Taqaddam

Taqaddam (“Move Forward” in Arabic) is a youth skills programme developed by the British Council and HSBC for Lebanon and Egypt, with content created by Spark+Mettle. It was designed to equip young people aged 15–17 with skills for life, learning, and work.

As a local facilitator, I delivered workshops in Beirut, Tripoli, and Saida. These interactive sessions helped students explore their character strengths, build teamwork and problem-solving skills, and develop a growth mindset.

The programme blended in-person training with online learning, ensuring that students could continue their learning journey between workshops.

The impact was clear in the confidence, creativity, and resilience participants brought back to their schools and communities. Taqaddam became a much-needed space for young people to reflect on themselves and their futures, while also connecting with peers across the region.

A woman speaking into a microphone on stage at a seminar, with students seated and taking notes, a large screen displaying a presentation in the background, and a whiteboard nearby.
Sketch of a person's head with short hair on a notepad. Several yellow sticky notes with handwritten notes in red ink, including words like 'Love', 'Family', 'Humility', and drawings like a small tree, a guitar, a heart, musical notes, and a sculpture piece. A red pen rests on top of the notepad, which is placed on a wooden surface.
A large lecture hall filled with students listening to a presentation. Two speakers are standing at the front near a large screen displaying the words "We are living in a world that is more..." with an image of the Earth. A whiteboard is on the right side of the stage.