Building capacity: in Europe and ex-USSR

The end of August was a busy time for Wake Up Call. The co-directors packed their bags and left Sweden to help build capacity of the youth climate movements of Northern Europe and the former USSR. Sven went to Berlin and Oleg to Istanbul. The training sessions in Germany and Turkey were organised by our friends and partners 350.org and Wake Up Call was invited to be a part of the facilitators teams for both events.

In Turkey Oleg spent a week with three co-founders of 350.org and 36 young leaders from 14 post-Communist countries of the Eastern European / Central Asian region at the 350 Youth Climate Leadership Camp. Training sessions in climate science and politics, public narrative, new media, strategical campaign planning, building alliances and partnerships – it was a very busy week for all the participants and trainers. Still, there was also time to chill on the beach and swim in the sea, to play frisbee and beach volleyball. By the end of the week the three dozens “graduates” all grew into the leading edge of the much strengthened youth climate movement of that vast region. Already a week after the training many of them were busy organising their own workshops for their countries’ youth and planning numerous events on 10/10/10.

Meanwhile, Sven was busy working and partying in Berlin over the weekend. The two-day event there was a big success too. 21 young leaders from all across Northern Europe participated in exercises in story telling, campaigning, project management, media training, and social media strategies. Besides Wake Up Call and 350.org the event was co-facilitated by our friends from the UKYCC (Britain) and Nest (Germany).

Swedish delegation to Berlin, which consisted of university students, graduates of the Wake Up Squad leadership programme and representatives from Green Teens and YIP, prepared a clothes-swapping action ‘Ditch ‘n’ Switch’ in Karlskrona, Blekinge, that will happen on the 10th of October as part of the Global Work Party events around the world. Wake Up Call arranged a pitching competition, which was won by the proud Swedish team. Their award was €100 in cash to help finance their initiative.

And now Oleg and Sven are back in Sweden and organising a “Power Weekend” for five newest partners that will be helping to move Wake Up Call forward and upward this autumn, to reach new heights and reach out to thousands young people in Sweden. Sounds exciting? You bet!

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