EDUCATION and entertainment do not go hand in hand. Indeed, very few people would think that there is such a thing as ‘entertaining education' seeking to change behavior by engendering socio-cultural attitudes. However, Fanar Club in Jeddah seeks to do just that. Owned by Mohammed Al-Fitaikha, the organization claims its roots in ‘edutainment' (i.e. ‘entertainment and education'), acting as a ‘career counseling and strategic planning service'. Al-Fitaikha is attempting to get into the minds of the Saudi youth (unfortunately only catering to boys currently) with the aim of teaching them valuable skills that will enable them to face the challenges in their future. Operating much like the kind of careers service offered at universities, the organization combines important activities with a lot of fun. Some of the fun activities provided include skiing, camping, clay pigeon shooting, mountain climbing, hiking and cave exploration. The chance to hone English skills is also available with specific English courses offered at the Club. “The vision we aim for is for youngsters to start thinking differently about their futures and to help them unleash their potential by realising their capabilities,” remarked Al Fitaikha. Fanar Club started in 2006 in Jeddah as a weekend club where teenagers gathered for six to eight hours to have group discussions and attend training seminars. Recently, it has started operating on a daily basis. Anmar Fathaldin is a 22-year-old second year university student who claims that joining Al-Fanar made him realize “what I love, what I want to be and what I want to do in life.” “Your home gives you the values of respecting and loving others, but at Al-Fanar, we are taught how to value these principles and arrange goals so that we can live life the way we want to,” he explained. Al-Fitaikha explained that many of the youngsters who join his program don't understand their own capabilities and lack a strategic direction that matches their skills and aspirations with the needs of the dynamic job market. He added that it was only after parents starting approving of his methods, that he decided to establish a proper center to deliver this message. The program is structured so that young people progress through three stages: The Explorer, the Knight and the Pioneer, starting from basic skills to more advanced ones. The group age they are targeting is from 14-20 years. In the first stage, the participant discovers the importance of motivation and its potential impact on life; the second seeks to develop important skills that will aid in achieving set goals; and the third stage seeks to work on the participant's confidence and the level of enjoyment being experienced. Fanar also offers trips abroad during the summer for young people lasting approximately two months. “We take them on a tour to visit the main landmarks of the cities we visit,” said Al-Fitaikha. Each trip has its own set of goals and ideas to offer to the participants. “It's a way to shape a young person's personality and create their self-esteem through gaining new experiences and working within a team,” he added. Hani Saab was astonished by the new personality that his son Sultan acquired. “The experience built my son's self confidence and gave him the ability to work within a team, which has made him a better person in my point of view,” he said proudly.
