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Lessons

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Deepening Democratization Processes Through Youth Leadership in Myanmar

The grantee continued to use the fellowship model in other countries, and a global youth forum hub has been relocated from Nepal to Myanmar. Within this project, community groups were also brought together at state level with a view to initiating a state-level process that would endure beyond the end of project activity and involve both local development practitioners and government functionaries.
Project Partner
ActionAid International in Myanmar
Project Description
The project aimed to identify new youth fellows, train them in leadership and concepts of democracy and governance, and prepare them to lead development projects in their communities. The strategy to do this was through "placements" with local grassroots organizations. The 130 trained youth fellows were supported through the fellowship network, including meetings at local and state levels and by identifying 400 youth volunteers through community "reflect circles" that the fellows facilitated. Together, the fellows and volunteers led and established a large number of development projects within the communities, ranging from pig rearing to the building of early education centres. The model is ideally suited to both produce the expected outcomes and also lay the groundwork for potential future representation at national level. The project far exceeded its own expectations, reaching more than 100,000 people through project activities. However, planned training of journalists and the development of a website proved not to be possible in the political climate in Myanmar and were replaced by the production of a series of newsletters for the fellows and for broader dissemination.
Evaluation Date
September 2010
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Deepening Democratization Processes Through Youth Leadership in Myanmar

Where academic research is useful to initiate policy dialogue with the authorities, action-research can provide the opportunity for capacity building of the fellows and can also be a useful tool in deciding, designing and promoting community initiatives. Reliable research by a recognized researcher is more likely to be usable in policy dialogue with the authorities; action-research facilitated by trained fellows is more likely to be valid for informing community-level actions and discussion. There should be a clear distinction between the two, and better strategizing/positioning of the research within the project design.
Project Partner
ActionAid International in Myanmar
Project Description
The project aimed to identify new youth fellows, train them in leadership and concepts of democracy and governance, and prepare them to lead development projects in their communities. The strategy to do this was through "placements" with local grassroots organizations. The 130 trained youth fellows were supported through the fellowship network, including meetings at local and state levels and by identifying 400 youth volunteers through community "reflect circles" that the fellows facilitated. Together, the fellows and volunteers led and established a large number of development projects within the communities, ranging from pig rearing to the building of early education centres. The model is ideally suited to both produce the expected outcomes and also lay the groundwork for potential future representation at national level. The project far exceeded its own expectations, reaching more than 100,000 people through project activities. However, planned training of journalists and the development of a website proved not to be possible in the political climate in Myanmar and were replaced by the production of a series of newsletters for the fellows and for broader dissemination.
Evaluation Date
September 2010
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Deepening Democratization Processes Through Youth Leadership in Myanmar

The original project design foresaw training of journalists and the placement of a number of articles in the media, but this was not done. The political realities of Myanmar, at a time of heightened political sensitivity around election, made working with the media – especially within a project clearly labelled “deepening democratization processes” – impossible. This should have been anticipated when the project was designed.
Project Partner
ActionAid International in Myanmar
Project Description
The project aimed to identify new youth fellows, train them in leadership and concepts of democracy and governance, and prepare them to lead development projects in their communities. The strategy to do this was through "placements" with local grassroots organizations. The 130 trained youth fellows were supported through the fellowship network, including meetings at local and state levels and by identifying 400 youth volunteers through community "reflect circles" that the fellows facilitated. Together, the fellows and volunteers led and established a large number of development projects within the communities, ranging from pig rearing to the building of early education centres. The model is ideally suited to both produce the expected outcomes and also lay the groundwork for potential future representation at national level. The project far exceeded its own expectations, reaching more than 100,000 people through project activities. However, planned training of journalists and the development of a website proved not to be possible in the political climate in Myanmar and were replaced by the production of a series of newsletters for the fellows and for broader dissemination.
Evaluation Date
September 2010
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Deepening Democratization Processes Through Youth Leadership in Myanmar

Apart from the obvious advantage of documenting all that has happened for internal use, clearly identifying outputs, outcomes and also lessons-learned is useful for attracting ongoing donor support and for underpinning future project design and implementation.
Project Partner
ActionAid International in Myanmar
Project Description
The project aimed to identify new youth fellows, train them in leadership and concepts of democracy and governance, and prepare them to lead development projects in their communities. The strategy to do this was through "placements" with local grassroots organizations. The 130 trained youth fellows were supported through the fellowship network, including meetings at local and state levels and by identifying 400 youth volunteers through community "reflect circles" that the fellows facilitated. Together, the fellows and volunteers led and established a large number of development projects within the communities, ranging from pig rearing to the building of early education centres. The model is ideally suited to both produce the expected outcomes and also lay the groundwork for potential future representation at national level. The project far exceeded its own expectations, reaching more than 100,000 people through project activities. However, planned training of journalists and the development of a website proved not to be possible in the political climate in Myanmar and were replaced by the production of a series of newsletters for the fellows and for broader dissemination.
Evaluation Date
September 2010
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Learning and Living Democracy in Bosnia-Herzegovina

By effectively involving local education authority representatives during the open forums and during the youth summer camp, the grantee was able to use representatives as advocates. Through the advocacy of local education authority representatives the project was able to reach more effectively the communities who were affected by the non-accessibility of education to Roma children and children with special needs
Project Partner
Democracy and Human Rights Education Center CIVITAS
Project Description
The project identified institutional educational weaknesses and proposed pragmatic approaches to address them. Overall the project was a success. The following elements contributed to the quality of the strategy: an appropriate response to the complex political and social context in the country drawn from the NGO‟s long time experience; a sound assessment of the political context based on long term partnership with education ministries in Bosnia and a good understanding of the targeted audience needs, based on the grantee’s experience of certifying teachers and their involvement in official curricula content design taught in all public schools.
Evaluation Date
September 2010
Theme
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Learning and Living Democracy in Bosnia-Herzegovina

The grantee had been involved – theoretically and pedagogically - in the education sector for a long time. This contributed to the project’s success Through an effective and official partnership within the relevant education ministries the project was able to encourage and support student’s policy projects over the school year.
Project Partner
Democracy and Human Rights Education Center CIVITAS
Project Description
The project identified institutional educational weaknesses and proposed pragmatic approaches to address them. Overall the project was a success. The following elements contributed to the quality of the strategy: an appropriate response to the complex political and social context in the country drawn from the NGO‟s long time experience; a sound assessment of the political context based on long term partnership with education ministries in Bosnia and a good understanding of the targeted audience needs, based on the grantee’s experience of certifying teachers and their involvement in official curricula content design taught in all public schools.
Evaluation Date
September 2010
Theme
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Learning and Living Democracy in Bosnia-Herzegovina

The project encouraged cross cultural cooperation and transcended ethnic lines. Putting together children from different ethnic backgrounds working on issues related to human rights had immediate effects on attitudes. All participants involved in project activities have experienced mindset change within their own communities and in schools because they were exposed to new ways of addressing human rights practices.
Project Partner
Democracy and Human Rights Education Center CIVITAS
Project Description
The project identified institutional educational weaknesses and proposed pragmatic approaches to address them. Overall the project was a success. The following elements contributed to the quality of the strategy: an appropriate response to the complex political and social context in the country drawn from the NGO‟s long time experience; a sound assessment of the political context based on long term partnership with education ministries in Bosnia and a good understanding of the targeted audience needs, based on the grantee’s experience of certifying teachers and their involvement in official curricula content design taught in all public schools.
Evaluation Date
September 2010
Theme
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Learning and Living Democracy in Bosnia-Herzegovina

The project influenced not only the individuals but also the BiH educational system at large through the inclusion of education quality standards required by European countries in the framework of the Bologna process. The project tackles also the modernization of the education system through application of interactive and up-to date working methodologies for teachers.

Project Partner
Democracy and Human Rights Education Center CIVITAS
Project Description
The project identified institutional educational weaknesses and proposed pragmatic approaches to address them. Overall the project was a success. The following elements contributed to the quality of the strategy: an appropriate response to the complex political and social context in the country drawn from the NGO‟s long time experience; a sound assessment of the political context based on long term partnership with education ministries in Bosnia and a good understanding of the targeted audience needs, based on the grantee’s experience of certifying teachers and their involvement in official curricula content design taught in all public schools.
Evaluation Date
September 2010
Theme
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Learning and Living Democracy in Bosnia-Herzegovina

The small proportion of the project budget devoted to the journalist’s trainings reduced the chances for attracting media attention.
Project Partner
Democracy and Human Rights Education Center CIVITAS
Project Description
The project identified institutional educational weaknesses and proposed pragmatic approaches to address them. Overall the project was a success. The following elements contributed to the quality of the strategy: an appropriate response to the complex political and social context in the country drawn from the NGO‟s long time experience; a sound assessment of the political context based on long term partnership with education ministries in Bosnia and a good understanding of the targeted audience needs, based on the grantee’s experience of certifying teachers and their involvement in official curricula content design taught in all public schools.
Evaluation Date
September 2010
Theme
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Learning and Living Democracy in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Although the project aimed to specifically address the needs of children with special needs and from Roma minorities, it struggled to identify these groups as participants since they are mostly absent from schools. Since the project strategy relied on working with official education authorities this was a weakness.
Project Partner
Democracy and Human Rights Education Center CIVITAS
Project Description
The project identified institutional educational weaknesses and proposed pragmatic approaches to address them. Overall the project was a success. The following elements contributed to the quality of the strategy: an appropriate response to the complex political and social context in the country drawn from the NGO‟s long time experience; a sound assessment of the political context based on long term partnership with education ministries in Bosnia and a good understanding of the targeted audience needs, based on the grantee’s experience of certifying teachers and their involvement in official curricula content design taught in all public schools.
Evaluation Date
September 2010
Theme