ICT as a Tool for Young Voices

Summarizing the "Power of democracy" training-course within "ICT as a Tool for Young Voices" project, "Zartonk-89" NGO wanted again to enthusiastically and responsibly plan the future process and continuation of the project.  Aiming at the engagement of other regional groups and representatives, as well as valuing the significance and relevance of group work, "Zartonk-89" NGO invited a meeting-discussion.  In order to enlarge the frame of "Democratic youth" social platform formed in the result of our activities, Vigen Mkrtchyan - the Project leader, and Ani Melkonyan - the person responsible for the regional project, conducted meetings in such regions of RA, where the project is designed to be realized in the future too.  Again 16-20 years old young people were present at the meeting, who expressed their great interest in the establishment of democratic institutions in Armenia.  Sharing with our experience and acquired results, we presented our steps and future goals for the project continuation and the enlargement of the newly shaped platform to the other beneficiaries.  Ani Melkonyan - the person responsible for the regional project presented the future activities, the importance of selection of the target groups of the project and the mission and goals of the project.  At the meeting our beneficiaries asked their questions and, as future democratic leaders, expressed their great desire and enthusiasm to engage in regional projects.

Ani, who is responsible for the regional projects, will share with her experience and skills in the enlargement and promotion of "Democratic youth" platform.

Hello,

I am Ani.  I summarized the "Power of democracy" training-course within "ICT as a Tool for Young Voices" program and presented the "Democratic youth" platform to our young beneficiaries.  It was of my own responsibility to hear people, who were competent and motivated, had their own views on the solution of democracy issue in Armenia.  This meeting was going in a ease and friendly atmosphere, where each opinion and suggestion was heard and definitely was to contribute to the enlargement and reinforcement of our frame in the future.  In the end of the meeting the question forms were distributed amongst the participants, where they had to answer and express their opinion on the issues, which were related to the foundation and development of democracy.  Of course, it was interesting for us to hear the positions of the future democratic young people.  I, as the person responsible for the region projects, aim at the continuation of the project and enlargement of our frame collectively with the project leader Vigen Mkrtchyan because the reaction of the youth was strong, which is the source of our motivation.  

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Long-term goal of the project ICT as a Tool for Young Voices: To promote involvement of youth in the process of strengthening democratic institutions in Armenia. 

In the frame of the Project we organized "the Power of democracy" training course in the two Armenian Communities; the general and specific aim of the Project is:

1. To promote involvement of the Youth in the process of strengthening democratic institutions in Armenia, also to teach and disseminate democratic values among the Youth,

2. to improve skills among the Youth in the following spheres: Freedom of speech, tolerance and diversity.

40 participants were engaged in the training course from two Armenian communities, who were interested in the strengthening and development process of the Democratic Institutions in Armenia. 

Vigen, one of the activists of the Organization, who was one of the trainers of the Project, will share his thoughts about the Training.

              Hello, I am Vigen.  Within "ICT as a Tool for Young Voices" program, I implemented "Power of democracy" seminar course.  16-20 years old intellectual, motivated and purposeful 40 young people from 2 communities of Armenia were selected as the target group.  The selection of this group was measured; they demonstrated a great interest towards the establishment of democratic intuitions in Armenia, and surely had their significant role in the establishment process.  Being a trainer, I hold the course with the help of non-formal education methodology - through interactive games.

              The course started with acquaintance game, during which the participants were showing the symbol typical of them.  The course lasted 3 days.  Diversity, free speech, and tolerance were the primary and key themes.  At the time of the course, the participant young people were assigned to depict images of "democracy in their eyes" and, recognizing the shield as a sampler, they depicted symbols typical to democracy.  Actually, they were given the opportunity to express their ideas and perceives on democratic values.  In addition to theoretical material, the course was full of the situation, role games, which contributed strengthening the noble ideas of free speech, diversity, tolerance.  The course was regularly accompanied by discussions and debated, during which the young people were trying to freely express their opinions and positions and collectively search for ways contributing the increase of awareness level and democratic values in Armenia.  As a result, a social platform of "Democratic young people" was formed, and our regional representatives have the full opportunity to share their ideas, concerns, and problems to try to search collectively for ways to establish of democratic institution in Armenia.  At the end of the course, I valued the opinions, visions, offers and observations of the participants, who filled appropriate evaluation forms, which subsequently will promote the increase of effectiveness of this program in other regions of Armenia.

In results: The level of the knowledge towards democratic values, particularly free speech, free choice, tolerance and plurality of ideas, was increased by 40 young people in 2 communities of 2 regions of Armenia.

Our beneficiaries acquired abilities with the help of which they could use their knowledge in practice.

The comprehension and the role of democratic values was increased amongst the population of 2 communities.

Democratic institutions developed and spread all over the country, people changed their attitude towards the democracy bringing the democratic values into life. 

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