Summary

Yael has been working in non-formal education and capacity building in the civil sector, especially with youth related organisations, since 1995. Initially in the role of activist and later as a professional, Yael has been instrumental in the preparation and organisation of several European campaigns and large scale youth events including the 1995 European Youth Train Event, one of the highlight events of the “All Different – All Equal Campaign” against Racism, anti-Semitism, Xenophobia and Intolerance.

From 2000 to 2005 she was employed by the Directorate of Youth and Sport of the Council of Europe as an educational advisor at the European Youth Centre Strasbourg, in which capacity her main responsibilities included the management of priority work programmes, the facilitation of the work of statutory organs and the assessment of grant and other applications for support, evaluation of programmes, the planning and implementation of large scale events such as symposia, conferences, campaigns, youth events, implementation of research projects and publication activities, assisting non-governmental organisations to plan and implement educational training programmes, the development and implementation of pilot training and course models for NGO capacity building (regionally targeted provision [Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, Caucasus, South East Europe] and for specific target groups [minority groups]).

Since October 2005, she has worked as a consultant with Frankly Speaking. Her main thematic fields of interest and specialisation are human rights education, citizenship, minorities, peace, conflict transformation, globalisation, racism, youth participation in local and regional life, democracy, culture and change, youth policy. Her recent projects have been in the areas of research and policy development, publishing, project development and management and the facilitation of the strategic development of organisations and programmes. Her clients include European and international institutions, international foundations and NGOs, youth specific organisations and a network of universities from 21 European countries.

Yael is a graduate of the Central European University, Budapest (M.Phil. in Political Science), the College of Europe at Bruges (MA in European Studies and Human Resources Development) and Trinity College Dublin (BA (hons) in French and Russian Studies). She speaks several European languages including English, French, German, Russian and Slovak and has lived in Belgium, France, Hungary, Israel, Israel, Slovakia and Ukraine at different moments of her academic and professional life.

Yael was born in Haifa in Israel in 1973 and raised in Dublin in Ireland. She lives in Bratislava with her husband.

Detailed Curriculum Vitae

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Name YAEL OHANA
Address Mateja Bela 7 81106 Bratislava Slovakia
Telephone Home: +421 2 544 10 258 Mobile: +421 905 12 11 53
E-mail yael@frankly-speaking.org
Web www.frankly-speaking.org and www.nonformality.org
Citizenship Irish and Israeli
Date of birth 16.03.1973

CURRENT EMPLOYMENT
Organisation Frankly Speaking – Training and Development

Consultancy services provided include research and editorial services for non-governmental and international organisations, training, advice, event organisation in the youth, NGO capacity building, international development and human resources development fields.

Clients and Projects:

UNFPA Europe and Central Asia Region (Bratislava) and HQ (New York): Review of National Social and Youth Policies in Seven Countries of Europe and Central Asia (2006); Continuation project covering seven further countries of Europe and Central Asia (2007); Substantive Documentation and Implementation Review on Sexual and Reproductive Health of Young People in SEE (2007); Strategy Development Meeting with Youth Policy Experts for UNFPA Bratislava (2007); Workshop on Youth Policy Development for UNFPA Russia (2008).

Habitat for Humanity International: Facilitation of HfH ECA staff retreat (2005), Facilitation of strategy development process to engage HfH ECA in the improvement of poverty housing among Roma in CEE and SEE. Pilot project development in Macedonia and Hungary (2006), Co-facilitation of HfH ECA regional leadership conference (2007).

The German Marshall Fund of the United States: Copy editing and management of production process for GMF publications:  Reclaiming Democracy: Civil Society and Electoral Change in Central and Eastern Europe (Forbrig, Demes); Next Steps in Forging a Euroatlantic Strategy for the Wider Black Sea Region (Asmus); “Riga Papers” Series for the NATO Summit 2006 (various authors); Prospects for Democracy in Belarus (Forbrig, Marples and Demes).

Partnership between the European Commission and the Council of Europe in the Youth Field: European Training Modules on European Citizenship and Human Rights (Belgium, 2005 and Luxembourg, 2006).

Directorate of Youth and Sport of the Council of Europe: “T-kit on Conflict Transformation” (forthcoming, 2008) “Educational Evaluation” (2006), “T-kit on Euro-Med Youth Work” (2006), “Youth at the Heart of Europe: 10 years of the European Youth Centre Budapest (2006),  “Gender Matters – Human Rights Education Manual for Gender Sensitive Youth Work” (2006), Study Session on “Inter- religious Dialogue and Islamophobia” with ECYE and FEMYSO (2006).

MA European Youth Studies Consortium (Universities of Luxembourg and Innsbruck): Project coordinator for the development of a European Master’s Degree in European Youth Studies.

European Cultural Foundation: Rapporteur Generale for ECF / GMF cooperation project “Supporting Cultural Agents of Change in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine” including mapping of
cultural actors and capacity in each of the countries, preparation of country reports and synthesis, co- facilitation of strategy development workshop. Working paper series forthcoming January 2008.

WORK EXPERIENCE

October 2000 – September 2005

Council of Europe, Directorate of Youth and Sport (www.coe.int/youth)
Intergovernmental co-operation and policy making in the education and youth sectors, non-formal education training and civil society development and capacity building.
Educational Advisor (Grade A2, Echelon 5) European Youth Centre, Strasbourg

Main activities and responsibilities Responsibilities and functions included:
• Administration and management of priority work programmes (South East Europe 2000 – 2002, Peace and Intercultural Dialogue 2003 - 2005);
• Preparation, assistance to and participation in programme planning and meetings of statutory organs (assessment of grant and other applications for support, evaluation and documentation of programmes, reporting, meeting organisation and administration);
• Planning and implementation of research activities, research, editing, documentation and
publication activities;
• Development and implementation of pilot training and course models for NGO capacity building (regionally targeted provision [Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, Caucasus, South East Europe] and for specific target groups [minority groups]).

September 1997 – September 2000 Free Lance Trainer and Editor
Council of Europe, Directorate of Youth and Sport, European Youth Centres Budapest/Strasbourg

• Long Term Training Course for Minority Youth Participation in Europe, Team Member in 1998, 1999 and 2000; European Baha’i Youth Council Study Session entitled “Training for Human Rights Activism”, Tutor, August 1999; Training for Trainers, Team Member, November 1999; JECI-MIEC (European Association of Catholic Students) Study Session entitled “Studying together in the Multi-Cultural Society”, Tutor, February 2000; “Guide to Applications for and Organising Study Sessions at the European Youth Centres”, Editor.

February 1999 – June 1999 Assistant to the Co-ordinator Europe – Youth – Human Rights Month of Action European Youth Centre Budapest, Council of Europe, Directorate of Youth and Sport
• Responsible for preparation of the monthly event update, assistance to the meetings of the team of the Human Rights Week, assistance to meetings of the Steering Group, reporting, and general administrative and logistical assistance to the co-ordinator of the month of action.

September 1997 – January 1998 Assistant, Long Term Training Course for National Agencies, Youth for Europe Programme, Institute for Research in Applied Communication (IKAB)
• Responsible for assisting the training team during the course and editing the interim and final reports of the training.

January 1997 – March 1997 Local Programme Co-ordinator Pilot Project for Young Media Professionals, Agence Quebec Wallonie Bruxelles pour la Jeunesse
• Responsible for conceptual planning, recruitment of participants and programme for the Budapest phase of the pilot project, a trilateral youth exchange for young media professionals
from Hungary, Belgium and Canada (Quebec).

April 1995 – December 1995 Educational Co-ordinator - European Youth Train Project, Council of Europe European Youth Campaign Against Racism, Xenophobia, anti-Semitism and
Intolerance
• Responsible for conceptual development and educational programme of the project, recruitment and training of train animators, evaluation of the event and reporting to the governing bodies.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING
September 1997 – June 1998 Central European University, Budapest, Hungary.
Principal subject Political Science
Title of qualification awarded Master of Philosophy in Political Science, (Thesis Presented: Identity in Action: Minority Youth Participation in Europe.)

September 1996 – June 1997 College of Europe, Bruges, Belgium
Principal subjects European Studies and Human Resources Development
Title of qualification awarded Master of Arts in European Studies (Thesis Presented: Youth as a Human Resources Imperative: Can there be a European Youth Policy?)

October 1990 – June 1994 University of Dublin, Trinity College, Ireland
Principal subjects French and Russian
Title of qualification awarded Bachelor of Arts (Honours Degree) French & Russian Studies (Thesis Presented: Jewish Emigration from the Soviet Union from 1945 – The case of contemporary Jewish student activity)

LANGUAGES
English Mother Tongue
French Reading: Excellent; Writing: Excellent; Speaking: Excellent
Russian Reading: Good; Writing: Good; Speaking: Good
German Reading: Good; Writing: Basic; Speaking: Very Good
Hebrew Reading: Good; Writing: Good; Speaking: Good
Slovak Reading: Good; Writing: N/A; Speaking: Good

SOCIAL AND ORGANISATIONAL SKILLS OR COMPETENCES
Intercultural Communication
Teamwork
Administration

TECHNICAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCES
Operational and user knowledge of Windows and Apple Macintosh systems. Excellent word processing skills in WORD for WINDOWS. Ability to touch type on QWERTZ, AZERTY and QWERTY keyboards. Extensive familiarity with and user knowledge of OFFICE applications, such as EXCEL, ACCESS and POWER POINT and Internet Explorer.  

FURTHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
2001: Course in Intercultural Communication organised by Consultants Interculturele Communicatie, Amsterdam & College of Extended Learning, California State University Northridge (Module 1: Intercultural Communication, Grade B+, Module 2: Management of culturally mixed teams and groups, un-graded course, Module 3: International Assignments, Grade B+).
2003: Salzburg Seminar, Session 413, Engaging Youth in Community Development (ungraded course).

DRIVING LICENCE Yes

REFERENCES

Hendrik OTTEN Director, Institute for Applied Research in Communication (IKAB), Bonn, Germany
e-mail: h.otten@ikab.de

Antje ROTHEMUND Executive Director, European Youth Centre Budapest, Hungary
e-mail: antje.rothemund@coe.int

MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Board Member of Interkulturelles Zentrum, Vienna, Austria (www.iz.or.at)
Board Member of IKAB, Bonn, Germany (www.ikab.de)

ANNEX: LIST OF PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS

“Supporting Cultural Actors of Change – A Regional Review”, Working Paper series, comprising three country reports and a regional synthesis on cultural actors of change in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine commissioned by the European Cultural Foundation and the German Marshall Fund of the United States within their Eastern European Reflection Group Process 2007. Web version: www.gmfus.org/publications/index.cfm or www.eurocult.org. 

“Educational Evaluation”, Training Manual (T-Kit) on Educational Evaluation developed in the framework of the Partnership Programme between the European
Commission and the Council of Europe in the field of European level youth worker training, 2007, English. Web version: http://www.training-youth.net/site/publications/publications.htm.

“Youth at the Heart of Europe – A Decade of the European Youth Centre Budapest”, Publication on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the European Youth Centre Budapest. Council of Europe publishing, English, French and Hungarian, (ISBN-10-92-871-5959-9), 2006.

“How Big Is Your World? – An Anthology”, Conference documentation and interactive CD ROM of the Europe, Youth and Globalisation event organised by the Directorate of Youth
and Sport of the Council of Europe in May 2004. September 2005 (ISBN-92-871-5727-8). Anthology: English. CD ROM: English, Russian, French and Spanish.

“Europe, Youth and Citizenship – Under Construction”, Training Manual (T-kit) on European Citizenship developed in the framework of the Partnership Programme between the European Commission and the Council of Europe in the field of European level youth worker training. Published in January 2004, English. Web version: http://www.training-youth.net/site/publications/publications.htm.

“Europe: Education interculturelle en transition?”, Article in Agora Debats Jeunesse # 22 (French Youth Studies Journal) on the changing life contexts of young people in Europe today and the transition this entails for non-formal educational provision at European level. French.

“Human Rights Week Report”, Report of the Human Rights Week organised by the European Youth Centre, Budapest in co-operation with the European Youth Forum. Published in March 2000. English and French.

“Participation and Citizenship – Training for Minority Youth Projects in Europe”, Course documentation for the Long Term Training Course for Minority Youth Work in Europe of the Youth Directorate of the Council of Europe, 1997. Published in November 1998. English and French (ISBN 92-871-3650-5).

“Europe, Young People and Social Exclusion – Informal education in the struggle to combat social exclusion”, Article published in “Social Exclusion”, special edition of “Collegium” (No. 13, November 1998) – journal of the College of Europe. English and French.

“What a wonderful world? - Training materials for youth work against social exclusion in multicultural settings”, A manual of training materials for youth workers commissioned by Intercultura Europe and financed by the European Commission through the Youth for Europe Programme. Printed in April 1997, English, French, German.