Description
This project will train 18 leaders on issues related to local community, leadership skills and project management. The Project Promoter wants to implement the project because there is not enough public participation in the local communities among secondary students in the region. This is an important issue as those community members who are not actively engaging in local issues have no influence on local development or policy. The leaders will start Oxford Debate Clubs in 19 secondary schools. They will train club members and hold three themed debates in the presence of an audience in each school. Altogether, 54 debates will be watched by at least 1080 individuals. The themes will be local community issues and the importance of public participation in the community. Finally, a wrap-up conference will be held with experts and project participants. A Leadership Manual will be published. The project will be implemented in the Silesian Province.
Summary of project results
"The region of Silesia is characterised by a relatively low level of volunteering. A report entitled the Threats and Opportunities in Education and Personal Development of Children and Youth in the Province of Silesia commissioned by the Regional Social Assistance Centre suggests that there is hardly any youth involvement in localcommunity affairs. Furthermore, according to the 2007-2015 NGO Engagement Programme of the Silesian Province, non-governmental organisations in the region on average attract 12 per cent fewer volunteers than NGOs elsewhere in Poland. The objective of the project was to increase youth community engagement by offering a vehicle for citizen debates or Oxford debates facilitated by young volunteers. Young volunteers received training and established 18 citizen debate clubs in their schools and engaged with 244 primary school pupils in the region. The debates helped improve community awareness, learn debating and public speaking skills.The project provided training for leaders and helped teachers develop skills to support the debate clubs. Youth organised and delivered 54 Oxford debates observed by 1,783 students. The process ended with the publication of a leader manual. The project involved college students, primary school pupils and teachers in the Province of Silesia."
Summary of bilateral results