Complex global challenges such as the sustainable use of natural resources and their equitable distribution, the creation of humane working and living conditions and inclusive societies, as well as the overcoming of crises and conflicts can only be met if sufficient people are in a position to take into account the global effects of their actions and to commit themselves sensitively and enthusiastically to find solutions. This requires knowledge of global contexts and interdependencies as well as experiences in an international context and methods for applying and sharing this know-how. This is where the ASA Programme comes in.
The aim of the learning and capacity-building programme on development policy is to provide young people with the skills they need to act and shape their lives so that they can effectively assume responsibility for sustainable development in various areas of society in the long term.
A constitutive element of the ASA Programme is its identity as a learning programme and as a dynamic learning space. Both staff and former participants contribute to the design and continuous development of participatory decision-making structures.
Another special feature is the interaction between theory and practice: Participants take part in seminars lasting several days in Germany as well as in a three-month project phase in a country in Africa, Asia, Latin America or South-East Europe. Some projects start with a three-month project phase in Germany. Participants reflect on their own learning process and explore how to address global interdependencies in their environment. The ASA Programme provides the necessary logistical and financial framework conditions and accompanies the reflection process in terms of content. The ASA Programme promotes the sustainable engagement of the participants and thus makes an important contribution to development education in Germany.
The ASA Programme is offered by ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL gGmbH - Service for Development Initiatives and is implemented on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and many federal states. It is politically independent and works on a non-profit basis.
