Dili, 18 June 2018: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Well Told Story strategic communications group will facilitate a series of workshops in Dili this week, working directly with youth to identify opportunities to mobilise and empower their peers across the country using effective communication tools and approaches.

Representatives from the Kenya-based double International Emmy Award-winning organisation will meet youth from Timor-Leste’s 12 municipalities as well as Government, media, community radio, youth council and university representatives to discuss approaches to transformative storytelling, developing relevant communications channels and using data effectively.

Youth participants can sign up for advisory sessions during the workshops held at the Knua Juventude Fila-Liman youth entrepreneurship and innovation hub, providing them with a unique opportunity to receive expert advice on connecting with different audiences and creating effective national and local campaigns that have the potential to mobilise and empower people.

Through the established interactive multi-media platform “Shujaaz” launched in 2009, the Well Told Story group has been able to influence the national youth discourse and drive behaviour change in Kenya and Tanzania, including inspiring youth with income generation and entrepreneurship ideas.

UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Roy Trivedy said: “A key recommendation of the Timor-Leste National Human Development Report 2018 is to enable job-seekers to use and develop their skills and create opportunities for more youth to become entrepreneurs.

“Outlets such as magazines, television, radio and social media can all be explored as entrepreneurial opportunities and offer employment options in Timor-Leste. The aim is to remedy youth deprivation by fostering creativity, participation, and self-management.

“This collaboration presents an ideal opportunity to explore approaches to empower youth in Timor-Leste to use their voices to expand livelihood options. The experience of Well Told Story shows how it is possible for youth to mobilise and communicate with each other using a ‘for youth, by youth’ platform.”

The Well Told Story group will also brief ambassadors, civil society representatives, partners from the private sector, and UN representatives to share innovative approaches to strategically engage and promote the voices of youth.

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UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in nearly 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

For more information please contact: media.tl@undp.org