The I CAN Virtual Youth Exchange programme empowers South African youth (13 - 18 years) to collaboratively take action on issues affecting them while sharing their journeys with peers from Sudan and Serbia. We enable and support educators/mentors to nurture learner wellbeing, agency and social action and global citizenship with tools to join intercultural exchange online calls and to self-schedule and facilitate lessons. It culminates with the publication of youth-led stories of change on the global I CAN platform alongside a hybrid, celebratory showcase event.

There are funded spaces for 6 groups comprising 1 educator/mentor coordinator, 1 assistant and 5- 7 youth (13 - 18 years). The online sessions take place on weekdays (Mon-Thurs) from February - May. Educators/mentors will need to choose an online call schedule, supervise attendance to the 8 x 90min biweekly online calls and self-schedule 8 meetings (during or after school) on alternate weeks for groups to work on their projects. Registration open until January 25th or until spaces are allocated on a first come first served basis.

Overview

All in Central African Time

A. Online Training Sessions

Part One: Thurs Feb 6th, 15:15 - 16:15
DFC Overview, Intended Outcomes, Intro to FIDS Framework
Part Two & Three: Sat Feb 8th, 10:00 - 15:00
FIDS Alignment to LO Curriculum, Portal & Lesson Plans Overview. FIDS Interactive Immersion with Wellbeing Microbreaks & Project Sharing Per Group

B. Large Group Meetings to connect with others, immerse in the FIDS framework and share learning journeys

Facilitated by Juanita Rea (DFC Sudan/South Africa) and DFC Serbia (Vicky Akritidou)

Mon Groups: Feb 17 Mar 3, 17 April 14, 28 May 12, 26 June 9 (14:30 - 16:00)

Tues Groups: Feb 18 Mar 4, 18, April 15, 29 May 13, 27, June 10 (15:00 - 16:30)
Wed Groups: Feb 12, 26 Mar 12, 26 April 23 May 7, 21, June 4 (14:30 - 16:00)
Thurs Groups: Feb 13, 27 Mar 13, 27 April 24 May 8, 22, June 5 (14:30 - 16:00)

NB: There are 2 group slots per day. Coordinators/mentors select ONE slot and support device/data access

C. Single Group Meetings to work on group project with Group Mentor

Facilitated by group mentors using FIDS lesson plans and materials provided to guide and support groups to initiate and implement youth-led social action projects.

We urge you to follow this schedule to maintain and manage a balanced routine:

Mon Groups: Feb 24 Mar 19, 24 April 14 May 5, 19, June 2, 16 (14:30 - 16:00)
Tues Groups: Feb 25 Mar 11, 25, April 22 May 6, 20, June 3, 17 (15:00 - 16:30)
Wed Groups: Feb 19 Mar 5, 19 April 16, 30 May 14, 28, June 11 (14:30 - 16:00)
Thurs Groups: Feb 20, Mar 6, 20 April 17 May 1, 15, 29, June 12 (14:30 - 16:00)

What we provide

• educator/ mentor training enabling facilitation of self-scheduled meetings and online call
  

• access to online portal with all downloadable print and video training materials, links for call
  

• access to online community for interaction between calls

• tailored support based on participant interactions
  

• R1,800 allowance for materials, data, refreshments or travel expenses transferred to coordinator at launch (Feb) and end of programme (June) following submission of group story of change and all documentation
  

• an endorsement letter to the coordinator to support further fundraising if needed to support the group’s participation, project and efforts
  

• a R12,000 Celebration Event Fund to an Impact Partner who will offer in-kind use of their venue and works with us on planning and delivery of a single day event between August - September where stories of change and cultural performances of youth are showcased.
  
  This funded programme costs R3,400 per youth ie R23.800 per group of 5 - 7 youth and 2 educators/mentors. Together with the R1,800 allowance, our investment is R25,600 per group, together with our expertise. Your investment is your trust, time and participation. We have only 6 funded slots..

Participant Criteria For Funded Spaces and Registration Process

• There are funded spaces for 6 groups comprising 1 educator/mentor coordinator, 1 educator/mentor assistant and 5 - 7 youth, 13 - 18 years.

• Youth and educators/mentors can either be South African or non South African nationals residing anywhere across the country. Applications from South Africans abroad will be considered with SA residents given priority.

• Intermediate/Senior Phase Educators at schools in South Africa can apply. They must be able to directly engage learners from their class in onsite meetings and online calls

• We will also accept applications from mentors can be community/ organisation-based and able to directly engage youth participation in onsite meetings and online calls

• Educators/mentors must participate in online training sessions Jan 30th and Feb 1st.

• Educators/mentors are responsible for supervising attendance to the 8 x 90min online calls that occur every two weeks. They need to ensure that the youth have access to devices/data to join the calls. They are also responsible for self-scheduling 8 meetings on alternate weeks for groups to work on their projects. Sessions can be a single or multiple and should enable 90 - 120 min of contact time outside of the online meetings for youth to work on their social action project.

• There can be more than 7 youth participants per school/group, however only 5 youth can join scheduled calls.

• We have a two part registration process. Part 1 must be done by a coordinator who must be one of the educators/mentors who joins all the sessions. The coordinator will collate and submit the names of all 5 - 7 youth as well as information about a second educator/mentor who will assist with onsite meetings/online sessions and lead sessions if the coordinator is unable to attend.

• Part 2 must be done by parents/guardians. The coordinator is responsible for ensuring that the parents of all participating youth, fill up the parent consent section for registration to be finalised.

• R1,800 allowance for materials, data, refreshments or travel expenses paid as per our terms above.

• We provide an endorsement letter to the coordinator to support further fundraising to support the group’s participation, project and travel to Japan, if group is selected as a country representative.

• Registration open until January 30th or until spaces are allocated on a first come first served basis.

Shared Investment

This funded programme costs R3,400 per youth ie R23.800 per group of 5 - 7 youth and 2 educators/mentors. Together with the R1,800 allowance, our investment is R25,600 per group, together with our expertise. Your investment is your trust, time and participation. We have only 6 funded slots. Write to us at design-for-change@edusoil.com if you have any questions. Don’t miss out!

Impact Partner Opportunity

Impact Partners will share opportunity with schools/organisations in their network. Partner logos are added to website etc upon participant registration confirmation, We provide up to R12,000 to the partner who provides in-kind use of their/a venue for a Celebration Event (Aug - Sept) showcasing stories of change and cultural performances of youth.