Media conference empowers youth for the 13th year #MKK2013

A Bush Radio 89.5FM project, the Media Kiodcracy (kid+democracy) conference is taking place from the 22nd – 27th September in Grabouw. MKK is a youth media conference for participants aged 12 – 18 years and provides them with skills and knowledge to produce various forms of media. This year, MKK will produce radio, television, photography, online, drama and art. Two newspapers will also be produced, one before, and one during the conference.

The theme for this year’s conference is “The Role of Media in Democracy”.

The Managing Director of Bush Radio, Brenda Leonard said that “MKK is taking place in a historic year for media in South Africa. Bush Radio is celebrating 20 years since its first illegal broadcast, and 18 years of legal broadcasting. The National Community Radio Forum (NCRF) is also celebrating 20 years of its existence.“

Bush Radio initiated the then Radio Kidocracy Konference, which changed to the Media Kidocracy Konference in 2006. Initially it started as a conference where children could talk about issues and policies in broadcasting affecting them directly, to make their voices heard. With the changing landscape of media in South Africa, we decided to include other forms of media in 2006, and with this, the Media Kidocracy Konference (MKK) was born.

Delegates are expected from community radio stations across South Africa, youth groups and schools, and will include over 90 youth participants.

Today, MKK as an opportunity for youth to reflect their views on the issues on the table, discuss how the media portrays these issues, and then produce the type of media that talks directly to the youth. The skills and information they gain over the five days is part of, not only strengthening their knowledge and skill set, but also strengthening democracy in South Africa.

Partners for this year’s conference are: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Media Development and Diversity Agency and Whalecoast Monitor

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.

Related:

WIMPS.tv – WIMPS – Karen reports from the Media Kidocracy Konference in South Africa

UNICEF Media Kidocracy Photo Essay

MKK 2009 presents a bright future

Young people taking charge of media (MKK 2012)

 

MKK 2009 presents a bright future

Putting MKK 2009 together was not without its challenges, like others we too have suffered due to the economic meltdown.

 We are proud to say that the 10th Media Kidocracy Konference (MKK 2009) which ran from the 14th to the 18th December 2009 was a resounding success.

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.

WATCH THE ONLINE GROUP’S POWERPOINT PRESENTATION (CLICK HERE)

LISTEN TO THE RADIO GROUP’S FEATURE (CLICK HERE)

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.

Mr. Darion Pillay from Woolworths Financial Services

Mr Neil John Smith from John Smith Photography and Design

Mr. Brad Hale from Wild Organic Foods

Superfoto Canal Walk

Shoprite Woodstock

Ms. Lache Woldson from MTN

Trevor Muller from The Indibano Group

Loaded Smoothies

MAK1

We would also like to thank:

Elroy Williams for logistical support

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).

MKK2009 buzzing

Graffiti artist MAK1 engages in debate with a MKK2009 participant

The Media Kidocracy Konference 2009 is into its fourth day and things are hotting up.

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

Young people tackle the media

Media Kidocracy Konference 2009 Bush Radio in association with the Children’s Radio Education Workshop (CREW) project is in the final stages of planning its 10th annual Media Kidocracy Konference (MKK).

The conference will take place from the 14th – 18th of December 2009 at St. Agnes Primary School in Woodstock.

A delegate at the first conference 10 years ago

Youth between the ages of 12 and 18 will get together to explore issues that are pertinent to themselves and their peers as well as use different forms of media to develop a media campaign that will create social awareness.

Topics will include: citizenship, child labour, substance abuse, language and culture, gender-based violence and pollution.

These will be explored through various media such as dance and/or drama, online and/or print, radio, T.V. and photography.

Through these media, they can critically appraise where they are now in life and how their current behaviour will help or hinder them achieve the future they want.

Background on MKK

As part of a growing need for youth participation in the decision-making process and policy formulation around children’s broadcasting, Bush Radio initiated a conference which would tackle these issues and also feed into this debate.

The Kidocracy (Kid-democracy) name was created for the event to denote a form of society characterized 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 understandings amongst young people by exposing youth to information and experiences that will enable them to identify issues they feel are relevant as well as explore the role of the media in creating an understanding of the social issue.

MKK also assists participants in devising strategies for addressing the social issues by using the media as a tool to help resolve and address these issues.

Corporates or individulas  interested in sponsorship opportunites around the event should contact Brenda Leonard.