GLOBAL PLATFORMS STARTUP FRAMEWORK AND TOOLKIT by Global Platforms

GLOBAL PLATFORMS STARTUP FRAMEWORK AND TOOLKIT GUIDANCE TO STARTING A NEW GLOBAL PLATFORM

Global Platform Secretariat • October 2020

Global platforms framework

With half the world’s population now under 25 years of age and 85% residing in developing countries, younger generations are poised to play an important role in transforming and shaping more just, equitable and sustainable societies. Young people have powered spontaneous and innovative mobilisations in the face of injustice in some regions, often questioning the status quo. - ActionAid International Strategy: Action for Global Justice

HOSTED BY ACTIONAID DENMARK YOUTH ORGANISING AND ACTIVISM TEAM SEPTEMBER 2020

Global platforms framework

CONTENT GLOBAL PLATFORMS FRAMEWORK

Introduction

Global Platforms in action

The Global Platforms target audience

Background

Types of Global Platforms

Global Platforms Learning Approach

What is a Global Platform

Global Platform Secretariat and support

Global Platform organisational setup

Global Platform key elements

Global Platform Economic Model

Planning, monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

STARTUP TOOLKIT

Context analysis

GP start-up budgets

Do you want to know more

Outcomes

Youth engagement

Annex 1: Global Platform Secretariat Fee

Stakeholders and partnerships

Governance structure

GP sustainability strategy

Communication

GLOBAL PLATFORMS FRAMEWORK

Global platforms framework

INTRODUCTION Being inspired and getting the idea to establish a Global Platform, where young people can connect and be empowered to act, is easy. Getting started in the process, assessing the actual applicability and possibilities for a sustainable Global Platform, taking into consideration context, funding, realities and legalities can however be a hurdle. This framework is a ‘hands on’ tool with specific processes and drive that you can use to explore and help you realise the youth-led space that you envision. It is meant for anyone interested in starting a Global Platform. The Global Platform Secretariat hosted by ActionAid Denmark’s Youth Organising and Activism team, facilitates the start-up processes and ongoing operational support to upcoming and existing Global Platforms. We support the facilitation of an easily applicable start-up process – based on clear, replicable processes and followed by support mechanisms that allow for the Global Platform network to grow and expand. A process that ensures that young people are thought in not only as end users of a potential Global Platform but are actively involved throughout the start-up process. This document will assist you in your entire Global Platform start-up process from ideation to realization of your Global Platform.

BACKGROUND A central element in the Global Platform Secretariat strategy is to support the expansion of the Global Platform network. From the first generation of Global Platforms opening in 2009, the concept has grown and evolved since then. In the beginning, the project was initiated and run by ActionAid Denmark. But based on the learning from the network, it has grad-

Global platforms framework

ually developed from an ActionAid Denmark initiative to an alternative youth programming concept in ActionAid and beyond. The Global Platforms are nationally owned and contextualized based on the local needs of young people in their particular context.

WHAT IS A GLOBAL PLATFORM? Global Platforms are youth-led spaces for building collective power as well as ActionAid’s network for youth-led activism. We aim to be a catalyst for youth-led activism by inspiring young people to organise and act on social injustice and by connecting people, organisations and movements all over the world. Global Platforms was initiated in 2009 and by now we have 22 Global Platforms around the world. Through a focus on organising and solidarity across socio-political boundaries, the Global Platforms link youth networks, movements, organisations and individuals who promote the agenda of progressive social, political and economic change. The objective of any GP is to build collective power and facilitate skills creating opportunities that will lead to youth-led social changes. Global platforms provide opportunities and spaces for young people to gather, meet, exchange ideas, network, learn and take joint action. Global Platforms support young people, organisations and movements fighting for social justice. Through capacity development and support to youth-led initiatives, the Global Platforms seek to INSPIRE young people to organise and ACT on social injustice and to CONNECT people, organisations, and movements all over the world.

YOUTH-LED ACTIVISM We live in a world where more than 40% of the world’s population are under 25 years and almost nine out of ten young people live in developing countries. Despite this, young people are often denied positions of power and responsibility. Young people under 30 years make up just over 2% of the world’s parliamentarians, and less than half of them are women. Younger generations are faced with rising global inequality, high unemployment rates, poor access to public services and in many countries a shrinking space for political involvement and influence.

All over the world, the Global Platform network creates youth-led spaces for building collective power by being:

Spaces for participatory and actionoriented learning. Spaces for creative activism and organising for social justice. Spaces for connecting people, organisations, and movements.

But there is another, much more exciting story to tell. Around the world we see evidence of young people being prepared and organised to respond to the big challenges the world throws at them. Inspiring examples of young people and youth-led movements creatively working within and outside the system to challenge the political status quo.

Global platforms framework

GLOBAL PLATFORM KEY ELEMENTS It really isn’t too important whether a Global Platform is physical, mobile, virtual or a temporary space. What connects and unites the Global Platforms is a strong foundation in the core identity that guides the initiative. In this way, what is shared are the beliefs, the methods, and the standards.

WE WORK WITH SEVEN KEY GLOBAL PLATFORM ELEMENTS:

LOCALLY ROOTED AND GLOBALLY CONNECTED: The Global Platforms are locally rooted and context based depending on the needs of the local contexts. The area of work carried out by the Global Platforms are based on local needs and strategies. The global identity at the Global Platform is crucial and should be seen as a way to connect youth and create solidarity across the world, to learn from each other, to exchange ideas and best practices and expand the global mind-set.

EMBRACE RISK: Risk is a fundamental part of our work and we need to embrace risk, but be well prepared. This includes being agile and flexible, and accepting that not everything can be completely controlled.

PARTNERSHIPS: Partnerships enable the Global platforms to achieve greater results together. We are always looking for new partners and allies across sectors. We work closely together with many local and global organisations, networks and movements.

INNOVATION: It should be a space for innovation where new ways of organising and ideas for creating change can be tested.

Global platforms framework

LEARNING APPROACH: The Global Platform methodologies are based on Facilitating for Political Change Toolkit developed in close consultation with the trainers at the Global Platforms. It is informed by how learning processes are designed, how trainers conduct themselves and their motivation in facilitating the learning processes. It is a trajectory between critical pedagogy, democratic power sharing, pedagogy of hope, prefigurative politics, resistance, feminism, and most importantly pedagogy regarding actions. All Global Platform activities are based on our ‘6 Learning Principles’ (see figure below) inspired by ActionAid’s Reflection-Action Learning methodology

INTERSECTIONAL FEMINIST LENS: We acknowledge that all inequalities are not equal and people’s social identity overlaps creating multiple experiences of discrimination. These analyses are reflected in how GPs work both operational and program, what GPs work with and how GP staff and volunteers conduct themselves in Global Platforms spaces.

YOUTH CENTERED APPROACH / YOUTH-LED: Young people should be engaged and involved in all that we do. We don’t work for and with youth but aim to have all our work led and planned by young people from ideation to implementation.

We are a feminist organisation, and it is being applied in everything that we do – from structure to leadership and volunteers. - Global Platform Palestine

Global platforms framework

GLOBAL PLATFORMS IN ACTION We believe that young people can take leadership and responsibility in driving change processes if given the space, support, and trust. The mission of the Global Platform Network is to support youth activists and their movements in their endeavours to change the world. This can mean hosting weekly meetings, offering trainings, supporting creative campaigns and innovative ideas. The Global Platforms facilitate political actions through trainings and youth hub activities where participants gain information, tools and skills to carry out their action plans after the trainings. Global Platform staff support these participants’ actions after training, enabling them to create change from their community to national and global levels by helping them link with different stakeholders, supporting with feedback and suggestions etc. The trainings also provide space for Global Platforms’ volunteer trainers to support the capacity development programs – from facilitating smaller sessions to coordinating with the participants to support in developing learning materials. The youth hub activities are led by young people with support from the Global Platform staff, they plan, lead, coordinate and evaluate activities themselves. These different ways of engaging young people from developing their capacities to providing equal space in designing learning and youth hub activities is a way of Global Platforms to contribute to youth leadership and youth led actions.

Global platforms framework

Below are some examples of what Global Platform activists have done in the past for your Together against child marriage: A group of young feminists from Bangladesh contributes to stopping child marriages through dialogue and information.

Equal access to water: A group of young activists from Kenya gather decision-makers and ensure fair distribution of clean water.

Young people organise against metallic mining: Creative, youth-driven campaigning has contributed to historic law against metallic mining in El Salvador.

Global platforms framework

We work with two main Global Platform variations:

TYPES OF GLOBAL PLATFORMS

GLOBAL PLATFORM LEARNING & CAPACITY:

A Global Platform can have different setups and vary in size and shape, and be physical, mobile, virtual or a temporary space that occur, are created, and facilitated for an interaction between people. A new Global Platform could thus with advantage start as a smaller initiative with key elements from the Global Platform concept and in time expand. Some of the existing Global Platforms operate from fabricated containers, some are mobile, some are virtual and others are hosted through partnerships with youth organizations and movements and with partnerships with local government bodies, with more agile and lean teams managing them, composed mostly of a Global Platform Manager / Coordinator, learning and Impact Coordinator and a pool of volunteer trainers. Whereas, in some countries such as Kenya and Palestine, the Global Platforms are large scale with different satellites varying in both activities and size, having both capacity development and physical space and separate youth hubs.

Spaces for youth-led action where learning and capacity support based on Global Platform learning principles and youth approach takes place.

GLOBAL PLATFORM YOUTH HUB: Spaces where young people meet, share, and take action together.

Currently, there are Global Platforms in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Middle East, and Europe, see illustration below:

Denmark

Greece Palestine

Jordan

Nepal Myanmar

El Salvador

Senegal Sierra Leone

Ethiopia Uganda

Liberia

Bangladesh

Ghana

Nigeria Zambia

Zimbabwe

Kenya

Thailand

Tanzania Malawi

Mozambique

Global platforms framework

GLOBAL PLATFORM SECRETARIAT AND SUPPORT The Global Platforms are nationally owned entities either by an ActionAid Country Office or by a local partner organisation and are supported through the Global Platform Secretariat hosted by ActionAid Denmark. The Global Platform Secretariat facilitates the Global Platform network and through a peer-to-peer approach, the Global Platform Secretariat is available for support, input, and feedback as well as more practical operational start-up support and development of Global Platforms and related initiatives. The Global Platform Secretariat is hosted within the extended ActionAid Denmark’s Youth Organising and Activism team, that besides the Global Platform Secretariat also hosts support functions and capacity on Innovation, Social Movement work and the ActionAid Youth Community of Interest delegation. The Youth Organising and Activism team’s mission is to strengthen ActionAid Denmark’s approach and support functions on global youth work. Through networks for learning and organising, strong locally rooted initiatives, regional cooperation and global linkages for solidarity, inspiration, and global advocacy the team unfolds the visionary international youth work of ActionAid. The youth engagement work is guided by ActionAid’s feminist and human rights principles and approaches and built on the following youth principles:

REACHING OUT TO STRATEGIC ALLIANCES WITH PROGRESSIVE YOUTH MOVEMENTS In being flexible and responsive to external trends, ActionAid will invite and partner with young people, their movements and coalitions. Uprisings by na-

Global platforms framework

ture are contentious and as such the organisation will assess its support and level(s) of participation and incorporate risk mitigation mechanisms in its response.

ACTIVISTA WILL BECOME A CONNECTOR AND TREND SPOTTER The role in connecting to external young people and their organisations and surveillance clarifies the longterm relationship between Activista and ActionAid.

SHIFT IN PARADIGM, THE NEW ACTIONAID YOUTH CULTURE The design and implementation of internal processes and mechanisms at country and Federation levels must promote young women and men’s leadership and accountability across all programmatic and organisational priorities

CREATE A SPACE FOR INNOVATION AND ALTERNATIVE THINKING Creating spaces (physical and digital) is essential to sharing knowledge and promoting a culture of learning. Global Platforms will create “youth activist hubs” which enable capacity development, networking and space for design, implementation and review of youth initiatives.

BROADCAST THE INNOVATION YOUTH BRING IN A CREATIVE AND BOLD WAY The use of technology and connecting with young communications specialists encourage innovation and creativity in showcasing the work with a wider external audience where knowledge and resources can be shared. This means, that the peer-support mechanisms of the Global Platform Secretariat are not just sup-

porting the Global Platform operations and learning, but also supporting innovation, social movement building, organising, rooted campaigning and youth-led activism by working directly with young people, their networks, organisations and movements. The Global Platform Secretariat’s function is hence also to advice and share experiences, toolkits, and learning resources, as well as map opportunities for joint fundraising, connecting, acting, and innovating when creating youth-led change. The Global platform Secretariat is based globally, and develops new training materials, collects learning and reflections from Global Platforms and help build new knowledge, shares new developments, and ensures that the Global Platforms remains at the forefront of youth activism. Further the team is working to strengthen the Global Platforms ability to support social movements and to run innovation pilot projects around youth-led political participation. To align and ensure locally rooted and nationally owned Global Platforms and to support in building youth leadership in different context of the Global Platform network, the Global Platform Secretariat functions are constantly adjusted so that lessons learned are transformed into new functions and strategies to ensure the network is nourished and supported. The ambition is to support the development of distinct country owned entities that follow common global principles, standards, features, and culture, working under the legal framework and overall management of the National ActionAid Country Office or other collaboration partners.

Global platforms framework

GLOBAL PLATFORM SECRETARIAT STARTUP SUPPORT As a member of the Global Platform Network, you can access the following services provided by the Global Platform Secretariat in addition to other adhoc support when needed (depending on the scope of each Global Platform):

• PARTNERSHIP AND NETWORK SUPPORT •

Participation in annual Global Platforms gatherings

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Access to organising and innovation support as applicable

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Access to Global Platform network and available advisory team of staff in the Global Platform Secretariat, the extended Youth Organising and Activism team as well as other Global Platforms

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Partnership with external relevant organizations

• OPERATIONAL SUPPORT •

Strategic and operational support – including crosscutting fundraising in the Global Platform network’

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Making available guiding documents for your start-up process.

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Communication support

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Partnership support

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Support from the Global Platform Advisors to guide you and closely follow your start-up processes.

• PROGRAM SUPPORT •

Training development and quality support.

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Accreditation and certification of trainers in the Global Platform Training Principles and Learning Framework.

•

Technical support on the daily operations and facilitation of a youth-led space.

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Access to capacity support activities and thematic trainings. Support on monitoring and evaluation.

• •

Facilitation of peer networks and community of practice

Global platforms framework

GLOBAL PLATFORM ECONOMIC MODEL GP funding is the sole responsibility of the partner initiating the Global Platform. Global Platform’s economic model is based on the premise that the expenses are covered by institutional funding and/ or income from payment for the Global Platform offered services. This can help the Global Platform to be financially sustainable and partially self-financed by running income-generating trainings and activities. Inspired by social business, Global Platform can serve social/political causes and generate surplus. The goal is to reach sustainability by allowing GPs to support themselves financially in innovative ways instead of depending only on donors. Thus, Global Platforms can continue its work to a high standard and pay for the non-donor funded activities. It gives the Global Platform a sort of flexible funds to cover extra cost and implement more contextualized activities.

GLOBAL PLATFORM SECRETARIAT FEE To be a part of the Global Platform network, each Global Platform gains access to the support from the Global Platform Secretariat. The Global Platform Secretariat is supported financially by ActionAid Denmark and additionally is funded by the Global Platform Secretariat fee, which is an annual contribution to the network. Each Global Platform contributes with a fixed annual Global Platform Secretariat Fee of EUR 15.000 for full scale Global Platforms and EUR 7.000 for Youth Hubs. The fee can be negotiable in the startup phase and depending on size and economy of the Platform, to ensure solidarity and not being a hindrance for opening a Global Platform.

Global platforms framework

The fee will go into a Global Platform fund and will contribute to the expansion of the Global Platform concept in new and relevant countries. The aim of the contribution is to ensure solidarity and support for new potential Global Platforms in their start-up processes. However, any interested youth movement or organisation can approach and seek guidance within the Global Platform Secretariat to explore opportunities and advice for support to open a new Global Platform. For more information on the Global Platform Secretariat fee, services etc. see Annex 1: Global Platform Secretariat Fee.

Global platforms framework

THE GLOBAL PLATFORMS TARGET AUDIENCE Young people are a diverse group, and at the Global Platforms we refer to “the many faces of youth”. Our definition of youth focuses first on the socio-political identity of young people who are seeking the rights and independence that adulthood should bring. It is by its very nature, therefore, contested; and hence age definitions vary across the world. Global Platforms uses 1530 as a guide only. We work with the most vulnerable young people and prioritise young women and girls across all engagements. The Global Platforms believes that young people have the capabilities to play a significant role in creating transformative change. That is why our theory of change is built on the ability of young people to harness their collective power and their ability to affect change together. We work on developing effective, creative and innovative programs that challenges the prevailing status quo in society. This includes the invisible power embedded in our sociocultural and religious norms; the visible power of the state; and the hidden power of elites and corporates. We believe that the collective efforts of young people are more impactful when connected through solidarity, advocacy and a common vision to drive structural change. Our partnerships are mostly with young people’s organisations and movements with whom we share a common vision and shared values. The Global Platforms also engage with likeminded organizations as partners and can provide consulting services to support in youth programming work.

Global platforms framework

In general, we work with five different definitions within our target audience: YOUTH LEADERS: We work with youth leaders of social movements, political parties, projects, and organisations who are initiators and drivers of change.

YOUTH ACTIVISTS: A young person who is actively engaged to bring about positive political or social change.

YOUTH MOVEMENTS: The term youth movement typically refers to self-organised groups of young people acting to respond to societal problems and to bring about transformation and change. Like social movements in general, youth movements begin spontaneously and do not display fixed organisational structures or formal memberships. They comprise relatively informal socio-political processes that crystalize and express views held by sufficiently large numbers of young people to assure a broad raft of support for the movement’s activists. Youth movements inevitably vary in their geopolitical range, specific thematic focus, and scope and methods of action. Today’s youth movements are typically decentralized, pluralist and autonomous networks that make much use of IT tools to establish and maintain horizontal and non-hierarchical patterns of communication, decision-making and action.

YOUTH ORGANISATIONS: Youth organisations are generally understood to be youth-led, non-profit, voluntary, and participatory non-governmental associations. Under some circumstances, youth organisations may form part of the state apparatus; this is characteristic of

OTHER ORGANISATIONS: The Global Platforms offers a variety of trainings and bespoke capacity support and consultancy services for civil society organizations, movements, private sector institutions, and government institutions.

One of our greatest results have been our contribution to the strengthening of youth organisations in Zambia. Building their capacity in general with mentoring and training and helping them getting bigger funding because of the work we have done with them. Some of them have now grown too big for us, which we see as a great success. In this way we see the Global Platform as a steppingstone for young activists - Global Platform Zambia

Global platforms framework

GLOBAL PLATFORMS PEDAGOGY GP’s pedagogy is informed by how learning processes are designed, how the trainers conduct themselves and their motivation in facilitating the learning spaces and facilitation processes and how the motivation of the participant in the specific learning space is. Thus, GP’s pedagogy is a trajectory between critical pedagogy, democratic power sharing, pedagogy of hope, pedagogy of prefigurative politics, pedagogy of resistance, feminist pedagogy, and most important pedagogy regarding action Facilitating for political change is a key cornerstone in the work carried out in and around the GP’s. Combining the two terms ‘political’ and ‘facilitation’ in an approach to learning would seem to be a paradox, as both terms disqualifying the other. Per definition facilitation practices are meant to be as objective as possible, and a facilitator is supposed to be an empty vessel with no opinions, who applies skills and tools to bring out the opinions of the learners. For this same reason we are trainers, not facilitators, at the Global Platforms. Whereas a part of our overall aim is to facilitate learning processes where our participants learn and acquire new tools and opinions, we also have a political agenda and an overall objective we are working towards which goes beyond the training room, and which demands of us to be:

The approach and methodology to learning is guided by the six Global Platform Learning Principles: Participatory methods Learn together

Political empowerment Analyse and change power structures

Learning by doing Act, reflect, learn, apply

Public action learning Use society as a classroom

Feminist lens Challenge patriarchy and inequality

Dreaming big Be creative, seek alternatives

Enhanced impact of young people as drivers of change towards a more just, sustainable and democratic world, by empowering young people, organisations, and youth-led movements to organise, act and connect across social and geographical borders.

Global platforms framework

We see young people from our trainings use their acquired skills to become youth leaders and create an impact. With help from awareness campaigns created by youth leaders with tools from Global Platform trainings, a young female student won a student representative council election as the first female president of the student union in the university.” - Global Platform Ghana

Global platforms framework

GLOBAL PLATFORMS ORGANISATIONAL SETUP The size and organisational setup of a Global Platform can vary depending on context, needs and resources. As a guiding principle, new Global Platforms start-ups are advised to start small and with patience and with time build upon learnings, instead of trying to build a set-up that is too big and unmanageable from the beginning. Overall, the Global Platform will refer to the local ActionAid Country Office or the partner organisation, which is the managing the platform. This section outlines the roles and responsibilities that is

needed to run the Global Platform smoothly. However, please take note that these are suggestions and are to be based on contextual needs and the size of the setup. In terms of positions, a Global Platform can consist of the following roles. They are based on a fullscale Global Platform – you might consider starting with just a few staff in the beginning.

COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT The daily management of a Global Platform, staff responsibility, strategic planning, communication and marketing, fundraising, liaise with relevant authorities and stakeholders, administration and budgets, adherence to procedures and policies etc.

PROGRAM DELIVERY: Global Platforms program delivery includes developing, organising, conducting, and evaluation of trainings. Usually, Global Platform programs are delivered by trainers and volunteers who are trained in Global Platforms’ pedagogy. The trainers also have access to the global trainers’ exchange program.

QUALITY ASSURANCE OF THE PROGRAMS: This includes tasks such as management of the capacity development plan, youth hub activities (if applicable) and trainer resources, development of the methodological capacity, support to trainers, lead on recruitment of trainers, co-facilitate learning and other processes , development of learning materials based on Global Platforms pedagogy and monitoring and evaluation of the Global Platforms’ programs

Global platforms framework

VOLUNTEER NETWORK CO-ORDINATION: Global Platforms are encouraged to develop a network of volunteers to lead and support their work, including training. For young people to volunteer at a Global Platform is also a way for them to take ownership and fully benefit from the opportunities. Many of Global Platform staff have started as participants at trainings or youth hub activities, and later become volunteers, volunteer trainers, interns, or staff. In addition to this, the Global Platforms are encouraged to develop a ‘pool of trainers’, which allows for a Global Platform to both build capacity of young people as well as to ensure that there are qualified

OTHER TASKS: Especially if a Global Platform is owned by a partner organisation or movement and not an ActionAid Country Office, other positions may be relevant to consider. This can be administrative (such as for HR or finances) and support staff, training or volunteer coordinators, project managers, interns, Youth Hub Coordinator, etc. all depending on size and set-up of the GP. At other times many of these functions and staff can be shared between the GP and the hosting partner.

One of the key things for us is having young people who are responsible, political and committed to the ideal of justice at the platform. Working with this utopia of wanting to change the world is really important. In that way, people understand that this is more than a conventional job – it is a way of living. To be able to create a safe space for the participants demands a bit more than working in office time, and this can also be a challenge when hiring people and for non-professionals to engage in the platform. - Global Platform El Salvador

Global platforms framework

PLANNING, MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING The Global Platforms use Podio as a digital platform to document and share Planning, Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (PMEL) disaggregated data related to young people with colleagues around the world. Joining the Global Platform network requires the staff responsible for the Global Platform to register an account in Podio and to upload data on Podio as part of your PMEL activities. Focusing on Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning is also one of our basic values based on our Human Rights Based Approach. We aim to be accountable to young people whom we work with, our partners and organizations who have supported us both financially but also through solidarity actions. We also aim to learn from our practice as learning by doing is also one of our learning principles and we put effort into learning from our praxis. The Global Platform PMEL framework aims to provide simple, participatory, and flexible tools to help you document GP activities, evaluate them, draw lessons learnings to inform planning The Global Platform PMEL framework is composed of the following four annual key activities. All Global Platform PMEL guides and templates can be downloaded from the Global Platform PMEL Podio space.

PLANS – BY NOVEMBER 15TH: The GP Plans app on Podio is used to document annual Global Platform plans and budgets and it is to be submitted by November 15th. It is important when developing plans that you set Global Platform targets for the total number of young people to be trained and who you will engage in your youth Hub activities.

Global platforms framework

ACTIVITIES – WITHIN A WEEK AFTER EACH ACTIVITY: The GP Activities app on Podio is used to document all Global Platform activities and it is to be done within one week of completion. It is required that you indicate whether it was a training or a Youth Hub activity as well as the number of participants engaged. For trainings, it is required that you also specify the number of young women who participated. Global Platform activities are evaluated using participatory evaluation methods and documenting their responses in the GP Activities app, with a focus on the main results, lessons learned, and good practice.

GP OUTCOMES – BY DECEMBER-JANUARY: The GP Outcomes app on Podio is used to document Global Platform outcomes annually by January 31st of the following year. Global Platform representatives will be engaged by the Global Platform Secretariat in online outcome harvesting meetings to discuss and document their outcomes in Podio as part of their annual reporting. Each Global Platform is expected to identify at least three outcomes per year. An outcome is a change in the behaviour of one or more societal actors (an individual, group, community, organization, or institution) where Global Platform activities contributed.

REPORTS – BY JANUARY 31ST: The GP Reports app on Podio is used to report on all Global Platform activities of the year by January 31st of the following year as part of our annual reporting. The reports include quantitative data on the total number of people trained, young women trained, and people engaged in Youth Hub activities as well as a short narrative reflection on the activities completed, participants and partners, key results and outcomes, lessons learned and new opportunities, contributing to the ActionAid International strategic objectives and GP’s sustainability. Global Platform representatives are invited to fill in the Global Platform reports by engaging their Global Platform team and volunteers.

HOW TO JOIN PODIO GO TO PODIO.COM TO CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT. ASK THE GLOBAL PLATFORM SECRETARIAT TO BE ADDED TO THE PODIO WORKSPACE FOR THE GLOBAL PLATFORM PMEL GET A PODIO INDUCTION FROM THE GLOBAL PLATFORM SECRETARIAT OR OTHER GLOBAL PLATFORM COLLEAGUES. UPLOAD DATA ON GLOBAL PLATFORM ACTIVITIES ON PODIO APPS.

Global platforms framework

GP STARTUP TOOLKIT

GP startup toolkit

When starting a new Global Platform, there are three critical things to consider: Role and relevance: For a new Global Platform to find its own role and relevance when it comes to youth work and be very clear about what value the Global Platform adds to young people. The narrative of the Global Platforms relevance in relation to the strategic objective should guide the process of setting up a new Global Platform. Partnerships: To think beyond your own resources and to develop strong external partnerships will make the Global Platform more flexible and sustainable and create bigger impact. Core focus area: To think beyond spaces and buildings because everything is changing fast. Instead create a core focus area to lead the way. Should it be economic justice or refugees? This will make it possible to keep innovating the Global Platform – why not also have a bus/ container instead of only buildings, if this makes you more flexible? - Global Platform Kenya

The start-up toolkit provides several things to consider when starting a new Global Platform. It might not all be relevant for your specific context. Thus, this toolkit can be contextualised and used as an overall guide for you in your Global Platform start-up process.

GP startup toolkit

CONTEXT ANALYSIS As a starting point in your start-up process, reflections on your context can be a useful guide for you to identify the kind of Global Platform that you envision and your motivation behind starting a Global Platform.

PROBLEM What is the specific problem, which the Global Platform is trying to solve, and why is there a need for this to be solved? Who is affected by this problem and who are the young people you want to engage? What is the broader social context of the problem? Why are you thinking about solving it through a Global Platform?

Your notes

THEME What is the overall theme in focus and what is the initial idea, including the potential methods and principles you are planning to identify and test? What relevant information, research or knowledge do you have that will help you understand more about the theme and what aspects do you need to know more about? Who are some of the experts you would like to speak to, to find out more and are there any other organisations or projects that work with similar themes?

Your notes

GP startup toolkit

LOCATION Where will the Global Platform be located and what geographical area are you targeting? Are there any technological, logistical, or time-based constraints?

Your notes

We have learned to not always start from scratch, as building on other’s successes gives so much more. There are no communities that are poor when it comes to lived experiences, so good things come from understanding the context, learning the positive aspects of their practices and building the trust with the local community we are working with. - Global Platform Palestine

OUTCOMES Along with an analysis of the context and the problem the Global Platform is going to solve, it can be a good idea to reflect upon expected outcomes of opening a Global Platform. We encourage you to both work with short term outcomes with key actions as well as long term outcomes. This can assist you in making decisions in the start-up process.

SHORT TERM OUTCOMES Based on the above described problems, which outcomes within 1-2 years of the Global Platform do you expect to see? Which concrete actions do you expect will create these outcomes?

Your notes

SHORT TERM OUTCOMES What change do you wish to create by opening a Global Platform in the longer run? Think 5-10 years ahead – how will opening a Global Platform support young people in creating youth-led change?

INTRODUCING PROJECT GROUP

Your notes

GP startup toolkit

For a Global Platform to be able to grow and find its own space within the local context takes time, and you need to spend time to build this. - Global Platform El Salvador

We recommend that you set up a project group to ensure youth voice in your GP development process. This is a small group of young people, preferably a minimum of 6 people for a more dynamic environment and better brainstorming opportunities. It is important to have people in the room that are ‘in touch’ with the context you are exploring, based locally and motivated to work on the concept. Furthermore, it is very important to have young people represented in this group, and preferably young people involved in similar youth initiatives and some that can represent different perspectives. The rest of the group should be people with different competencies, e.g. programmatic staff, operation staff, partners etc.

STAKEHOLDERS

GP startup toolkit

AND PARTNERSHIPS Global Platforms concept is built on the belief that change cannot take place in isolation and by only one’s effort. To create sustained positive change, it is important to build on each other’s strength and minimize shortcomings that different stakeholders might have. It is essential to build partnerships in your start-up process to amplify the impact that this initiative aims to create. The partnerships might vary from scale to themes, some partnerships are held at global level by the Global Platforms Secretariat and some are held at a country level and some at regional level. The following are three main categories of partnerships that you might consider pursuing:

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS: The kind of partnerships that are based on strategic choices made by the platform. These partnerships have no funds involved, but are purely common missions, activities or others. Examples are partnerships that Global Platforms have had with UNICEF, The Fight Inequality Alliance, Global Compact on Youth engagement in Humanitarian action and Oxfam IBIS.

CO-CREATION PARTNERSHIPS: A two-way, open and dialectical process of interaction, collaboration and knowledge sharing between a Global Platform entity and other stakeholders, whereby the participating parties engage in a dialogue to jointly define and solve problems in a shared distributive environment. Examples are partnerships that Global Platforms have had with All Out, Restless Development and Turning Tables.

PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GLOBAL PLATFORM AS A SERVICE

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PROVIDER: Where the Global Platform purely solves an assignment for other civil society organisations, movements, private sector institutions, and government bodies. Examples are the tailor-made capacity support and consultancy services that Global Platforms offers. As part of your start-up process, we encourage you to map your expected and possible stakeholders and partners. This can be in the form of alliances, research institutions, civil society, local organisations, international organisations, youth-led organisations, social movements, decisions makers, public authorities, companies etc. The following table provides you with a template to brainstorm and analyse partnership opportunities

PARTNERS AND STAKE-

HOLDERS List possible partners and stakeholders. Describe opportunities for working together and benefiting from the partnership, how your idea could support or influence them and what your initiative can gain from collaborating with them? A)

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In our experience, it is important for a partnership to be mutual, that is based on mutual communication as well as agreement on what we want to do. It is also crucial to consider power relations. ActionAid is perceived as a big and powerful institution, so especially when working with youth-led organisations, which are still growing, there need to be a balance in terms of power. It is important for us to step back and give these organisations the opportunity to also lead in the different processes. - Global Platform Uganda

An area of development within the Global Platform Network is also in terms of inclusion and diversity and making it easier for young people with disabilities to join. When you start a new Global Platform, you should pay more attention to if the buildings are built in a way that are friendly for people with disabilities. We also need to think the needs of the different groups of youth into our funding and budgeting. - Global Platform Uganda

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GP SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY To think in terms of sustainability as a part of your start-up process is a good investment. Sustainability does not only refer to finances, but also in the wider perspective areas like human resources, buildings, already existing target group or partners, etc. You can also consider how being a part of the wider Global Platform Network can add value to your initiative.

GP ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY APPROACHES In order to have a Global Platform that has the best option of becoming financially sustainable, the Global Platform should focus on the following Economic Sustainability approaches:

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STRATEGIC FINANCIAL PLANNING: This element centres around creating a long-term plan for your Global Platform economy. Strategic planning is the mechanism to help clarify an organisation’s mission and objectives as well as prioritize the actions needed to accomplish them. For the Global Platforms, it means the ability to actively engage in the ActionAid Country Office’s planning activities to first and foremost meet the needs of ActionAid Country Office. Thereafter the activities and mission aside from ActionAid Country Office mission can be defined. For at Global Platform owned by a partner organisation and not an ActionAid Country Office, what is relevant strategic planning might vary.

DONOR DIVERSIFICATION: An important aspect of your strategy should be working with multiple donors, partners, and crowd. Depending on a single donor makes the Global Platform vulnerable. Thereby, ensuring to have different sources of income, the bigger chance there is for a long-term relevance for the Global Platform. Donor diversification as a concept is not only a learning about donors, it includes: Institutional Funding, Individual Donations, Building Partnerships, Crowd Sourcing, and Crowd Funding.

SOUND ADMINISTRATION OF FINANCE: Knowing how to manage resources wisely is essential. The Global Platform Manager/coordinator must have a clear idea of the economy of the Global Platform. It can be done by having a detailed overview of the costs at the Global Platform. The costs of trainings and the indirect costs are essential to make sure the Global Platform can create a surplus. To manage Global Platforms’ finances effectively and efficiently, a wise use of Global Platforms resources is needed. This can be done by adopting: Cost reduction, resource utilization and waste management committee, and finally by Green Bootstrapping.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Social entrepreneurship is about designing and creating an innovative social business that simultaneously serves social causes and generates income for your Global Platform. The goal is to reach sustainability by allowing non-profit projects to support themselves financially in innovative ways instead of depending only on donations. Global Platforms e.g. work as service-delivery for ActionAid Country Office trainings. This can also be tailormade trainings, where the Global Platform is delivering specific trainings for a partner or as a part of a joint project as well as other consultancies. The Global Platforms can also rent out their space for events, convenings, etc. or permanently rent Global Platform office space to other organisations. And finally, a Global Platform can act as Social Enterprise with options for creating smaller income generating projects within the Global Platform.

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GP START-UP BUDGETS A good way to ensure financial sustainability of your new Global Platform is to create a budget for the start-up process as well as a guiding budget for the first two to three years. Consider elements like: •

How will the Global Platform be financed?

•

What are the potential funding opportunities available for a Global Platform in your context?

•

Which expenses do you expect to have?

•

Will the Global Platform have the opportunity to gain income from selling services/products and how will you sell the services/products?

• Would potential partners be able to co-finance elements of your project?

A Global Platform needs to be sustainable in a broad sense. The location you pick should be affordable, have easy access and be a fun place so young people can engage more. A person dedicated to public relations such as communications and marketing can be a great asset as well. - Global Platform Bangladesh

Global GP startup platforms toolkitframework

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT Meaningful participation happens when young people are included in all stages of decision making and planning processes. When young people’s voices are included, the program becomes effective and can be adapted to the young people’s and contextual needs.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP Global Platforms are led by and should actively engage young people and their communities in Global Platform activities. Youth leadership, volunteering and engagement is thus at the core of the Global Platforms purpose as Global Platforms cannot function without young people volunteering their time. Whether young people at Global Platforms are called youth leaders, activists or volunteers, the essence is that they spend their time and efforts to work for changing their societies. There are different levels and ways to engage volunteers, and every Global Platform does it in their unique way according to their context. Some key areas are as participants in trainings, campaign activists, event organisers, youth researchers etc. It is essential to discover and develop the skills of the young people you engage.

If you give young people the space to innovate, to talk about issues and to come and cocreate knowledge, you will have more results and more impact, instead of you taking the lead. When you listen to them, when they address their own issues affecting them and come up with their own solutions, the impact will be more sustainable, and you will get a much more genuine engagement, participation and feedback. Otherwise, you will get no ownership from young people. - Global Platform Uganda

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VOLUNTEER PLAN / POLICY To ensure that young people are effectively involved in all aspects and roles (such as fundraising, youth hub activities, trainings etc.), all Global Platforms are encouraged to have a volunteer plan or policy in place. It is recommended that the following are incorporated into the plan: •

How will volunteers be matched with appropriate assignments?

•

How will the contributions of the volunteers be recognized?

•

How will the impact of volunteers be measured?

•

Which training and professional development opportunities will be provided for volunteers?

• How will paid staff be trained to work with volunteers?

You can never have too many volunteers. It is good if they have volunteered before, but the most important thing is that they are passionate about giving back to society. - Global Platform Ghana

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Global platforms framework

GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE A Global Platform can be organised in different ways. This depends on the scope and setup as well as the governance structure at the local ActionAid Country Office or partner organisation. As a part of your startup process, it is a good idea to describe the project and governance structure in details. This can be a help in recruitment processes as well as a management tool for the initiative.

Who will be in charge of the daily management of the Global Platform? Usually, this can be a Global Platform Manager/Coordinator. Your answer

If you are planning for trainings, who will be in charge of this? Usually, this will be a Learning and Impact Coordinator. Your answer

Global platforms framework

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Who will be in charge of the activities, you are planning for? This can be a Project Manager/Coordinator or a Youth Hub Coordinator. Your answer

Who will be in charge of volunteers? This can be a Volunteer Coordinator. Your answer

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Global platforms framework

Who will the person in charge of the daily management of the Global Platform refer to? This can be a manager at the local ActionAid Country Office or other collaborating partners Your answer

Other governance positions? Your answer

We make decisions in the team at our weekly Friday team meetings. We are currently planning to do a team reflection trip as well to build capacity within the team. We usually do this twice a year. Here we create space for every team member to share and to be closer to the team. - Global Platform Myanmar

Global platforms framework

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Global platforms framework

COMMUNICATION Communication is an essential part of the Global Platform. Already in the start-up phase, it is a good idea to make a communication plan with a timeline for your initiative. Consider things like: •

When and how will you reach out to potential stakeholders and partners?

•

How will you use communication to engage young people?

•

If you are planning to have a physical location, how will you communicate to the surroundings (neighbours, other NGOs, local businesses, institutions etc.) and what would you like them to know about your global platform?

•

Which means for external communication do you wish to use? Consider already existing communication channels, networks and forums, creating a website, social media platforms, WhatsApp, brochures, posters and stickers, videos etc.

•

Also remember, that being physically present, talking to people, inviting people for a tour of your platform and making (formal or informal) presentations of the Global Platform you are planning are great ways to communicate, to listen to ideas and concerns, to gain trust and to create relations.

A great learning for us has been to be very clear when we communicate the things we believe in, so collaborations are based on transparency and respect as well as clear roles and responsibilities. A good thing is also to keep feedback in the official channels to keep the communication clear. For us as both a local and international organisation it is crucial to be aware of political sensitivities and to provide respect for them and the principals of the local communities. This stresses the importance of transparency, as we have gained trust by being open about our agenda; by now people have realized that we mean it when we say that our interest as an organisation free from political parties is to provide more knowledge and information for the Palestinians. - Global Platform Palestine

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DARE TO DREAM We are happy to welcome you to the Global Platform network. We are looking forward to supporting you, learning from you and seeing your ideas and visions for your Global Platform grow and find ways to inspire and connect with young people. There is a dire need for more youth-led initiatives that can connect the many struggles to create change!

One of our greatest wishes right now is to provide a physical space which is vibrant and energetic, where young people from all communities can come and feel like they belong here - Global Platform Bangladesh

It is important to keep an eye on the priorities. The Global Platforms should make a tangible impact in young people’s lives. It doesn’t matter if a Global Platform is making a lot of money, if you are not also making direct impact on young people; motivating them to grow as leaders and supporting them to demand accountability and become good citizens. It is important that young people feel safe to share, create and lead in the Youth Hubs. - Global Platform Ghana

Global Platforms are safe havens for building youth movements. We are facilitators of social and political empowerment with youth as a strategic aim. We work to create equality between rich and poor, urban, and rural, men and women. Our work guides and unites young people both nationally and regionally, for instance through capacity building and in Youth Hubs - Global Platform Kenya

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A great wish is for the strong leaders in Central America in 20-30 years to tell that the type of leader they became was because of the existence of a space called a Global Platform, where they met other young people, was taught solidarity and where they challenged themselves; where they gained the attitude, self-esteem and knowledge on how to change reality for the better. - Global Platform El Salvador

I would like to see the Global Platform as the main incubator for young activists to start, nurture, and celebrate what they are doing. A place where you can feel safe and learn from your mistakes, from where strong, independent, and wise young leaders can grow. We have a lot of great ideas, but we need to create change from the ground and create a space, where really strong young leaders can lead the change. The Global Platform is the base where change should start.

- Global Platform Palestine

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DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE? Read more about the Global Platforms at the Global Platforms website: globalplatforms.org

Read the presentation Building collective power: An introduction to ActionAid Global Platforms (April 2020) at the Global Platforms website: globalplatforms.org/documents

See examples of youth-led changes made in the Global Platforms framework at the Global Platforms website: globalplatforms.org/stories

Read about how the Global Platform project works with learning and activism at the Global Platforms website: globalplatforms.org/what-we-do//how-wework

See the presentation of a vibrant Global Platform Youth Hub from Global Platform Zambia on Facebook: facebook.com/watch/?v=592301411191224

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ANNEX 1: GLOBAL PLATFORM SECRETARIAT FEE Global Platform Full Scale / Capacity Center Global Platform Definition

Global Platform Youth Hub

• Spaces for participatory and action-oriented learning, based on Global Platform learning principles and approach.

• Spaces for creative activism and organising for social justice to facilitate interaction and meetings between young people to share, discuss and take action.

• Spaces for connecting people, organisations and movements and facilitate linkages and network in between youth and support youth-led activities to be broadened and expanded.

• Spaces for connecting people, organisations and movements and facilitate linkages and network in between youth and support youth-led activities to be broadened and expanded. Ownership

ActionAid countries, International NGO’s, local partner organisations, ActionAid Denmark.

ActionAid countries, local partner organisations, Activista, social movements, young individuals / former Global Platform participants, Global Platforms that establish satellite units at country or governate level.

Facilities, capacity, and set-up

• Physical places providing facilities and accommodation to host training participants and guests for longer training and capacity development activities.

• Already available physical places such as existing office space, rooms / buildings made available by as part of public service to youth, or less permanent structures such as containers, busses, or vans. The main function is to provide a space for young people to meet, interact, learn and take action together. • Capacity to host smaller activities as well as events and step-down trainings in an enabling, youthfriendly environment where youth-

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youth-led activities to be broadened and expanded. Ownership

ActionAid countries, International NGO’s, local partner organisations, ActionAid Denmark.

Facilities, capacity, and set-up

• Physical places providing facilities and accommodation to host training participants and guests for longer training and capacity development activities.

• Full capacity to do training, coaching and curriculum development, and mechanisms for training quality assurance. • A place for young people to meet, share, take action, and lead activities and where networking and community initiatives are formed and facilitated for. • Often with a few permanent staff such as Global Platform Manager, a Learning and Impact Coordinator and trainers.

Main activities

• Training and capacity support based on Global Platform Learning Principles, participatory methods, and creative activism. • Youth-led activities (debates, clubs, gatherings, events).

• Not necessarily managed by permanent staff. Can be run on a voluntary base by young people themselves or a coordinator holding main responsibility to link with other ActionAid staff and projects. • Youth-led activities (debates, clubs, gatherings, events). • Activities, events, and access to different communities connecting and facilitating young people to meet, share and network across boundaries and among peers.

• Activities, events, and access to different communities connecting and facilitating young people to meet, share and network across boundaries and among peers. Reporting

Full quarterly reporting in Podio and outcome harvesting – as per project requirements. Reporting on change stories as relevant.

Quarterly reporting on activities in Podio, outcome harvesting and change stories as relevant.

Yearly fee

EUR 15.000 (Global Platform Secretariat fee). • Strategic and operational support – including crosscutting fundraising in the Global Platform network.

EUR 7.000 Global Platform Secretariat fee.1 • Facilitation of and access to Global Platform network and available advisory team of staff in the Global Platform Secretariat and Youth Organising and Activism team.

Services and support provided by AADK

• Access to apply for Innovation Funds in ActionAid Denmark.

GP startup toolkit • Technical support on the daily operations and facilitation of a

connecting and facilitating young people to meet, share and network across boundaries and among peers. Reporting

Full quarterly reporting in Podio and outcome harvesting – as per project requirements. Reporting on change stories as relevant.

Quarterly reporting on activities in Podio, outcome harvesting and change stories as relevant.

Yearly fee

EUR 15.000 (Global Platform Secretariat fee). • Strategic and operational support – including crosscutting fundraising in the Global Platform network.

Services and support provided by AADK

• Access to apply for Innovation Funds in ActionAid Denmark. • Training development and quality support. • Support on DANIDA SPA reporting (only for some ActionAid countries).

• Technical support on the daily operations and facilitation of a youth-led space • Participation in annual Global Platform forum.

• Access to a minimum of two annual • Accreditation and certification capacity support activitiesof and This fee can be negotiable in the up-start phase and depending on size and economy the project, to ensure solid of trainers in the Global Platform thematic trainings. Training Principles and Learning Framework. • Communication support – Global Platform webpage and Podio. • Access to Global Platform network and available advisory • Monitoring and Evaluation support team of staff in the Global – including support on Podio Platform Secretariat and Youth systems for data collection. Organising and Activism Team. • Access to organising and • Technical support on the daily innovation support as applicable. operations and facilitation of a youth-led space • Participation in annual Global Platform forum. • Access to a minimum of two annual capacity support activities and thematic trainings. • Communication support – Global Platform webpage and Podio. • Monitoring and Evaluation support – including support on Podio systems for data collection.

1 This fee can be negotiable in the up-start phase and depending on size and economy of the project, to ensure solidarity and • Access to organizing and not being a hindrance for new Global Platforms.

innovation support as applicable.

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• Technical support on the daily operations and facilitation of a youth-led space

innovation support as applicable.

• Participation in annual Global Platform forum. • Access to a minimum of two annual capacity support activities and thematic trainings. • Communication support – Global Platform webpage and Podio. • Monitoring and Evaluation support – including support on Podio systems for data collection. • Access to organizing and innovation support as applicable.

GLOBAL PLATFORMS ARE YOUTH-LED SPACES FOR BUILDING COLLECTIVE POWER. Through capacity development and support to youth-led initiatives, we seek to inspire young people to organise and act on social injustice and to connect people, organisations, and movements all over the world.

In our experiences, it is important to not talk too much – just put things into action. - Global Platform Ghana

CONTACT@GLOBALPLATFORMS.ORG

INSTAGRAM: GLOBALPLATFORMS

WWW.GLOBALPLATFORMS.ORG

TWITTER: PLATFORMSGLOBAL

YOUTUBE: GLOBAL PLATFORMS

FACEBOOK: GLOBALPLATFORMS.ORG

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