Gideon Commey

Experience

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  British Council AFRICA/UK Project (Belongings)

  Aug 2007 - Aug 2010

  Youth Ambassador

  The year 2007 marked 200 years of the abolishment of the Slave Trade Act. The British Council UK/Africa marked this by launching a series of events called AFRICA/UK 2007. One of the projects under this was called Belongings; a cultural and educational exchange between young people in Africa and the UK. The aim was to use inter-cultural dialogue to explore identities, erase stereotypes and promote understanding between people from diverse backgrounds in the UK and Africa. I was selected by British Council Ghana to participate in this program in the UK and returned to Ghana as a Youth Ambassador.In this position, I embarked on an educational and inter-cultural exchange programme between youth from countries in Africa and the UK. 200 young people from UK and Africa; Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Sierra Leone benefitted from the project. I also returned to Ghana to work with young people to build leadership skills and promote inter-cultural dialogue among people from diverse backgrounds in selected communities in the Greater Accra, Eastern and Northern Regions of Ghana. I worked with 500+ youth in the named regions. Show less

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  Ghana Youth Environmental Movement (GYEM)

  Jan 2012 - Jan 2018

  Founder & Coordinator

  •Provided leadership to deliver the movement’s objectives in public policy advocacy and campaigns on environment and climate change; •Coordinated multi-sectorial stakeholder engagements between government, private sector and civil society on environment and renewable energy policy. •Provided training for members of the organization to take action on the environment; 20,000+ young people empowered so far by working with teams across Ghana.OTHER LEADERSHIP ROLESNov 2016Coordinator & Presenter at the Africa Pavilion of the Civil Society Zone at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP22 in Marrakech, Morocco.Mar 2016 Lead Negotiator for the Environmental Movement engagement of Ghana Government on plans to invest in a 2x350MW supercritical coal fired power plant. Construction of the coal plant did not proceed.PROJECTSCambridge Climate Frontline Programme- CCFP (2018)Worked with a frontline community in Accra to document the impacts of climate change and community response using African traditional conservation ideas. This was in partnership with Cambridge Climate Frontline Programme based in the University of Cambridge, UK.Advocacy Action on Renewable Energy in Ghana (2017/18)Led an advocacy action in Ghana to review and enforce the Renewable Energy Act 832 (2011) of Ghana. This included working with a team of 15 to engage Government, Civil Society and the Private Sector on the Renewable Energy Act.WATER AID Ghana Funded WASH-Climate Change Project (2016)Led and coordinated the national forum on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) based climate adaptation strategies, with partnership from WaterAid Ghana. 180 participants attended the forum. Show less

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  Royal Commonwealth Society

  Jan 2014 - Oct 2020

  Youth Coordinator (Africa)

  In 2013, I served as a Judge for the Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition (QCEC), the world’s oldest schools’ international writing competition, established in 1883. With thousands of young people taking part every year, it is an important way for the young voice of the Commonwealth to be developed and heard.Since then, I coordinated youth-led events and activities among 18 Commonwealth African countries to promote Commonwealth values of human rights, democracy, governance and sustainable development. I also coordinated the work of the Associate Fellows network in Africa; a network of young people awarded by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for their leadership and community development in Commonwealth countries. My work involved more than 200 Fellows in Africa.In October 2016, I served as a Youth Coordinator for Royal Commonwealth Society International Conference (Youth Programme) in London. I worked as part of a team of 5 Coordinators from Africa, Asia, Americas, Europe and Pacific. This entailed facilitating discussions and writing reports. Show less

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  350.org

  Aug 2015 - Feb 2016

  Community Solutions Fellow

  In 2015, the US Department of State awarded me with the Community Solutions Program (CSP) Fellowship to spend 4months in America, working with 350Vermont, a leading environmental organization in the state of Vermont.In this position, I built partnerships with non-profit leaders, the solar industry and allies in the state of Vermont, to raise awareness of the scale of climate change, and working towards a just and fair planet. I also created connections with youth in Vermont to grow their awareness and participation in environmental justice issues. I did this by delivering Climate Reality presentations and workshops using the Climate Justice Change Maker curriculum. I also provided support for 350Vermont divestment, carbon tax and pipeline campaigns by working with other activists from Rising Tide, among others. During the end of my Fellowship, I was privileged to provide direct support for 350.org Founder Bill McKibben in Burlington. This was during his one-man direct action dubbed #ExxonKnew at a gas station in Burlington. Show less

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  Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

  Sept 2016 - Apr 2017

  Renewable Energy Consultant

  •Reviewed existing solar training curricular (national and international) for solar technicians for proficiency Level 1 certification of National Vocational and Technical Institute (NVTI).•Oriented instructors on the solar curriculum and provided training on its use for two batch of instructors. •Periodically monitored instructors’ performance and offered recommendations where required.

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  Squire Patton Boggs

  Apr 2019 - Apr 2019

  Intern

  I gained a short term practical work experience with global law firm Squire Patton Boggs in their London and Leeds offices. I spent most of my time with the Energy and Natural Resources Department, learning about project financing schemes for renewable energy infrastructural development. I also gained insight into the complex transactions and legal agreements in the energy sector such as Power Purchase Agreement (PPA); Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) agreements; Operation & Maintenance (OM) agreements, etc. Leading attorneys of the firm also engaged me, providing additional insight into negotiations around public policy to promote the RE industry in sub Saharan Africa. Show less

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  Christian Aid

  Apr 2020 - Sept 2020

  Consultancy Work

  •Delivered 2-day theological reflections on Climate Justice to Black Majority Churches.•Wrote and presented a 1000 word thinking piece on the Biblical concern for Climate Justice.•Facilitated reflective questions for leaders to discuss from their Church perspectives and collectively.•Facilitated ideas to translate/frame scriptures into culturally relevant language and messages linking Climate Justice to their everyday faith and community concern to inform communications.•Designed engagement tool that will help church goers to talk about climate justice. Show less

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  WWF-UK

  May 2021 - Sept 2021

  Global Education and Youth Engagement Officer

  •Led youth engagement activities of Eat4Change; a WWF-led, international project co-funded by the European Union (EU), advocating for a shift toward healthy and sustainable diets and food production practices in the UK and 13 other partners in Europe and South America.•Represented WWF-UK on the Steering Group of Youth for Our Planet (YfOP), a global youth movement calling for urgent action on nature crisis and the climate emergency.•Supported the implementation of a global youth advocacy programme linked to WWF’s 2020 campaign for a New Deal for Nature & People, and the Youth for Our Planet movement.•Supported and maximised the global reach and impact of existing and new resources and tools in the Our Planet education programme.•Liaised with WWF global network offices to design, coordinate, and support on-the-ground youth training events. •Project managed the delivery of an online youth leadership/skills training programme and the implementation of an online user-led training course for global youth audience. Show less

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  Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

  Jul 2023 - now

  Policy Advisor