Youth Engagement to Promote Stability (YEPS)

The Youth Engagement to Promote Stability (YEPS) project aims to transform the way Timorese youth engage with government and community leaders, promote peace and reconciliation, and prevent election-related violence by bridging the gap between youth and socio-political structures. YEPS also seeks to prevent conflict through the innovative usage of media. Timor-Leste is at a critical juncture in its transformation from post-conflict recovery to long-term development and we believe that youth must be involved politically, economically, and socially as drivers of the country’s future. Program activities fall under the headings:

• Civic education
• Leadership training
• Media programming

Civic Education and Leadership Training

After we conducted youth mapping to find young leaders in every district and a baseline survey in six districts, we found low rates of youth and women’s participation in peacebuilding activities.

As a result, we held civic leadership training sessions for youth, encouraged them to explore the challenges that affect their lives and communities, and taught them leadership development strategies. With our partner Forum Tau Matan, we also organized civic education seminars, national university debates, and panel discussions on the national and regional levels. These events addressed subjects that are timely and important for youth such as democratic institutions, elections, justice, and political affairs.

“This leadership training has helped me greatly to understand the value of success as a team. I learnt that differences are normal and success depends on all individuals contributing to a process.”

– Sancho, District Youth Centre Coordinator and Regional Youth Forum participant

For the final component we worked in collaboration with CNJTL (National Youth Council- Timor-Leste) and held national and regional youth forums which provided opportunities for youth to develop networks and coordinate around the issues mentioned. The last national youth forum will be held in November 2014.

Media Programming

We conducted “Common Ground Media” training for young radio reporters, presenters, and community radio station managers to improve their journalism skills and enhance their capacity to engage in solution-oriented interactions with listeners.

Additionally, community radio stations across the country have recently been broadcasting 24 episodes of a radio program, “Babadok Rebenta” (Echo of Drums), produced in partnership with the Timor-Leste Media Development Center. The aim of these radio programs is to engage listeners in a conversation with their peers about issues such as drug use, early pregnancy, and domestic violence.

We are also currently producing 25 episodes of a radio drama in the local Tetun language entitled “Karau Dikur ba Dame” (Buffalo Horn of Peace). This radio program features a dynamic ensemble of young local actors and volunteers, and follows the lives of a cast of characters, including the Barbosa family, as they negotiate everyday challenges common to people across Timor-Leste.

Stories focus on the four main issues identified by young people throughout Timor-Leste as being important to themselves and their communities: unemployment, domestic violence, youth conflict, and youth manipulation. This drama aims to break down negative stereotypes and provide examples of cooperative solutions to stimulate social progress by promoting practical, non-violent, and cooperative ways to address conflict.

Finally in June 2014, we held a curriculum summit bringing together 24 young individuals to develop a six part comic book series dealing with elections, democracy, political reconciliation, and peacebuilding. The comic books are due to be released in late 2014. With the assistance of Arte Moris. Art classes will also be held over five days starting in September 2014 to work on skills development and the value of art for healing.

YEPS is a three-year USAID funded program, which began in 2012 and will be completed in 2015.