebanon and Ukraine will be shared. Aiming at inspiring other YMCAs to also start with this very relevant work. Interaction with the participants is part of this.

Includes an opportunity for Q & A at the end. The session is hosted by YMCA England & Wales Youth Ambassadors Philippa Lewis and Adam Barrett-Alexander.

Discover your impact. This workshop, (facilitated by archivists from the Kautz Family YMCA Archives in the United States) will provide you with the tools and perspectives to uncover your YMCA’s local history, it’s service to your community, and its contribution to YMCA’s movement. This session will also cover how to leverage and effectively communicate these narratives in support of advancing your mission. Participants will be given access to, and instruction on, a toolkit for local YMCA historical preservation.

With a keynote speech from Arthur Thomas of Yale Divinity School and presentations from Judith Fagelson (World Jewish Relief) and Lotifa Begum (Muslim Aid), young leaders will be invited to debate and question what role faith plays in driving civic engagement to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals.

What have you witnessed in your community? How does your YMCA engage young people to affect change and have a global impact? How are these initiatives linked to faith, grounded in religious values?

The UN’s SDGs are an urgent call to action. How, as Young Leaders within the YMCA movement, can we inspire and mobilise others through faith to help deliver them?

This training is a chance for participants to increase their understanding of who are considered vulnerable youth and why it is important to empower them to make a difference in their communities.

This activity is an interactive training on intercultural communication. Together we will find out the features that define people as personalities, individuals. During our lives we all have filled in a good number of different questionnaires.

Here and now we will create our own questionnaire based on our vision of effective communication including questions that will actually help knowing new people.

Disenfranchisement of communities creates barriers and distrust in the democratic and judicial systems. Through storytelling and small group discussions we will share a better understanding of social inequities. Conversations will center around approaches to restorative justice, social inclusion, and leadership within local communities.

This interactive workshop will explore the use of theatre as a tool for social change, reclaiming narratives as well as a tool for fun, joy and friendship.​ ​It will explore examples of theatre groups who have used theatre to engage in social issues and see how some social action groups use vibrant performance within they demand for change.​ ​We will then consider different ways theatre can engage people in social change – not just in performance but during the whole process.​ ​Finally, we will then give example of how to create a short piece of theatre in a group.

Take a spin to get where you want to be! Is your YMCA inclusive/non-discriminatory and equal or are you struggling with including all youth? Do you know why it’s crucial for your YMCA and society to actively work on and inclusiveness gender equality? YMCA-YWCA of Sweden offers you a chance to investigate, explore and develop your understanding of these issues. You will also get an understanding on the core principles of the Y-Sweden´s strategy and how we are claiming space, living our values and working together to achieve national and local goals for further empowerment of young people.

This session will explore the concept that while being part of a global organisation with a shared set of core principles, ethics and values, we tend to work in isolation instead of using the power of our movement to share best practices and models of intervention. We will examine the replication agenda and highlight opportunities for collaboration while enabling participants to discuss programme development together. Using Case Studies of current projects that are replicated locally, nationally and internationally participants will have the opportunity to learn how to develop their own work and model best practice.

Through conversations and activities we will come to a stronger understanding of queer culture from local to global levels, discuss the history of queerness, and what it means to be an ally and agent of change in 2019 and beyond.

Empower youth and adults to create experiences and opportunities proven by research to help youth thrive! Learn how to use the Search Institute’s Developmental Asset framework to create positive experiences, relationships, teach character, values and social and emotional learning youth need to grow into thriving adults. Social and emotional learning is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible choices. Join us!

Presentation portion will examine art within movements as a potential to change ideologies. We will look at historical precedents. In our hands-on art activity, we will ask participants to create their own art. Participants will explore as issue that they are passionate about and make art that conveys that message in hopes that it will spark a revolution.

The story behind the first YMCA, founded 175 years ago was to provide a structure that would improve the spiritual conditions of young people while they mastered their much-loved trade. The YMCA story is about established principles, core values, mental and physical strength, and other components to assist in the development of a healthy “body, mind and spirit”. Now, you understand how the YMCA came to life; let us find your WHY. Each one of us has a “Y” story, but WHY? In our session you’ll learn your “WHY”. It will empower you to speak about your life’s journey to/through the YMCA.

Wed 7 Aug – 4-5:30pm

Although 50 per cent of the world’s population are under 30 years old, they don’t often have a seat at the decision-making tables. YMCA, the world’s largest youth organisation, can make a change! The United Nations Resolution on Youth, Peace & Security highlights the active role youth play in building peaceful societies. The YMCA movement is committed to adopt it and this seminar by YMCA Finland and Y Global Norway shows how to create positive change. You will learn about the UN Resolution, advocacy and get concrete tools that help you to work for youth, peace and security in your national context.

This session will explore how YMCA Australia is using digital spaces to elevate the voices of young people. WhyNot is a website that has been designed to enable young people from across Australia to share their opinions using various forms of media (blog articles, memes, video etc) on issues that matter to them. We then amplify these voices of these young people using the YMCA’s digital network in Australia. We will unpack some of the key learnings and challenges that we have encountered along the journey of developing WhyNot and also celebrate some of our greatest successes so far, including WhyNot’s unique youth-led leadership model and discussing some of our most powerful contributions.

] At this workshop you will learn how to think out of the box, how to be able to see your project\product by “purchaser eyes”, how to choose your target group, how to make your promotion campaign, how to be successful social entrepreneur.

Join with our young leaders who are from multiple YMCAs in Kosovo who will share how Ten Sing as a new concept has impacted them, how they lead the groups, the challenges they face in a new country and how Ten Sing is proving a platform for connecting young people like never before. Participants can expect a mix of debate, activities, tips, resources and stories from Kosovo’s young leaders.

Diversity, Equity and inclusion are at the heart of who we are as a movement. How we connect to others defines our sense of identity and belonging and contributes to our health and wellbeing. YMCA NSW and YMCA of the USA share a commitment to embracing and celebrating diversity. We strive to ensure that people of all walks of life feel safe, welcome and a sense of belonging at the YMCA as they learn, grow and thrive – reaching their fullest potential with dignity and compassion for all. This workshop will explore how improving policies, practices and program to greater reflect the diversity of the community you service, brings with it positive outcomes for young people and financial opportunities.

] A mental visualization into how the worth of a male is shaped by the deeply entrenched social identities that, coupled with personal awareness, cultural, socio-economic and environmental states contributes to the socializing of the hegemonic masculinity, as a basis. Insight into how the Transformative Masculinity Programme is creating power spaces dubbed “Dare” (a local term for cultural courts but generally exclusive to males) which engages boy and young men from rural and semi-urban communities in innovative ways to influence male identity shift which promotes female rights, dignity and respect without diluting their maleness. Championing females as champions themselves.

Hear about YMCA Victoria is training young people to create and run their own social enterprises. If you’re new to the world of social entrepreneurs or interested in developing social enterprise programs in your YMCA, this is the session for you.

Learn what social enterprise is, and discover how it’s empowering young people to make a real impact in their communities and in their own lives. Understand the difference between social enterprise and community projects, or traditional business, as well how to get started, and how to avoid some of the common mistakes in this area.

Since 1987, young people have participated in Youth Parliament programs around Australia.

Participants in the program receive training in public speaking and leadership, as they research issues that they’re passionate about. From this research they develop proposed legislation, which is then debated in the houses of Parliament.

The program provides an incredible personal and professional development opportunity, and the youth laws, which are handed to the relevant Ministers, provide the government with insight into what issues are important to young Victorians. Learn about how the program is put together, connections to government, and the influence and impact its participants have.

This workshop is intended for those who looking for life long civic engagement with fun, International fellowship and social action.

Y Service Clubs are offering unique opportunities for young adults and families to have civic engagements with fun, international fellowship and service in partnership with YMCA all around the world.

Participants will learn about the concept of service club and the possibilities to engage with Y’s Men International (YMI) as a member of the Club, Chartering of Y Service Club, availing Y’s Men funds for YMCA projects, support staff trainings and Short Term Educational Exchange Programs with the Y’s families around the world.

Through this session, you will understand what the Hibakusha (the people affected by the WW2 atomic bombs) actually experienced in August 1945 and how citizens rebuilt the city and inherited the memories and messages from the Hibakusha.

We will then exchange opinions/ideas about how we can avoid such tragedies in the future and what we can do as youth in the context of the difficult international situation. Moreover, we will examine how each country has expressed regrets for the tremendous damages and suffering the country inflicted upon the peoples of the enemy countries during the war.

“Green Vibes: Diversity Outdoors, Environmental Justice, and You” is an invitation for participants to think about the ways they interact with their natural environment at home and to think about how people the world over experience the outdoors, climate change, and more.

Participants will walk away with a better understanding of how an inclusive approach to environmentalism and recreation can advance environmental justice and ultimately help repair the world.

In 2015, world leaders agreed to 17 goals for a better world by 2030, also known as the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030. A global agenda, a promise and a roadmap with the power to end poverty, fight inequality and stop climate change.

Guided by the goals, it is now up to all of us to work together to build a better future and make sure the goals are met! The YMCA has a unique position to make youth voices heard and assure youth are involved in the implementation! This workshop will create space for your YMCA to find ways to be part of strengthening the voice of youth in SDG work at local, national and global level!

G-Corps – a Peace Corps for the planet – is set to reach millions of young people to unite, up-skill, and unleash their power to make an impact towards the UN SDGs.

G-Corps is creating impact using digital tools that harness the power of the masses, digital masterclass training to empower youth, and volunteer-led bootcamps for youth to innovate, develop, and scale their own solutions.  G-Corps aims to inspire young people, everywhere, to become future changemakers.

The higher we live from the ground level, the more disconnected we feel from the natural world and even from each other within a community. Furthermore, the intense urban heat island effect in built-up areas leads to heat stress and other related health problems.

With better understanding of the dynamics between the built environment and the microclimate, and advocacy of human-nature interactions in urban living, could we design a more liveable and healthier urban environment?

Consent does not have a clear definition from community to community or country to country.

Come explore how leaders around the globe are facilitating conversations in their communities to explore why consent to sexual activity is key to gender equity and safe and harmonious societies.

Through a panel format, three Young people with years of experience of civic engagement will reflect on what motivated them to find and further develop their sense of social responsibility.

They will also tell how they started, the obstacles they faced and how they were able to get over them. A moderator will guide the debate through questions to be responded by the panelists. Later these prompts will be used to encourage a debate amongst the workshop´s participants to share experiences and attain responses to the initial questions of how, where and why civic engagement is important in today´s society.

The workshop will be run in Spanish (with translation to English if needed).

The KAIROS Blanket Exercise™ program is a unique, interactive and participatory history lesson about First Nations of Canada developed in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers and educators.

Developed in response to the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples in 1996 –which recommended education about Canadian-Indigenous history as one of the key steps to reconciliation — the KAIROS Blanket Exercise covers more than 500 years in a 90-minute experiential workshop that aims to foster understanding about our shared history as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

The 2030 Global Goals are the responsibility of each of us. Let’s discover together how our work can better connect with the UN and how we can speak the “SDG Language”!

We are sure that many of you have ideas that are not in the agenda of the event, but you want to raise them, discuss with other delegates and perhaps promote a joint action about it.

This Open Space session provides you with a unique opportunity and space to be heard, develop ideas and explore solutions with an International team. If you don’t have anything to raise yourself, we are sure you will hear the topic you will want to join for discussion! The results of your work will be collected and brought to global leaders of YMCA. You will be heard!