Global Youth Connect

Global Youth Connect — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:01:52 -0500

Global Youth Connect is dedicated to empowering youth to advance human rights and
create a more just world.

We envision a world where the human rights of all people
are equally respected, fully protected and universally
realized. We also envision a world where all young
people – irregardless of nationality, ethnicity,
religion, class, gender or other differences – are
encouraged and empowered to non-violently claim their
own rights and serve as advocates for the rights of
others.

GYC's programs provide youth (ages 14-30) from a wide range of
ethnic, national, economic and religious backgrounds
with opportunities to enhance their ability to take
action on pressing human rights issues. Our programs
weave together: experiential training programs and
workshops; skills development in grassroots organizing,
conflict transformation, human rights activism and
leadership; mentoring and technical support for on-going
organizing efforts; on-the-ground experience in human
rights organizations and doing human rights work; and
connection to a global community of youth activists.

Jan Passion

Jan Passion — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:53:09 -0600

Jan Passion M.A. Currently residing in California, Jan worked in
Sri Lanka for 3 years as the Deputy Director and Team Manager with the
Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP). Prior to
his work in Sri Lanka, Jan worked with NP conducting field research and
outreach in West Africa and Palestine/Israel and also helping develop NP’s
infrastructure. He has worked as a peacebuilding trainer with the Conflict
Transformation Across Cultures Program, (CONTACT), the Karuna Center for
Peacebuilding and with Lesley College in Israel. Jan has been peace activist and war tax resister for over twenty
years. For ten years he worked as a psychotherapist working with perpetrators
and victims of various forms of violence and trauma. Jan has worked as a
bus driver, mediator, self-defense instructor, massage therapist, refugee host,
and emergency medical technician. His
hobbies include sailing, racket ball, frisbee and yoga. Jan's peacebuilding experience includes work
in USA, Macedonia, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Palestine, Thailand, Israel, Sierra
Leone, India, Ecuador, the former USSR, Guinea, Ghana, South Africa and
Cyprus. He earned his BA at the
University of Massachusetts with a self-designed degree on gender and power and
he earned a MA in International and Intercultural Management from the School
for International Training and wrote his thesis on building nonviolent
intercultural peaceteams.

Guatemala, English

Global Youth Connect

Jan Passion