As Human Rights Day dawned on South Africa, over 40 youth delegates descended on Bush Radio to register to be part of the annual Media Kidocracy Konfrence hosted by the station from the 10th to the 12th December 2015.
Delegates have been drawn from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Italy, Northern Ireland, Austria, Germany and South Africa.
The theme for this expands and consolidates last years theme of democracy by: Celebrating Democracy, learning from the past and looking to the future.
As part of a growing need for youth participation in the decision-making process and policy formulation around children’s broadcasting, in 2000 Bush Radio initiated a conference. The Kidocracy (Kid-democracy) name was created for the event – to denote a form of society characterised by social equality and acceptance of young people with representation for and by young people.
The Media Kidocracy Konference aims to establish critical awareness and understanding among young people by exposing youth to information and experiences that will enable them to identify issues they feel are relevant, as well as explore their role in media and social issues. MKK also assists participants in devising strategies for addressing social issues by using the media as a tool to help resolve and address these issues.
This year the 14th Media Kidocracy (kid+democracy) Konfrence which runs from th 6th to the 10th October 2014, is taking place in a historic year for media in South Africa. Bush Radio is celebrating 21 years since its first illegal broadcast, and 19 years of legal broadcasting. The National Community Radio Forum (NCRF) is also celebrating 21 years of existence, Bush Radio played a pivotal role in the establishment of the NCRF.
As South Africans, we are celebrating 20 years of democracy, as a country we are slowly emerging from a violent apartheid past to a nation celebrating its freedom.
The theme for MKK2014 is “Celebrating 20 years of democracy: learning from the past and celebrating the future.”
One of the foundations of this democracy we have built is freedom of expression.
This right allows everyone, including youth, to express themselves, whether this is verbally, artistically, scientifically or in any other way. However, this right does not come without responsibilities and we need to look at how we use our hard fought for freedom.
Freedom of expression is entrenched in the Media Kidocracy Konfrence as it allows participants to express the issues they raise through their media productions.
* Several of Bush Radio’s programmes will be broadcasting live from the event, these are: The Breakfast Rush (6-9am), The Morning Cruise (9am – 12pm), Sakhisizwe (12 – 2pm) and Everyday People (4 – 7pm).
** MKK2014 takes places at Wortelgat situated on the blanks of the Kleinriver estuary so besides the intensive media programme and discussion sessions participants will also enjoy the picturesque fynbos as well as archery, abseiling, and hiking.
The past September school holidays saw Bush Radio host a very successful Media Kidocracy Konfrence (MKK2013) – 22 to 27 September 2013. This was the 13th conference which drew young people from Bontheheuwel to as far away as Germany, participating in various discussions and productions around the theme “the role of media in democracy“.
The conference took place at the beautiful Mizpah Conference Centre in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve near Grabouw.
Team 1 of the photography group dealt with sexism and sexist stereotypes
Besides plenary sessions which dealt with media literacy, gender and elections, the conference also included visits to various media outlets around Cape Town (radio, television, print and online) and a special “give back to the community” outreach session at Agape 2 – home for disabled and abandoned children. The conference also included lifeskill sessions on active citizenship and substance abuse as well as daily outside broadcasts from Grabouw.
Team 2 of the photography group dealt with nature and pollution
The conference programme closed with what delegates always consider a highlight; the intensive production workshops which this year again included: television, radio, online, print, photography as well as two new productions; t-shirt and poster printing and a stage drama.
A special thanks goes to all the Bush Radio Children’s Radio Education Workshop (CREW) facilitators and volunteers as well as the Bush Radio staff and trainees who provided the logistical support for the conference.
Bush Radio staff checking out “Media on the Move” – the newspaper produced by MKK2013 delegates
After intense planning and a busy week the 12th Annual Media Kidocracy Konfrence (MKK2012) came to an end on Friday, the 14th of December 2012.
About 80 youth delegates (aged 12 – 21) drawn from all over the country, SADC and as far away as Northern Ireland attended MKK.
Below are the “products” which showcase how the young people interpreted the various themes outlined for this year. For a large percentage of the delegates this was the first time they had been directly involved in the production of media. A strong element of all the MKK conferences have been linking a practical implementation of ideas generated in the various intensive panel discussions and workshop groups.
This year’s theme was Youth Participation in Democracy, with sub-themes being:
Youth Rights and Civic Participation – Human Rights
About 100 young delegates have gathered at Bush Radio’s 12th Media Kidocracy Konference (MKK) in Worcester.
This year’s theme is Youth Participation in Democracy, with sub-themes being Human Rights, Labour, Health, Arts and Culture, Gender, and Environment.
The opening address for the conference was presented by Bush Radio’s Managing Director, Brenda Leonard, where she gave an insight into the history of the conference and the outline of the days to follow.
MDDA CEO, Lumko Mtimde
Media Development and Diversity Agency CEO Lumko Mtimde said the gathering such as MKK is important especially today since its International Human Rights Day.He urged delegates to know their rights that are in our constitution.
Mtimde added that MDDA saw it fit to partner with Bush Radio for MKK in order for the delegates to understand the importance of media so that as young people they can participate actively in our democracy.
MDDA CEO Lumko Mtimde encouraged the young delegates to use the next few days at the conference to learn as much as possible so that they can actively participate in their community.
Communications expert, Trevor Davids
Advisor for Communications for the IEC Trevor Davids also gave some insight into how the election and registration process works.
Davids added that one person can make a difference because that one person can be the difference between a win or a lost for a party.
Busi Sikosana a former MKK and Children’s Radio Education Workshop (CREW) participant also shared her experience of being part of the , South Africa’s leading children and youth radio and media project, CREW founded in 1996.
A big thank you to all the participants and facilitators of the Media Kidocracy Konference 2010 (17 – 18 December 2010) who helped make the conference a huge success.
A special word of thanks to the following individuals who gave their time and resources to participate and facilitate the discussions with the participants:
Bush Radio, Africa’s oldest community radio station project will once again host the annual Media Kidocracy Konfrence (MKK) now in its 11th year from the 17th to the 18th December 2010 at its premises in Salt River, Cape Town.
This year the Bush Radio’s children and youth project CREW (Children’s Radio Education Workshop), which takes on the role of host and planning committee for the conference, is presenting a programme called Youth Engagement.
The delegates, aged between 12 and 18 years of age, will explore issues that are pertinent to themselves and their peers under the theme, and have broken the conference into three parallel areas: Business, Music and Media.
Business
This session aims to inspire youth as well as teach them ways of capitalising on their talents and how to be responsible in business.
Music:
Exploring how the youth express themselves in a positive way through music and to help with discovering our rich musical heritage. These sessions will look at independent and signed artists, their experiences and challenges.
Media
Not just the glitz and glam. The sessions will reflect on how all media influences youth, how children and young people are represented in the media and how they wish to be represented. The impact of new media and ideas on how to use it will also be shared.
Former Bush Radio MD, Zane Ibrahim at an early MKK conference
“Whereas previous MKK sessions have concentrated on media and media production, we have noted with interest that this years’ MKK planning committee have included a section on business,” Bush Radio Managing Director Brenda Leonard.
“We feel it shows the impact of the economic crisis on the lives of the youth. They motivated strongly for this section to be included. It is our job of facilitators of young people’s development that we hear their call.”
Background on MKK
As part of a growing need for youth participation in the decision-making process and policy formulation around children’s broadcasting, in 2000 Bush Radio initiated a conference. The Kidocracy (Kid-democracy) name was created for the event – to denote a form of society characterised by social equality and acceptance of young people with representation for and by young people.
The Media Kidocracy Konference aims to establish critical awareness and understanding among young people by exposing youth to information and experiences that will enable them to identify issues they feel are relevant, as well as explore their role in media and social issues. MKK also assists participants in devising strategies for addressing social issues by using the media as a tool to help resolve and address these issues.
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On the final day the young delegates (12 – 18 years old) presented their productions in a four hour closing ceremony which included video, online, graffiti and radio presentations.
The closing ceremony also included performances by young Capetonian talent such as Shaz & B, Apple and Cinnamon and Grand Alliance.
The photographers have captured the contrast between the beauty of our natural landscape and the filth that soils it.
The television group challenged us to re-examine our so-called natural ways of being as men and women with respect to violence within the home.
The graffiti group showed through their piece that although we may differ linguistically and/or culturally, we can live in harmony.
The online and radio groups have spread the word that violence is not and never will be an option, be it violence inflicted by others through forced child labour or self-inflicted violence in the form of substance abuse.
Together these products send a resounding message that states that their vision for tomorrow is one in which they wish not to live in fear and is filled with hope.
We would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their assistance through advice and contributions in making this conference a success:
St Agnes Primary School and in particular the principal Mr. Alfonso Louw and caretaker Mr. Marsh.
Brenda Leonard and Belinda Sepkit from Bush Radio’s admin department who made the lunches
All the production facilitators and content facilitators.
The guest speakers who joined us on the first day of the conference, especially Ms Jennifer Hartnick from the Provincial Parliament whose kind and gentle words set a good tone for the conference.
We would also like to thank our delegates who joined us from as far a-field as Northern Ireland (Public Achievement) and Canada (Canada World Youth).
Over fifty young people from as young as 12 years of age are participating in the various activities such as television, online, graffiti, photography and of course radio.
Victor J and Shiraaz Ismail introducing participants to the production studio
These activities are aimed at giving them different skills to enable them to use various forms of media to express their understanding of issues that affect them.
16 year-old Jamie-Lee James is hard at work in the online group focusing on child labour as their topic. “I’m doing online research about child labour and thereafter I need to write an article for the blog,” said an enthusiastic James.
She says the experience is awesome as she uses online tools like twitter to promote her ideas, something she says she only dreamt of. Amongst the other topics covered by MKK 2009 participants as part the production workshops are gender based violence and substance abuse.
Some MKK2009 participants get down to planning their media productions
Another participant in the MKK 2009 programme, 10 year-old Athenkosi Tshenese says she is extremely happy to be part of this year’s activities. “We learnt a lot of stuff with different topics in a very exciting way, which is very interactive and child friendly,” said Tshenese. Tshenese says she wants to be a social worker when she grows up because she wants to help her community with their problems.
The conference will end Friday the 18th December 2009
As Human Rights Day dawned on South Africa, over 40 youth delegates descended on Bush Radio to register to be part of the annual Media Kidocracy Konfrence hosted by the station from the 10th to the 12th December 2015.
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