A new approach to leadership

When the youth council was first established, it consisted of 90 overall members, 9 of them in the administrative board; seven males and two females. But after finishing the first administrative round, there was an urgent need to increase the number of female members. New members were elected and the council grew to 130 members; 11 of them between 14 and 27 years old; seven of them were males and four of them were females. Age was no barrier for counsellors. In fact by increasing the age limits to 27 enabled the members to more fully grasp the challenges of local governance.

 “You must be the change you wish to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi

Nine confident and courageous youth council members of Tura took the reins of power from the Village Council, under the supervision of the Ministry of Local Government and in supportive cooperation and assistance of World Vision.

Local governance, represented by the Minister of Local Government, Mr. Saed Kawni welcomed the initiative and worked to bring youth involvement in policy to the forefront to engage and invest in them for a better and brighter future, ensuring that their actions bring positive change.

In order to build their capacities and skills, the youth council studied how the system works and the local government provided a trainer to give them an orientation and facilitate their time at the helm. The members of the youth council were exposed to administrative matters, budget expenditures and funding allocations for youth programs in addition to other tasks.

“[Youth council members] acquired three core strengths. They were equipped with capacity, knowledge, leadership and action skills, as well as motivation, where they possessed the understanding and awareness of issues and root causes… ” said Latifeh Qabaha, the trainer from LG.

“[The youth] possess an awareness and motivation about the need for positive change in their world that is based on knowledge,” said Tareq Qabaha, the head of Tura village Council. “They are now resourceful, connected and experienced. They know how to access and navigate their ways through different settings and institutions to find and create opportunities to be engaged in purposeful collective action that can lead to positive social change or improvements in conditions for themselves and others,” he added.

The relationship between the village council and the youth council is described as an integrated and cooperative; where both bodies participate in all activities designed and carried out by each one of them.

 The youth council has conducted several activities after being targeted by WV WJ ADP in capacity building activities that included communication and leadership skills through the Education for Employment training, along to a Civil defense training as local volunteers in the emergency centers established by WV, in addition to supporting the youth sport club with tools. The activities that WV carried out with the Youth Council developed their skills and self-confidence, the thing that motivated the village council to support and endorse their initiative in handling the village council role.

 They have arranged educational and cultural activities; including a photography and media production courses. The training culminated in the production of a short film about Tura.

 Additionally, charitable activities took place as part of a campaign called “Warm Winter” in partnership with WV WJ ADP where the youth council also distributed blankets to the elderly people. In addition to these activities, the youths have come up with other voluntary activities, such as cleaning the sidewalks and streets of the village on a regular basis.  

 The current youth council chairman, 23-year-old Sameh Qabah, said “It was a significant experience in our lives that refined our leadership skills, where we practiced good governance as active citizens in terms of serving our society and being responsible of them. Those two weeks finished, but their affect will stay inside me for a lifetime. We all became more attentive to the needs of our society when we were in a position of putting ourselves in the shoes of an official body…It’s really interesting being able to see how the council works from inside,” he added.

WV WJ ADP Manager; Mr. Ashraf Isayed introducing Alex Snary, ND of WV JWG to the YC chairman; Mr. Sameh Qabha.

Despite the very short period of leadership, several goals were achieved, such as conducting an economic feasibility study regarding the rehabilitation of a park inside the village. This project was the fruit of the youth council’s time in office. World Vision contributed $5,000 to make this idea a reality. Additionally, the youth led the replacement of garbage bins inside the village.

In his remarks, Mr. Alex Snary, National Director of World Vision in Jerusalem, West-Bank and Gaza (JWG) addressed the youth council members by saying: “This generation of young Palestinians will shake the status quo, for they are the hope of the Palestinian people. They know what they want and they understand what good governance is.”

“This particular project is very strategic and such an exciting experience,” Snary continued. “World Vision is compelled to invest in the young people of this generation, helping to equip them, giving them the skills and experience they need. World Vision cannot create change [but] we can support change. It takes committed people to actually make change,” Snary continued.

From left to right: ND of WV JWG; Mr. Alex Snary, Current head of Village Council; Mr. Qabha, Local Governor of Jenin governorate; Mr. Raed Mukbil, Chairman of YC; Mr. Sameh Qabha, and WV WJ ADP Manager; Mr. Ashraf Isayed.

Genuine Engagement

This expertise provided a common language and an example for other youth their age and armed them with hope to follow their footsteps. It also signals a fundamental shift in how decisions are made. Young people too often are excluded from the decision-making process, even on the issues that most concern them. Informed by rigorous research, practical experience and being equipped with the needed tools, the youth council forges innovative ideas, strategies and partnerships to strengthen solutions for young people, such as rehabilitating the villages’ park for the younger children.

The Involvement of young people in the public policy arena in particular was a rich experience that affected them on different levels; psychologically, socially and personally. The youth council stressed the positive points they have felt like the community’s acceptance and support while practicing their role and their involvement in decision making at local and national levels. Their practice of good citizenship and good governance made them responsible towards the local community and made them recognise the work of local bodies and the obligations they have.

The biggest challenge the youth council faced was the lack of time. All recommendations urged the initiatives to be replicated.

“My participation as a member of the village council impacted my professional life,” said Aws Qabaha, a 27 year old member of the YC. “I became more capable of taking responsibilities and participated as a decision maker on important resolutions. This experience empowered me and strengthened my character,” he added.

“It was a confronting challenge for a girl to participate in the youth council and take a leading role as a decision maker,” said Fatimeh Qabha, a 22 year old member of the YC. “I wished our sovereign period took a longer time than two weeks; I figured out my abilities and would love to repeat this experience again,” she added.

Fatmeh Qabha, a member of the YC

This experience was such a success that many nearby village councils have asked to replicate the same model in their villages and share the experience that Tura village was lucky to go through.