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Invitation to Training of Trainers: Structural Empowering

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Dear Comrades,

We are glad to invite you to the

IUSY Capacity Building:

STRUCTURAL EMPOWERING – TRAINING FOR TRAINERS

19th – 25th September 2016, Mollina, Malaga (Spain)

In IUSY we organise many international events, whether they are regional committees, seminars or political schools. We regularly meet to debate and discuss, and more often than not we’re the ones facilitating such exchanges and dialogues. Therefore we believe we must have an active role in the preparation, delivery and evaluation of the methodology we use for these events.

We see non-formal alternatives to formal education being increasingly used in our society, in all sorts of different environments. Non-formal education methodology offers us the chance to develop opinions and skills through experiential learning, is inclusive to different learning styles and provides variety in programme. This is why we believe we should mainstream diverse methodologies into the activities of IUSY. Through this training we aim to position ourselves in the challenge zone in order to offer greater diversity on our events and obtain richer outcomes from our meetings and discussions.
In this Training for Trainers we aim to provide active members of IUSY the chance to acquire and develop training and facilitating skills. We’ll think about how non-formal methods can improve our activities, explore the different ways non-formal education can be utilised as a tool in our programmes, and, in addition, we will also create a network of trainers to help us deliver future IUSY activities.

We encourage you to disseminate this call for participants among the members of your organisations. Please be aware it is unlikely that more than one member per organisation will be selected to participate in this event, therefore we would encourage you to discuss internally who to put forward from your organisation before applying. Please keep in mind that the application deadline is Monday 1st of August 2016.

Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the IUSY Secretariat at: iusy@iusy.org.

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OBJECTIVES  

  • To promote the concept of non-formal education as a working tool among the participants and, as an extension, their member organisations
  • To provide participants with knowledge, tools and confidence to pursue training in their local organisations
  • To bring the global perspective to the local level by providing training and facilitation skills to the participants
  • To train members on the concepts that are relevant for youth political activism/campaigning training in order to be multipliers in their organisations (such as advocacy, speech drafting, communication skills, etc.)
  • To develop the IUSY Pool of Trainers by improving the training capacities of young activists and youth organisations

The workshops will be facilitated based on the core values of participatory non-formal education/learning and on the basis of global education. The programme will promote critical analysis and be tool-oriented to improve the capacities of young activists and youth organisations at the national and local levels.

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WHO CAN APPLY? PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS

This activity is not aimed towards the leadership of IUSY member organisations, it is addressed to youth activists. Please note that this is an educational activity therefore it is required that the participants stay for the whole activity duration and also to contribute to IUSY activities after the training.

Participants should:

  • Belong to IUSY member organisation.
  • Be aged 18-35
  • Have a proficient level of English (the only working language during the activity)
  • Availability to contribute to IUSY activities

Since we expect to provide all regions with trainers for their events, we’re aiming for participants from all regions and from a variety of member organisations.

According to the IUSY statutes, we’re also looking to achieve a gender-balanced training so we reserve the right to select participants based on gender criteria if needed.

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HOW TO APPLY

Due to limited space of 12 people, there will be an application process. To apply you must complete the following by Monday 1st of August:

  1. Ensure you fulfil the above criteria
  2. Write a motivation letter, including why you are applying and your vision for the work
  3. (Optional) Obtain a recommendation letter, which outlines your interest in attending the training and/or previous experience
  4. Complete the digital application form by following the registration link.

Follow this link to complete the application form.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMiCieFysWiZ7mUvArE30GTdPKBoBVlaBFcHmy_UwcXp1Gbw/viewform

Please note you should not buy any flight tickets before your application is approved.

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TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT

IUSY will cover your flight ticket up to a fixed reference price. The maximum amount for travel reimbursement will be sent to you together with a confirmation letter.

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PARTICIPATION FEE

The participation fee is set for 50 euro and should be transferred to IUSY bank account before the event starts. Bank details will be sent along with a confirmation letter.

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CANCELLATION FEE

There will be a 50€ cancellation fee charged to each organisation whose participant withdraws after 7 August and without a valid reason.

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CONTACT INFORMATION

Should you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact the coordinator of the project at the IUSY office:

Eugeni Brigneti
IUSY Project Manager
Tel: 0043 699 1353 2970
Mail: eugeni.brigneti@iusy.org

11717556_943359802372966_2698645331513406370_o(Picture of a previous edition of the UYD)

                       

 

 

Call for IUSY Project Manager

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IUSY is looking for a Project Manager for our secretariat. As a Project Manager of IUSY, you will be engaged in all our activities and will get broad and multicultural project management experience. You will also get a unique chance to engage with the world from a political and social perspective.

The IUSY Secretariat is a small team consisting of the Secretary General, who leads the work, and three project managers. The job is full time, including frequent travel and work during weekends. The Secretariat is located in Vienna, Austria, and it is a requirement that you move and live there. We hope that you are ready to start working at the end of August/beginning of September at the latest.

In cooperation with the Secretary General and the rest of the secretariat, the Project Manager will assist in the management, preparation and running of seminars, statutory meetings and other political initiatives set out by IUSY. The Project Manager is responsible for the IUSY global project, a cooperation between IUSY, the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League (SSU) and the Olof Palme International Center (OPC).

The Project Manager will be responsible for project and funding applications, as well as reporting. In addition to the previous mentioned tasks, the Project Manager will assist with the daily running of the secretariat, such as answering emails and phones, updating the website and whatever else the Secretary General needs to run the office.

Responsibilities:

  • To generate ideas for developing the global project
  • Responsible for reporting of grant funding and narrative reporting related to the global project
  • Responsible for arranging activities that are outlined in the project description, in co-operation with the Secretary General, Presidium, IUSY member organisations and other actors
  • Responsible for preparing and organising international campaigns together with the Secretary General, Presidium and the project manager responsible for communications
  • Administrative office tasks

Requirements:

  • Respect the values of IUSY
  • Have interest in human rights, democracy building and international solidarity
  • Capacity to organise conferences, run programme, campaigns, seminars and trainings
  • Capacity to work in a team as well as individually and in the multicultural atmosphere of IUSY
  • Excellent attention to details and highly organised; ability to meet deadlines
  • Be ready to be flexible in terms of working hours and able to work under time pressure
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Creative with a strong mind for ideas for new projects and campaigns
  • Keeps up to date with latest developments in relevant organisations with focus on projects and funding
  • Fluent in written and spoken English; a good knowledge in French is desirable, but not a requirement

Technical skills

  • Advance knowledge of content management systems
  • Managing Microsoft Office package
  • Prior knowledge and use of analytical tools and software including Google Analytics
  • A strong understanding and experience of working with applying for projects

Conditions

IUSY offers a full time open contract (38,5 hours/week) that complies with the Austrian labour legislation pay scale grouping. IUSY operates a 14-month salary system. The salary is 2.300€ per month before tax (two months’ salary are given in July and December).

About IUSY

IUSY is an international NGO made up of about 138 socialist, social democratic and labour youth organisations from over 93 countries all over the world. IUSY is the world’s biggest political youth organisation.

Our international organisation has over 100 years of experience in running activities for promotion of our principles and ideas of young people for political solutions to issues and challenges of pressing concern in their societies. Our activities include short- and long-term programmes aiming at strengthening youth organisations through education and cooperation, empowering young people for active participation in social and political life through seminars, conferences and debates, increasing equal participation of underrepresented groups of young people and providing a global platform for cooperation and exchange of ideas of young people through world youth festivals, global campaigns and global communication platforms. We organise activities all over the world; conferences, meetings, seminars, workshops, trainings, study visits and festivals. We believe in a world based on equality, sustainability and solidarity. We want young people to be able to shape their own future. Therefore the struggle for democracy and human rights comes first for us!

Applications should be sent to the IUSY Secretary General (iusy@iusy.org) by 20 July 2016 at latest.

The application should include the following documents:

  • Curriculum vitae
  • Motivation letter
  • 2 references

Please write the subject of your email as: IUSY PM activity organiser – (your name)

Interviews will be held 25-29 July 2016 in Vienna, Austria. After the interviews, all candidates will be informed of the results.

The new staff member is expected to join the office in the end of August/beginning of September.

Contact:
IUSY Secretariat
iusy@iusy.org
+43 699 171 20 830

Ceasefire deal reached between Colombian Govermenet and Farc

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IUSY welcomes the news about ceasefire deal reached between the Colombian government and Farc and we are looking forward towards a permanent peace agreement

 

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[EN]

From the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) we celebrate the process that is taking place today in Colombia between the  Colombian Government and the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) , a process that set the road towards a very much needed peace of great importance for America and the world. Dialogue between the parties has been the methodology in order to look for solutions that would give a guarantee of peace and a stop to the conflict.

The government of Colombia and the FARC announced a definitive agreement for the cessation of bilateral fire, including aspects such as laying down of weapons by the guerrillas, security guarantees, the fight against paramilitarismo and persecution of criminal behaviours which threaten peace in Colombia.

The government and the FARC in Colombia have reached a consensus on other key issues such as security guarantees and the fight against criminal organizations, these being breakthrough points.

 

[ES]

Desde la Unión Internacional de Juventudes Socialistas ( IUSY) celebramos el proceso que hoy se está presentando en Colombia, entre el gobierno y las FARC ( fuerzas armadas revolucionarias de Colombia) , un proceso que da inicio a una muy necesaria paz de gran importancia para América y el mundo. El diálogo entre las partes ha sido la vía para la búsqueda de soluciones que permitirán la garantía de paz y el cese al conflicto.

El gobierno de Colombia y las FARC anunciaron un acuerdo para el cese del fuego bilateral y definitivo, entre otros aspectos como: el abandono de las armas por parte de la guerrilla, las garantías de seguridad, la lucha contra el paramilitarismo y la persecución de las conductas criminales que amenazan la paz en Colombia.

El gobierno y las FARC en Colombia han logrado un consenso acerca de otros puntos fundamentales como las garantías de seguridad y la lucha contra las organizaciones criminales, siendo estos puntos un gran avance.

Condolences for Jo Cox MP

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We are shocked and saddened to hear the news of the horrific murder of UK Labour MP Jo Cox. Our comrade was holding a surgery in her constituency in West Yorkshire when a man attacked her. She was stabbed and shot a number of times; the motivation remains unclear at time of writing. She focused her mandate on the Syrian crisis and on humanitarian law, was the founder and chair of the ‘Friends of Syria’ All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), and, in the past months, was a passionate campaigner for the Remain Campaign in the EU referendum debate.

This is not just an attack on a comrade and on a fellow Labour Party member, but an attack on what we stand for as socialists and social democrats., This is an attack on democracy itself. We express our deep condolences to Jo’s family and friends and to our British comrades. We are reminded that we have to stand up against violence and extremism, to challenge hate and intolerance and to know violence and weapons won’t stop us. We shall overcome.

Invitation to Balkan Round Table Leadership Conference ’16

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The Balkan Round Table Committee gathers young leaders of IUSY member organizations in the Balkan region with the aim to strengthen the organizations and the cooperation in the region. Together we will discuss the current political situation in the Balkan region and elaborate strategies to face the challenges that lie ahead. The main theme for the IUSY Balkan Round Table Leadership Conference 2016 will be “Democracy and the Fight Against Right Wing Extremism”. Some of the aims and objectives of the Conference will be to understand the causes of extremism and the consequences. Mapping the extremism phenomena in the Balkan region and finding connection between them.

The participants can look forward to discussions, sharing of experiences and ideas, workshops, political actions and of course building networks and making friends!

The Conference will take place in Podgorica, Montenegro hosted by our member organization Democratic Party of Socialist of Montenegro Youth Council. Please save the dates 28-31 of July and register as soon as possible no later than 24th June.

Invitation Letter in the link below:
Invitation BRT 28-31st July 2016

Registration Form in the link below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1b6011WQw7bwYh2GrThVtsqJR2K032mvDVOoIqKYF80k/viewform

CALL FOR COORDINATORS FOR IUSY WORKING GROUPS – FEMINISM & POOL OF TRAINERS

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CALL FOR COORDINATORS FOR IUSY WORKING GROUPS

We would want to inform you about the availability to apply for becoming coordinator for the following working groups:

– Feminist Working Group

– Pool of Trainers Working Group

 

The coordinators main role is to plan (together with the IUSY presidium) and conduct the work of the working group. The Coordinators will have a close contact with appointed Vice Presidents who will be responsibility for the groups and the coordinators will also be invited to the IUSY Presidium meetings. However, IUSY will not be able to provide any travel reimbursement for the coordinators for the presidium meetings.

To apply for becoming coordinator you should send us:

1. Letter of motivation where you describe why you are interested and your ambitions for the working group you want to coordinate. Furthermore, we would also like you to provide us with your previous engagement in the area of interest, since we would very much be interested in previous experience on the fields.

2. Nomination letter from your national organization.

Deadline for application is set for 1st July. Send your application to iusy@iusy.org. **Please share widely**

Concern for the Electoral Process in Dominican Republic – Preocupación por el Proceso Electoral Dominicano

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ENGLISH VERSION

We are concerned for the post-electoral situation that exists in the Dominican Republic following the holding of the presidential elections, congressional and municipal elections held on the past 15th of May in the Caribbean country.

We find it inconsistent that the Dominican electoral institution deploys new technologies without first making sure that these would serve to stimulate and ensure transparency in the electoral process. The fact that a high percentage of the voting centres did not operate on the new technology, tells us that the electoral institution was not prepared for the implementation of this new way of counting the votes. That is why we understand that the main failure in this electoral process was caused by the implementation of these new elements.

We emphasise the preliminary report of the Organization of American States (OAS) with regard to the mechanism for the purchase of ballot papers and proselytising, which was exhibited on the day of the elections. For us, these actions reflect the absence of regulation in the Dominican electoral institution that should ensure that these types of actions are not present in the processes of election.

The International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) is an international organisation that promotes freedom and democracy all around the world. In the Dominican Republic we have observed a democratic deficit. It is for us worrying that the president of the electoral institution in Dominican Republic, that prepares the elections in that country, is a member of a body of a political party that participates in the elections. Even more worrying is that the person is from the party that directs the executive, the legislature and the judiciary powers. The Dominican Republic needs a law to regulate efficiently the electoral processes and to promote transparency and respect for democracy in the country.

We would like to extend some suggestions to the Dominican authorities addressed in three points:

  1. Promote a law on political parties and a reform of the electoral code in the National Congress and within this new law regulate the private financing and provide a greater sense of equality in the distribution of public financing of political parties.
  2. To invest decisively in giving the Dominican electoral institution the mechanisms of transparency in order to recover the Dominican citizens’ trust. In order to achieve this, we urge that the people responsible for these electoral institutions are not politically affiliated in any party so as to guarantee the impartiality of decision-making.
  3. To establish sanctions on buying identity and electoral documents, and proselytising, in polling places on election day.

SPANISH VERSION

Nos sentimos preocupados por la situación post-electoral que existe en la República Dominicana a raíz de la celebración de las elecciones presidenciales, congresuales y municipales celebradas el pasado 15 de mayo en el caribeño país.

Nos resulta incoherente que la institución electoral dominicana implemente nuevas tecnologías sin antes asegurarse de que estas servirían para dinamizar y garantizar la transparencia en el proceso electoral. El hecho de que en un alto porcentaje de los centros electorales no funcionaran las nuevas tecnologías, nos indica de que la institución electoral no se preparó para la implementación de esta nueva forma de conteo de los votos. Es por eso que entendemos que la principal falla en este proceso electoral estuvo causada por la implementación de estos nuevos elementos.

Estamos de acuerdo con el informe preliminar de la Organización de Estados Americanos(OEA) con relación al mecanismo de compra de cédulas y proselitismo partidario que se exhibió el día de las elecciones. Para nosotros estas actuaciones reflejan una ausencia de regulación de la institución electoral dominicana que debe velar para que este tipo de malas acciones no se presenten en los procesos de elección popular.

La Unión Internacional de Juventudes Socialistas (IUSY) es una organización internacional que promueve la libertad y la democracia en todo el mundo, y en la República Dominicana hemos observado una debilidad en el desarrollo de su democracia. Es para nosotros un atentado a la democracia dominicana, que el presidente de la institución electoral que prepara las elecciones en dicho país, sea miembro de un organismo de un partido político que participa en las elecciones, y más deprimente que sea del partido que se encuentra dirigiendo el poder ejecutivo, el poder legislativo y el poder judicial, ya que detectamos que el presidente de este último poder mencionado también es un miembro militante del mismo partido. La República Dominicana necesita de una ley que regule eficientemente los procesos electorales y que promueva la transparencia y el respeto a la democracia del país caribeño.

Desde nuestra organización le extendemos sugerencias a las autoridades dominicanas dirigidas en tres ordenes:

  1. Promover en el congreso nacional una ley de partidos políticos y una reforma al código electoral, que dentro de esta nueva ley se regule el financiamiento privado y proporcione un mayor sentido de igualdad en la distribución del financiamiento publico de los partidos políticos.
  2. Determinantemente revestir a la institución electoral dominicana, de mecanismos mas transparentes para recuperar la confianza del ciudadano dominicano. En este sentido exhortamos que las personas que dirijan las instituciones electorales no estén afiliadas a ningún partido político para garantizar la imparcialidad en la toma de decisiones.
  3. Establecer sanciones a la compra de documentos de identidad y electorales, así como al proselitismo en centros electorales el día de las elecciones.

Stop the war in Bakûr (Northern Kurdistan), Halt immediately the democratic recession in Turkey

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Resolution passed by the IUSY Presidium on 29th May 2016 in Vienna, Austria

President Recep Tyyip Erdogan was once praised as a role model for leaders of emerging Muslim Majority nations due to several reform packages he initiated early in his term as Prime Minister of Turkey. Today, he enjoys a reputation far from the democratic, reformist and progressive one he once held among the international community.

Erdogan’s AKP (Justice and Development Party Turkish: Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi) government underwent several crises including corruption scandals, accusations of media intimidation, as well as the pursuit of an increasingly polarising political agenda along ethnic lines; inciting political hatred throughout the country.

Erdogan today, after his ascension to the Republic’s Presidency, is speedily taking the Turkish State towards a one-man system. Erdogan and his party – the Turkish oligarchy- entrenched by the most polarising form of nationalism, is carrying out destruction, annihilation and looting in Kurdistan in order to preserve its colonial agenda.

In order to achieve this dirty objective, Erdogan initiated a comprehensive war in Kurdistan on July 2015. First, he ceased the peace process between the Turkish state and PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party Kurdish: Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê )‎ and isolated its leader Abdullah Ocalan. Very soon after, he attacked the people with suicide attacks on what was widely alleged as a joint AKP-ISIS operation. In these attacks, 5 people were killed in Diyarbakir, 33 people in Suruc, and 100 people in Ankara; at least a total of 929 people were wounded in all three attacks.

The police and army were introduced in the second phase of Erdogan’s war. For months now curfews have been declared in several towns and cities across Kurdistan. Kurdish towns such as Cizre, Silopi and Sur in the city of Amed (Diyarbakir) have been almost completely destroyed. In Cizre alone, 120 civilians were burnt alive in a basement (this has been documented by the UN, HRW and AI). The same things are now occurring in Nusaybin, Yuksekova and Sirnak. All Kurdish towns are under the attack of the Turkish army on a daily basis. Until now, a total of 800 civilians (mostly women and children) have been killed in these towns and cities by the Turkish state.

Currently, Erdogan is targeting elected Parliamentarians who stand in the way of his dictatorial ambitions. His goal of abolishing the parliamentary system is now ever closer. From 2013 to 2015, the HDP (The Peoples’ Democratic Party Turkish: Halkların Demokratik Partisi) participated in peace negotiations with the AKP government on behalf of PKK, and for this, the political immunities of the HDP legislators were selectively removed. Erdogan did so with the help of the representatives of Turkish state nationalism: AKP, the MHP (Nationalist Action Party, Turkish: Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi) and some members of CHP (Republican People’s Party: Turkish: Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi). It has once again been proven that the only thing that these parties agree on is animosity towards the Kurdish people.

Erdogan’s regime is also blackmailing EU with the refugee crisis into providing it with financial and political aid, all whilst not doing anything to protect the refugees; on the contrary, allowing them to drown in the Mediterranean Sea.

Therefore,

  • IUSY expresses loud criticism against the EU’s silence on this matter. The EU’s fear is clearly based on the likelihood of Turkey pulling out of the Refugee Deal if critical voices from the EU were to escalate. Human Rights and Democracy should never be allowed to be bargained against each other.
  • IUSY denounces any form of vilence, oppression and selective persecution whether it be based on ethnicity, gender, political inclination. The Erdogan regime is clearly taking an ethnical approach to his dictatorial agenda; and IUSY and the world should not tolerate such abbhorence.
  • IUSY extends solidarity with the peace seeking Kurdish freedom movements. In order to reach a peaceful resolution in Turkey it is important that among others the PKK should be included in the peace talks. Therefore, we call on removing the PKK from from the terrorlist to maket his possible.
  • IUSY calls for the international community, the EU, the USA and other Western countries to recognize the important role of Kurds for contentment and stability in the region.
  • IUSY follows closely the current development in Turkey where MPs of the HDP have had their Parliamentary immunity revoked as a strategy to silence the critique of the regimes treatment of Kurds, other minorities and dissidents. We demand that the AKP regime, along with MHP and members of CHP, withdraw their decision and reinstate the immunity for the HDP MPs back to the same terms as for all other MPs.