African Young Educators Network (AYEN)

Cooperation Projects

African Young Educators Network (AYEN)

Regional Project: Africa Implementing Countries: Zambia; Botswana; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Ivory Coast; Zimbabwe; Egypt; Ethiopia; Cape Verde; Angola; Morocco; Cameroon; Madagascar; Togo; Burkina Faso; Congo; Tunisia; Guinea; Gambia; Palestine; Ghana; Mauritius; Kenya; Kuwait; Lebanon; Lesotho; Namibia; South Africa; South Sudan; Liberia; Nigeria; Mozambique; Malawi; Sierra Leone; Sao Tome and Principe; Guinea-Bissau; Somalia; Swaziland; Senegal; Gabon; Chad; Rwanda; Djibouti; Burundi; Algeria; Mali; Benin; Mauritania; Niger; Central African Republic; Tanzania; Eritrea; Uganda

Description

The Africa Young Educators Network (AYEN) was launched on 23rd September 2021 during a virtual webinar attended by 40 young male and female educators aged 35 years and below. It is designed as a multi-level net work with sub-regional networks feeding into a regional structure, enabling young educators across Africa to engage, learn, and collaborate. AYEN was created in response to multiple Education International (EI) resolutions - 7th EI congress (2015), EI Regional Conference (2018), and 8th EI congress (2019) - all calling for stronger youth inclusion, union renewal and improved representation of young educators in union leadership and activities.

Objectives

Mobilise young educators into a formidable force of SDG4 advocates, accelerating progress towards quality education for all.
Support the renewal and revitalisation of education unions, making them stronger, more representation and more effective.
Strengthen peer networking among young educator-unionists within EI member organisations across the region.
Help unions recruit, organise and mobilise more young educators inorder to imorove their rights and participation.

Activities

Research and Knowledge Development; Research on barriers to young peoples' participation in union structures.

Leadership Development; Online and in-person leadership training workshops focused on empowering young unionists.

Visibility and Story telling; Production of documentaries highlighting young educators' involvement in union activities.

Networking and Exchange Forums; Hosting AYEN member forums during EI Africa (EIRAF) events.

Knowledge Sharing and Strategy Development; Annual AYEN information-sharing and strategy-development meetings.

Digital Community Building; Setting up Whatsapp groups and online newsletters for young members.

Outcomes

Stronger education unions; Young educators gain leadership skills and participate actively, helping unions become more representative and sustainable.
Enhanced youth leadership capacity;Through training and mentorship , young teachers are better equipped to lead , advocate and engage in union activities.
Increased youth participation in decision-making; More young educators tske on roles in their unions, imptoving the relevance of the union agendas.
Contribution of Quality Education (SDG4); A mobilised, empowered youth network contributes to advocacy for free, quality and inclusive public education in Africa.
Improved Cross-Country collaboration; Sub-regional and regional networks strengthen solidarity and coordination among young educators.
Motivation and Long-term Engagement; Ongoing interactions through digital platforms effectively sustains participant involvement well after the conclusion of in-person events.