‘Spoken Word, Spoken World’
Our work at CDYS is responsive to young people, and works alongside them as collaborators, building their capacity to create change in their own lives and in the world around them. A lot of our work happens in a UBU context. The UBU funding scheme recognises that we live in an unequal world which consequently creates barriers for some young people to realise their maximum potential. For us, a global youth work practice supports us to work from a youth strength approach,and helps to challenge inequality. It gives the young people tools to see themselves as part of a bigger world. We see a global youth work approach as just good youth work.
CDYS youth workers and other practitioners are in full swing, engaging with the One World Week celebration through diverse projects across our branches for and with young people, igniting awareness and collective action. This work includes creating SDGs awareness, and the ‘Flag It’ & ‘Spoken Word, Spoken World’ projects (see attached photos) but also ongoing resourcing, awareness training & reflective spaces for staff.
The approach encompasses awareness raising on our interconnectivity but also strongly suggests action taking with young people. It consists of bringing awareness to their inner power, encouraging young people to step into their power and creating spaces where they can be heard. This also involves taking ownership of their active citizenship and encouraging their advocacy for social justice both in their own lives and in the lives of others.
Here ‘global’ means having inclusion at the heart of youth work practice. It also understands that we are all interconnected, that we are all global citizens. Stepping into our power as global citizens is more than a role as it relies on a conscious, consistent and continuous engagement towards social justice.
The images below are taken from our recent global youth work projects.
