Thanks to support from Germany, #MeWeSyria is planting its seed in Turkey with a partnership with DARB-SY, a community-building organization. I am leading training of trainers sessions with adult and youth mentors and social innovators. The trainees, with Darb’s support, will then replicate the #MeWeSyria program in Turkey for refugee youth. Each day has shown extraordinary breakthrough moments for increasing spaces of self expression, pluralism, creative enterprise and social changemaking. I am so excited to have found such inspiring and passionate peace-builders and youth advocates with DARB. There is so much to share, but in the meantime here are some visual updates of #MeWeSyria and DARB in action:

Sustainability and Equipment: Donation of the #MeWeSyria toolkit, (thanks Germany)

The adult and youth community-builders of DARB. This team are changemakers who will localize and replicate #MeWeSyria.

Changemaker deep-dives. We explore and define pathways critical for thriving in the new framework of a world where change is the only constant. Here we explore the need to equip young people with opportunities to practice building a team of teams and fluid leadership and changemaking.  Ashoka’s Youth Venture has been leading such work with the youth ecosystem for years. 

Some of the Syrian trainees made rules for creating a safe space.

Video-blogging opens up self-reflection, critical thinking and self-expression: A breakththrough moment is using storytelling and communication as a tool for changemaker discoveries. The exercise–which trainees will replicate with youth– will also open spaces for building confidence, expressing their inner-changemakers /ideas, and peer-to-peer cognitive empathy.

Animation and camera work to express ideas and messages. This builds team of teams, fluid leadership and 21st skills in using new media. 

Script and storyboard design focused on changemaking and youth-led social innovation and community-building.

More to come!!