Participants gain lifelong skills learning about the UN

Seventeen students graduated from the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Windhoek’s High School Practicum Programme in May. The students from various schools across Windhoek, participated in the three week programme, which is the first of its kind by the United Nations Information Centres across the globe.
The model aims to teach secon­dary level students about the work of the United Nations, Human Rights, volunteer work, climate change, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and mentoring of the Model UN Namibia (MUNNAM) school clubs. While working closely with UNIC Windhoek officials, the students gained knowledge about the United Nations. Anthea Basson, the National Information Officer to Namibia, provided assistance and taught valuable skills to the students throughout the programme.
“It is amazing to witness how driven these students are to make a difference in the world. UNIC Windhoek saw how much their skills improved over the past three weeks, and I am excited to see where these students will go,” Basson said.
The students also met with Kiki Gbeho, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations to Namibia, who encouraged the students to “take space” and use their voices to make a difference in the world. Besides improv­ing practical skills which the students can use throughout the rest of their studies and in their future careers, the students also used their creativity to write poems, come up with skits and draw pictures to represent the United Nations International Observances and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In order to begin playing their role in making the world a better place and helping achieve these goals, the students learned about the importance of volunteering by creating get-well-soon cards for cancer patients and cleaning up around the United Nations House.
The students gained valuable skills such as writing keyword-rich articles on assigned outreach activities, preparing and presenting formal presentations, public speaking, negotiating and teamwork through a simulation of Model United Nations, in which students took on the role of a specific­ country and discussed a press­ing world issue, illegal wildlife trafficking.­
The students also researched and created insightful presentations about major issues affecting Namibia, including climate change and gender inequality.
“When we first arrived, we didn’t know any of the faces around the table. But now we have become great friends all thanks to Anthea. She took us under her wing and led us throughout the programme,” one of the participants, Thomas Sinner, said at the Practicum Programme graduation. The first class of graduates from UNIC Windhoek’s Practicum Programme has gained important skills and knowledge. UNIC Windhoek looks forward to running the programme again next year and meeting more bright students who are determined to bring about change in the world.
The UNIC Windhoek High School Practicum Programme is a 5-week intensive learning program designed for high school students, age 16 or older, who have demonstrated a strong interest in the work of the United Nations (UN). Our efforts and collaborations are dynamic and team focused. We are developing a model to lay out a strong foundation for our training initiatives.

This model will focus on five major components;
• Learning about the UN;
• Undertaking volunteer work;
• Mentoring of Model United Nations (MUNNAM) School clubs where applicable;
• Climate change; and
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The High School Practicum objectives are to encourage high school students to:
• Develop effectiveness in becoming best advocates in the community through volunteer work;
• Develop skills in organizing, mobilizing and recognizing themselves as agents for social change;
• Acquire the ability and capabilities to come up with new venture opportunities, plan, organize and success­fully manage projects and deadlines;
• Acquire and practice skills in developing, preparing and making a formal final presentation, interact with students from diverse cultural backgrounds and participate in numerous enriching activities;
• The opportunity to write keyword-rich articles on assigned outreach activities; and
• Develop strategies for social media web sites: You tube, Facebook, Twitter etc.
Eligibility Requirements
• Students must be Namibian citizens or Legal Permanent Residents (LPR);
• All participants must be at least 16 years or older at the time of participation;
• This application must be completed by the student and represent the student's own work;
• Finalists will be interviewed prior to selection; and
• Selected students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the (UN) House, in Stein Street, Klein Windhoek.­