Irbid, Feb. 2 (Petra) -- The "We Rise" Center for Sustainable Development in Irbid on Monday launched five community initiatives under the "Youth Connections" project, implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and with support from the British Council.
Director General of the Center Amer Abu Dalou said the launch reflects Royal directives and national strategies that place youth at the core of the development process, underscoring their role as key drivers of sustainable change at the local level.
He said the initiatives were developed based on comprehensive desk research and field studies, conducted in coordination with decision-makers in the governorate, to ensure alignment with national and local priorities and to translate expert recommendations into actionable programs with measurable community impact.
Executive Director of the Center Marah Rawashdeh said the five initiatives emerged from a participatory planning process grounded in local needs assessments and aligned with relevant national development plans and strategies. She said this approach ensures integration, effective implementation, and long-term sustainability, noting the Center’s commitment to embedding governance, inclusivity, and sustainability standards into all interventions to produce scalable and replicable models.
Rawashdeh said the first initiative, "The Citizen Is a Partner," aims to strengthen local governance and participatory planning in municipalities by developing a data-driven community studies system to improve decision-making, align municipal plans with citizens’ priorities, and build the capacity of development units to regularly assess needs. The initiative is being implemented in the municipalities of Khalid Bin al-Walid, Bani Ubaid, and West Irbid in partnership with the Ministry of Local Administration.
She added that the second initiative, "Humanitarian Discourse," seeks to promote social cohesion through the production of professional media content grounded in human rights and legal standards. It includes the launch of a journalism competition aimed at enhancing the capacities of journalists and content creators to produce in-depth reports that translate data into human-centered narratives supporting diversity and social cohesion, in partnership with the Jordan News Agency and the Faculty of Media at Yarmouk University.
Rawashdeh said the third initiative, "Pulse of the Camp," focuses on community-based urban development and improving quality of life in Irbid Camp by repurposing underutilized spaces into safe, child- and youth-friendly environments, strengthening social belonging and reducing environmental and social risks. The initiative is implemented in cooperation with the Greater Irbid Municipality and the Camp Services Committee.
She said the fourth initiative, the "Mobile Digital Clinic," aims to raise awareness of cybersecurity and digital protection and enhance youth resilience in the digital space through mobile training services, a national study to measure digital safety indicators, and the development of practical recommendations to support national cybersecurity policies. The initiative is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, the Irbid Youth Directorate, and the Business Development Center.
The fifth initiative, "Bridge of Competencies," targets alignment between education and training outcomes and labor market needs by developing a national employability readiness guide, enhancing career pathways and employability skills, and linking youth with public and private sector opportunity platforms. The initiative is implemented in cooperation with the Irbid Labor Directorate, the Irbid Chamber of Industry, and the Business Development Center.
Rawashdeh expressed confidence in the ability of young men and women to lead the initiatives effectively, stressing that investing in youth capacities is essential for achieving comprehensive development, strengthening partnerships with decision-makers, and enhancing social stability in line with long-term national visions.
//Petra// AJ
