• Communication and Information :( COI)

• Commonwealth Education Programme :(CEP)

• Lobby and Advocacy Program:(LAP)

• Youth and Academic Exchanges Initiative: (YEA)

• Research and Educational Program (REAP)

• ICT4D Awareness Programme: (ICAP)

• ICT 4D Project - Community of Expertise on Youth Social Technopreneurship (2007-2010):

PROGRAMMES:

This programme is geared towards the creation of awareness in the area of Conflict Prevention and Crisis Management at the national, regional and international level targeting the conflict prone areas in Uganda and beyond such as the Great Lakes Region.

Young people in school are now the focus of all leaders world wide and they are the pillars of society. The CSC Programme therefore is to get them be involved in the Commonwealth and learn what the organization is all about and how can they contribute to its growth. Clubs will be opened in schools targeting the secondary level students all over the country.

CPA-UG through this program will reach out to the Ugandan population through activities in Human rights, democracy, leadership, good governance, HIV/AIDS, employment, environment, sustainable development, peace and conflict management, etc... targeting young people, PWD, local authorities, cultural and religious and educational institutions, CSOs, the media, policy makers, etc…

Under this initiative CPA-UG will be organizing activities on the promotion of the Commonwealth in Uganda such as the Commonwealth Day, art and cultural exhibitions,  public debates, dance  and musical performances, political meetings all geared towards making the Ugandan population to be part and parcel of the Commonwealth. 

The Association will get the young people at school to have exchange programmes within the Commonwealth. In addition, teachers will have the opportunity of having exchange visits with other schools within the Commonwealth family, Uganda and UK.
 

This programme will enable students at both the secondary and tertiary levels to come together at a biennial gathering and deliberate on issues pertaining to the Commonwealth. They will also have a chance of attending other international Youth CHOGM

CPA-UG will under this program reach out to the people by educating them on the Commonwealth, the UN System, MDGs, etc… through short courses and research on topical issues that affect mankind like poverty, HIV/AIDS, environment degradation, natural resources and land management, ICT4D, income generation, leadership, democracy, governance, PWD & their rights, international politics and development through a Commonwealth Resource Center (CRC).

As a follow-up to the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Summit Tunis 2005, CPA Uganda is now a member of the UN Global Alliance on ICT for Development Community of Expertise on Youth Social Technopreneurship with other partners from Uganda, Burundi, Philippines, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Singapore, Kenya, Tanzania, India, among others with the aim of “training young people in Social Technopreneurship and gather support and deploy young entrepreneurs in developing countries to use ICTs in community development and for social empowerment and poverty reduction.” Under the ICAP several activities are to be carried out such as the commemoration of the World Information Society Day every May to take stock of the WSIS Phase II Action Lines, an ICT project for PWD & Rural Youth, an ICT Caravan for the dissemination of information on Commonwealth, ICT4D promotion through empowerment, the UN System, and monitoring of the implementation of the MDGs (through Action) by the central and local governments through their development plans. CPA Uganda is now seeking organizations that can donate ICT equipment such as computers and accessories (printers, copiers, scanners, LCD Projectors, internet equipment, etc…) towards this initiative.

Projects and Activities 2007-2012:

CPA Uganda is now promoting the MDG Challenge Competition an initiative aimed at generating awareness of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) among students and staff at Ugandan Universities through a nationally coordinated competition. The competition is based on the Copenhagen Consensus initiative (www.copenhagenconsensus.com/) but adjusted for a specific focus on the MDGs and for multi-disciplinary group participation in the Ugandan University context. This project will run for a period of one year (September 2007-October 2008) in partnership with other stakeholders drawn from a wide spectrum such as the civil society, government, development partners, the UN System, academia, the media and private sector. Eight universities in Uganda will get involved in the Competition with a team of eight, three students and lecturer who will act as a supervisor. Visit the organization’s website for further information: www.cpaug.org/programmes    

CPA Uganda is now in the planning phase of establishing a fully fledged Resource Center under the Research and Educational Program (REAP) for the next five years (2008-2012). The CRC when operational is to carry out research, training and provision of library services to its members, partners, students, researchers, the media and other stakeholders in Uganda and within the East African region and other Commonwealth countries. CPA Uganda is seeking support towards the Resource Center in form of furniture & fittings – (chairs, desks, book shelves, cabinets), books, magazines, journals, booklets, posters, IEC CDs/DVDs, tapes, etc…)   

CRC will have in- house- projects namely:

1. Kofi Annan Strategic Studies Institute to carry out research & training in International Diplomacy & Political Sciences (named after the former UN Secretary General; 1996-2006)
2. Abraham Kiapi Law Institute set up to train & do research in Law & Human Rights (named after Prof. A. Kiapi professor of Law Makerere University, Kampala 1971-1993)
3. Alan Greenspan Institute of Business; it will be carrying out research and training in the business, media and financial sector. (Former Chairman of the US Federal Reserve Board 1987-2006)

The CRC will have the mandate of carrying out research and training on the Commonwealth, the UN System and international relations focusing on the MDGs, ICT for Development, human rights, international development & politics, leadership, democracy, governance, conflict resolution & management, peace building, negotiations, environment (Global warming), the media and business management among others under the management of a Director General who will be assisted by two support staff (a Research Assistant and an Information Assistant)

Other functions of the CRC include;-

• Career Guidance in educational institutions focusing on employment, HIV/AIDS, education, skills development, etc…
• IEC production and dissemination
• Data collection, analysis and documentation.
• Research and Development in ICT4D, sustainable development, political economy, etc…
• Provision of internet services (Digital Library), consultancy and training.

The following are the Training Programmes for the CRC 2007-2008:

• Managing the Implementation of Development Project (MIDP) a World Bank Institute designed course. (3 weeks)
• Training of Trainers on Strategic Communication and HIV/AIDS (3 weeks)
• Enhancing the Skills of  Trainers in Early Childhood Development (3 weeks)
• Computer Training Programme for Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced students in Social Technopreneurship 2007 (4 weeks). This is a sponsored training programme and participation is very limited.
• Effective Customer Care & Communication Skills (3 weeks)
• Business Skills Development (3 weeks)
• Summer School for tertiary institutions every August (2007-2010).
• Youth Academy for upper Primary and Secondary school students every February (2008-2012).
• Uganda National Commonwealth Summit (Youth CHOGM) for students every October 2007, 2009 & 2011
• Students’ Mock Summit every March on the Commonwealth Day 2007-2012

A detailed Training Guide 2008-2012 for the CRC will be posted on the website in mid- November 2007.
Visit the organization’s website for further information: www.cpaug.org/programmes    

Brief: The Commonwealth has over the past years of its existence been working with young people in several areas that do affect them and they have been very instrumental in the organizations’ growth. Young people have played a very significant role in the promotion of the Global Youth Agenda. CPA Uganda and its partners are sponsoring this Summer School the first of its kind in Uganda.

The UN Millennium Development Goal number Eight “Develop a global partnership for development” with a target focusing on young people “in cooperation with developing countries, develop decent and productive work for the youth” gives us all a challenge most especially the policy planners to refocus and prioritize in order to create, impact and plan for employment strategies for young people after their education.
     
Summer School schedule:

August 2007 Kampala District –Theme for 2007: “Education & Employment; a Commonwealth challenge for Young people”
August 2008- Mbale District – Theme for 2008: “Exploring ICTs to empower the youth.”
August 2009- Gulu District- theme for 2009: “Creating opportunities for young people to enhance human development.”
August 2010- Mbarara District-theme for 2010- “MDGs and young people; Any achievements since 2000.”
Visit the organization’s website for further information: www.cpaug.org/programmes    

As a follow-up to the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Summit Tunis 2005, CPA Uganda is now a member of the UN Global Alliance on ICT for Development Community of Expertise on Youth Social Technopreneurship.

CoE on Youth Social Technopreneurship aims at “training young people in Social Technopreneurship and gather support and deploy young entrepreneurs in developing countries to use ICTs in community development and for social empowerment and poverty reduction.” 

The core activities of the Community for 2007-2010 shall be:

1. Identification and deployment of social technopreneurs in developing countries to train and assist enterprising youth in setting up ICT based ventures in local communities. First batch to be deployed in Africa sometime end of 2007 then to Latin America and Asia in 2008

2. Conduct a yearly capacity-building session and business plan competition on social technopreneurship in developing regions.

3. Establish the Social Technopreneurship Fund (STEP Fund) to be tapped by promising young social technopreneurs in developing countries.
Visit the organization’s website for further information: www.cpaug.org/programmes