Youth Participation in Local Governance is a UNDP project of support implemented by the Higher Council for Youth (HCY) in partnership with UN Volunteers (UNV). The objective of this project is to increase youth political participation and civic engagement in local governance through multiple phases that will address lack of inclusive youth access to participation using an online portal and game on local governance.

Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT), who will be responsible for the game and portal development, has requested that UNDP and other partners assist in the development of a ‘storyboard’, which will serve as the stepping stone to the launch of the game and portal.

The project’s technical committee which includes UNDP, The Higher Council of Youth, UNV, PSUT, and the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, organized and held a Youth Innovation Camp from 12 - 15 September 2012 in Aqaba. 45 participants were selected from a wide pool of university student councils, political parties, animation students and youth activists. For UNDP, this project represents a first example of engaging youth in the planning and design of project outputs.

The camp introduced local governance and local development planning in their theoretical form but also concentrated on organizing segments that will enrich the storyboard of the game. Participants were divided in to groups of hypothetical municipalities and were requested to develop a campaign, agenda and to attract voters for a hypothetical municipal electoral process. Moreover, the camp’s agenda included an engaging discussion on the use of social media for political and social participation, as well as social accountability. Organizers concluded the first phase of the project with a brainstorming session on governance games and idea submissions.

To access the project’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/youthparticipationjo