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You are here: > The Issues > Community development and empowerment > Space for Youth programme
Space for Youth programme
What: ‘Space for Youth: Youth Can Create Positive Communities’ programme
Where: Rivers and Bayelsa states
Why: SPIN focused its efforts on supporting youth organizations in the Niger Delta to build positive communities. On the one hand, young people can provide the recruitment base for armed and militia groups, and on the other, when their vast energies are engaged constructively, they can act as agents of peace.
When trained and supported, they can be drivers of peaceful transformation of their communities. They can also positively influence their peers and lure them away from armed violence. Therefore, youth organizations in the Niger Delta communities should be actively supported and given sufficient space.
Process: SPIN works in four communities of Bayelsa and Rivers states with the already existing youth structures and leaders who represent the voice of frustrated and volatile youth in those communities. In the first phase nine youth leaders were trained and equipped with organizational skills in conflict management, transformation, negotiation, mediation and advocacy. After the training they are supported for several months when they are encouraged to use their newly gained skills in running their organizations and build peace network in their communities. They also engage in much needed community services and community volunteering.
Outcome: Perceptions of the training by the participants
''This training is timely for me, I have just assumed office as a youth leader and have been battling with a lot issues since I assumed office. This training will help me work effectively. With all I have acquired from this training, I will be more effective, in fact I will keep in touch"
"I have never attended this kind of training before and am grateful that my community was chosen to be part of this. I am greatly strengthened; this training has afforded me the opportunity of meeting other youth leaders from other parts of the Delta and I know we all face challenges in the course of carrying out our duties. At least we can reach out to each other and exchange ideas"
