LOCAL CAPACITIES FOR PEACE AWARD

The Local Capacities for Peace (LCP) concept has also been developed based on the best practices of the previous project phases. It aims at strengthening the local capacities for peace at grassroots level, through structured follow-up of the Roots PWI alumni and continued cross-border and regional cooperation further opening up the capacities built and benefits created by the Roots so far, both human resources and assets considered.

The key activities within this category are as follows:

Annual LCP award projects granted and sub-contracted to selected best project participant / partner organisation from the target region.
Annual one-week-long residential LCP Programme Festivals (ProFests), designed for 40 conflict affected young people and facilitated by the alumni of the Roots PWI previous generations.

The Local Capacities for Peace Award is designed to encourage the Roots’ local partners to get deeper engaged in conflict transformation work, to celebrate peace as the YMCA organisational culture and strategic priority. A committee will be established to develop the criteria and procedures, based on which project partner organisations will be encouraged to nominate candidates for the prize. The committee will be composed of people actively involved in the Roots, including PWI alumni.

The LCP Award projects are estimated to enrol at least 100 participants as direct beneficiaries, with 3 possible cross-border or regional activity scenarios, such as youth peace camps and reunions, summer academies and day schools, exchange and study visits, refugee or IDP rehabilitation initiatives, etc.. However, further tailoring of these scenarios is primarily subject to choices made by the applicants themselves.

Local Capacities for Peace Award 2020

Call for applications

Proposal received: 4

Laureates 2020

Local Capacities for Peace Award 2021

Call for applications

Proposal received: 1

Laureates 2021

CAMP FOR PEACE

YMCA ARTSAKH

The aim of the project is to enlarge the number of young people interested in peace-building in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh). Week-long residential camp session will involve up to 100 (hundred) young people from different parts of Artsakh, some of them living in immediate proximity of conflict borders and will engage them in various activities focusing on topics, such as: Conflict transformation & Peace work tools, Negotiation skills, Critical thinking, Media awareness, Democratic and civil society, etc.

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ROOF FOR ROOTS

YMCA GEORGIA

The project primary goal is to enhance the tolerance and acceptance of different cultures among Georgian citizens and to contribute towards integration and empowerment process of ethnic minorities into Georgian society. The total of 60 young people representing major ethnic groups (Georgians, Armenians and Azerbaijanis) residing in Georgia will spend 2 weeks ( the program is divided in 2 shifts – each 7 – day shift involving 30 young people) at YMCA Georgia Resource Center
“Camp Orange”.

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Y CRITICAL PEACE PRAXIS

YMCA IRELAND

Development of critical peace practice that supports the participants to engage with the UN Sustainable Development Goals is the heart-beat of the project. Drawing on the Roots theory of change model, the project emphasizes change not only at the individual level
but at organisational, governmental and societal level. 24 young people (staff and volunteers) from YMCAs of Ireland and Kosovo will engage in bi-lateral exposure visits to witness the peace-work activities done on both sides.

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THINK, FEEL, RESOLVE!

YMCA UKRAINE

Is a project aiming towards making young leaders more conscious about the roots and nature of conflicts, as well as to give knowledge and tools on how to do peaceful communication and solve conflicts at personal and group levels. Earmarked activities include: 4-day training session for 25 young leaders; micro-grant contest; identification & implementation of 3 micro-grants. In total around 100 children and youth (Including Internally Displaced Persons) will be reached during the implementation.

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The other annual key activity within the Roots component will be the Local Capacities for Peace Programme Festivals (ProFests) aimed at opening up young people affected by conflicts to change of perceptions, attitude and behaviour. This component is also a best practice initiative piloted during the previous project phases.

The concept has been further elaborated making the ProFests forums where selected Roots PWI alumni from all generation will act as key content developers and facilitators, with the project staff only assuming administrative responsibilities. The ProFests are to be one-week-long residential pan-European activities enrolling minimum 40 participants.

These activities will be directly administered by YMCA Europe, yet in close cooperation with partner organisations at grassroots level. There are already preliminary agreements with number of YMCAs in Europe (Georgia, Greece, Spain, etc.), who are interested not only in hosting these key activities, but also in partial cost-covering. We expects that this component of the Roots will set a tradition of regular YMCA youth events with clear focus on celebrating peace.

CALL FOR “LOCAL CAPACITIES FOR PEACE SEED GRANT TOOL” PROPOSALS, FOR PROJECTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN 2019. CALL CLOSED.