What is the Active Citizens Programme?

Our Active Citizens programme empowers tomorrow’s young leaders to bring about positive change to their communities in central and south Asia and the UK.

What is ‘active citizenship’?

‘Active citizenship’ is the philosophy that citizens should work towards the betterment of their community through economic participation, public service, volunteer work, and other such efforts to improve life for all citizens.

Why the Active Citizens programme?

Under-25s make up more than half the populations of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.  Despite this, young people are rarely consulted or involved in decision-making processes. They frequently feel a sense of exclusion and disillusionment.

Yet this generation has the potential to act as a powerful engine for political, social, economic and cultural development.

We believe that through concerted action and knowledge sharing, young people can start to see active citizenship as the means to achieving positive social change.

What does Active Citizens aim to achieve?

By 2012 we aim to equip 10,000 young leaders across Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and the UK with skills to help them:

• address social issues
• access decision making processes and
• contribute to building community cohesion with people of all generations.

Which countries are involved?

Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and the UK.

The Active Citizens programme will:

• Work with partners to provide capacity building for young people that includes; leadership, communication, advocacy, citizenship, volunteering, social action project delivery, fund-raising, entrepreneurship, partnership and network building.
• Develop youth networks, both face-to-face and online, between the UK and central and south Asia, enabling young people to share their ideas, knowledge and experiences to develop new relationships and understand their roles as global citizens
• Develop youth-led social action projects where young people address their own priorities and involve people of all generations to make a positive difference to their communities. We will develop an award scheme to celebrate achievement
• Facilitate policy dialogue to stimulate debate about active citizenship and youth policy and practice at national, local and community levels.

Who is involved?

• Young people between 18 and 35 years who are eager to learn and work with others to develop their skills and help their communities
• We will work with partners committed to citizenship, volunteerism and community participation from civil society, government and the business sectors in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and the UK.