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November 2005

Dear friends,

Over the past ten years we have witnessed a growing trend of increased youth participation. Whether starting organizations or helping to shape policy in their communities and countries, new success stories are emerging all the time. In last week's US elections, three 18-year olds were elected Mayor in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Iowa! In other parts of the world, similar trends have also been found; most notably in Europe, where Youth Parties are garnering respectable voting percentages.

On another note, as the number of cyber fraud cases rises, it is particularly disturbing to see these in the youth sector. A common scheme is a hoax conference to collect registration fees. Often, all expenses and the expedition of visa processing are offered, and these frequently are held in both the USA and another country. Never send money to people or groups who you do not know, and always check to ensure their legitimacy. In our newsletter, we always alert you to potential frauds and will keep our ears to the ground; this way we can focus our money and time where it should be—creating positive social change.

With best wishes,
Benjamin Quinto
Executive Director

Have an Alternative Spring Break!
This spring break (March 3-12 and March 10-19) Global Youth Action Network (GYAN) is planning traveling seminars in Mexico, South Africa, and Brazil. These seminars will not only include traditional sightseeing but also visits with youth movements that are shaping the country's future. Participants will meet with young leaders from groups with diverse focuses, including public health projects, peace movements and entrepreneurship programs. The seminars will visit various cities within the country. Cost is about $950, excluding airfare. More here or contact Cara McAnaney.

DID YOU KNOW?

InsideVOICE Newsletter
A publication of TakingITGlobal and GYAN that features policy- and decision-making processes which welcome youth participation.

The VOICE Section of the TakingITGlobal web site has been re-launched to offer more information on how youth can get involved in policy processes, and also provides reporting on others of potential interest to young people.

 

 

Join Largest Annual Celebration of Young Volunteers: Global Youth Service Day
Youth Service America and the Global Youth Action Network are pleased to announce the launch of the 7th Annual Global Youth Service Day (GYSD), to be held in over 100 countries 21-23 April, 2006! Organizations are invited to apply for country-level coordination as National Lead Agencies, but all are welcome to organize. Complete the on-line application here or contact the GYSD Secretariat for more information. More here.

Calling All Applicants for International Volunteerism Summit
The International Youth Volunteer Summit : Social Entrepreneurship in Youth Volunteerism will take place in Northwestern University (USA) on 23-26 February 2006. Keynote speakers, panel discussions, and project focused workshops will be held, giving delegates a chance to build the knowledge, skills, and contacts to be more productively engaged across borders. Visit their web site or contact by email for more information.

 

IN THE NEWS...

ARAB REGION

New Regional Centre in Tunisia to Help Young People Participate in the Knowledge Economy
PR Newswire, UK
11/17/2005 UNESCO and Microsoft Corp. along with the Tunisian Ministry of Youth have inaugurated InfoYouth Centre, a regional community technology centre for North Africa, designed to provide youth with access to and skills training in IT. More here.

Arab governments urged to make fate of young people top priority
Al-Bawaba, 11/10/05
Arab governments must make the fate of young people in the region their top priority, members of the Arab Business Council (ABC) of the World Economic Forum said in a communiqué issued at its second Annual Meeting. More here.

AMERICAS

Youth Seen as 'Heart' of Democracy Movement in Egypt
Voice of America, 11/15/05 - The youth population is growing rapidly across the Middle East, and, in many countries, it is a force for change. Huge crowds of mostly young people have taken to the streets in, demanding democracy. More here.
 

Health Education Seen as Key to Halt AIDS Rise in US Youth
Voice of America, 11/15/05 - HIV-AIDS epidemic in the United States was primarily associated with homosexuals and people who injected illegal drugs. VOA reports on the attitudes of America 's young people toward the disease and efforts designed to educate them. More here.

Where Politics and Hip Hop Collide
AlterNet, 11/14/05
Kwame Kilpatrick, the 35-year-old African American ex-football player and America 's first "hip hop mayor," won a second term in office by relying on young African-Americans; ironic since young people notoriously have low voter turnout rates. More here.

High School Student Wins Mayoral Seat
NBC, 11/10/2005
Eighteen year old Sam Juhl of Roland, Iowa won 48 percent of the mayoral vote. He will be sworn in as mayor in January. More here.

Time for National Commitment to Youth?
CFK, Connect for Kids, 10/31/2005
The October 25, 2005 White House Conference on Helping America's Youth the First Lady, Mrs. Bush and others noted a number of problems facing teens and young adults who for one reason or another have failed to thrive in school and in the workplace. More here.

 

ASIA

Asian Youth's Fervor for Politics Fading
Voice of America (VOA), 11/15/2005
Sixteen years since Tiananmen Square the fervor among Asia 's youth to bring about change has died down. Part of a VOA series examining youth and politics around the world. More here.

Suicide the main killer of our kids
Courier-Mail, 11/9/05
Suicide is the leading cause of death among 10- to 14-year-olds in Queensland, Australia according to a report that lists disturbing facts about the state's youth fatalities. More here.

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Launch of telecentre.org to strengthen the global telecentre movement
Tunis, 17 November – At the World Summit on the Information Society, Canada's International Development Research Centre, Microsoft Corporation and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, announced the launch of telecentre.org, a CAN$21 million collaborative initiative that will strengthen the capacity of tens of thousands of community-based telecentres around the world. A first round of social investments is being made in telecentre networks in India, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Mozambique, South Africa, Chile, and the Americas. Investments will also be made in the Non-profit Enterprise and Sustainability Team and TakingITGlobal, two organizations that will play a key role in providing support services to telecentre networks. More here.

World Youth Leadership Jam
April 27 - May 4, 2006
Bringing together extraordinary alumni from 20 countries, representing bright lights from the past ten years of World Jams, for a week of deepening and building a more cohesive and transformative global Jam community. Organized by Youth for Environmental Sanity, with partners Native Movement (USA), Shikshantar: People's Institute for Rethinking Education and Development (India), and Institute for Popular Education (Mali and Senegal). For more information, see the web site.

EVENT SPOTLIGHT --> Full Calendar here

SADC Youth and Intercultural Dialogue in Everyday Life Forum
Date: 30 Nov - 2 Dec 2005
Location: Zimbabwe
This youth organized event invites other young people to attend a forum on a dialogue amongst civilizations and participate in group activities. More here. 

Habitat JAM
Date: 1-3 December 2005
Location: online
A global online dialogue on urban sustainability is being sponsored by the Government of Canada, in partnership with UN-HABITAT and IBM. The Habitat JAM will serve as a preparatory event for the Third World Urban Forum in Vancouver in June 2006. More here.

Young Global Leaders Summit
Date: 9 January 2006
Location: Syracuse Centre in London
Students and young professionals are invited to apply this one-day conference sponsored by Americans for Informed Democracy. The summit aims to encourage today's young leaders to view the pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals, non-proliferation, and the end of terrorism as the special mission of their generation. To apply, send a resume and brief cover letter via e-mail by January 1.

4th Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court (ICC)
Date: 26-27 January 2005
Location: United Nations HQ in New York
The Council for American Students in International Negotiations (CASIN) invites eligible candidates to attend the Fourth Session of ASP of the ICC. Candidates will participate as delegates of CASIN, through its organizational membership in the NGO Coalition ICC. Application Deadline is November 28, 2005. Visit the website for eligibility, application, and more.

The Cameroon - Europe Youth Exchange Programme Short Term Cultural Exchange
Date: 27 Feb – 8 March 2006
Location: Bamenda and Yaounde, Cameroon
The Cameroon-Europe youth programme will provide mobility to young European who would like to visit Cameroon where they will share ideas and best practices, build their capacities through skill-building and leadership, and engage in the development of youth partnership. Deadline to apply is 15 Dec 2005. More here 

UNISUN, Model Unites Nations Conference
Date: 23-26 February 2006
Location: University College Utrecht, Netherlands
The conference offers an international environment, with debates of high academic standards. The application deadline is December 1st. For more information, visit their web site or contact by e-mail. 

Education and Development International Conference
Date : 9-12 March 2006
Location : Bangkok, Thailand
The conference aims to gather large number of people from the field of education, as well as undergraduate & graduate students, organizations' representatives, and those willing to learn more about education and factors that it influences in sustainable development. More here.

Student World Assembly's International Convention
Date: 9 -12 March 2006
Location: Montreal, Canada
The Convention will gather members and supporters from SWA Chapters across the world in order to tackle the issue of HIV/AIDS, and hear expert testimony on the issue and different ways of addressing this global epidemic. More here.

The World Peace Forum 2006
Date: 23-28 June 2006
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
The forum will provide an umbrella for governments and organizations working on peace, justice, and sustainability to come together, network, and demonstrate the growing international commitment to peace. It will also bring students & teachers together to discuss the interests of education, as it relates to sustainable development. To apply or submit proposals for the event please visit their website.

 

BE CAUTIOUS - SCAMS!
Many scams invite people to register for a youth conference, and are meant only to collect registration fees. Please beware and only pay fees when you are certain it is a legitimate event. Common schemes include events taking place in both Guinea-Bissau or other country and the USA.
These may be scams:
(1) The International Conference on Racism and Child Abuse, in the USA & Napoli
(2) World Conference Against Racism and Discrimination, in Washington D.C, USA and Dubai, United Arab Emirates
(3) Global Change World Youth Organization in Dakar and New York City

 

OTHER FREE RESOURCES

The Breath of Hope Foundation: Empowering Children at Risk from Poverty and Disaster through Yoga
A leading yoga instructor in New York City, initiated this international program to bring the practice of yoga to the children of South Asia who have been traumatized by the 2004 tsunami and the region's chronic poverty. The organization provides instruction for children in the region's schools, orphanages, and relocation camps, and trains school teachers as yoga instructors to provide ongoing classes that reinforce and sustain the benefits of yoga in the children's lives. Visit website or contact Therese Poulsen.

 

 

IN THE NEWS...

EUROPE

Chirac vows to help young people in difficulties
Xinhua, 11/15/2005
French President Jacques Chirac vowed to help young people, especially those in difficulty, to get employment after the "identity crisis" revealed by the latest French violence. More here.

Crisis in France, How welfare state economics failed a generation
Business Week
11/15/05 - According this article for years, France was warned that economic and social neglect of its large ethnic-minority population would produce an explosion, which it currently faces. More here.

Campaigns targeting disaffected young people
EurActiv.com,11/8/05 Antje Hoppe reports despite German parties eagerness to gain youth support during the elections in September 2005, there was no real dialogue with the young people. More here.

NCB Now: Young people shape EU youth policy
Children Now, 11/8/05
The Cardiff Youth Event, organised by young people, was one in a series of events being held to mark the UK 's presidency of the European Union. More here.

Premier meets young people as Paris riots continue
Bangkok Post, 11/04/05
French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin met 16 youths between 18- 25 years of age from suburbs plagued by rioting for talks.
The talks were part of a series of consultations begun by Villepin with a view to a new action plan for the crises-ridden suburbs. More here.

Live webcast hailed a great success
eGov monitor, 11/4/05
A live webcast of a Question Time event in Wolverhampton (UK) has been hailed as a great success. Young people were invited to ask questions that covered topics such as the depiction of young people in the media, and the new anti-terrorism laws and their impact on race relations. More here.

Forum to give young people voice
BBC, 10/20/05
Forty young people were selected to have a direct involvement in decision-making on any issues related to or affecting fellow youth living in Belfast. More here.

 

 

 

 

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES -> Full Listing

TakingITGlobal: TIGed US Program Manager
The TIGed US Program Manager will be based in New York City, and will be responsible for expanding TIG's presence in schools and classrooms across the US. He or she will work with the Education Program Manager in Toronto to forming new partnerships with school districts, travel to conferences and present on behalf of TIG, and develop new curriculum content based on the TakingITGlobal.org site. To apply, see their web page.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City
Training and Special Projects Coordinator S/he will coordinate a range of education workshops for non-profit professionals, facilitate various training sessions, and plan & organize agency-wide events for youth and volunteers. Submit cover letter & resume to Wendi Martin-Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC, 245 Fifth Avenue, Suite 702, NY, NY 10016, USA, fax to +1-646-274-6073 or contact by email.

Deputy Regional Director for Middle East / Country Representative at Amman, Jordan AFSC implements programs in Palestine, Iraq, and Israel and is currently seeking a Director, who serves as the official representative of the AFSC in the Middle East Contact / Website.

 

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Volunteer In Uganda
Africa Youth Ministries Uganda, a Child & Youth focused Faith Based NGO working in Uganda has volunteer opportunities in the following areas psycho social counseling, fundraising, website promotion, AIDS/HIV challenges, and annual children/teens camps held in August/January. Website.

 

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Rwandan Youth Training Global Youth Connect will be having a human rights training workshop in Kigali, Rwanda in early January 2006. They are seeking young Rwandan leaders between the ages of 18-30 and a group of Americans, members of a GYC delegation that will spend 2 ½ weeks in Rwanda. Applications should be submitted to our Rwandan partner organization, Never Again. Contact & website

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES -> Complete Listing

Association for Childhood Education International: International Development Fund
The IDF was established to provide money each year to ACEI members wanting to start or revitalize a Branch outside the US. Complete an application for a grant and send to ACEI Headquarters by March 15. Applicant must submit to ACEI Headquarters an official Branch charter, list of officers, and a list of members, and can be sent at the same time that you mail your IDF application. Contact: email.

Disney Minnie Grants Youth Service America and Disney are offering the Disney Minnie Grants for youth across the globe. These grants of $500 are for youth (ages 5-14), or the teachers, schools and organizations that engage them to implement service projects on National & Global Youth Service Day, April 21-23, 2006. To learn more, please download the application and FAQ sheet on-line. After reviewing these, if you would like further information, please contact by email. Postmark Deadline: January 13, 2006.

 

GLOBAL

UN meet: Youth's future in peril
People's Weekly World Newspaper, 10/20/05 - United Nations WPAY reveals youth are facing critical problems including, poverty, HIV/AIDS, lack of access to education. More here.

 

Sponsor a Child in Cambodia
"Cambodia Kids" is a Non Profit organization that helps people 'adopt' a child. All money goes directly to providing education and shelter for children, and care against labor abuse and child trafficking. More here.

GLOBAL YOUTH ACTION NETWORK (c) 2005
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