Young people from TdH partner organizations participate in Mobilizing Support training

Pathways to solutions, the development of action plans, the analysis of problems and of interested parties – these and other themes were discussed at a seminar attended by approximately 20 young people during the Mobilizing Support course promoted by Terre des Hommes (TdH – Schweiz and Suisse).

The training took place between 15 and 19 May at a gathering of representatives from TdH partner organizations from three Northeastern regions (Bahia, Pernambuco and Paraíba). The course is part of the Change the Game programme, which, in Brazil, is run by CESE in partnership with the Wild Geese organization (the programme founder) and MDF.

For Alexandre Menezes, National Coordinator of Terre des Homes Schweiz, the mobilizing course training enables young people to claim their rights “These young people are the seeds of the future. If youth has access to this qualification, to a more critical and political viewpoint, becoming more aware of how to prepare a campaign or how to promote a public audience, this will strengthen them to assert their rights”.

The course consists of two stages, and the final work is the construction, by the participants, of a mobilizing support plan for their organizations and/or communities. The first, already completed, phase addresses themes related to the identification of problems faced by the movements and possible means of attaining objectives. In the second phase, which will take place in July, the young people will conduct an in-depth examination of the theme of political advocacy, which is the focus of the final work.

Nayanna Reis, from the Community Organization Movement (Movimento de Organização Comunitária: MOC) and a course participant, assessed it thus, “I think it is very important for young people to participate in these courses because we are also part of this society. We are part of this group that needs to fight. And training in this more participatory methodology, which converses and dialogues with young people and enables exchange between organizations, facilitates learning. It not only trains us in the fight for rights, but also trains us for life.”

The course methodology guarantees that the participants have the liberty to address the specificities of each community and encourages them to exchange experiences between represented organizations.

Luciana Pinto, National Coordinator of Terre des Hommes Suisse, explains the organization’s motivation in promoting the course. “TdH believes in the transformative and mobilizing potential of young people in the context in which they live, which is why we provide these training arenas, so that they can be qualified in advocacy and stimulated to continuously participate in the fight for rights”.

To conclude, Luciana remembered why CESE was invited to facilitate the workshops. “Shared values, in terms of supporting projects, and its relationship with the social movements is what enables us to move forward together through joint activities. CESE’s credibility was another factor that influenced this partnership to run the course”.