Here’s a checklist for your tasks before applying to the YI:
Visit the YI website at www.yiddd.org and read through the contents. This includes the
/about section of the YI and a highlight of events and reports by YI members of 2014.
Follow the YI Facebook page. (Search for Youth Initiative)
Read the Terms of Reference attached with this application
Get rid of your apathy and ready with a selfie worth a Youth Representative.
Procedure for application
To apply to the YI, make sure that you read the documents requested in the checklist. After reading these documents, you can proceed to fill out the questions below. To do that, please be informed that there isn’t any space on this application form for your answers. Please attach A4 size papers to this page and proceed to answer on those. For your personal essay, remember that you will be automatically registered for the essay competition organised by the YI. You don’t have to submit any separate essays for this.
After you have finished answering this application, send in your .docx (Windows words default format) document to ziwang12@gmail,com or message it to our Facebook page. Please attach the selfie recommended in the checklist to that .docx file.
After application, we will acknowledge your application and will send you an reply in 2 weeks. If you are selected, please be aware that you will have to attend an interview to further facilitate your answers.
As a reminder, here is a short summary on the YI:
What is the Youth Initiative?
The Youth Initiative is a non-partisan, informal setting for Youth of Bhutan to engage in realising the Democratic vision for Bhutan. It offers a group of youth selected based on their applications, the opportunity to be trained in debate, deliberation and provides a hands on approach to policy making. At the end of their trainings, these youth organise a Parliamentary style sitting in which they discuss and deliberate on issues they consider important to the nation.
The Youth Initiative is guided by a Steering Committee that decides the schedule, training syllabus and keeps the youth group within limits of reason. Bhutan Centre of Media and Democracy guides and sponsors the Youth Initiative.
Why join the YI?
Besides providing you with a platform to raise and represent a political youth voice, the YI also presents you with an opportunity to meet new people, intellectuals and Parliament members to engage in discussions about the national goal of democracy. It hones your skills by training you in debate, dialogue, policy-making, representation, etc. Back to the obvious answer of giving you the platform to raise a political youth voice; it has been observed that a dangerous trend of internalising democracy as a spectator sport has begun, as you will agree, this is a devastating fashion to the democratic ideal. If Youth represent themselves on a national scale, we will easily train ourselves and adults alike, to become active citizens that work for the good of the nation.
Training Workshop- a brief summary of your training
If elected to the YI, these are a 7 main topics for your training workshop:
Debate: Different from institutionalised versions of “debate”, the YI wants its members to be trained in constructive debate that will have no clear winner, but which will lead to answers/resolutions for problem solving.
Dialogue: The YI is a democratic body built to facilitate national conversations on issues that matter. For this purpose, there is not greater tool than dialogue between friends, family, colleagues and the citizenry.
Policy-making: As it stands, the YI is guided in its affairs by friendly NC members. These parliamentarians also organise lectures to YI members (during the training workshops) on topics like bill-drafting and policy-making. This facet of the training is encourage a trend of citizens understanding political literacy and using that keep the Government in check. However, the YI is a third entity that only deliberates on issues and presents resolutions to the general public. These resolutions will not necessarily be taken up by the government (but its your job to make sure they listen to us).
Media Literacy: As media becomes larger and takes hold off Bhutan on grander level than ever before, it is important that we all equip ourselves with tools to fend off attacks from apathy and indifference. To that effect, every YI member is trained in news, political and media literacy. This helps us understand the difference between what is on screen and what is reality. This can give you the ability to make educated guesses about news and politics off screen.
Action: The YI is initiating change at two levels: Policy and Action. We believe that a combination of the two will likely yield in the best results. For the latter, YI members are trained in research skills and methods. This allows you to make sure what you are saying is backed by facts and your opinion is formed on educated thinking. Action also penetrates into your post-sitting period. For example, after discussing that there was a shocking lack of reading culture in Bhutan, our Education committee of 2014 initiated the Reading for Fun campaign. The YI calendar is divided into two halves of 5 months each. In both halves, only 1 month is spent on training and policy-making, the other 4 months is dedicated entirely to Action.
Representation: While you are trained, YI members need to remember that they represent the Youth of Bhutan. And in this capacity, you need to represent their opinions just as well as you do yours. To that effect, you will be trained in becoming good representatives.
Facilitation: For all the trainings that the YI provides you, we want you to take those ideas back to whoever you represent and train them in the same matter. And so, you will be trained in becoming future trainers.
If you have read all of the above, proceed to answer the following:
Name:
Age:
What do you think about the most?
How many hours a week can you give to the YI?
Have you visited the YI website?
Do you follow the YI Facebook page?
What do you know about the YI? (Please provide your opinion based on what you know presently)
How did you hear about the YI?
Why do you want to join the YI? (minimum 100 words)
Describe any technical skills you possess
OR
Attach your resumé with this application.
Have you ever volunteered with any other organisation? What did you do? For how long?
Do you think its necessary for Youth to be involved in politics? Why?
How do you spend your free time? How should other youth spend theirs?
[Personal Essay] Write an essay on a topic of your concern (on an issue that you feel is very important and relevant to Bhutan)
Have you read the report by various committees of the YI attached with this? Write short (one paragraph each) critical analyses on each.