massar @ r2 perpignan
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Massar
Life is a journey…
• Syria: one-party state; 18+18m population; commodity producer; GDP c$42bn; oil/water short; sanctions; Iraq
• Change: role of government; private sector; global relationships. Old Guard factor
• Tiny/fragmented/no civil society/ third sector• 40% of Syria’s population <15 years old; 60% <25• 5% of young people with personal access to a PC, <2% of
all web content available in Arabic• Formal education system based on rote teaching; values
knowledge over competences; stigmatises failure• High youth unemployment; lack of basic business skills
The context in 2004
• Systemic, institutionalised bystander syndrome• Dominance of inhibitory “rules”; orthodoxy; dependence
on instruction, permission• Absence of non-formal learning opportunities • Premium on traditional professions as career, esp.
medical; talent drain• Knowledge economy opportunity – value chain• Empty promises, white elephants, Damascus-centred• Cultural integrity, cultural disparity• Concept shift: “children’s museum” “citizenship”• [Responsibility, Participation, Contribution, Individual]
Early analysis
Massar• Project began February 2005• Non-governmental, not-for-profit• Mixed funding model• Provides non-formal active learning opportunities
through multiple channels• A national programme, open to all (1.5% special needs)• Works in partnership with government and other NGOs• Fosters competences (life skills), “the habits of
citizenship”, new attitudes, new perspectives
Through science-based, hands-on experiences we will foster in the young
people of Syria a deeper understanding and appreciation of their world, and empower them as individuals to contribute actively
and positively in building their future.
The vision
Five steps towards responsibilityDrawing on work of John Darley, Bibb Latané and Erwin Staub• I am self awareness, critical thinking,
confidence, sense of worth, curiosity• I understand knowledge of the world, connection to
people, issues, choices• I can self direction, capability, creativity,
licence to fail, collaboration• I should values, empathy, insight, care,
inclusion• I do contribution, engagement, activity,
result, catalyst
by directly reaching
8 million5-21 year-olds
Massar channels
• Touring programme - >190,000 attendance to date• Regional centres - Lattakia 2007 (+Homs, Aleppo)• Web & ICT - portal, programs, computer labs (+OLPC)• National discovery centre - Damascus 2012/13• Events plus national/local media• “Safe space” for expression, experiment, exploration• Work phases: PARTNER, DEVELOP, DELIVER, EMBED
Touring programme
Regional centres
Web & ICT
Discovery centre Damascus
Events
Massar characteristics
• Content – exploration, issues-based, towards action• Programmes – validate, involve, collaborate, pro-social,
inclusive• Platforms – “space”, permission, structure, user-
ownership, open-source• Partnerships – with, not for• Communication – heroes, exemplars, catalysts• Non-formal learning – fun, hands-on, multiple learning
styles, social, challenging• Values – internal as well as external• Long-term – generational change
Citizenship in action
• Recycling project• Charity fun run • Blood donor database• Teaching IT skills to old, blind, deaf• Young journalists special needs project
Massar’s own journey• It’s happening• Impact: c350,000 reached directly; c50,000 on-line; c400,000
indirectly (media) – drop in the ocean!• Influence on emerging schools curriculum, comms and ICT,
social development (Massar as common thread)• International interest eg HBS, OSI, OLPC• Two regions in development; discovery centre under
construction; growth rate dependent on building sustainable resource/income models
• Brand is trusted by stakeholders• Making the case for change, alternatives, possibility
Lessons
• Belief (in young people, purpose, future), respect• Up-front thinking gets to the deep What For?• Deliver!• Cultural sensitivity; response, not imposition• Catalysts act as multipliers• The organisation must represent/“live” the values• Be honest about long haul, get quick touchable wins• Create partnerships, ownership• Communicate obsessively, but don’t over-promise
Responses
“It opens up the eyes of children to the larger world and helps them explore and become self-dependent” – parent
“We felt free to put our thoughts into words and I felt that my opinion was being heard and respected” – teenager
“I wish my parents could have been here to see that I have opinions” - 12-year-old
“Children remember information they gather themselves much more than that passed to them through conventional teaching” – teacher
“Now that we have Massar I no longer feel we are less privileged than children in the west” - 14-year-old
“We may not have changed anything but
we changed ourselves.”
Massar volunteer, age 16, 2009
“A small revolution.”
HE Mrs Asma Al-Assad