RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED

Country: Palestine

In partnership with: The East Jerusalem YMCA

Project name: Youth Opportunities Programme - The Youth-to-Youth Initiative

Funded by: DFID

Period: April 2004 - March 2007

The Youth-to-Youth initiative worked on new approaches for tackling youth problems. The project’s aim was to provide young people with skills and instruments to defend their rights and prove themselves as a vital and influential sector within Palestinian society. Furthermore, the project aimed to leave participating youths with a sustainable set of skills reinforced with practical experience, who in turn will advocate and lobby the authorities towards formulating legislation that promotes youth participation in decision-making processes.

Achievements

The project established youth forums that facilitated young people’s participation in leadership roles. Young people received training on lobbying and advocacy techniques and also participated in activities to put pressure to reform existing youth laws. For example, the law regulating the minimum age for the Legislative Council candidacy was changed from 30 to 28 years. The project also organised televised debates around policies regarding the inclusion of youth in policy-making. During its last year, the project organised the informal Launch of the Palestinian Youth Legislative Council.