Fortaleciendo Liderazgo Local

Por Dunia Perdomo; Coordinadora de Programas

OYE tuvo el beneficio de participar en el  Foro 2013: fortaleciendo liderazgo local de los asociados de Seatle International Foundation.  La reunión se llevó a cabo desde 14 al 16 de marzo en Antigua Guatemala. Dunia Perdomo, Coordinadora de Programas y Proyectos y Yarli Yanes, becada y coordinadora del proyecto de Radio Ritmo Online asistieron a él.

Yarli intervino como panelista en la sesión Programas de Desarrollo de Liderazgo Juvenil. Ella compartió su historia personal y las mejores prácticas de nuestra organización desde su experiencia en los proyectos. Su participación le valió el reconocimiento por los organizadores del evento.

Muchos de los asistentes al evento expresaron su admiración e interés por el concepto de trabajo de nuestra organización. Nuestro modelo de formar líderes a través de la construcción de capacidades en liderazgo e integración de los jóvenes a los proyectos de Arte, Radio, Revista, Deportes y Adobe es un ejemplo tanto para organizaciones locales como para las de la región latinoamericana.

La participación nos deja formación en evaluación de impacto de programas de liderazgo juvenil  y con aliados locales como ASHONPLAFA, FONASIDA, OFRANEH, Alianza de Jóvenes de Puerto Cortés, GOJoven en Honduras, entre otras. Como también lazos con organizaciones regionales como Tan´uxil de Guatemala, Movimiento de Mujeres Nidia White de Nicaragua y la Coalición Panameña por EIS.

OYE Board member Walter Molinari participates in Mayan Ceremony

OYE had the pleasure of participating in the Forum 2013: Strengthening Local Leadership  for all Seattle International Foundation associates. The meeting was held from March 14^th to 16^th in Antigua Guatemala. Dunia Perdomo, our Program and Project Coordinator, and Yarli Yanes, scholarship recipient and Radio Ritmo Online Coordinator participated in the event.

Yarli was asked to be part of the panel Youth Leadership Development Programs. She shared her personal story and best the practices of our organization based on her experience on the OYE projects. Her participation in the panel earned special acknowledgment from the forum organizers.

Most of the participants expressed admiration and interest for the concept of our organization. Our model based on training leaders through a leadership building program and the integration of our kids in the Art, Radio, Magazine, Sports, and Adobe projects is an example for both local organizations and the ones in the greater Latin-American area.

The participation leaves us with greater knowledge on how to evaluate impact in youth leadership programs and new local allies such as ASHONPLAFA, FONASIDA, OFRANEH, Alianza de Jóvenes de Puerto Cortés, GOJoven in Honduras as many others. As well, we made connections with other regional organizations such as Tan´uxil from Guatemala, Movimiento de Mujeres Nidia White from Nicaragua y  Coalición Panameña por EIS.

Central American Youth Leadership Conference

What happens when young professionals from seven different youth leadership foundations come together?

Something great!

Standing Right to Left: Marisol, Gari, Lucy, Gladys
Below Right to Left: Samuel, Michele, Cesar, Hector

This past weekend OYE Honduras organized the Central American Youth Leadership Conference. Financing and organization for this event came from Michele Frix and Seattle International Foundation. The passion of Seattle International Foundation and Michele to empower Central American youth energized and drove the conference.

Organizations invited to the conference included Comunicandonos and Ashoka Central America from El Salvador, Global Visionaries and IncideJoven from Guatemala, Teensmart from Nicaragua, and tours truly OYE Honduras. Representatives from each organization made fast friends in Aeropuerto Internacional de El Salvador, where they serendipitously met. Hunched over laptops practicing their presentations many participants realized they were sitting within feet of each other, and after brief introductions the rest was history.

Conference members exchange contact information and plan future actions

 The five youth representing their NGOs and Michele did not waste time with formalities. By the time Sam, OYE’s Development Coordinator, picked the participants up from the San Pedro Sula Airport they were old friends.  Perhaps “old friends” is not the best choice of words as many of these same participants commented on how pleased they were to see such young representatives attending the conference. The average age of the conference could       not have been more than 25!

Beyond the immediate friendships formed, the conference highlighted many commonalities between the organizations. Before, after, and during the conference youth empowerment and development were discussed in depth.  Each NGO introduced its own expertise, knowledge, and experience to the conference. While it was inspiring to see the various ways different NGOs approached the theme of youth empowerment, the consistencies between NGOs was even more enlightening. Each NGO shared the powerful notion that our youth are not only the future but also the present, and so should be leaders not just tomorrow but today. The NGOs agreed that youth development needs to have communal support and a communal impact. Finally, a general conclusion from the conference suggests that youth development is an integrated process that involves formal education, personal development and space to express oneself. In light of this conviction, the NGOs involved place significant focus on art and communication projects.

Walter present's KM2 Solution's unique Corporate Social
Responsibility plan and Social Media tools

At a final reflection of the conference all representatives agreed that not only was it a fun event, but it planted an important seed for future collaboration. The first project that invites of Central American Youth Conference will realize together is a regional news bulletin.  Within the week we expect to have drafts of news updates and important development events from each of the participating NGOs. OYE’s magazine coordinator Jarly Yanez will synthesize the articles and design the regions first youth news bulletin. Each foundation is looking forward to pioneering this international network of youth development.

Find out more about the participants by viewing their sites:
https://www.facebook.com/fcomunicandonos
http://www.teensmart.net/
http://www.global-visionaries.org/
http://www.ashoka.org/country/mexico
http://incidejoven.org/