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Teen Media
Albert Einstein
The average age in sub-Saharan Africa is 18, and roughly 60% of the population is under 25. These statistics represent a powerful workforce for the next several decades. Similarly, the “demographic dividend” suggests a pool of future leaders, from local communities to national level and even regionally. However, Africa’s youth (see Kingsley Article) are disproportionately affected by unemployment and poverty. It’s worse for our girls. We cannot afford to exclude them from decision-making processes on issues that affect them — especially when they can expect to bear the consequences of our decisions for the rest of their lives.
For true democracy and the AU project to work, all of us need easy reliable access to independent, diverse sources of news and information.AU Watch Programmes for young people is supporting thousands of young people, training them in multimedia journalism so they can tell their own stories and those of their communities. As well as giving young people practical tools, our programmes convert their talents and passions into confidence and skills to progress in further education, employment and give a voice to the communities they live in.
AU Watch is developing in each of its chapters a Young Persons Media Unit, to convey (as anchors, correspondents and analysts) information and news about AU Watch and its activities. The special role of children’s Radio and TV should not be underestimated. AU Watch chapters shall have a program called AU Watch ‘Teen Media’ for children aged between 12 – 17 years of age. Children have a way of conveying information that adults do not have. In this project, we also will take schools to Sessions of the Commission, and Court. Working with the host local and national radio and TV, AU Radio and TV, they will report about their experiences in the meeting and wire their analysis back home, mainly tailored for the teen audiences. Each Chapter organizes with their own local, national or Public Broadcaster a (bi) weekly slot for AU Watch Teen Programs on the AU – called ‘Know the AU’. For this particular project, AU Watch will have teens discussing, critiquing, analyzing the relationshiptheir country has with the AU, and of course encouraging their government to sign, ratify and domesticate all the AU’s human rights instruments. It will be live streamed, including using Cloud streaming services.
As a charity, we work in partnership with the media and creative industry to give marginalised groups a stronger voice. We do this by promoting capacity building for charities and skills-based volunteering by the media and creative sector, empowering young people from diverse backgrounds to work in the industry, and facilitating constructive multi-stakeholder dialogue and collaboration. By bridging the gap between the media and creative industry and charities and under-represented communities we are contributing to a more responsible, representative and connected media sector and ultimately, a more socially cohesive Britain.
AU Watch is supporting traditional media, community radio stations and bloggers in 18 African countries. Our activities focus on strengthening high-quality, independent media and the sustainable development of training frameworks for young people and media professionals. On the political level, we counsel government agencies and NGOs. Our goal is to boost media capacity, particularly among young people, since this is a prerequisite for the emergence of a knowledge-based society on the continent.
Our Approach
We support the development of independent, transparent media systems, quality journalism and media expertise. We help build media professionalism in our young people as institutions capable of holding our policy chiefs to account.
We respect the cultural identity of our communities and work closely with schools and our states in designing our projects. It is important for us that these projects are always practice-oriented, interactive and innovative.
We have an extensive range of skills to call on – directors, camera & sound crew, editors, graphic designers, web programmers, composers and illustrators. We also have strong contacts all across Africa in particularly in human rights, media, education and development. Our partners and clients include the AU, AUMS, and dozens of regional and international organizations.
Education for the Youths of Africa
AU Watch Media, Education and Outreach Services helps to publicize the work of the AU by advertising AU curricula and teaching materials for schools (junior and senior), colleges and universities. It works with the AU Watch chapters to ensure that the activities of the AU are effectively publicized. Such publicity shall involve, for example and where appropriate, organizing interviews with leading AU personalities that will visit the country, seminars, yearly schools athletics, football and other sports competition, press conferences / briefings, schools / colleges debating competitions, moot court competitions for schools and colleges, spelling competitions for junior and senior schools and radio and TV debates on all AU matters.
You want to know more how your child or school can participate in our programmes? Please get in touch.