Youth Influencers’ Participation in Policy Paper Writing Training-IACE عودة إلى الفرص

1. Background:

In the Southern Neighbourhood, socio-economic challenges have persisted for decades, characterized by weak regional integration, a high unemployment rate, especially among youth and women, and limited access to financial resources and markets for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). These constraints have hindered sustained economic growth and contributed to low levels of entrepreneurship and innovation.

However, there are also significant emerging opportunities, particularly in the fields of innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship. Several positive trends have been observed, including the modernization of education systems, youth career development programs, the emergence of startup support organizations, and a rising demand for digitalization spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. These trends have opened up new possibilities for entrepreneurs and SMEs to access digital markets, connect globally, and foster regional cooperation, particularly with the European Union and other neighboring countries.

In this context, the project “Strengthening innovation by supporting cooperation between clusters and start-up ecosystems in the countries of the Southern Neighborhood”, funded by the European Union and implemented in Tunisia by IACE in collaboration with Spark, has the overall aim of strengthening local ecosystems and their players in Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Tunisia in order to support innovation, employment and economic growth. 

A key objective (Specific Outcome 3 – So3) of the project is to ensure that startup ecosystem actors play a proactive role in shaping the legal and regulatory framework that supports innovation and entrepreneurship. By leveraging best practices from the region and the EU, these actors—including youth—are expected to contribute actively to legislative reforms that improve the startup environment.

This call for applications seeks to identify and engage youth influencers who can champion these reforms by learning how to develop effective policy papers and advocacy strategies aimed at improving the startup framework in Tunisia. The final objective is to empower young voices to influence decision-makers and advocate for a startup-friendly regulatory environment.

2. Objectives of the Call :

The primary objective of this call for applications is to select and train a group of highly motivated youth influencers on the essential skills needed to draft and advocate policy papers. The training will enable them to:

• Develop an in-depth understanding of the current challenges faced by startups and SMEs in Tunisia.
• Gain practical knowledge on the formulation of policy recommendations based on data, best practices, and consultations with stakeholders.
• Actively contribute to drafting a policy paper that will present evidence-based recommendations to improve Tunisia’s startup ecosystem.
• Become active participants in advocating for legislative reforms by presenting the policy paper to relevant authorities, stakeholders, and policymakers.

3. Scope of Work :

Selected participants will:

• Participate in a series of training workshops on policy paper writing.
• Collaborate on developing a policy paper focused on improving the startup framework in Tunisia.
• Present policy recommendations to stakeholders, including government bodies and startup ecosystem actors.

4. Eligibility Criteria :

Applicants must:

• Be between 18-35 years old.
• Have demonstrated interest or experience in startups, entrepreneurship, or policy advocacy.
• Be active on social media with a significant following or influence.
• Show commitment to engaging in policy discussions and advocacy for startups.
• Be available for the entire duration of the training program.

5. Key Deliverables :

• Participation in policy paper writing training workshops.
• A co-written policy paper with actionable recommendations for improving the startup ecosystem.
• Engagement in advocacy efforts targeting policymakers and startup ecosystem actors.