Overall targets
The overall objective of this intervention is Through capacity building of young adults and FANT SL to implement five specific advocacy projects, gain practical and theoretical experiences hereof, and to empower children to prepare them for future advocacy interventions.
Immediate targets
Project goal one: Through a human rights-based approach, young adults in 10 communities have identified five main challenges they face in their everyday lives, and by practising peaceful democratic participation and engaging in strategic alliances with other CSOs, they are able to use advocacy tools and engage in constructive dialogues with local and national duty bearers about the five chosen challenges. Project goal two: Children in 10 communities have been educated on democratic principles, human rights and the SDGs and have developed the necessary self-confidence to use these new learnings in their everyday life. Project goal three: FANT SL has strengthened its capacity to work as an independent development actor with the ability to support long-lasting structural changes for young adults and children in Sierra Leone.
Target groups
Primary target groups: - 200 young adults (20 from each community) age 15-30 years. The dispersal of the target group will be equally male and female. Eight of the communities are in Freetown and two in Tonkolili District. The young adults are selected by the three youth leaders in their community and finally approved by the local board. The hope is to include as many of the girls participating in the current intervention (realistically around 75%), so they already have basic knowledge about human rights, making campaigns in communities etc. For the boys, it is expected to include around 40% of the ones participating in the current project. The reason for this is that the participating boys in the current intervention were some of the most marginalized boys in the communities. In this intervention, it is crucial also to include some with more developed skills to create the best dynamic in the working groups. The selection is not expected to create conflicts since experiences show that the most marginalized boys in general are more interested in playing football than participating in workshops. The most marginalized boys will still be included and count for around 40%. - 600 children (60 from each community) age 8-14 years. The dispersal of the target group will be equally male and female. Eight of the communities are in Freetown and two in Tonkolili District. There is not planned to be a special selection of the children involved in the planned activities. They are mobilized through the sports associations, so it is expected that the children participating on the different football and sport teams will be included. If some of the communities have more children than 60 in this age group that wish to participate a solution will be found so that no one is excluded (could be with help from the budget margin). - 33 individuals of FANT SL One out of three is female. Eight of the communities are in Freetown and two in Tonkolili District. The organizer, head coach and female coach from each community is included and furthermore an office working group of seven individuals, whereas four of them are also the organizers in their community. Secondary target groups (also included directly): - 10,000 young adults (primarily from the ten communities, but also individuals from other areas). The dispersal of this secondary target group will most likely by equally male and female. This target group will be directly involved in activity 1.2.3, 1.3.3 and 1.3.4. - 1,200 parents and close family members (120 from each community). A close contact with the parents of the 600 children in the primary target group will increase the impact on the children. This secondary target group is directly involved in activity 2.1.3 and 2.2.1. - 100 volunteer coaches and helpers (around 10 from each communities). These coaches play a very important role in the daily functioning of the associations and it is important that this group is prioritized by the capacity building of the local associations and individuals. Each club will have at least two female assistant coaches. This secondary target group is directly involved in activity 1.2.3, 1.3.3, 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.1.5, 2.1.6, 2.2.1, 2.3.1, 2.3.2, 3.2.5 and 3.2.8. - 30 CBOs (at least three in each community). It is a requirement for the local associations and the target groups to collaborate with likeminded CBOs in their communities. This could be CBOs like schools, police departments, chiefs, health centres, NGOs, other football teams/clubs etc. This secondary target group will be directly involved in activity 1.2.2, 1.2.3, 2.1.2, 2.1.4, 2.1.5, 2.1.6 and 3.2.3. - 10 CSOs working at a national level (not necessarily connected to one of the communities). The collaboration with these CSOs can help FANT SL reach a larger audience and inspire/share experience about the practical use of advocacy, HRBA, Participatory Processes Methods etc. This secondary target group will be directly involved in activity 1.2.2, 1.2.3, 1.3.3, 1.3.4, 3.2.3 and 3.2.4. - Selected duty bearers and government representatives (it is expected that local duty bearers from each of the ten communities will participate, but the ambition is to reach beyond that with the involvement of regional and national representatives). This secondary target group will be directly involved in activity 1.2.3, 1.3.3, 1.3.4 and 3.2.4.
Resume
This intervention will help young adults to identify five main challenges in their everyday lives, that they wish to work intensively with. Through five advocacy projects, one for each challenge, they engage in dialogues and challenges the traditional thinkings and conceptions that often maintain social and political structures that affect young adults and children negatively. Former projects funded by CISU have primarily focused on community level whereas this project involves regional and national level. Previously, the young adults have been engaged in projects together with their teammates from their communities with the separation of boys and girls. In this project, they are divided in five working groups mixing both girls and boys from all ten communities. The collaboration between the communities and not just within the communities is prioritized. Furthermore, a new target group of children in the age of 8-14 years is included. This decision is made on behalf of lessons learned from former projects; if FANT SL starts to introduce children in the sports associations to democratic principles, human rights, the SDGs and the like in an early age, they will have a stronger foundation for working with advocacy projects when reaching the appropriate age. The solid base for implementing these development interventions is FANT SL. It is through FANT SL that the young adults and children are mobilized, educated and supported when trying to create structural changes that will lead to improved life circumstances and equal sharing of resources. FANT SL’s ability to work as an independent, transparent, democratic and anti-corrupt civil society organization with alliances to likeminded CSOs and positive relations to duty bearers is essential. Therefore, this new project continues the priority of the capacity building of FANT SL.