AfricTivistes CitizenLab Benin: Call for Applications

General Context

There is a widespread perception that political engagement and civic participation among civil society, and among young people in particular, are in decline. Yet citizens continue to address issues of public interest through activism, protests and demonstrations on digital platforms. These platforms partly meet the demand for democratisation expressed around the world.

In Africa, the past ten years have seen a wave of large and successful youth mobilisations around democracy and civic participation. These mobilisations often rely on civic technologies (Civic Tech), meaning the technologies and approaches that strengthen the role citizens play in shaping public debate. Civic Tech takes many forms depending on the context in which it emerges, and its results can be striking.

At the same time, many talented young people who want to take part in the political life of their country lack the opportunity to do so, and very often lose motivation. Even so, some of them, on their own or in groups, put forward ideas, technical solutions and citizen initiatives.

In some countries, such as Benin, civic participation remains timid or even non-existent, largely because civic space has been shrinking steadily for decades. This is why a project such as AfricTivistes CitizenLab is needed.

The project is implemented by AfricTivistes with the involvement and participation of the AfricTivistes network in Benin, civil society organisations and media professionals from the countries concerned. It is grounded in an access-to-information policy.

As part of the CitizenLab Benin project, AfricTivistes is seeking a team of fifteen (15) young volunteers aged 18 to 35. The team will be based in Cotonou for twelve (12) months, and selected candidates will receive a monthly stipend.

About the Project

AfricTivistes is launching CitizenLab Benin, a citizen factory that supports, accompanies and equips civil society actors in Benin. It does this through training, tool development and support for innovation and co-creation. Once equipped, these actors will run advocacy campaigns in favour of the Menu of Possible Commitments of the Youth and Democracy Cohort.

The project is a programme to accelerate young people’s participatory engagement. It will also serve as a hub for innovation, high-value content and advocacy, built on digital projects dedicated to democracy.

This citizen initiative promotes participatory democracy in Benin, particularly civic and political engagement. It responds to a demand from young people and civil society organisations. It provides tools and approaches that encourage youth engagement and helps close the gap between civil society actors and the public administration.

This digital innovation hub will bring together the three key elements that drive it: People, Ideas and Technologies. Its approach is cross-cutting and combines reflection, the development of civic tech tools and community-building within a shared space.

Are you a professional journalist, citizen journalist, blogger, IT specialist, camera operator, multimedia content specialist, community manager or civil society actor? Do you love to innovate, are you already running a project, or have you simply had an idea for a civic tech project? Would you like to join AfricTivistes and become part of a community of pan-African changemakers? Then the AfricTivistes CitizenLab project is for you.

Objectives of AfricTivistes CitizenLab Benin

Through this project, AfricTivistes has two main aims. The first is to promote young people’s civic engagement and participation. The second is to strengthen the capacity of civil society actors in Benin in participatory democracy, particularly in engagement, innovation and civic participation.

More specifically, the project will:

• Strengthen the capacity of young civil society actors.
• Build new momentum for civic participation.
• Create a network of committed actors who identify, examine, reflect on and propose solutions to socio-political issues through content production and the development of innovative solutions.
• Advocate for the Youth Cohort commitments made in connection with the Summit for Democracy, adapted to the country’s realities, so that the government commits to implementing them.

The AfricTivistes CitizenLab Benin Team

This recruitment campaign will set up a network of actors committed to consolidating democratic gains. It also aims to build new civic momentum centred on participation and co-creation.

In line with an inclusive, gender-responsive approach, the think tank will be made up of 8 women and 7 men. Applications from women are therefore strongly encouraged.

The Cotonou-based team will work closely with the coordination and monitoring team at AfricTivistes’ headquarters in Dakar. Together they form the project team responsible for coordination and monitoring, which is made up of three units:

The Editorial Team (for the web platform)

This team is responsible for editorial planning. It produces, approves and publishes the content hosted on AfricTivistes CitizenLab Benin’s open, participatory citizen web platform. Its members, who come from a range of backgrounds, also develop topics for radio and television programmes.

Selection is based on several criteria, including:

• Availability
• Proven technical skills
• Experience with web projects
• Being an information actor (professional or from civil society)
• Ability to produce and manage web content
• Beninese nationality
• Residence in Benin
• Ability to work in a team

What Types of Knowledge Are We Looking For?

The AfricTivistes CitizenLab Benin programme is built on an implementation framework that requires four types of knowledge:

• Knowing how to INNOVATE: understanding the challenges and role of civic tech in a world moving towards digitalisation, robotics and artificial intelligence. Launching a relevant, innovative and high-value participatory democracy project requires a thorough grasp of the current environment and of potential target audiences.
• Knowing how to DO: civic tech project management methodology and tools. Ingenuity alone is no longer enough. Participants need to understand and master technologies and offer digital solutions that respond to demands for more democracy. A command of design, publishing and co-construction technologies is a guarantee of effectiveness.
• Knowing how to MANAGE: understanding what good project coordination and sustainability involve. There is no sustainability without a business model. Even citizen projects that are not meant to generate financial profit must ensure their sustainability by generating or securing financial resources. A command of results-based management principles and of monitoring and evaluation is therefore a considerable asset.
• Knowing how to COMMUNICATE: understanding media issues and the importance of community dynamics. Any project responds to a demand, or offers something new and different to create interest or need. It also requires convincing others to join, whether individuals, organisations or funders, so communication and community-building skills are essential. Participants must be able to persuade, mobilise and make an impact, with a good command of media techniques. This means communicating through our own channels (web platform, mobile app, blog, social media) and through more traditional media (television, radio, etc.). It also means knowing how to speak to journalists and understanding the stakes and constraints of the media world.

Profiles Sought

• Beninese residents aged 18 to 35
• Anyone committed to citizen action online or offline
• Journalists (professional or citizen)
• Bloggers
• Videographers
• Engaged students
• IT specialists
• Civil society actors
• Multimedia content managers
• People with proven knowledge and experience in the digital field
• Motivated, open-minded people able to work in a group

NB: Applications from AfricTivistes members are encouraged. Applications from women are strongly encouraged.

What We Offer

AfricTivistes CitizenLab Benin provides the project’s editorial team with:

• A workspace
• A technical studio with all the necessary digital and multimedia resources
• A support package including practical and theoretical training
• A supervisory team based in Dakar
• A monthly stipend for the duration of the contract

During the start-up phase (selection and training), the project takes the form of a citizen lab. Members of the editorial team will attend training sessions and be asked to reflect on the relevance of the project’s direction.

The recommendations and conclusions of this workshop will allow the technical team to draft the specifications and concept note for the tools to be developed.

Once trained, the local team will in turn train seventy-five (75) young people in civic engagement, civic participation, advocacy and communication, as well as in the Cohort’s Menu of Commitments.

These training sessions will equip young people to carry the advocacy campaign on the Youth Cohort commitments and to contribute positively to their country’s development.

The local team is responsible for designing, organising and leading an online advocacy strategy throughout the project.

Count Me In

To apply, click on this link and provide:

• A CV detailing:
  • the projects you have already taken part in
  • your level of education
  • your personal details
• A cover letter

Timeline

• Project duration: 12 months
• Number of positions: 15
• Application deadline: 3 November 2023
• Interviews and notification of selected candidates: 9 and 10 November 2023
• A local team is formed
• A training-of-trainers session on civic engagement and participation is held: 20 to 24 November 2023
• An online citizen information platform is launched
• The local team organises 3 AfricTivistes CitizenLab training sessions
• 75 young Africans are trained in civic engagement and participation
• An online advocacy strategy on the commitments of the Summit for Democracy Youth Cohort is rolled out

For further information, please email info@africtivistes.org.