Call for applications: Sport and the SDGs Youth 'Funshop'
Sport is a celebrated aspect of community life across the world and in the Southeast Asian region. It is also explicitly referenced within the UN Agenda 2030 as an important enabler of sustainable development and peace. The use of sport in pursuit of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) is broadening, likely due to its versatility and ability to engage diverse segments of society where other mediums may fall short.
Grassroots initiatives that run on the enthusiasm and energy of local youth activists are important for the promotion of sport-based approaches to development. Often far-reaching and with lasting impact, these initiatives hold great promise for informing and shaping policy development. Youth, in particular, have a special ability to foster creative and innovative solutions to development challenges. In this regard, policy-makers and the international community could greatly benefit from the knowledge of young leaders to inform policy making and broaden the evidence-base to financially support sport as a tool for development.
UNESCO is searching for young leaders from the ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste to participate in a Sport & the SDGs ‘Funshop’ specially designed to enhance meaningful youth participation in sport policy design, foster cooperation across the region and make the case for sport as an important development tool.
Two outstanding young people from each of the countries listed (see below under ‘Who’) will be invited to deliver a TED-style talk in Manila to an audience of fellow-youth advocates for the power of sport, as well as UNESCO representatives, local NGOs who support youth empowerment, the sport authority of the host country, the Philippine Sports Commission, young athletes and selected members of civil society who support sport for development.
The three day “funshop” (a workshop designed to emphasise positive thoughts and interactions inherent in sport), will be both learning and action-based, complete with obstacle courses, interaction with local youth and field trips to visit selected Philippines Sports Authorities (PSAs) and participate actively in local grassroots sport for development programmes.
Those selected will be the primary funshop participants and are expected to contribute to all the activities, including the core breakout sessions focused on gathering youth perspectives on the issues and opportunities shaping the sport for development sector.
The primary participants must submit a summary of their “TED-style talk” in the form of a short report to the UNESCO Organisers. Other contributions to the key output documents will be voluntary although all participants are encouraged to participate in the working group to be convened during the event. Airfares, meals and accommodation will be provided by UNESCO and the PSC.
Who:
Two young leaders will be selected from the ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste to participate in the Sport & the SDGs Youth Funshop. Eligibility to submit applications is based on the follow criteria:
- Aged between 18 – 30 years
- Community leader with a proven history of engaging diverse segments of society through sport
- Leading or taking a managerial role in a sports-based social enterprise
- A resident in one of the following countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam
Deadline for the call for applications: 1 October 2017
Decision by: 10 October 2017
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