Capacity Building Workshops

Thursday 17th October 9:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM BST / 6:00 PM CEST / 9:30 PM IST

Friday 18th October 10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM BST / 7:00 PM CEST / 10:30 PM IST

Shane O'Connor
GoldenRuleism Ambassador | Adjunct Professor @ the Centre for Health and Wellbeing at IE University, Madrid, Ireland and Spain

Shane is a proud father of 3 little girls and partner, based in Madrid with his family but still connected very much to his roots in Ireland. He is an enthusiastic GoldenRuleism Ambassador, and an Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Health and Wellbeing at IE University, Madrid, Spain.

Shane has worked internationally as a facilitator, trainer, and educator in a wide range of areas from Health and Well-Being, Peace and Global Education, Youth Work for professionals to Teacher training workshops. He has over two decades of experience working for local peace and human rights organisations, as well as larger International NGOs and educational institutions in the Global North and South. Over the past number of years, Shane has developed & led the CIT (Compassionate Integrity Training) Global Education Network. He has also nurtured CITs strategic partnership with UNESCO/MGIEP. Shane worked with the Charter for Compassion Team as Education Lead in 2022 to continue co-creating and expanding compassion throughout the education community around the world.

As well as facilitating in several different areas of Health, Well-Being and Happiness, Shane is also an Advanced Breathwork Instructor, Yoga Instructor, Wild Fitness Instructor, and qualified Personal Trainer. He loves everything to do with using nature as an educator and exploring ancestral indigenous wisdom and is Co-Founder of Indigenous Ireland.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism, OCN Qualifications in Youth Work and Post Graduate Certificates in Development Education and Mediation from DCU and UCD.

 

Session Title
GoldenRuleism Session: When Sustainability and Well-Being Merge

 

Session Description
Join us or a transformative experience combining guided breathing/meditation practice with insights on sustainability, and discover how eco & human sustainability and holistic well-being can enhance our longevity. 

In this session, we will collectively explore the importance of Geo-Centric and Human-Centric Sustainability and how GoldenRuleism speaks to this. We will look at its impact on Wellbeing. As well as interesting facts and practices stemming from Indigenous perspectives and communities, like Indigenous breathing techniques and ways of looking at our world.  

 

Janith Perera
Director of Capacity Building @ 'Citizens' Youth-Led Movement, United Kingdom

Janith Prabashwara Perera is a nationally and internationally acclaimed Sri Lankan Youth Peace Advocate, Activist, Educator and Researcher who holds an MA in Education (Distinction) from the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom and a BA (Hons) in Conflict Resolution and Peace (International Relations) from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. At both universities, Janith was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Medal. 

Since 2013, Janith has been in the field of youth work, volunteerism and peacebuilding working in several youth-led and inter-governmental organisations serving in various capacities from volunteer member to director. He has spearheaded several projects focusing on multiple Sustainable Development Goals and youth empowerment. In 2019, Janith was selected for the UN-hosted National-level Youth Peace Panel of Sri Lanka and was appointed an Advocacy Team Lead. Since 2018, Janith has been part of the Citizens Youth-led movement working as its director of capacity-building. In 2021, Janith was inducted as a British Council and Muslim Aid 'Active Citizen' and co-led an initiative to disperse 5000 seed balls for climate action. Janith is also a youth ambassador of Sri Lanka to several international organisations which includes World Institute for Peace, Nigeria and Global Peace Let's Talk, United Kingdom. Janith was one of the two Sri Lankan researchers in the EU-funded research and advocacy project 'Amplifying Leadership of Local Youth' (ALLY) in Peacebuilding and Preventing Violent Extremism in South Asia. Currently, Janith works as a Lecturer at the London School of Management Education, an independent higher education provider in London, UK. 

Janith has won several national and international awards including the National Youth SDG Action Award, 2021 and the 2021 Diana Award. He has been conferred honorary titles such as 'Youth Animator of Peace' by HWPL, South Korea; 'Paragon of Hope for Asia' by Tony-Kishwer Peace Foundation, Canada & USA; and 'Laureate of Peace' by World Institute of Peace, Nigeria. He was also among the finalists of the Youth Carnegie Peace Prize 2021 hosted by the Peace Palace (International Court of Justice).

Facebook | Instagram

 

Session Title
Empowering Youth to be Catalysts of Change through Nonviolent Communication and Servant Leadership

 

Session Description
Empowering youth with skills in nonviolent communication and servant leadership to become effective, compassionate leaders and advocates for social change.

Young people around the world are emerging as crucial agents of societal transformation. By harnessing their creativity and innovation, they transcend socio-political boundaries, advocate for social justice, and engage in positive activism. This contemporary perspective stands in contrast to the traditional narrative that often depicts youth mainly as perpetrators or victims of violence. Instead, this new narrative highlights young people as catalysts for change—a view that has gained recognition through the Youth, Peace, and Security agenda of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). For young people to be effective changemakers they should possess the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that can help them to be effective leaders and messengers of peace and development. In this regard, knowledge and skills in nonviolent communication and servant leadership would be valuable. 

Nonviolent communication is a communication framework influenced and popularised by Marshall Rosenberg. It emphasises empathy, active listening, and compassionate expression to foster understanding and resolve tensions peacefully. This communication approach encourages youth to connect with others in a way that promotes mutual respect and cooperation, rather than resorting to judgment or aggression. The Gandhian Approach to nonviolent communication focuses on a way of life emphasising the inherent worth and dignity of all life, advocating living without harm and with a commitment to truth and focused on human interconnectedness and deeper engagement in relationships, fostering mutual understanding and emotional bridge-building. A basic understanding on nonviolent communication and how it can further aims of youth advocacy and activism can be very beneficial for youth, ensuring that they win their demands nonviolently without resorting to violence. 

Similarly important is the style of leadership known as servant leadership, a term coined by Robert K. Greenleaf. Servant Leadership is a unique style and perspective of leadership in which a leader wants to serve first and then lead with passion toward service. Although the two words servant and leader and paradoxical, as Martin Luther King Jr. said ‘he who is greatest among you shall be a servant’. This new definition of greatness in a leader can be profoundly found in the concept of servant leadership, where leaders put the well-being and welfare of those whom they serve before themselves. By empowering youth to be servant leaders, youth can be change agents who put service before themselves to serve the betterment for their community. 

In this session, youth will be introduced to these two important concepts and through cultivating a synergy of these two concepts become leaders that can make a meaningful difference to the world.

 

Zainab Bokhari
Project Manager and Facilitator @ Crossing Borders Education, Pakistan

Zainab, a Project Manager and Facilitator at Crossing Borders Education, leads Global Youth Engagement Initiatives, fostering intercultural dialogues across regions such as Brazil, the EU, Morocco, Pakistan, the UK, and the USA. Passionate about connecting cultures through conversations, Zainab is committed to uplifting youth and creating safe, inclusive spaces.

Session Title
Building Character Strengths Through a Podcast Circle

 

Session Description
Most of us feel deeply concerned about the pressing global issues of our time and feel the need to communicate better, also across borders. Many of us listen to podcasts aligned with our values. And yet, many of us can feel isolated in our care and are longing for meaningful social connections and a desire for (more) collective actions. To meet this challenge we are facilitating a special podcast circle to deeply connect with caring people.

Join our small group dialogues to practice empathic dialogue and community building skills. We will connect around inspiring media content, drawn from the podcast series entitled The Science of Happiness. Central character strength in this session will be 'curiosity'.

We facilitate these online sessions in break out  groups of 3-4 participants in order to experience the depth, vulnerability, and courage necessary to nurture empathic dialogues across differences. All of our sessions are structured around dialogue agreements to create a safe environment for discussion.

The intended outcomes for our participants are:

• an experience of meaningful peer connections
• an open space for uplifting dialogue around pressing issues

 

Aris Hines
Youth Mobilization Manager @ One Love Foundation, United States

Aris Hines (He/Him) is an Educator, Artist, and Activist with a nine-year background in community and youth development. A graduate of George Washington University, Aris holds degrees in Theatre Arts, Film & Media, Women’s Studies, and International Education. His work as a Theatre Teaching Artist, Peace Corps Volunteer, AmeriCorp Volunteer, and TEFL/TESL instructor has focused on empowering youth, children, and families from underrepresented communities. Aris is currently an Ed.D. candidate at the University of Pittsburgh and adjunct faculty in GW’s School of Business, where he continues to train and inspire the next generation of global youth leaders.

Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter 

 

Session Title
Together We Thrive: Building Community for Collective Action

 

Session Description
Explore collective youth leadership to combat loneliness, empower advocacy, and create inclusive communities through compassionate action.

 

Together We Thrive: Building Community for Collective Action invites you to tap into the power of Positive Youth Development (PYD) and rethink what leadership can look like in today’s world. Say goodbye to old-school, top-down leadership models and hello to a fresh, inclusive approach that brings us together. This session is all about creating strong, connected communities that can tackle the loneliness so many young people face today. In this interactive workshop, you’ll jump into activities that challenge the way you think about leadership. We’ll kick things off with a quick dive into decolonized leadership - what it is, why it matters, and how we can move from “me” to “we.” Then, it’s your turn to lead! You’ll participate in a fun, hands-on simulation that lets you try out different leadership styles and see firsthand how compassionate, collective action can make a real difference. Next, we’ll come together for a lively group discussion, where you can share your thoughts and hear from others about the ups and downs of making traditional leadership models work in diverse settings. Finally, we’ll put our heads together in a creative brainstorming session to dream up actionable strategies for bringing compassionate leadership to life in your own community. By the end of this session, you’ll not only understand how PYD and collective leadership can drive meaningful change, but you’ll also walk away with concrete ideas and a plan to make it happen where you live.

 

Shirin Ganji
Founder and Chairperson of Global Intersections, Canada

Shirin Ganji holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto as a Specialist in World Religions and a Major in Philosophy. She is the Founder and Chairperson of Global Intersections which seeks to transform spaces into inclusive hubs that fosters community through education, dialogue, and collaboration. In addition, Shirin is the North American Regional Coordinator for the multi-region cooperation circle: Ecopeace Teen Cafe.

She co-founded the Undergraduate Religious Studies Student Association and served as a Multi-Faith Intern at the University of Toronto. Shirin was the Co-chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Group with the Town of Newmarket, is a URI Global Youth, and a Scholarship recipient of the 2015 North American Interfaith Network. An advocate, facilitator, and passionate about intercultural understanding she has conducted many workshops and spearheaded numerous events to educate and build communities. Shirin has worked in the social service sector to tackle youth and chronic homelessness regionally and was intricate in the development of start-ups and programs.

 

Session Title
Intercultural Competency 

 

Session Description

 

Jennifer Nadel
Co-Director @ Compassion in Politics 
Director @ Compassionate Politics, CCARE, Stanford University
Board member @ Global Compassion Coalition

Jennifer is a pioneer in the emerging field of compassionate politics. In the USA she’s the Director of Compassionate Politics at Stanford University’s Centre for Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) and , in the UK she co-founded Compassion in Politics, the  cross-party UK-based think tank which initiated the ‘stop the lies’  campaign and works for democratic reform and social justice.  In 2022 she helped establish the Global Compassion Coalition which has a reach of millions. Her Sunday Times Bestseller, WE: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere was co-authored with Gillian Anderson, and she’s the co-editor with Matt Hawkins of “How Compassion can Transform our Politics, Economy and Society” and “Act Now’. 

X | Facebook

 

Session Title
Silencing Your Inner Critic: Moving From Self-Doubt to Self-Compassion

 

Session Description
Most of us live with ridiculously high levels of self-criticism. This can erode our confidence and leave us living smaller than we need to. And where there’s self-criticism there’s normally fear. Fear lies to us and tells us it's keeping us safe. In fear’s lexicon, 'living small' equals 'living safe’. As a result many of us struggle to achieve our true potential. This workshop will give you tips to live at greater peace within yourself leaving you better able to thrive and reach your goals.

 

James OFFUH
President-Founder of a Nonprofit-UFPACI - United for Peace Against Conflicts International @ UFPACI - United for Peace Against Conflicts International, Cote d’Ivoire

My name is James OFFUH, passionate and devoted peace advocate, relationship builder, peace maker, civic-community development educator, authentic dialogue-communication skills practitioner and facilitator, practicing modern inclusive universal Christian faith, married, and father of four school-age children, present residence is Cote d’Ivoire. 

President-Founder of a Nonprofit-UFPACI - United for Peace Against Conflicts International, based in Cote d’Ivoire, hold  certificates as a Reconciliation facilitator from Jewish-Palestinian Living Room Dialogue California, USA, on Integrated Data Analytics for sustaining Peace from United Nation System Staff College, on Conflicts Transformation from Peace Direct, on Skills for effective Negotiation from University of Peace -Center for Executive Education Costa Rica, Level 1 Certificate on Kingian Nonviolence and Conflict Reconciliation from the University of Rode Island Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies, Diploma certificate on Community driven social change skill from 2022 class Goldin Global Fellow- Goldin Institute USA. and Diploma BCC, LCC, LDC on leadership from World of Faith Bible Institute, Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

Serving currently as United Religion Initiative Cooperation Circle Leader, Côte d’Ivoire, awarded Honoree Visionary Peace Builder of the year 2018 by Euphrates Institute USA, served as a program facilitator, and presently programs advisor and mentor on the Peace Practice Alliance 6 months course program for Euphrates Institute USA. In 2023, was awarded member of Accelerating Black Leadership and Entrepreneurship (ABLE) Mentors Community by African Diaspora Network USA. 

Facebook | Dialogue in Nigeria

 

Session Title
Peace Leadership Model a Tool for Conscious Social Change 

 

Session Description
This session will explore a journey towards self discovery, sustainable collaboration to enable a flourishing space with self and other for human potential to thrive,  it invites individuals or more people in that journey to dignify equally, dignity in my opinion is an expression of respect to all Human Being.

 

Patient Baraka
Founder and CEO @ Botanica General Establishments, Uganda

My name is Patient Baraka, I'm the founder and managing director of BOTANICA General establishments ltd. As an entrepreneur, I'm strongly driven to seek for challenging opportunities where I can fully use my abilities to overcome the most pressing challenges on the planet in order to contribute to a better world for generations to come.

 

Amani Joel Mafigi
Co-Founder/Director @ UNLEASHD (Potentials in Motion), Uganda

I am a serial Impact Maker and a right to education and decent work activist, originally from DR Congo, living in Uganda since 2008. In 2018, I Co-Founded a UNLEASHED (Potentials in Motion) to enable young people create decent jobs for them selves and improve livelihoods. I am interested in social and Impact entrepreneurship because I believe this has potential to improve communities and make advancements for the good of humanity. I have mentored start-up projects locally and internationally in Africa, Asia and USA through a program I initiated called “Mentoring for Social Impact” and spoken on different international events including ; HeForShe Men’s Conference, Youth SDG Summit, Migration Summit, Building Back Better Africa summit, Refugee and Migrant Education Network Conference in Italy, Rome, Peter Drucker Purpose Summit, The ECOSOC Youth Forum, New York City, The Global Conference of Docent Jobs for Youths-Kigali

LinkedIn | X | Facebook

 

Session Title
Innovating for Impact: Youth Entrepreneurship & Social Change

 

Session Description
This session aims to explore the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, and social impact, the session will inspire and equip youth with the mindset necessary to create meaningful change in their communities.

The session will begin with an exploration of the current global challenges facing youth, particularly in marginalized communities, including unemployment, social inequality, and limited access to resources. The discussion will point out the critical role that young entrepreneurs can play in addressing these challenges through innovative solutions that generate both economic and social value. 

The presentation will bring out key concepts of social entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of a purpose-driven approach that prioritizes impact and profit. 

Participants will be introduced to successful case studies of youth-led ventures that have effectively addressed pressing social issues like poverty, Climate change, etc, illustrating the transformative power of entrepreneurship in creating sustainable change. 

The workshop will also provide practical guidance on how young entrepreneurs can identify opportunities for innovation within their communities. This will include strategies for human Centered Design.

 

---

 

←  Go back to Global Youth Conference 2024