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ISIKWENU OGHENEFEGO's Blog
ISIKWENU OGHENEFEGO's Blog


INSPIRO COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA + OXFAM AUSTRALIA
Related to country: Nigeria

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

Africa as a continent has suffered so many set-backs not because she lacks the ability or resources to be the world’s economic power, but as a result of bad governance and corruption, has left the rich continent a home for the poor. It is of no use complaining or pointing accusing fingers at any ruler or system; therefore, machinery has to be put in place to trace the problem, its root causes and proffer solutions.

We believe at Inspiro Communications and Media that the hope of a prosperous Africa lie’s in the untapped potentials and resources of young people. The only way to activate change in the continent is to first of all activate change in the mindset of the average young African. A change of ideologies and perceptions passed on or inculcated knowingly and unknowingly by the current generation of rulers we have in Africa, is the main thrust of the Leadership Academy.

Inspiro Communication and Media, wants to by the Leadership Academy re-orientate young people on the core values of leadership and motivate them to apply the true principles of leadership and good governance; which should produce nothing but sustainable development.

Oxfam Australia which believes that poverty and powerlessness are avoidable and can be eliminated by human action and political will wants to build the capacity of young people to improve their skills and knowledge and broadening their perspectives about the world and their confidence to take action. Oxfam believes that young people are major stakeholders in development and so should participate in nation building.

GETTING INVOLVED
To be a part of the Leadership Academy, write an essay of not less than 500 words on the topic: ‘My Role as a Change Agent’ and send to inspiromag@yahoo.com.


INSPIRO COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA + OXFAM AUSTRALIA

A brief profile of Inspiro Communications and Media has been given on the first page of this web page.
Oxfam Australia is a charitable organization with her office in Sydney, Australia. Oxfam works to support people to realize their human rights. Oxfam believes that poverty and powerlessness are avoidable and can be eliminated by human action and political will.

The Oxfam International Youth Partnership (OIYP) is Oxfam’s flagship program for young people. The vision of the OIYP network is “youth building a peaceful, equitable and sustainable world”.

Introducing OIYP
Oxfam International Youth Partnerships is a global network of young people working with their communities to create positive, equitable and sustainable change.
The OIYP network is made up of 300 young people, aged 18-25 from around the world. As young people committed to a positive and equitable world they are working for change in a range of different contexts. Many are working in partnership with their own communities. Many are agitating for change institutionally. All are likely to be challenging existing structures that create inequality in their communities, countries and regions. The majority of young people in the network are working in their own communities in the Global South. OIYP has a focus on young people from marginalised communities but includes diverse young people working in different ways to achieve change. OIYP works in all regions.
OIYP works with 300 young people through a 3 year process of learning and action. Since 2000, OIYP has worked with 550 young men and women. While from 2007-2010 the focus of Oxfam’s’ work will be on the new 300 young people, Oxfam actively works to build partnerships across the generations of action partners. In addition to action partners themselves members of the OIYP network work in partnerships with many other organizations and communities around the world – creating a powerful force for change.
Purpose of the OIYP Program
OIYP has two aims:
1. To enable action partners to develop their capacity to effect positive, sustainable and equitable change; and
2. For action partners to contribute to positive, sustainable and equitable change in their communities.
Oxfam contributes to the aims of OIYP by providing a Program to build the capacity of its partners to be effective facilitators of change. The OIYP Program is the vehicle through which Oxfam creates opportunities for dialogue, learning and challenging for its partners around the world. Over time, personal change in action partners will translate into social, economic and political change within individual communities, in regions and across the globe.
The OIYP Program seeks to address four areas:
a. Capacity building of action partners: through developing skills and knowledge and broadening their perspectives about the world and their confidence to take action.
b. Change in communities: support action partners to continue with existing programs, change or begin new programs to strengthen their communities. Changes will be seen at the local, national and global levels.
c. Network: the OIYP network will be strengthened as a global force for change.
Through intergenerational; regional and thematic based linking the network will foster learning, exchange, collaboration and support for young people across the world.
d. Broader influence: Oxfam will create spaces for young people to contribute to the broader social movement for change. It will also share lessons of its work with young people on a range of issues to contribute to the work of others and dialogue on strategic issues.

Past Outcomes of the OIYP Program
Since 2000, 550 young men and women in over 100 countries have contributed to OIYP’s vision of a peaceful, equitable and sustainable world through their work with their own communities. Through the programs of the OIYP these young women and men have exchanged their ideas and experiences, built their skills and knowledge and widened their perspectives of the world in order to make their work in their communities more effective.
OIYP measures its impact around its two aims:
i. To enable action partners to develop their capacity to effect positive, sustainable and equitable change; and
ii. For action partners to contribute to positive, sustainable and equitable change in their communities.

Capacity Development
There is clear evidence that the OIYP network facilitates capacity development for many
action partners. Key areas of capacity development are in increased confidence, the ability to take action, networking and the development of skills and knowledge. Another key area is attitudinal change, where action partners’ view of the world has been broadened through their interactions with other young people from across the world, or through engaging with issues of gender equity or trade justice.
For many, capacity was most effectively built through interactions with other action partners within their own region of the world (eg. the Pacific), on specific themes (eg. Trade) or in the process of acquiring specific skills (eg. project management). They apply their new insights and skills to making their work for change in their communities more effective.
Janice from Bougainville (Papua New Guinea): The most significant success from my
engagement with OIYP was the confidence I gained. I was able to strengthen my youth work. Although working with my organisation for a long time as a Gender and Youth Development Officer there was no effective youth programme. But during OIYP the organisation has seen a big change with my work. I organise youth workshops, visiting youth groups developing gender manuals, all this happened through OIYP. Sharing and exchanging ideas with other action partners has given me the ability and confidence to effectively carry out my work.

Change in Communities
The majority of action partners have continued to take action in partnership with their communities all around the world. In some cases, the evidence of change is concrete. For most action partners they have continued, changed or started programs to strengthen their communities or share the skills they have learnt. The longer term impact for individuals and communities of these projects remain impossible to determine within such a short timeframe and Oxfam will continue to work with action partners to learn from this work.
Guruparan from Sri Lanka: The first sitting of the Sri Lankan Youth Parliament had brought together 225 young people from all over the country representing all ethnic and religious compositions such as the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities in the country. These young people interacted, discussed and brain stormed actions for social change on various issues. For the first time perhaps Sri Lanka saw a purely youth led and youth run initiative and it was definitely a new chapter for youth activism in Sri Lanka. One prominent civil society activist noted that “the first sitting of the Sri Lankan Youth Parliament was the most significant event that took place in Sri Lanka in 2005”.
Chukwumuanya from Nigeria: In collaboration with some people living with HIV/AIDS in my community we formed a ‘local access to treatment coalition’, to lobby the government. We undertook a lot of advocacy visits to government officials in the state capital 4 hours away. We met with the Deputy Governor, the Commissioner of Health, parliamentarians and other top official of the ministry of health, making our case for the government to actively get involved in clinical care and support for PLWHAs. To our greatest surprise, the government announced that they will be committing themselves to providing 1000 PLWHAs with ARVs on the occasion of World AIDS day 2005 (dec. 1). Our little effort yielded tremendous success.

OIYP Program Strategies
Throughout the program, OIYP will use a range of strategies to achieve its aims including building skills and knowledge, supporting action, facilitating networking, engaging through cultural expression and assessing impact.
a. Building Skills and Knowledge
Oxfam will coordinate projects on both thematic and practical skills, each being an opportunity for action partners to develop their knowledge to apply to work in community. There will be 4 thematic based projects, one for each of OIYP’s strategic issues areas as well as projects for practical skills such as project management, creative tools for social change and monitoring and evaluation. In the Orientation period, action partners will be provided with introductory materials and be able to join online discussions around strategic issues and skills areas. At Kaleidoscope 2007, all action partners will gain basic knowledge and skills in the key areas and select those to engage with further. Action partners will select further opportunities for learning and development throughout the program.
OIYP Strategic Issues for 2007 – 2010:
1. Economic justice
2. Gender
3. Peace and conflict
4. Access to essential services

b. Supporting Action
At Kaleidoscope 2007, action partners will be facilitated through a process of reflecting on their future plans to contribute to change. This process will focus on their communities and on the dynamic nature of the change process.
From 2007 until 2010, action partners will be supported to develop their existing work, collaborate with others and initiate new projects through both financial and non-financial support from Oxfam. The Grants Program will be designed to support the development of new projects initiated by 2007 Action Partners. It aims to address the gap in funding for projects developed by young people around the world and foster an environment for innovation, creativity and empowerment. Oxfam will also support the work of action partners’ through linking with other support networks and organisations, ensuring access to materials and individual support.
c. Facilitating Networking and Mentoring
Throughout the OIYP program, action partners will have opportunities to build networks with each other on a regional, country and skill area basis. The focus of networking will be on learning and exchange to contribute to their work. A range of strategies will be used such as regional meetings at Kaleidoscope, some face to face Regional Workshops in 2008 and 2009, online discussions and distance communications tools.
Oxfam will work closely with the OIYP Facilitation Team (comprised of 2000 and 2004 action partners) to provide mentoring and support for the 2007 action partners. This will be designed to prepare the new action partners for participation in OIYP Kaleidoscope 2007, broader involvement in OIYP as well as facilitating the movement building of the OIYP network.
d. Engaging through cultural expression
Cultural and artistic expression will be a vehicle for building the OIYP community; inspiring ideas and creativity and for effecting social change. Strategies will include performances and communications tools at Kaleidoscope 2007. There will be a focus on skill development in using creative means to engage communities and bring about change.
e. Assessing our impact
Oxfam will work to create a culture and develop the skills for ongoing learning and accountability by Oxfam and action partners to assess the impact of people’s work in community and of the work of OIYP.

GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS FOR DEVELOPMENT
The 8th UN MDG is aimed at achieving a global partnership for development by 2015. Oxfam Australia is at the fore front of achieving this goal through the OIYP program.
Since a member of ICM is an Action Partner in the OIYP 2007-2010, ICM is automatically in a global partnership with Oxfam Australia. This is an example of a global partnership for development.

BE A PART OF INSPIRO COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA
We believe in partnership and collaboration so our doors are open to interested partners. ICM is a membership organization and so you can be a part of this fast growing initiative.

CRITERIA
- Should be a young person between the ages of 14-35 years.
- Should have passion for development
- Should be ready to make sacrifices and use talent positively
- Should be ready to be called upon at anytime to render services
- Should be ready to project the image of ICM every moment
- Should be ready to pay a commitment fee of N500 and an annual renewal of N200 to ICM.
Hope to get in touch with you some other time!

…changing lives positively.