Going Global: Using Authentic Youth Engagement to Advance International Advocacy

and Policy Reform

Jim Casey Youth Engagement SummitAugust 6, 2014

• Share examples and experiences of young people in the advocacy and policy arenas

• Focus on transferability of positive youth development principles, practices and policy across countries and contexts

• Focus on the impact of youth and adult alliances

Session Goals:

• Cordelia Belezaire – Youth Against Violence Movement Coordinator – Belize

• Sixto Cancel– Jim Casey Youth Fellow– Clinton Global Initiative Representative– Rising Junior at Virginia Commonwealth University

• Bonnie Politz– Senior Advisor, Creative Associates International

Speakers

Facts & Figures

• Youth aged 15-24 make up 27% of the world’s population• 1.7 billion youth today – largest generation to enter adulthood• In developing countries up to 50% of 15-24 year olds are

unemployed and out of school• Marginalized youth more likely to engage in risky behaviors, be

recruited into crime, armed conflict and terrorism

Policy and Advocacy Trends in Global Youth Development

• United Nations• Post-2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) / Youth

Action Guide• Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development• International Youth Day (August 12th, 2014)

Policy and Advocacy Trends in Global Youth Development

• US Agency for International Development• Youth in Development Policy• State of the Field Reports on Youth Development: Workforce,

Education, Youth Engagement, Cross-Sectoral Approaches

Policy and Advocacy Trends in Global Youth Development

Supporting Research

Youth Engagement

“The active, empowered, and intentional partnership with youth as stakeholders, problem solvers, and change agents in their communities.” - Youth Leadership Institute

“Eighty-five percent of Taliban recruits are under 25 and the majority of people in Egypt in the square were young people. So you see a trail of positive or negative in which young people are already involved…” —Restless Development

“If you decide to institutionalize youth voice, you are essentially designing and launching a whole new project that needs resources, oversight, and direction.”—YouthBuild

Hart’s Ladder of Youth Participation

Cordelia Belezaire

• National Coordinator, Youth Against Violence Movement in Belize

Objective: Influence policy makers to implement the right strategies which we believe will aid the development of youth and create a safer Central American region; one without violence.

Central America Youth Against Violence Movement

• A USG-funded initiative, began in Guatemala in 2009

• Now in 7 Countries: Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua

• Youth volunteers between 16 to 35

Central America Youth Against Violence Movement

• The chapter in Belize was formed in November 2012

• Outcomes:– Public Policy Recommendations for the

Prevention of Violence at the Central American Presidential Summit

– Government of Belize National Youth Strategy– Caricom Youth Stakeholder consultation

Youth Against Violence Movement in Belize

• Strategy 1Strengthen civil society and state institutional

structures• Strategy 2

Strengthen the family for the integral development of the youth

• Strategy 3Strengthen the formal educational system as well

as non formal and alternative educational initiatives

• Strategy 4Reduce risk factors for the development of citizen

security• Strategy 5

Promote the recovery of public spaces and the development of integral initiates for peaceful coexistence

• Strategy 6Provide incentives for the development of youth

organizations and volunteer opportunities promoting youth social and political leadership

• Strategy 7Provide incentives for vocational, employment

and entrepreneurial opportunities• Strategy 8

Promote integral attention for youth at risk• Strategy 9

Guarantee access to justice, rehabilitation and insertion of youth with an emphasis on restorative justice.

Sixto Cancel Founder, Think of Us Member,

Youth Innovation Advisory, Dell Inc. Commitment Maker,

Clinton Global Initiative University Young Fellow,

Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative

National Fellow, The National Center For Innovation & Excellence

Scholar, YouthVillages Student, Virginia Commonwealth

University 

Contact

• Cordelia Belezaire - cordeliabelezaire@hotmail.com

• Sixto Cancel –sixto.cancel@gmail.com• Bonnie Politz – bonniep@creativedc.com

Visit our website at

www.creativeassociatesinternational.com