venue : fnb conference and learning centre, johannesburg, south africa
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Establishing an International Association of National Youth Service (IANYS) regional body in AfricaVenue: FNB Conference and Learning Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa
Date: Tuesday, 18 October, 2011
1 Welcome and introduction
Purpose of the meeting To share the outcomes of the Africa regional meeting
held at the IANYS conference in Egypt 2010 and the subsequent South Africa Working Group meeting held in March 2011
To discuss the possibility of establishing a regional IANYS body in Africa
Participants introduce themselves
2 Background
What is the International Association of National Youth Service?
A unique global network of practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and other professionals actively working to encourage countries worldwide to implement policies and programmes that support youth civic engagement.
Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP) is the permanent secretariat of IANYS.
The Association was formed in 1996 at the third Global Conference on National Youth Service, and has grown to include participants from 48 different countries on six continents.
Its governing body, the Global Council, consists of 14 experts on youth service from 13 countries around the world.
2 Background (2)
What African participants decided at the conference in Alexandria, October 2010
Participants were unanimous about the need for a common African platform to discuss NYS and youth civic engagement issues peculiar to Africa as a whole and to develop an African perspective on critical matters.
African Working Group - Country members
Ghana, Egypt, South Africa (coordinator), Senegal, Mali, Namibia.
3 Motivation for ‘IANYS Africa’
Share best practices in national youth service and lessons learnt
Develop models for NYS and youth civic engagement that respond to the varied conditions in different African countries
Generate mandates to influence regional and pan-African developments in national youth service
Contribute to shaping national policy and practice on the basis of these interactions
Inform the agenda of the bi-annual IANYS conference from an African perspective.
4 Recommendations fromSouth African working group
Elements of a vision for the body Structured exchange programmes with the region: Africans
serving Africa Intersectoral / cross-sectoral engagement of youth: state,
private sector, parastatal, NGO, faith-based, etc Well developed African solutions presented at a global level
representing continent-wide interests A developed, clear and unified voice; a branded identity Place youth service participants at the centre are brand
ambassadors / representatives of the body Address issues of skill portability (hard and soft skills) Ally initiative with AU, but not subordinate to it Lobby for youth interests and AU Youth Charter Form a central repository for information about youth issues
and service in Africa Set up a body with offices and pan-African resources
4 Recommendations fromSouth African working group (2)
Objectives for the initiative Initiate and implement country exchange programmes to
foster a sense of continental citizenship and voluntarism Foster and maintain partnerships with all relevant
stakeholders in youth service Develop continental currency & portability Promote NYS on the continent as a viable platform for
proactive youth service, development and leadership Develop an African body of knowledge and use this to
influence global discourse Engage young people as decision-makers and leaders of the
body Lobby for the active socio-economic participation of youth
through civic engagement
4 Recommendations fromSouth African working group (3)
Some options for an organisational structure Membership-based (by country)
Incentive for joining? Should membership should be open to all organisations?
A network/loose association Rotating secretariat A registered international not-for-profit organisation
with its own Board. How could this be supported and sustained? Whatever the coordinating mechanism adopted, it
should be able to capture the attention of country governments.
4 Recommendations fromSouth African working group (4)
Issues to consider Determine the scope of the African IANYS Determine how the African Youth Charter relates to
NYS and youth civic engagement Clarify the differences between NYS and youth civic
engagement Engagement with regional structures (AU, COMESA,
SADC, ECOWAS, etc) Other?
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