NIMD | From parties for parties Jerome Scheltens Programme manager NIMDs approach to Democracy Education

On NIMD: NIMD was founded in The Netherlands in 2000 by then all Political Parties in Parliament Aim = Supporting democracy by strengthening political parties by working directly with political parties Via Interparty Dialogue, custom bilateral party support, peer- to-peer exchanges, policy process support, democracy schools Currently working in 25 countries: 11 in Africa; 6 in Latin America; 2 in Europe; 2 in Asia; 4 in North Africa & Middle East Thematic regional/global projects Principles: Impartiality Inclusiveness Equality Ownership Partnership Flexibility & context specificity Long-term commitment

NIMD & partners in Democracy Education: Democracy Education: Instrument in wider democracy strengthening strategy to enhance democratic culture How? NIMD providing framework and experience: Democracy Schools Partners help to design curriculum and adapt to local context Where? Democracy education in 7 country programmes: With community focus: Burundi, Mozambique, Egypt, Georgia, Indonesia With political party focus: Burundi, Tunisia, Guatemala, Malawi, Egypt (pilot)

Different audience, different approach: Distinctive for Civil Education: Participants form civil society at large Works with local political activists, grassroots campaigners, social entrepreneurs Introduces key principles of political public engagement Introduces practical knowledge for political engagement and technics for political participation Skills and confidence builder for wide political engagement and monitoring Citizens & community leaders Democracy Education Politicians Distinctive for Political Education: Participants from key political parties Works with established political figures & national civil society leaders Addresses key issues of national policy development. Experience of participants becomes key learning resource Trust builder that can lead to opportunities to bring together opposing political leaders

Characteristics of NIMDs approach to democracy education Knowledge, Skills, Values; theory (applied during) & practice (in and outside class, parallel to and after School) Not Political Studies, but a Political MBA Approach depends on audience/target group and country context; political, geographical Local development of curricula;

Characteristics of NIMDs approach to democracy education Long term School/Education more sustainable then a training; deeper knowledge & experience + cross-party interpersonal relations Involvement of alumni key in sustaining the process. Community of alumni = an objective in itself Schools are multiparty and multi stakeholder platforms for safe cross party exchange / interparty dialogue Schools as implicit think tanks (Georgia local councils)

Elements Objective & context: - strategy, political manoeuvre space & geography Selection considerations: - profile criteria & process Attendance & Commitment, tricks for engagement: - pre, during, -post Mentor/managers & Teachers/trainers - different roles - local were possible, external where needed (Guest) speakers - whos interest? -> not too many foreign politicians please

Elements (2) Location - Action or Isolation? Frequency - Frequency: period of the w/m/y -> homework -> location Learning methodology Variety in forms Balance supply & demand Interactive & instructional Theory & practice Peer to peer focus: adult learning styles and methodology: BUT WE WANT GROUP WORK

Elements (3) Exchange visits & Trips - where is the value, what are the disadvantages Curriculum - Do democratic skills exist? or only democracy values & knowledge next to political skills bound by democratic borders? - be conscious of over moralizing, 90% of activities within western democracies is political too - Which political skills might we not want to teach them?

Design Programme design consideration for Donors: - Political programming and education require flexibility and long term investment/ commitment The ToT-trap (or cascade roll out) - T for Transfer, not for Topic: plan as reverse pyramid Implementing partner identification (e.g. wider frame of activities) - Neutral facilitator (crisis mitigation) -> Diplomatic -> political mover -> advocate -> activist No short term impact measurement or causalities as indicators for PM&E or Intervention Logframes

Objective & context: discussion Pre-political civil society participants or Current politicians / party agents: agents of change or changing the agents? (HR / activism) (Politics / Diplomacy)

Objective & context: discussion Top-down or Bottom-up: (Trickle-down or Mass-base) National level to achieve system change or Community levels to seek direct impact on citizens daily lives (in terms of efficiency, not principle)

Tunisian School of Politics Year-long monthly weekend school aimed at increasing skills and knowledge on democratic practises (values). Run by Tunisian ngo CEMI (EU funded INSPIRED-partner) with financial and strategic support of international partners NIMD & DEMO Finland (EPD-members) and BSoP (CoE- School), and with funding from CoE (…EU) What?

Tunisian School of Politics (TSoP) Programme developed just after the Arab Spring in 2011, schools 2 classes started in 2012, 3 now Offer to party leadership to send their promising youth members. School makes final selection based on criteria. - Recently established multiparty system. Politicians lack democratic experience. - Grooming new leaders - Enforcing youth voice within all political parties First group graduated in July 2012, of which 20 ANC- members + other high level Far larger demand than places available TSoP is now political and diplomatic player When? Who? Why? Results?

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