Massar

Life is a journey…

• Syria: one-party state; 18+18m population; commodity producer; GDP c$42bn; oil/water short; sanctions; Iraq

• Change: role of government; private sector; global relationships. Old Guard factor

• Tiny/fragmented/no civil society/ third sector• 40% of Syria’s population <15 years old; 60% <25• 5% of young people with personal access to a PC, <2% of

all web content available in Arabic• Formal education system based on rote teaching; values

knowledge over competences; stigmatises failure• High youth unemployment; lack of basic business skills

The context in 2004

• Systemic, institutionalised bystander syndrome• Dominance of inhibitory “rules”; orthodoxy; dependence

on instruction, permission• Absence of non-formal learning opportunities • Premium on traditional professions as career, esp.

medical; talent drain• Knowledge economy opportunity – value chain• Empty promises, white elephants, Damascus-centred• Cultural integrity, cultural disparity• Concept shift: “children’s museum” “citizenship”• [Responsibility, Participation, Contribution, Individual]

Early analysis

Massar• Project began February 2005• Non-governmental, not-for-profit• Mixed funding model• Provides non-formal active learning opportunities

through multiple channels• A national programme, open to all (1.5% special needs)• Works in partnership with government and other NGOs• Fosters competences (life skills), “the habits of

citizenship”, new attitudes, new perspectives

Through science-based, hands-on experiences we will foster in the young

people of Syria a deeper understanding and appreciation of their world, and empower them as individuals to contribute actively

and positively in building their future.

The vision

Five steps towards responsibilityDrawing on work of John Darley, Bibb Latané and Erwin Staub• I am self awareness, critical thinking,

confidence, sense of worth, curiosity• I understand knowledge of the world, connection to

people, issues, choices• I can self direction, capability, creativity,

licence to fail, collaboration• I should values, empathy, insight, care,

inclusion• I do contribution, engagement, activity,

result, catalyst

by directly reaching

8 million5-21 year-olds

Massar channels

• Touring programme - >190,000 attendance to date• Regional centres - Lattakia 2007 (+Homs, Aleppo)• Web & ICT - portal, programs, computer labs (+OLPC)• National discovery centre - Damascus 2012/13• Events plus national/local media• “Safe space” for expression, experiment, exploration• Work phases: PARTNER, DEVELOP, DELIVER, EMBED

Touring programme

Regional centres

Web & ICT

Discovery centre Damascus

Events

Massar characteristics

• Content – exploration, issues-based, towards action• Programmes – validate, involve, collaborate, pro-social,

inclusive• Platforms – “space”, permission, structure, user-

ownership, open-source• Partnerships – with, not for• Communication – heroes, exemplars, catalysts• Non-formal learning – fun, hands-on, multiple learning

styles, social, challenging• Values – internal as well as external• Long-term – generational change

Citizenship in action

• Recycling project• Charity fun run • Blood donor database• Teaching IT skills to old, blind, deaf• Young journalists special needs project

Massar’s own journey• It’s happening• Impact: c350,000 reached directly; c50,000 on-line; c400,000

indirectly (media) – drop in the ocean!• Influence on emerging schools curriculum, comms and ICT,

social development (Massar as common thread)• International interest eg HBS, OSI, OLPC• Two regions in development; discovery centre under

construction; growth rate dependent on building sustainable resource/income models

• Brand is trusted by stakeholders• Making the case for change, alternatives, possibility

Lessons

• Belief (in young people, purpose, future), respect• Up-front thinking gets to the deep What For?• Deliver!• Cultural sensitivity; response, not imposition• Catalysts act as multipliers• The organisation must represent/“live” the values• Be honest about long haul, get quick touchable wins• Create partnerships, ownership• Communicate obsessively, but don’t over-promise

Responses

“It opens up the eyes of children to the larger world and helps them explore and become self-dependent” – parent

“We felt free to put our thoughts into words and I felt that my opinion was being heard and respected” – teenager

“I wish my parents could have been here to see that I have opinions” - 12-year-old

“Children remember information they gather themselves much more than that passed to them through conventional teaching” – teacher

“Now that we have Massar I no longer feel we are less privileged than children in the west” - 14-year-old

“We may not have changed anything but

we changed ourselves.”

Massar volunteer, age 16, 2009

“A small revolution.”

HE Mrs Asma Al-Assad