Voter and Civic Education

The United Nations Integrated Electoral Assistance Team (IEAT) in South Sudan implemented a four-day BRIDGE modular workshop, Voter and Civic Education, for the representatives of Civil Society Organizations.

The workshops, conducted in Juba, South Sudan from November 25-28, was led by BRIDGE facilitators Natia Kashakashvili and Shalva Tskhakaya and co-facilitated by national TtF-complete facilitators: John Kuot Kuany Diing, Ahon Malou Lueth Makeny and Majur Stephen Dhal. Twenty-four participants (9 male and 15 female) attended the workshop.

The workshop aimed to provide participants with a foundational understanding of Civic and Voter Education, based on the eight step approach, while emphasizing widely accepted principles of voter and civic education, various tools and techniques necessary for effective planning and implementation of the VCE process. It focused on building knowledge on NEC CVE strategy and international best practices in developing massages, cooperating with stakeholders, monitoring the CVE process, assessing its success while ensuring clarity, impartiality and universality. Additionally, participants were introduced to the key target groups, traditional and modern tools of communication and monitoring and evaluation plan from the NEC CVE strategy.

Below is the outline of the workshop structure:

1. Foundation of Civic and Electoral Education

·      Defining Civic Education, Electoral Education, and Voter Information Programs

o  Clarify the distinctions and interconnections between these concepts.

·      Rationale and Mandate of Voter and Civic Education Programs

o  Explore the legal, ethical, and social reasons for such programs.

·      Principles/Standards of Voter and Civic Education Programs

o  Discuss best practices and ethical considerations.

2. Planning and Development

·      Eight Steps in VCE Program Development and Implementation

o  Focus on “Establishing Focus” as a starting point.

·      Understanding Learners: Target Groups and Their Needs

o  Analyze different demographic groups and their informational needs.

·      Why People Vote and Youth Participation

o  Explore psychological and motivational factors behind voting.

o  Discuss strategies for engaging young voters.

·      Understanding the Voter Mood and Designing Surveys

o  Techniques for gauging public sentiment and conducting research.

·      Selecting VCE Objectives

o  Define clear, measurable goals based on research findings.

·      Assessing Available Resources for VCE Programs

o  Inventory existing resources (human, financial, and material).

3. Strategy Design

·      Designing Voter and Civic Education Programs: Key Considerations

o  Address cultural sensitivity, accessibility, and inclusivity.

·      Voter Information Methods

o  Compare traditional and modern approaches (e.g., social media, workshops).

·      NEC CVE Strategy Presentation

o  Case study from the National Electoral Commission (NEC).

o  Designing implementation plan based on the NEC CVE strategy

4. Design of CVE program

·      Design Elements: Determining Key Messages

o  Develop focused, impactful messages tailored to target audiences.

·      CVE Products: Face-to-Face Activities, Youth Involvement, Voter Guides, Fact Sheets, FAQs

o  Brainstorm and create prototypes for these products.

5. Implementation and Evaluation

·      Designing CVE Activities

o  Plan engaging, actionable activities for community outreach.

·      Monitoring and Evaluation

o  Establish frameworks for measuring program effectiveness.

The workshops were opened by the representative of UN IEAT. Participants enjoyed the workshop, BRIDGE learning methodology and training techniques. They provided feedback at the end of each day on the content as well as the conduct of the workshop through verbal and written evaluations. Key points of the written evaluation forms are outlined below (see Annex 3 for the statistical analysis of the evaluation forms):

Summary of Workshop Feedback

1. Aspects of the Sessions Found Most Useful or Valuable

Participants highlighted the following as the most valuable parts of the workshop:

• Core Topics and Content: Principles of VCE, 8 Steps, definitions, rationale, and mandate.
• Engagement and Interaction: Group work, participatory discussions, practical exercises, and the inclusive facilitation process.
• Strategies and Planning: Designing CVE strategies, developing messages, identifying target audiences, and understanding the NEC CVE strategy.
• Youth and Community Focus: Emphasis on youth participation, local community issues, and the importance of representation in electoral processes.
• Practical Skills: Developing CVE materials, monitoring and evaluation, and identifying communication methods.

2. Comments and Recommendations on Course Content and Conduct

Key suggestions and observations include:

• Strengths: The sessions were well-organized, interactive, and informative. Facilitators were largely engaging and knowledgeable.
• Areas for Improvement:
• Time Management: More time needed for group work and practical exercises.
• Contextual Relevance: Include more examples from South Sudan and other African contexts.
• Practicality: Emphasize hands-on exercises and simplify terminology for better understanding.
• Logistics: Extend the program duration (e.g., 7 days) and share training materials (e.g., slides).

3. Additional Feedback

• General Satisfaction: Participants appreciated the training’s relevance, participatory approach, and facilitation.
• Suggestions:
• Provide more practical work and examples.
• Ensure more female facilitators are included.
• Consider summarizing the training manual for easier use.
• Appreciation: Many expressed gratitude for the learning opportunity and the facilitators’ support.

Overall, the workshop was well-received, with participants valuing the interactive and inclusive approach. Areas for improvement focused on timing, contextual examples, and facilitator preparation.

The workshops were closed by the representative of UN IEAT. All the participants were awarded certificates of completion.

By the end of the workshop, three TtF-complete facilitators were granted the certificates of accreditation as workshop-level BRIDGE facilitators.