Voices for the Future

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 

1.  Project Background, Goals, and Objectives 

Indonesia is the world’s third largest democracy and over half of its population is under the age 30. Because of this large youth demographic, the United States has an opportunity to engage the next generation of Indonesian leaders. For the last several years, however, Indonesian favorability towards the United States has failed to increase despite good government-to-government relations that have resulted in support for trade and military agreements. Meanwhile, as countries such as Russia and China have invested heavily in soft power tactics, their favorability ratings have grown substantially. Adversaries in the region further invest substantial resources to altering public perceptions of America and U.S. government policies through information warfare in both traditional and digital media.  

The U.S. Embassy Voices for the Future debate team network and championship will support young Indonesian leaders who will help counter growing narratives against the United States that may threaten policy wins. In the age of rapidly developing technology that will fundamentally alter the information space, sharpening the critical thinking, debate, and English language skills of Indonesian youth will equip them to navigate complex information environments, identify anti-American propaganda and media manipulation, and advocate for policies that promote reciprocal trade, regional security, and U.S. - Indonesia cooperation. This program will build upon the popularity of our youth programing, including YSEALI programing, which receives substantially more applications than available slots – allowing more youth with interest in the United States to build positive connections with America. EducationUSA will also hold information sessions on legal U.S. study pathways with students.

Project Audience(s):

●      Geographic Location: Jakarta, Samarinda, Makassar, Padang.

●      Indonesian high school students ages 15-17 with good English proficiency and a demonstrated strong academic record.

●      Indonesian high school teachers and debate coaches.

Project Goal:  Demonstrate U.S. commitment to Indonesia’s next generation of leaders.

Strengthen civic literacy among Indonesian high school students through structured debate training and competition. Develop critical thinking, public speaking, and argumentation skills that prepare youth for leadership in civil society, government, and the private sector. Expand English-language proficiency in an applied, communicative context. Build lasting networks among Indonesian youth across regions, fostering national cohesion and cross-cultural understanding. Advance people-to-people ties between Indonesia and the United States by exposing participants to American traditions and values.

Project Objectives:

●      Objective 1: Establish Voices for the Future debate teams in at least 20 schools through academic programing and coaching focused on critical thinking, public speaking, and argumentation skills that prepare youth for leadership.

This objective builds the program's foundation by recruiting a minimum of 20 partner high schools across Padang, Samarinda, and Makassar, plus Jakarta-based high schools through an open call, equipping students with a structured debate curriculum focused on critical thinking, public speaking, and argumentation in English. Each school will have a dedicated coach or faculty advisor to guide students through regular practice sessions using consistent training materials and assessment tools and may form mentorships with a U.S. Embassy Regional English Language Fellow. By embedding debate training directly into school activities, the program ensures that young Indonesians across multiple regions develop the civic and leadership skills they need to contribute meaningfully to their communities and country.

●      Objective 2: Strengthen teacher and coach capacity through Training of Trainers (ToT)

This objective ensures the program's long-term sustainability by building the skills of the educators. Selected teachers and coaches will participate in a Training of Trainers program that equips them with practical tools in debate coaching, facilitation, and civic education. Participants will also form a peer network to share resources and support one another across regions. By empowering educators, the program creates a lasting foundation that can grow and thrive well beyond the project period.

●      Objective 3: Increase student engagement on free speech, digital freedom and AI

Through debate topics, workshops, and guest speaker sessions, students will explore themes such as free expression, digital rights, misinformation, and artificial intelligence. They will be encouraged to develop their own initiatives to share what they have learned with wider audiences. This prepares Indonesian youth to think critically about the digital world and engage confidently with the democratic values the United States promotes globally.

●      Objective 4: Hold a Voices for the Future National Debate Championship in Jakarta and generate public awareness

This objective brings the program to a national stage by hosting a championship in Jakarta that unites top teams from all participating schools. A merit-based qualification process will ensure fair competition, with judges drawn from the U.S. Embassy, Indonesian government, civil society, and the private sector. A strong public awareness campaign through social media and press outreach will amplify the event's visibility and celebrate student achievement. The championship will serve as a powerful, public demonstration of U.S. investment in Indonesia's next generation of leaders.

Program Activities:

·        Program design and partnership development

The recipient will partner with at least 20 schools across Jakarta, Samarinda, Padang, and Makassar and local debate communities. In coordination with the U.S. Embassy, the recipient will brief U.S. experts on the Indonesian educational context, co-develop coaching curricula and debate topic frameworks, produce a program operations manual, and develop marketing and outreach materials to recruit student and teacher participants.

·        Debate bootcamp and Coach Training (ToT)

Using funding from this grant, U.S. experts will travel to Padang, Samarinda, and Makassar to deliver three training of trainers (ToT) workshops and debate bootcamps. The ToT component will train a minimum of 24 teachers and coaches in debate formats and rules, argument construction and rebuttal techniques, and subject matter knowledge on AI governance, digital freedom, and free speech rights, equipping coaches to independently sustain competitive debate programs beyond the grant period. Each bootcamp will also include a demonstration debate session with recruited students. Coaches will receive a comprehensive toolkit of lesson plans, research guides, practice drill frameworks, and assessment rubrics. EducationUSA will hold information sessions on U.S. study pathways at each bootcamp, with a minimum of 120 students engaged across all three cities.

·        National Debate Championship in Jakarta

A national championship will be held in Jakarta open to two tracks of participants: top-qualifying teams from the Padang, Samarinda, and Makassar bootcamp cities, and Jakarta-based high school teams registered through the open call. All teams will compete across multiple elimination rounds judged by U.S. experts, Indonesian academic and civil society judges, and U.S. Embassy representatives. The program will culminate in an awards ceremony with trophies, certificates, and formal commendations, followed by a closing U.S. expert mentorship session connecting debate skills to democratic citizenship. Top performers from both tracks will be connected with U.S. educational opportunities and EducationUSA advising. A comprehensive media strategy will generate at least 10 placements across social media, press, and digital channels.

2.  Substantial Involvement The U.S. Embassy will serve as the Federal awarding agency representative and will maintain substantial involvement in the implementation of this cooperative agreement, consistent with the nature of a cooperative agreement as distinct from a grant. Specifically, the Embassy will:

1.     Program Oversight & Coordination: Provide overall programmatic oversight and serve as the primary point of contact for the recipient throughout the period of performance. The Embassy’s Public Affairs Section (PAS) will designate a Grants Officer's Representative (GOR) to monitor program activities and ensure alignment with U.S. foreign policy objectives and public diplomacy goals.

2.     Strategic Guidance: Collaborate with the recipient to ensure program activities reflect U.S. Embassy priorities, including the promotion of critical thinking, civic engagement, English language skills, and people-to-people ties between the United States and Indonesia.

3.     Approvals & Modifications: Review and approve key program deliverables, including but not limited to: the final program design, participant selection criteria, curriculum and training materials, event logistics for the national championship, and any proposed modifications to the scope of work or budget.

4.     Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitate introductions and coordination with relevant host-country government ministries (e.g., Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education), local educational institutions, and other key stakeholders as appropriate to support program implementation.

5.     Monitoring & Evaluation: Conduct site visits, review progress and financial reports, and assess program outcomes against established performance indicators. The Embassy reserves the right to request additional information or documentation as needed.

6.     Communications & Visibility: Advise the recipient on U.S. government branding and communications requirements. The Embassy may participate in or co-host program events, including the national championship, and may publicize program activities through Embassy communication channels.

7.     Financial Oversight: The Grants Officer (GO) will retain authority over all financial matters, including the review and approval of budget modifications, the authorization of payments, and the closeout of the award.

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