Policy Research & Review
For the youth citizens to be included in policymaking, they must first be empowered and competent in their interested/concerned issue area. The participants undergo Core Training sessions on different methodologies, research databases, ethical issues and theoretical tools to gather fact-based information. Additionally, the program will have Speaker Series which will bring in experts and specialists from the pre-identified issue areas and Field Trips to social entrepreneur or research sites to provide an immersive experience into the real world domain of research and review.
Here participants use their research materials to deliver a presentation of findings which will equip them, not just on theoretical aspect but also equip them with communication skills to advocate and educate. This would then help facilitate sub-group formations where participants would identify the issues they want to work towards and work in relevant teams to enrich their research and comprehension. The winter YI will culminate into a compilation of different perspectives called, “Position Paper” within their groups under the mentorship of the YI Steering Committee.Deliberation & Dialogue
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- Sherubtse group presenting their topic to their peers and Steering Committee members for feedback and comments
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- YI Steering Committee 1
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- YI Steering Committee 2
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- YI Steering Committee 3
The summer term shifts gear to train participants to be technical and digital-savvy. This phase is not disjointed from the earlier phases but rather builds on the previous phases to develop necessary tools through which the participants can act on their Position Papers developed.
Here, the participants learn how to be smart consumers of news with critical thinking skills that are increasingly becoming imperative in this digital age. Additionally, they are also trained in basic technical/creative aspects. By developing these basic skills, participants will be able to advocate on their issues since they will have a plethora of tools at their hand to utilize depending on the contexts and relevance. This will help empower the youth in terms of recognizing their voice and the effort they put into their work towards building a vibrant socio-political environment.
The final phase of the YI will tie together, the three previous phases by focusing on creating meaningful, usable content that is evidence-based on their issue area. This could take various forms (digital print, photography, podcasts, advocacy campaigns, etc.) depending on the participants’ personal interests and expertise to contribute towards a high-quality reservoir of youth voice and perspective in Bhutan.
