Networking Asian & European Young Volunteers

27-31 January 2008
International Youth Centre (Dreamtel), Seoul, Korea

Co-organised by ASEF, the International Work-camp Organisation (IWO) and the Co-ordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS), the conference will be based on a strong need for regular inter-regional meetings to encourage better co-operation among young volunteers and volunteer organisations under the framework of Asia-Europe co-operation, and in order to follow-up on the first NAEYV, which took place in Vietnam in June 2006. This Conference will gather participants to exchange information and experience regarding voluntary activities as well as to follow-up on projects between and within the two regions. Concrete aims are to promote voluntary service, share information and experiences between individuals and organisations concerning voluntary activities, including management skills and fund raising, thus promoting better co-operation amongst them. The creation of a Steering Committee and a website is also part of the expected outputs of this project. The programme shall engage up to 30 young participants, between 18 and 30 years old, coming from all ASEM countries.

For more information and to download application form, visit:

http://www.asef.org/

The deadline for applications is 14th December 2007

Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program

The Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC) extends the application deadline for the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (FF-IFP) to 15 January 2008. The IFP is a scholarship program that provides a comprehensive grant package to Filipinos interested to pursue masteral studies in the following Ford Foundation grant-making areas: Arts and Culture; Civil Society; Community and Resource Management; Community Development; Economic Development and Economic Security; Education and Scholarship; Governance; Human Rights; Religion, Society, and Culture; Media, Sexuality and Reproductive Health; and Workforce Development.

IFP applicants must have a track record demonstrating their commitment to national and community service, leadership, and academic preparedness. We seek individuals who will constitute a new generation of potential leaders from groups and communities that have traditionally lacked access to higher education. These candidates must therefore know first hand the problems facing their communities.

The fellowship program is on its sixth year in the Philippines since it was launched jointly by the Ford Foundation and PSSC in October 2001. Ford Foundation International Fellows now total 144 Filipinos including 35 selected in 2007 who will start their studies in universities of their choice by September 2008.

To qualify, IFP applicants must be a Filipino citizen; residing and working outside the National Capital Region; has obtained a baccalaureate degree with above average grades; with at least three years of work experience (relevant to the proposed graduate study program and to the type of work or community service planned after completion); and has never attended any school outside of the Philippines.

For more information on the IFP and the application process, please visit www.ifpphil.ph or call Dada Doble or Isagani Lachica at tel. nos. (02) 922-9630 or (02) 929-2671.

Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths

May 13-22 & 22-29, 2008
Japan

The National Youth Commission is pleased to inform that the application for the Japan – East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) Program is now open.

The JENESYS Program is a Japanese government sponsored exchange program that aims to harness the youths’ full potential through the sharing of experiences and expertise on common youth leadership and practices, as well as, to promote cultural understanding, appreciation and respect among the youths of all countries involved.

The NYC will be recommending 200 Filipino youth to participate on this program and the selected participants will be going to Japan on May 13-22 and 22-29, 2008, all expense paid by the organizers, Japan International Cooperation Center.

Qualifications
1. Filipino, single, must be between 16 - 18 years old, on or before April 1, 2008
2. Of good moral character
3. Must be currently enrolled in a college or university with a GWA of 2.25 or 85% equivalent, with no failing marks in the preceding semester
4. Physically and mentally fit to travel
5. Must be a first time traveller to Japan and/or must not have been a grantee or recipient of any NYC funded international tavel or Japanese Government grant
6. Must be knowledgeable of the history, geography, culture and arts, and the current issues on the Philippines, and fairly knowledgeable in those of Japan and other East Asian countries
7. Must be an officer or an active member of a youth organization at least one (1) year immediately preceding the date of application
8. Must be willing to be an active NYC volunteer after the program to be covered by an appropriate memorandum of agreement and to continue to promote the learning about Japan and the Japanese culture gained from the JENESYS Programme

* Area representation would be based on the place of the school, college, university enrolled in

Requirements:
1. two (2) copies of the application forms (JENESYS entry form, application form for student ambassadors and nyc volunteer form) with passport sized pictures with white background attached to each forms (all original, no scanned pictures)
2. two (2) copies of resume, not more than 3 pages
3. two (2) copies of certificate of good moral character, issued by the school, college or university (1 original and 1 photocopy)
4. two (2) copies of the certified copies of the grades
5. two (2) copies of the Police or NBI clearance
6. Four (4) passport sixed pictures (not scanned)
7. completed NYC volunteer forms

For more information, please feel free to get in touch with NYC: (02) 781-1163 loc. 107 and please look for Commissioner Princess Abante or Ms. Rochel Ferrancullo.

Forms can be downloaded at www.youth.net.ph

Deadline: December 31, 2007.

Greenwich Forum 2008

British Council Philippines is looking for 16 to 19 year olds who are articulate in English, assertive - and activists to represent the Philippines in the Greenwich Forum to be held in the week beginning Sunday, 13 January 2008 in Greenwich UK.

Young people, 16-19 years old, from 50 countries will gather in Greenwich, UK in January 2008 to set down a challenge to the world’s leaders. They will come in varying backgrounds as well as countries but will have one common experience: they are all activists for change. At Greenwich the participants will share their enthusiasm and experiences.

We are looking for people who are already not just committed to change but active in taking responsibility personally and not waiting for others to do something for them. The subject matter in the forum can be diverse: in climate change, starting one’s own business, starting and leading a political or lobbying group, in anti-discrimination, running one’s own media (online or traditional), an arts group for a minority section of the population. We would prefer those who are leaders and initiators of their own rather than say, active members of more established groupings. One who has already attracted attention in the media or may have won “young activist, young entrepreneur type awards” or may be controversial.

If you picture yourself sitting on stage in front of 200 leaders and saying they, and Gordon Brown, are not doing enough or making a pitch for funding in 30 seconds to a world renowned financial leader – you may be the one we are looking for.

From the participants at the Greenwich Forum, a group of six will again be chosen to travel on to Switzerland for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.

Don’t let this opportunity pass ….. If you are interested or know of someone who may be, please pass on the information ….. We look forward to receiving your application!

For information and application form, contact:
British Council Philippines
10/F Taipan Place, F. Ortigas Road (formerly Emerald Avenue, Ortigas Centre, Pasig City)

www.britishcouncil.org.ph
T: +63 2 9141011 to 14

Deadline of Application:

12 October 2007

Application form can also be viewed in:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dgxpjjjt_7hr8kb9

Alliance Youth Camp

28 October- 2 November 2007
Baku, Azerbaijan

The Islamic Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation announces the launching of the “Alliance Youth Camp” and Intergenerational Alliance Conference on October 28 to November 2, 2007 in Baku, Azerbaijan to be hosted by H.E. Mehriban Aliyeva, UNESCO and ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

During the Alliance of Youth Camp, a pool of high profile names in the academe, arts and social activities will train a 45-member group of young leaders from Western, OIC and East Asian countries gathered in “Alliance” Youth Camp in historical, political, and socio-cultural aspects of interaction between different civilizations as well as in issues related to diversity and richness of cultures in the West and the East. The Initiative will culminate in Intergenerational Conference between influential policy-makers and the youth leaders on the prospects of the UN “Alliance of Civilizations” to be held on November 1 to 2, 2007 and will conclude with the adoption of an “Intergenerational Declaration on the Alliance of Civilizations.”

For more details/information, please contact Islamic Conference Youth Forum at:

http://www.icyf.com/

VII International Human Rights Colloqium

3-10 November
Sao Paolo, Brazil

Since 2001, the Colloquium has provided an annual human rights capacity-building and networking opportunity in Sao Paulo. It has brought together over 600 activists and academics within the human rights community from over 40 countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Many participants have continued to share information and join efforts in working for shared human rights priorities through the Human Rights Dialogue Network and Sur - Human Rights University Networks.

The VII Colloquium is supported by the Ford Foundation and the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), among others.

How to continue working together after the Colloquium?
HRDialogue is a network of human rights activists and professionals working in the Global South (Africa, Asia and Latin America) that seeks to:

"Strengthen the voice and impact of human rights advocates from the South for the global recognition and realization of human rights."

The network is an initiative of participants of the International Human Rights Colloquium.

Members promote ongoing dialogue, exchange experiences and act to:

Enhance activities and capabilities of human rights advocates
Strengthen the impact of human rights organizations, and
Stimulate joint action and articulation in the Global South
Who takes part in the HRDialogue?

The network today is composed of more than 633 members from 49 countries.

http://www.conectas.org/coloquio/home_en.html

Global Youth Forum on Development 2008

6-12 April 2008
Nairobi, Kenya

This will be an annual event that brings young people of 35 years and below to show case to the world what they can do. The proposed forum seeks to create a platform for the youth to network and build partnerships amongst themselves. It will also provide an opportunity for the youth to share experiences lessons learnt best/promising practices and challenges from the different sector(s) they are engaged in towards towards hastening the realization of Millenium Development Goals 2015 (MDG 2015).

Specific objectives
· To share experiences in their area of operations
· To network with other like minded
·To show case their activities through seminars presentation, Posterpresentations and exhibitions.
· Networking and building partnership
· Working together for greater impact
· Sharing experience and know how.
· To show case their activities through seminars presentation, poster presentation and exhbition

What we intend to achieve
· Strengthen relationship between the youth in different regions
· Enhanced collaboration and partnership between civil society, private sector and the governments for a common goal - service to the youth.
· Bring the youth together to show case their activities and strengthen partnership networking and collaborating among themselves and private sector and governments.
· Ideas and policies towards
· Ensure effective delivery of services through collaborating and networking.
· Create an enabling environment for best practices

Main goal: build the capacity of our fellow youth and facilitate the process where undiscovered potential can be utilized to ensure continuous growth of the youth in all aspects.

Gender equality promotion
To ensure greater gender equity and girls empowerment and influence in all levels of development process

Policy research and advocacy unit
·To build capacities to identify and pursue research and advocacy agenda
·To build alliances, networks and coalitions to push the anti-poverty agenda
·To engage policy makers and influence policy making in favour of the youth.

Education for all campaign
To ensure endorsement and implementation of the laws that ensures universal quality free basic education by focusing on childhood, primary and secondary education.

Basic rights campaign
Ensuring enshrinement of the right to food, education, water, healthcare, housing and information.Creating an enabling environment in which government agencies and communities can jointly regulate resource use.

· GYFOD Mission statement: - committed to the integration of gender perspective in all government policies and programmes to remove obstacles to youth participation in public life and decision making at all levels

Mission
GYFOD2008 acknowledges that youth are creative and innovative. We strive to empower young people how they can tap into positive forces and existing youth business networks through tangible, cost effective, sustainable projects by promoting growth and the Youth capacity to utilize the available resources and opportunities for sustained benefits of the youth themselves.

Vision:-
GYFOD2008 envisions a world where all young people take the lead as active participants in deciding and change at all levels of development and policy making; enabling more speedy reaction and effectual change in societies by naturing and developing themselves to realize their maximum potential in restoring the impaired and marginalized youth capacity through facilitating the process of maximum utilization of available reasons with supplement of minimum external resources

website: http://www.gyfod2008.org/
email: info@dakahumas.org