Youth Programme

1. Youth Programme First Meeting of the Internet Governance Forum Youth Session Athens 2006 ITU/BDT/HRD

2. In accordance with the Resolution 38 of the Word Telecommunication Development Conference WTDC 2002 (Istanbul) and reviewed in 2006 (Doha), and recognising that the young people are the best promoters of ICTs and contributors in the world Information Society, BDT created a dedicated Youth Programme integrating children and youth issues in the framework of its activities. The Youth Programme is committed to widening ICT opportunities for children and young people, as key contributors to building an inclusive Information Society. Youth Programme Background and Purpose: international telecommunication union

3. Youth Programme Goals: • To develop and strengthen actions to make ICTs accessible to children and young people,particularly the disadvantaged and marginalized, thereby bridging the digital divide; • To support the development of ICT capabilities of children and the youth; • To increase the interest of children and youth in ICT; • To integrate “children and youth” into the various BDT programmes and ITU activities • To involve children and youth in the promotion and dissemination of ICTs. international telecommunication union

4. Youth Programme Activities: • Create initiatives with emphasis on capacity building, education and work experience in ICTs, aiming at supporting young people, mainly from developing countries and those in transition to increase their knowledge on information and communication technologies; • Assure the follow-up of the Youth Forums through Actions and Projects that identify the needs related to the promotion of the ICTs among the youth in a particular region or worldwide; • Develop and support actions and projects that promote access, use and knowledge of ICT for children and youth.

5. Youth Programme Activities • Develop initiatives with emphasis on capacity building, education and work experience in ICTs to ensure the Junior professionals in ICT, better access to employment opportunities in this sector. 1.1-YOUTH INCENTIVE SCHEME Internship initiatives aiming at responding to the young people’s need to integrate into the ICT’s working area and to encourage and support the first job opportunities. • In partnership with ITU Regional Offices (AFR, AMS, ARB ASP and EUR) the Youth Programme offers selected jr. professionals in ICT to achieve an internship for a period of 6 months, with the ITU Regional Office of their origin. • Several Sector Members joined this Youth Programme initiative and offered internship opportunities with their companies. international telecommunication union

6. Youth Programme Activities: 1.2-“YES” - YOUTH EDUCATION SCHEME Scholarship initiative aiming atsupporting young people from LDCs or developing countries to complete their tertiary education in the telecommunication and related fields. • YES awards yearly scholarships amounting to a maximum of US$ 10,000 per student to cover tuition only. • To apply for YES the candidate must : • Be between 20 and 30 years of age; • Provide a very good school curriculum (preferably top 10 of their class); • Provide written recommendations (preferably from professors) bear witness to the student motivation in pursuing her/his career in telecommunication or related fields; • To date, YES initiative has awarded fifty (50)scholarships to future leaders in telecommunication and related field. . international telecommunication union

7. Youth Programme Activities 2.ITU-TELECOM YOUTH FORUM - FOLLOW-UP PROJECTSYouth Programme implements after each ITU-Telecom Youth Forum, a follow-up project targeting the priorities and needs related to ICT development, expressed by the young participants in the Forum, in their Declaration and Action Plan. • Youth Forum - Asia TELECOM 2002, Hong Kong • Follow up Project of Digital Bridge Youth Forum - Youth Forum - World TELECOM 2003, Geneva • Follow-up Project Young Leaders in ICTs Network; • Youth Forum - Africa TELECOM 2004, Cairo • Follow-up Project –Enabling Internet Access in local languages (e.g Swahili); • Youth Forum - Asia TELECOM 2004, Bussan • Follow-up Project in ICT Emergency; • Youth Forum - World TELECOM 2003, Geneva • Follow-up Project Young Leaders in ICTs Network; international telecommunication union

8. Youth Programme Activities : 3.ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS THAT PROMOTE AND FACILITATE THE ACCESS, USE AND KNOWLEDGE OF ICT FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE. • Through the Operation Plan of the ITU-BDT; • “PTC 2004 Youth Panel” held in Hawaii -leading constructive exchange in ICT development for youth through the Internet, in ASP region - 2004; • “Partnership for young people and women through the ICTs in ASP Region” - 2004; • Support “Child Helpline International (CHI)” to contribute in assuring ICT infrastructure including Internet access for children and young people from LDCs – 2004; • “Entertainment Education”support and rise awareness of the youth of the importance of computers, Internet and ICTs training – 2005; • “ICT Training for Young Refugees in Liberia” enable development of an efficient and sustainable education in ICT including the Internet area-2005; • “ICT training centre for young refugees in Burundi” to assist returning refugees from asylum countries acquire ICT skills – 2006; international telecommunication union

9. Youth Programme Activities: 3.ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS THAT PROMOTE AND FACILITATE THE ACCESS, USE AND KNOWLEDGE OF ICT FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE. • Through donations from Administrations or Sector Members for a specific activity or project. • Youth Education Scheme (yearly since 2003); • Development of the “Global Portal for Children”– 2006; • Development of “Basic PC and Internet for young people of school-going age” Kenya – 2006. international telecommunication union

10. Youth Programme in the Implementation of WSIS: • All the activities and projects developed within the framework of the Youth Programme are aligned with the WSIS statements highlighted in the Geneva Plan of Action and particularly in the Tunis Commitment Articles 24 and 25. • Youth Programme: • “recognises the role of ICTs in the protection of children and enhancing the development of children […].” • “reaffirms our commitment to empowering young people as key contributors to building an inclusive Information Society. We will actively engage youth in innovative ICT-based development programmes and widen opportunities for youth to be involved in e-strategy processes.” • Youth Programme in partnership with WSIS Youth Caucus and recognizing their leading role for the young people integration into the World Information Society achieved a common Declaration and Action Plan to be taken into account for future projects related to the youth and ICT worldwide. international telecommunication union

11. With the Youth Programme: • The young people are the key contributors in building the Information Society. In responding to their needs and supporting their projects we can bridge the Digital Divide faster and contribute to the development of the telecommunication sector as a whole. • The Youth Programme can bring the young people voices and make them be heard by the ITU Member States and Sector Members, who represent the world decision-makers in the ICTs. • TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE youth@itu.int http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/youth/ international telecommunication union