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Individual Report

 

Global Youth Conference


Global Youth Conference consisted of 5 parts which were organized to facilitate knowledge and experience sharing among the whole group, to get commitment from the participants for them to bring their experience back home;

1)     Panel Discussion
2)     Country Meeting
3)     Completion ceremony
4)     Evaluation
5)     Farewell party 


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Panel Discussion
The 21st Century Renaissance Youth Leaders Invitation Program 2004 on October 19. 2004
Minutes

 

Aim of the Renaissance program and Panel Discussion:
Towards Further Globalization: Initiation of collaborative projects from this encounter

 

Education and Development courses were tasked to identify what kind of projects to under take and why it is important. Management course will discuss about the aspects to consider in managing the projects.
Public Relations course will determine the meaning of PR and its roles.

After this Panel Discussion, counties will separately discuss in order to decide what activities they will carry out and how it will expand to the international level.

 

(1) Presentation from each course (5 minutes) 

<Development>

Objective:

1)     Seek how governments, businesses and NGOs can further harmonize their activities in development efforts
2)     Propose projects towards global harmony utilizing ties and networks with AA or their organizations
3)     Discuss concrete measures for the implementation of said projects

Key learning’s:

1)     Multisectoral stakeholders participation is important in economic and societal development and rejuvenations of local communities
2)     Government provides the policy framework that allows stakeholders to participate
3)     NGOs / NPOs mission is to safeguard and uphold public interest
4)     Business sector provides the investments

Projects:

1)     REN Global internet Network
2)     Meaningful holidays
3)     Making technology available

1) REN Global Internet Network
   Link knowledge, skills and experiences of REN participants and AA members to existing and new projects (international, regional, and local)
· Promote and facilitate the implementation of REN programs, projects and activities that have societal impact to communitie
　*Need cooperation in collecting individual data for REN Global Internet Network Template of Information

2) Meaningful holidays
・Provide volunteer opportunities for REN alumni members during their visit to participating countries
3) Making technology available
・Provide opportunities for REN alumni members and participating countries to ”share their extras”(i.e. computers) to poor communities using Ren network
・Promote community development

Summary:

The 3 projects are integrated and not on individual terms;
The website will be useful in the local projects (making technology accessible) which can use the human resources (website) during holidays (meaningful holidays).
The website would be mainly useful to share human resources.

 

 

<Education>

Objective:

Look at educational activities that promote international cooperation and understanding involving young adults (late teens to early twenties).

Last time, we came up with 3 projects. This time we will focus on “Community Participation” which will serve as the foundation to implement our other 2 projects including the projects that were proposed earlier;

Activity 1: Material exchange
Activity 2: Pen pals

 The model of approach of community Participation: SWOT:

 Strengths:

1)     Getting people involved (young adults. Community members)
2)     Networking opportunities (for young adults and projects)

Ex) “Oyaji Kai”: community watch project such as graffiti erasing. This was emphasized in order to keep discipline and vandalism within society and have adults in close touch with the youth. Helps youth before needing to have the police involvement. There is a 2-way interaction between the community and school.

Weakness:

1)     Generation gap (between young adults and the community because they may have different interests)
2)     Finding Volunteers (lack of commitment and motivation)

Ex) OISCA provides and opportunity for youth to learn on hands skill that can be carried back later. How to gather volunteers and retain them: a) Find aspirations and goals of individuals b) Target capabilities and make sure their role or involvement is suited for their capability c) Try to keep them involved (preparation, activity, evaluation, follow-up, etc)

Opportunities:

1)     Contributing to solving social problems
2)     Utilization of untapped resources
3)     Youth empowerment, leadership and motivation (discovering one’s potential)

Ex) Asahi Juku: Introduction of a “discussion” courses instills in the young adults what kinds of leadership skills and motivates them to become interested in the outside world and makes them think about how they can contribute to the world

Ex) JJHS community watch: encourage parents to find opportunities to prevent vandalism and anti-social behaviors. Gives responsibility to individuals  

Threats:

1)     Discontinuation of the projects
2)     Political and Social (restriction and differenceｓ）
3)     Cultural and Religion (restriction and differences)

Ex) Collection of textbooks: dumping ground of materials. Should analyze why some projects fails. For example the sending country must be careful in what they send. The community may use the activity as a dumping ground. Therefore, it is important to tell the community what exactly you want to have sent. Information needs to be clear and accurate.

Next Step:

Need to go back to each country to discuss further details!
We have given you a stepping-stone for the next step.
Please determine what is needed and applicable in your country.
In order to activate community participation, and implementation activities, SWOT should be considered.

 

 

<Management>

Project proposed:

Enhancement of Science and Technology: Bridging the digital divide
Decided to combine the activities from development and education course.
Ensuring technology will facilitate the involvement of the participants and their respective communities in community development activities.

 Main element of Management is leadership:

Leadership Qualities:

  • Motivator
  • Self confident
  • Responsible
  • Problem solver
  • Good coordinator
  • Good experience

 Management Resources:

3 main resources were identified to set up a project:

  • Establishing good networking system
  • List of available resources (need a starting point)
  • Funds

 Collaborative project can be assumed

 Management Challenges

4 Challenges were identified:

  • Inadequate resources (especially man power)
  • Unavailability of funds (need to look for sponsorship)
  • Inadequate supply of logistics
  • Depletion in motivation

These challenges interconnect closely, and these challenges can be solved by effective communication.

 Effective Communication:

  • Good networking (ex. AA)
  • Good motivator
  • Good coordination (in each AA)
  • A sense of commitment (need to take responsibility)

 

<Public Relations>

Project proposed:

Considered the same project as the Management course.
“Linking Minds” is the brand that the PR course will use for their projects.

 4 main roles of PR:

  • Research and analyze targeted audiences and issues
  • Planning: develop a foundation, create core materials
  • Implement and respond: not just a one way communication
  • Measure and evaluate results

Strategic PR Program:

  • Based on clear strategic direction of corporation
  • Differentiates message and uniqueness
  • Humanize the corporation
  • Builds Media Relationships
  • Leverages the power of 3rd party endorsements
  • Prepares for crisis and issues
  • Ensures communications links to public, media, and others (long relationships and humanize the corporation)

Roles of the PR in facilitating: Science Education and Technology

“The Linking Minds”

2 Main roles:

1)     Advise (Timing, Identify potential sponsors, approach/facilitate*, SEP research/provide information*
2)     Link (AA, corporate, programs, implementation*, media)

*RENewsletter

 Implementation of the: “The Linking Minds”

1)     Pre-Launch (appealing Corporate Social Responsibility) to public, government, corporate)
2)     Launch (highlight/big event) using media, public, VIP
3)     Follow-up (feed back) towards corporate, public, IYEO

 There are many tools that can be used for the purpose of PR, but we will use RENewsletter at this point. 

A lot of people feel the PR tends to become up in the air, but we aim to do something that is on the ground. We will get all the REN participating country to join in the RENewsletter, which are about 4 pages A4. It will be issued twice each year. PR course will be in charge of collecting information from the AA. Stories will talk about activities taking place and further plans. It will serve to motivate each other and also serve to give feedback to the Japanese government and IYEO. PR members will try to communicate to other members of the AA that PR is important.

 Quote:

“PR people are the architects of change, helping the organizations we work for listen and respond to the world around us as it evolves and shifts. We must be advocates of understanding, interpreting our organizations to stakeholders with divers, disparate concerns and needs”

 

(2) Open Forum among panelists

 

Facilitator:
Please discuss among yourselves about the roles of PR and Management in the implementation of the projects identified by the Development and Education course.

Development:
All activities are related. Community participation is necessary in local projects and resources mentioned in the Management course. At the same time, advertisement of the projects by PR is necessary. Without the participation of everyone, projects will not be able to be implemented.

Education:
Management covered how they will take part in development and education. PR will enable us to provide information about activities taking place and necessary resources through Newsletter.

Management:
Combining projects of Development and Education are important. It allows us to work together and have good understanding. Through setting up projects, we SWY, SSEAYP and INDEX are not divided but a 1 big family as a REN family. We worked toward 1 big aim.

PR:
There are needs to benefit from each other. For the 1st edition of the RENewsletter, we want to just include the REN 2004 members, and when it is successful, would like to spread to the participating countries and also include other medias and etc.

Facilitator:
We all want to activate the youth in the society by taking different roles.
How can you implement this? I think that education course gave a few examples? But I understand that each country situations are different.

Management:

Reunion has been taking place every year in Dubai and we have had opportunities to manage and exercise PR. Various activities were given here, and I’m sure that we can cooperate and implement these activities by carrying out different roles.

PR:
First we will include members of the 2004 REN, but we hope to expand to include the other AA members. There are very active AA, and so we hope to go back to our AA and organize ourselves to carry out the activities discussed today and then touch base with the other Renaissance members.

Management:
In each country, the situation of the AA is different.  Organizational structure may be different, but the important thing is to start a small project on a small scale and then expand. Local community > National > International.

Facilitator:
There was a comment from other members to start with a simple project such as the pen pal project. And then after a successful activity, bigger activities can be planned

 

 

(3) Questions and Answers

 

Floor:
In order to implement activities after REN, we need someone to take responsibility in deciding for example which country would be donor, which school will be receipient and etc?

 Education:
Individuals know what is needed, but we would need a communication tool to let others know the circumstances. At this point, computer will serve as a tool for recipient countries to post their needs on a bulletin board or etc. (include school, timeline, other means) We are all over the world and so in the meantime, before the website is set up, we may know friends that need materials. We do not need to wait for others to tell you what kind of material is needed. So at this point, talk to other members, then contact each other by mail, and then when the website is made, we can use that.

PR:
Each PR member can play a role in the AA. And inform activities to other members. We need to consider what the real needs are and then take concrete steps.

Management:
We are all friends and so we can cooperate with each other. We can start now!

Floor:
Education course realized that computers and materials are needed all over the world, and then the development course should develop a network, which will serve as a communication tool and the management course will manage the projects which the PR will handle promotion and publications.

Floor:
Building this global network is important but we need to find activities to work on because we will not be able to use the network. For example we can set up a travel network because we know about our countries. And rather than just traveling, the people can be involved in community activities.

Facilitator:
Similar to meaningful holiday

Education:
Different projects have been proposed. Now in each country, you need to discuss which activities and how you are going to carry out the activities.

Facilitator:
There is a way for everyone to participate in the projects.So please discuss about how you can be involved in the activities 

<Panelists>
Development:
Jesus Miguel Perez Garcia (Spain)
Orquiza Maria Anna Caraang (Philippines)

Education:
Dallas Neihana Te Waipounamu Harema (New Zealand)
Toh Li Kieng Collette (Singapore)

Management:
Haji Mohd Reduan Bin Abd Fata (Brunei)
Sultan Saeed Saleh Almansouri (UAE)

Public Relations:
Smeby Chirstensen Oda (Norway)
Peeraya Hanpongpandh (Thailand)

<Facilitator>
Tamae Saito (CENTERYE)