With the introduction of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and being confronted with global challenges like global health crises or environmental challenges, it became clear that global answers need to be sought to ensure children and youth can continue to live sustainably together on this planet. Based on the spirit of indivisibility underlying the SDG framework, we consider our work in Belgium equally important to the work we do in our partner countries.
Over the years, KIYO has built up special expertise on children's rights and youth empowerment in Belgium. In 2011, we started running workshops on children's rights in schools in Flanders. This was expanded to Brussels in 2012 and Wallonia in 2013. Since 2017, KIYO has been supporting schools and youth structures across Belgium in creating a quality learning environment stimulating youth empowerment.
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@KIYOempoweringyouthtogether
SCHOOL CONTEXT
Children and youth in Belgium report that their voices are not heard, that the educational system is not responding to the challenges they face and does not teach them the skills they need to become active global citizens (KIYO, 2020). To address this need, we assist schools in transversally integrating Children's Rights and Global Citizenship Education into their school culture. To realise this, KIYO works with its strategic partner Djapo, who has expertise on the practice and theory of Global Citizenship Education (‘learning how to live together’) and Education for Sustainable Development (‘learning how to live sustainably’).
In addition, KIYO coordinates the School for Rights partnership, a collaboration between six organisations: Djapo, KIYO, Plan International Belgium, RCN Justice & Démocratie, UNICEF Belgium and VIA Don Bosco. Together they are committed to ensuring that all schools in Belgium adopt an integrated approach to Children's Rights and Global Citizenship Education. Schools are guided through various coaching sessions to obtain the quality label "School for Rights" (secondary schools) or "Kinderrechtenscholen" (primary schools).
OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL SETTING
KIYO is also strengthening the youth empowerment work of organisations with direct access to youth. This project is called ‘LIFT UP organisations for youth empowerment’. We have developed a framework to support them in shaping an enabling environment for youth empowerment based on our experience in different parts of the world. The organisations that have participated in these empowerment sessions come from different sectors such as youth, government, tourism, sports and international solidarity. You can read some of their experiences here. If your organisations is looking for support on strengthening their work on youth empowerment, do not hesitate to contact us on info@kiyo-ngo.be.
Click on the S4R logo to find out more about our partnership!