IYF Holds Youth Conference In Ciudad Juárez
Read All PostsIn response to this city’s ongoing violence and soaring school dropout rates, more than 180 government, civic and youth leaders came together this week to share effective strategies to empower young people and increase community involvement in youth-targeted activities. The two-day event was sponsored by the International Youth Foundation (IYF) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), in coordination with the Fundación del Empresariado Chihuahuense (FECHAC) and support from the US Mexico Foundation and the Youth Network of Ciudad Juárez. The meeting celebrated as well the launch of Youth:Work Mexico, IYF’s new initiative to ensure at-risk youth stay in school and become productive members of society. The program, supported by USAID, is working to strengthen and expand after school and summer programs, create safe places for young people to gather, and prepare youth for brighter futures through job and entrepreneurship training.
“We have seen here today how the young people of Ciudad Juárez are leading city-wide efforts to stem the violence and promote peaceful and sustainable communities,” said Carlo Arze, Director of Youth:Work Mexico. “It’s up to all of us to support them.” In his remarks, Peter Shiras, IYF Executive Vice President, underscored the power of multi-sector partnerships to significantly impact young people’s lives and prospects. Speaking directly to the youth participants, he said: “You inspire us with your dreams, your creativity and your commitment to move us forward in our work together.”
Youth-led efforts to improve conditions in their communities were a significant focus of each day’s proceedings, which were also highlighted by young people’s lively theater, music, and dance performances. Reflecting the voices of hope expressed by many of her peers, one young leader said: “Ciudad Juárez is a place full of opportunities to be an agent of change; the only limits are the ones inside of you.”
Throughout the meeting, panelists exchanged best practices from across the Latin American region on such issues as conflict prevention, employability and entrepreneurship, education, and citizen involvement. In his address to the gathering, the Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports said his top priority was to strengthen the educational system, including building 39 much needed high schools in the city. “Young people are our future and our present,” he said, “and we must create a new system of education that will improve their quality of life.”
By the end of the three-year Youth:Work Mexico project, IYF expects to directly benefit 7,500 young people across the city. Approximately 5,000 youth will attend after school and summer camp programs; 2,000 will participate in life skills training; and 500 will benefit from employability training, internships, job placement services, and entrepreneurship support.