Turning Tables Myanmar works to empower marginalized youth by providing the means to process and express their hopes, dreams and challenges, through the Creative Arts of music and film. They strive to address the root causes of inequality and provide support to a wide range of challenges in Myanmar from gender-based violence, tribalism, extremist groups, youth in urban slums and the communities in which they reside.
Methodology
Their unique approach of promoting youth participation is established to value and amplify their voices and use experiences to share their stories responsibly through film and music through multiple media outlets. The use of an artistic medium creates a non-violent space to widen and deepen the context of their issues, which in turn creates space for increased peace dividend and non-violent transformation that provides alternative opportunities to transcend conflicts in their society and shift narratives.
Product-Based Approach
From Myanmar, Turning Tables reaches out to at-risk and marginalized youth in Myanmar's most challenging communities with an innovative methodology. They aim to address the lack of youth access to inclusion and education by empowering youth to express themselves through ‘product-based approach’. By utilizing creative tools for music and film production and performance, they seek to instigate collective and individual processes of self-reflection and critical thinking, thus inspiring and cultivating youth in Myanmar to advocate for change in a non-violent way.
The 'product-based approach' is designed to strengthen networks and build bridges within and outside communities. Building and designing products reduces distances between people while working towards a common goal. The process also promotes a technical skill-building capacity in an open space from where youth can self-reflect and advocate for change through their products.
Through programmes, the youth embark on a multi leveled process where they are able to interact with peers and mentors. The process creates an opportunity to develop character skills by supporting one another, through youth-to-youth communication, positive role-modeling and preventing negative coping mechanisms.
