Phnom Penh: BBC Media Action Hosts Impact Insights Forum on 3rd December 2024 from the Himawari Hotel Apartments. BBC Media Action is thrilled to announce the “Impact Insights Forum: Innovative Multimedia for Youth Participation,” a special event showcasing the achievements of the Klahan9 SPACE project in promoting youth participation in Cambodia. The forum will unveil findings from an innovative mixed-methods evaluation, showcasing compelling impact stories, best practices, and SPACE’s significant role in empowering young Cambodians to engage in public life.
This event also marks two major milestones for BBC Media Action: 25 years of global impact and 21 years of dedicated service in Cambodia. These anniversaries underscore BBC Media Action’s ongoing commitment to empowering communities, promoting youth participation, and driving meaningful change. The BBC Media Action is thankful to audiences, local partners, funders, and the BBC who have been with this journey.
Empowering Young Cambodians Through Innovative Multimedia for Youth Initiative and Partnership Approach:
Since its inception in May 2021, Klahan9 SPACE has supported young Cambodians to get involved in public life and influence decision-making by equipping them with skills, knowledge, confidence, motivation, and networks and shifting negative attitudes about young people’s capabilities.
This youth-led project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Embassy of Sweden Section Office in Phnom Penh (Sida) and uniquely combines the media and communication expertise of BBC Media Action with the long-standing and deeply rooted community experience of three local organizations—Youth Council Cambodia, Youth Resource Development Program, and Bophana Center—and is on target to make a positive contribution to youth participation in Cambodia. The project also works with local media outlets1 and broadcasting partners to disseminate positive messages that support young people at scale. With the guidance of the National Youth Policy and the support of the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports (MoEYS), SPACE continues to promote an environment where young people can thrive and lead.
Highlight of Insights Klahan9 SPACE has successfully reached over 2.4 million people across Cambodia through engaging media content and dynamic outreach activities. Survey results indicate that the project helped to promote civic participation and empower a new generation of young Cambodians to participate in civic life. The project audiences/ beneficiaries with higher exposure reported being significantly more likely to participate in civic life than those who had not been exposed to any Klahan9 media content or outreach intervention.
Negative gender and generational norms also evolved—young people reported feeling more supported, while elders began shifting their attitudes and behaviors, showing greater recognition of young people’s capabilities.
“I was not interested in sending my daughter to any meetings because I thought she was too young. After watching the drama, I realised that my daughter is at Kdep Ampil’s age too. Later, I encouraged her to join (community meetings), and she has attended twice already.” Mother, 42 years old, Takeo province.
An external evaluation conducted by an independent evaluator found that the Klahan9 SPACE project is a relevant, innovative, and unique programme in Cambodia in terms of its focus on strengthening youth’s civic engagement through media and communication. The project’s innovative approach and set of four mutually reinforcing workstreams, or ‘pillars’: media production, community outreach, media support and training, and research, were effective in engaging a broad spectrum of youth, including those from traditionally underserved communities.
BBC Media Action is the BBC‘s international charity harnessing the transformative power of media and communication to help deliver more connected and inclusive societies and a safer and more inhabitable planet. Working with partners around the world, BBC Media Action brings together a unique blend of creative, research, and international development expertise; deep local knowledge of our audiences in the places we work; and strong networks of local partners.
BBC Media Action has been delivering creative communication projects in Cambodia since 2003, addressing a range of development issues including climate change adaptation, risk communication, sexual and reproductive health, women’s entrepreneurship, youth economic security, youth empowerment, and civic engagement. BBC Media Action have done this through our popular and trusted brands Loy9 (Cool9), Love9, and Klahan9 (Brave9)—engaging young people and achieving impact through TV, social media, and community outreach work. We partner with civil society, local media, and government to deliver our work in the country.
Photo by: Supplied
