Youth Voices Publication

How to Build a Community: Solutions from Today’s Youth Leaders for a Better Tomorrow

What does it mean to build a community? That was the question the Ignite Change Now! Global Youth Assembly tried to answer during those hectic four days (July 30-August 2nd) that weekend in 2009. But with over 600 voices and only 4 days, there just wasn’t enough time to share and hear it all–so here is YOUR opportunity to let your voice be heard!

We, the John Humphrey Centre, is doing a collaborative online publication answer that question–what does it mean to build a community? We are looking for submissions from youth (preferably between the ages of 16-28 but we are very flexible) to share their thoughts by answering the question:

What does it mean to build a community?

a) identifying the issue you feel is the most important to build a human rights community;

b) your concerns regarding that issue–what is the biggest challenge, the greatest obstacle to achieving that ideal within a human rights community;

c) and most importantly, your solutions to meeting those challenges and obstacles

Your submission can take the form of a blog post, a video response or any other visual medium that we can showcase on this blog for all to read, comment and discuss. Once we get enough submissions, we’ll be turning those posts, vlogs and stuff into an e-book that we’ll be presenting to our funders (i.e. the Government) and other key policy level stakeholders so they will have, in their hands, YOUR thoughts, concerns and solutions on how to make our community, and our country, better. This is an opportunity for us to bring the youth voice to the policy table–so let’s show them what we’ve got!

Are you ready?

Submission Guidelines

1. Blog posts should be between 300-500 words; vlogs should be 2-3 minutes (or less); and other mediums–all should answer the question and its a-b-c form. If you have pictures from the GYA you’d like to share, throw those in too! (Be sure to remember to give us permission to use them!)

2. Make it fun, funky and creative–let your genuine passion shine!

3. Keep it clean and partisanship to a minimum–the goal is to engage, not alienate; hyper-partisanship gets in the way of that. So you can criticize the government all you like but make sure it’s constructive and not just venting.

4. Questions, concerns and comments can all be directed to news (at) jhcentre (dot) org and they’ll be answered ASAP.

Deadlines: submissions are being accepted on a rolling deadline so we will be putting up posts once we get them; we will eventually put on a cap on it but only once we manage to secure enough submissions. Be sure to get your stuff in sooner rather than later though!

Be part of the action and ignite change now!