DDR and Youth: a practitioner’s guide on how to include youth in DDR and other Security Transitions in a meaningful way

BACKGROUND
The youth, peace, and security (YPS) agenda highlights the importance of enabling young women and men’s meaningful participation in the design, planning, implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation of DDR processes. To build DDR practitioners’ capacity to design youth-responsive DDR processes, FBA offers a comprehensive residential training in cooperation with the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA). The training will be carried out in line with the principles of the UN YPS Agenda, with a specific focus on pillar five on Disengagement and Reintegration, and the IDDRS module 5.30 on Youth and DDR. The training will unpack how to address and include the needs and agencies of youth in DDR processes, to ultimately produce more sustainable and inclusive DDR support programs.

TRAINING CONTENT AND PURPOSE

Throughout the training, the participants will explore concepts and methods for integrated DDR-programming and how they relate to youth and gender. It will further explore linkages between children and youth in conflict settings, the differentiated approach (of children and young adults), the transformative period that children and young people go through and their special needs, and how their experiences and agency in armed context can be met in DDR-programming. The training will briefly address the differentiated processes for children and adult. However, the focus on youth and their particular needs after the age of 18, as there are different processes for children and adults, and therefore different actors and legal framework present. Still raising the complexity with this age divided. Some of the key issues to be addressed are; the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda; the linkages between youth and conflict; how to enable meaningful youth participation in DDR processes, the meaning of youth focused and youth responsive programming. Participants will also be given the opportunity to apply what they have learnt through practical exercises, e.g., designing youth-responsive DDR programmes.

METHODOLOGY AND TRAINING STRUCTURE

The training adopts an interactive and learner-centred approach combining presentations, discussions, group work and scenario-based exercises. Individual and group-based reflections are integrated to support the learning experience of each participant. With facilitators and participants of multiple professional and geographic backgrounds, this training offers a dynamic learning environment with extensive opportunities for networking and peer-learning. Participants are expected to partake in an interactive manner for the purpose of the training.

The training consists of four days of residential discussions, group work and exercises. The training is made up of four consecutive blocks:

1. Youth in Armed Contexts
2. Disengagement and Reintegration; Integrated DDR processes
3. Youth-responsive DDR Programming
4. Case study: from theory to practice (mainstreamed through the training)

TARGET GROUP AND SELECTION PROCESS

The target group are professionals working on DDR involved in design, policy, planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation. The participants are required to have acquired knowledge of peacebuilding mechanisms and/or structures, dynamics of internal armed conflicts. Furthermore, the participants are expected to have an interest to apply a youth lens and mainstream a youth perspective within an upcoming or existent DDR process.

FBA and CCCPA strives to have a gender-balanced participation as well as participants with a mix of institutional and geographic backgrounds and experiences. Younger participants are highly encouraged to apply due to the youth focus of the training. Participants will be selected by means of professional background and personal motivation to enable a dynamic and interactive group. Participants are expected to speak English fluently. As part of the selection process, FBA and CCCPA may conduct interviews with applicants.

It is desirable that the participants work with a process involving young people to apply the training content in their current or upcoming work. Also, if the participant approves a follow-up evaluation will be conducted, to identify the relevance in the training content after being applied in a working context.

TRAINING EXPENSES AND LOGISTICS

The cost of the training is 1 300 USD. This includes accommodation, meals, and social events.

The training will be held between 9-12 October, in Cairo, Egypt, and jointly organised by FBA and Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA). As this is a residential training, participants are expected to travel to Cairo and are expected to arrive on the 8th of October. FBA will not cover travel costs. A limited number of scholarships can be offered, for a few qualified participants who otherwise would not be able to attend. If you are interested, please indicate this on your application form, including a motivation statement.

The training venue will take place at the premises of the CCCPA, in Cairo, Egypt.

APPLICATION

Applicants are welcome to submit their application until 15th August 2023. The training is open to a limited number of participants, and as we normally receive a high number of applications, we encourage applicants to carefully explain their professional experience and motivation for applying to the training. In addition, CVs are welcome. Applicants are kindly requested to use the online application form or visit FBA website for further information (www.fba.se).