The International Association for National Youth Service

9th Global Conference on National Youth Service

Bibliotheca Alexandrina Alexandria, Egypt

25-27 October 2010

Final Report

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CONTENTS

About IANYS ..................................................................................................................... 3

Lifetime Achievement Award to Donald J. Eberly, IANYS Founder and Honorary President ................................................................... 4

Executive Summary ........................................................................................................ 6

Introduction ................................................................................................................... 10

1 Creating an enabling environment for youth civic participation.................. 15

Considerations for the youth civic engagement field ....................................................... 15 Supporting legal, institutional and social conditions for youth civic engagement ................................................................................................................ 18 Policy and youth service infrastructure as enabling factors .......................................... 20

2 Youth service and transitions to adulthood .................................................... 23

Youth leadership ............................................................................................................................. 23 Youth employability ....................................................................................................................... 25 Youth social entrepreneurship .................................................................................................. 29

3 Youth service contributions to development and peace .............................. 32

Meeting community needs .......................................................................................................... 32 Promoting social cohesion .......................................................................................................... 34 Peace-building .................................................................................................................................. 37

4 Assessing the impact of youth service .............................................................. 39

How to measure impacts in NYS programs? ........................................................................ 39 Methods for assessing impact .................................................................................................... 41 How to measure the cost-effectiveness of NYS programs? ............................................ 43 The need for shared tools and experience ............................................................................ 44

5 How IANYS Can Respond to the Needs of the Field ........................................ 45

Strengthening the knowledge base for national youth service .................................... 45 Improving program design and practice ............................................................................... 46 Promoting strong policy for youth civic engagement ...................................................... 47 Facilitating the exchange of information and resources ................................................. 48

APPENDIX 1: IANYS 9TH GLOBAL CONFERENCE PARTICIPANT LIST ................... 51 APPENDIX 2: CONFERNCE AGENDA WITH SESSIONS AND PRESENTERS ........... 61

APPENDIX 3: Acknowledgements ............................................................................. 71

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Preface

The International Association for National Youth Service (IANYS) is a unique global net-work of practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and other professionals actively working to encourage countries worldwide to implement policies and programs that support youth civic engagement. Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP) is the permanent secretariat of IANYS. The Association was formed in 1996 at the third Global Conference on National Youth Service, and has grown to include participants from 48 different countries on six continents. Its steering committee, the Global Council, consists of 14 experts on youth ser-vice from 13 countries around the world. In 2007, Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP) was selected as the permanent secretariat for IANYS on the basis of its experience and expertise as a leader in the global movement to promote sustainable development and social change through youth community engage-ment. Since then ICP has expanded the IANYS network and is working to strengthen the capacity of IANYS to support youth service professionals in increasing and improving op-portunities for young people to participate in addressing critical national and community needs while building essential skills for future success. As youth civic engagement becomes increasingly recognized worldwide as a strategy for addressing critical social and development issues, IANYS has witnessed growing demand for technical assistance and expertise in designing, implementing, evaluating, and refining youth programs and policies. IANYS meets this demand by:

Building the professional capacity of practitioners and policymakers;

Facilitating the exchange of information, resources and program models;

Promoting strong youth policy that supports youth civic engagement; and

Connecting programs to experts and consultants worldwide. These activities have cultivated a global community of well-informed and resourceful prac-titioners, policymakers, and researchers dedicated to creating high-quality and effective opportunities for young people to pursue economic, social, and academic success while contributing to positive change in their communities. The IANYS Global Conference is held every two years in a different region of the world and provides a unique and stimulating forum for professionals to share information and cur-rent developments with other policymakers, practitioners, and researchers. It nurtures connections for developing future projects and explores the potential impact of youth civic participation on community and youth development. Past conferences have been held in France, Ghana, Argentina, Israel, the UK, Papua New Guinea, Nigeria and the US. This report summarizes the outcomes of the IANYS 9th Global Conference. For more infor-mation about IANYS, visit www.icicp.org/ianys. Susan Stroud, Director, IANYS and Jean Manney, Lead Conference Organizer, IANYS

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Lifetime Achievement Award to Donald J. Eberly, IANYS Founder

and Honorary President

On the first day of the conference a Lifetime Achievement Award was

made to Donald Eberly, one of the founding fathers of National Youth

Service. For over nearly six decades he has been steadfast in pursuing

the national service ideal through writing and advocacy for national ser-

vice and service-learning. As an undergraduate at the Massachusetts In-

stitute of Technology in the late 1940’s, Eberly was active in a student-

led project that brought several hundred young men and women to MIT

from countries that had been devastated by World War II and from developing countries

for a summer of study and research. Today he and his colleagues would be called

“volunteers in a service-learning program.”

After being drafted to serve in the US Army during the Korean War from 1951-1953, Eberly

decided to serve in a civilian capacity and compare which experience was most useful. He

taught physics and mathematics at a college in Nigeria and helped organize projects to

meet community needs. Upon returning to the United States in 1957, he wrote “National

Service for Peace,” which articulated his conclusion that he contributed much more

through civilian service than through two years of Army service. US Senator Hubert Hum-

phrey used Eberly's proposal as a source for the legislation that would later lead to the

Peace Corps. In 1967, Eberly launched the National Service Secretariat in the United States.

He has since written many articles about National Youth Service and visited NYS projects in

North and South America, Central America and the Caribbean, Africa and Europe, the Mid-

dle East and Far East, Australia and the Pacific Islands.

In 1966, Eberly began circulating the National Service Newsletter which grew to be distrib-

uted to several hundred people in 65 countries. From 1966 to 1994 he served as the Direc-

tor of the National Service Secretariat in the US. In 1992, under Don's leadership, the First

Global Conference on National Youth Service was convened to compare various NYS pro-

grams and explore NYS as a form of nation-building, the universal principles of NYS, the

distinction between service and employment, and the learning potential of NYS. The con-

ference concluded with a communiqué – 'A Call to Service' – that was strongly supportive

of NYS. At the Third Global Conference on National Youth Service in Papua New Guinea in

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1996, participants formally established the International Association for National Youth

Service and unanimously elected Don Eberly as its President.

Eberly is the author of National Service: A Promise to Keep(1988); editor of A Profile of Na-

tional Service(1966); and co-editor with Michael W. Sherraden of National Service: Social,

Economic and Military Impacts (1982), and The Moral Equivalent of War: A Study of Non-

Military Service in Nine Nations (1990). From 2001-2005, he collaborated with Reuven Gal

to write Service without Guns (2006).

In 1994, he moved to New Zealand to be with his children and grandchildren, where he

continues to write and advise on national service issues. Don Eberly’s dedication, vision

and skill have influenced a number of nations to set up National Youth Service programs

and still more are thinking through the implications. He has lit the torch and kept it glowing

for over 50 years.

“When governments, NGOs, and schools and universities challenge young people to serve in

ways that make sense to the young people and to those in need, and when they provide proper

financial and supervisory support, young people will step forward as they are doing in most of

the countries represented here.”

Donald J. Eberly, opening remarks at the 6th IANYS Global Conference

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The International Association for National Youth Service (IANYS) has a significant role

to play in strengthening National Youth Service in countries across the globe and in

advancing the youth civic engagement field more broadly. This sentiment emerged

strongly from participants attending the 9th Global Conference, which was held at the world

renowned Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt from October 25-27 2010. The

event, organized by Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP) – the IANYS permanent secre-

tariat – in partnership with the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the John D. Gerhart Center for

Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at the American University in Cairo (AUC), drew a re-

cord 200 participants from an impressive 30 countries.

Over three days, participants had the opportunity to learn about exciting new develop-

ments in the youth civic engagement field and see youth service as a critical component of

youth empowerment more generally. Participants reflected on the successes and chal-

lenges across different regions and forged relationships with other practitioners, academ-

ics, policy makers, youth and volunteers from the field. As outlined below, the conference

sessions identified a number of issues that participants currently face in their efforts to

strengthen youth civic engagement in their communities, countries and regions.

Conference participants stressed that in order to prosper, youth civic engagement re-

quires an enabling environment. This starts with the need to embrace young people as

full-fledged partners and affirm that their potential, abilities, skills and commitment can

help to address the greatest global challenges of our day. Parents, practitioners, policymak-

ers, entrepreneurs and celebrities should all take steps to encourage young people to be-

come active citizens in their communities from an early age and to embrace civic engage-

ment. Participants also stressed the importance of providing youth with diverse opportuni-

ties for civic engagement and leveraging a range of communication channels, including so-

cial media, the radio and mobile phones to make youth aware of these opportunities.

A supportive policy environment is another factor required for youth civic engage-

ment to prosper in a country. Policies that promote freedom of expression, freedom of

association and freedom of information set the foundation for vibrant civil societies and in

that way also support civic participation among youth. However, youth civic engagement

also depends on adequate volunteer infrastructure being in place at the country level – that

is, policies, systems, mechanisms, resources and institutions that directly support and pro-

mote youth voluntary service. Conference participants pointed out that the need for volun-

teer infrastructure differs from country to country and that efforts to advocate for volun-

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teer infrastructure at the country level have to take into consideration each country’s his-

torical, social, cultural and economic context.

High-level political leadership as well as leadership by volunteer-promoting organi-

zations can be instrumental in creating the momentum for national youth service.

Even in countries where youth service programs already exist, governments face the ongo-

ing task of scaling up, renewing and sustaining programs, and ensuring that they are of

high quality and exemplify good volunteer management practices. The establishment of

multi-sectoral partnerships between civil society, government and the private sector can

promote the sustainability of youth service pro-

grams. Participants also discussed the need to

broaden participation in the programs by includ-

ing young people from all sectors of society.

Another key theme explored at the conference

was the role of youth civic engagement in sup-

porting the transitions that young people make

to adulthood. This is a particularly salient theme

for developing countries where young people face

high levels of unemployment. As a result, they are

often caught in a vicious cycle of poverty that ex-

poses them to serious health risks and affects their

well-being and employability. Conference partici-

pants stressed that youth service provides young people with opportunities to build their

leadership capabilities, access positive role models, develop new skills and widen their so-

cial networks. Taken together, these various benefits of the service experience can help

young people develop a sense of confidence in their potential and set them on a path to-

wards accessing education, employment or other income-generating opportunities.

Some youth service programs are explicitly designed to increase the employability of

their young participants. This is often done through the accreditation of service pro-

grams, the provision of structured exit opportunities to program graduates, and by focus-

ing on character-building and developing life skills and technical skills through program

curriculums. Most youth service programs report that participants develop ‘soft skills’ in

the areas of communication, team-building, creativity, and critical thinking, all of which

help prepare them for participation in the workplace. Many participants thus called on em-

ployers to consider participation in youth service and the ‘soft skills’ acquired in that proc-

ess when making decisions about hiring young recruits. At the same time participants

stressed that we must not over-emphasize the relationship between youth service and em-

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ployability because there is a risk that one might lose sight of the inherent value of civic en-

gagement for youth and society more broadly.

Participants identified the ways in which youth involvement in social entrepreneur-

ship can help to cultivate greater youth civic engagement and vice-versa. Research

conducted in the Arab region found that many youth with an interest in starting a business

also expressed an interest in positioning that business to help their community. Commu-

nity-based learning often involves students in developing business plans to address the

community problems they are studying. The synergy between social entrepreneurship and

youth civic engagement is an emerging area of interest that demands greater research and

attention. Participants recommended that governments, the private sector, and civil soci-

ety all invest more in social entrepreneurship opportunities for youth. Some suggestions

for how to support the field included encouraging youth to explore social entrepreneur-

ship, incubating the innovative ideas that young people want to develop, helping youth ac-

cess start-up capital for small businesses, and establishing policy frameworks that enable

social entrepreneurship.

The benefits of youth civic engagement extend beyond the individual participant to

the communities and nations in which young volunteers serve. The conference bore

witness to the myriad ways in which youth civic engagement contributes to meeting objec-

tives for development and peace at the community level. A number of participants stressed

the importance of viewing young people as assets in community development and provid-

ing them with community-based volunteering opportunities. The role of international vol-

unteering in motivating youth volunteering for development at the grassroots level was

also discussed as were the contributions of youth to state-building and national develop-

ment through national youth service programs.

While youth across the globe help to combat poverty, illiteracy, gender inequality

and the HIV/AIDS epidemic, many participants also attested to the ways in which vol-

untary service fosters peace and respect for diversity and equality across difference.

Oftentimes, volunteers challenge stereotypes and discriminatory behavior in the communi-

ties in which they engage, as well as amongst their peers. A number of participants shared

experiences of how volunteering offers young people a path away from negative activities

such as involvement in religious extremist groups, crime, drugs and other unhealthy behav-

ior, toward more positive and constructive activities.

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Conference attendees stressed the importance of assessing the impact of youth volun-

tary service for program design and advocacy purposes, but expressed uncertainty

about how to design and implement quality assessments. Determining which results or

impacts should to be measured is the first hurdle that must be overcome at the initial

stages of planning. Some issues that can be explored through impact assessments include

changes in young people’s behavior and participation, their perceptions and attitudes, their

access to opportunities, knowledge and experience gained, the degree of ownership they

feel in youth service programs, and their acquisition of skills. While the methodologies for

measuring impact are diverse and will change

depending on the objectives of the research, it

was agreed that young people need to partici-

pate in conceptualizing methodologies for

measuring impact. It emerged that from the

government’s side there is strong interest in

measuring the impact of voluntary service in

financial terms. Lastly, there is a need to share

assessment tools and results more widely so

that youth service programs and the youth ser-

vice sector more broadly can be strengthened.

In conclusion, there are significant opportunities for IANYS and its members to take a

leadership role in advancing the youth civic engagement sector. Four key suggestions

were made for the future development of the IANYS global network: strengthening the

knowledge base for national youth service through research; improving program design

and practice; promoting strong policy for youth civic engagement; and facilitating the ex-

change of information and resources. A broad research agenda was defined with sugges-

tions for regionally-focused research as well as studies that would look more closely at the

emerging relationship between social entrepreneurship and youth civic engagement. The

conference clearly identified the need to place more resources behind strengthening the

participation of young people in service program design, management and delivery. Partici-

pants also called on IANYS to take a more assertive role in lobbying for youth policy in

countries that lack frameworks for youth service. Lastly, a number of suggestions were

made on how IANYS could promote a wider exchange of ideas and experience about youth

service and youth civic engagement through regional forums as well as channels such as

listservs, websites and other virtual communications platforms.

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Introduction

The International Association of National Youth Service’s (IANYS) 9th Global Conference was held at the world renowned Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt from October 25-27 2010. For the first time in its history, IANYS welcomed a record 200 participants to its biennial confer-ence, including 65 participants from the host country of Egypt. The diverse mix of participants hailed from an impressive 30 countries and in-cluded youth leaders, policy makers, youth ser-vice practitioners, researchers and academics many of whom are at the helm of youth service and volunteer promotion in their country and region.

The Conference was organized by Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP), the IANYS secre-tariat in partnership with the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at the American University in Cairo (AUC). The follow-ing organizations supported the conference organisers in convening a successful event: EQUIP 3 (a USAID project), Silatech, the US Embassies in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Egypt, Ford Foundation Cairo, Naseej, the Pearson Foundation, Open Society Foundation and United Nations Volunteers.

Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which seeks to be a repository of global knowledge and a symbol of cross-cultural understanding and learn-ing, offered a unique space for global exchange on youth civic en-gagement and service. Conference attendees had the opportunity to share knowledge and experience gained from working and volun-teering in their varied cultural and country contexts, and to learn from and inspire each other to continue their work in advancing youth civic engagement.

If you want to go fast, go alone.

If you want to go far, go together.

Together we can go far to advance youth service

and youth engagement around the world.

African proverb quoted at the IANYS conference

by Esther Benjamin,

Associate Director for Global Operations,

US Peace Corps

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From the outset, conference attendees voiced their expectations for the conference to the

organisers and their colleagues:

In their post-conference evaluations, participants reported that the conference largely met

their expectations and that they came away from the conference with greater contacts,

knowledge and ideas to assist them with their work in the youth service and youth civic

engagement sectors. The following excerpts from evaluation forms collected from partici-

pants demonstrate some of the main takeaways of the conference:

I got inspired to play a role in the advancement of the civil society in Egypt, the region and

the world

I was inspired and got new ideas about youth civic engagement.

Examples of work done in MENA and Africa reinforced the importance of civic

engagement

I learned…

that all youth all over the world are facing the same challenges, concerns, and

hopes.

the state of emerging national service programs.

how important baseline information is in evaluation and the situation of youth in

Egypt/Middle East.

“I want to learn and network with other

NGOs to see how they involve youth and to

exchange about opportunities and

challenges.”

Egyptian volunteer

“I want to take home best practise in the field and see how you can help me [in my

work].”

Onesnus Katanga Upindi, Commissioner National Youth

Service, Namibia

“I want to learn from others about how they are

designing their programmes and how they

work to sustain and include all sections of

society in youth service.”

Nhtuseng Tsoinyane, National Youth Development Agency,

South Africa

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the need to invest sufficiently in strategies and program design.

that we have to change our criteria to youth development.

about "asset-based" community development.

about fostering youth-led action and removing red

tape.

about the multi-dimensional impact of youth service.

that governmental policy can be made to increase the

importance of civic engagement and the effectiveness

of NGOs lobbying.

that research has been done across the Arab world and internationally on volun-

teerism/youth services.

that despite our differences, we are similar; media is not reporting reality; there

are still good people in the world.

scaling up [service] scenarios; this was very helpful.

that Asian organizations are very active and have a lot to share; this was new to

me.

that advocating at the governmental level needs evidence-based research and part-

nerships for win/win opportunities.

that young people need to be included more in these discussions; collaboration is

vital.

The objectives of the conference were to:

Explore different experiences and models of youth civic engagement around the

world;

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Explore the connection between youth civic engagement and issues such as youth

employability, national development, peace building, regional co-operation and

other issues of local and national concern;

Explore the youth civic engagement and service-learning in formal and non-formal

education settings;

Gain practical knowledge in areas such as funding, impact evaluation, policy devel-

opment and others;

Network with other professionals working in the youth civic engagement field re-

gionally and globally;

Build a community of practice on youth civic engagement.

A rich conference program offered a total of 30 conference sessions focusing on an array of

issues pertinent to policy and practice for youth civic engagement and national youth ser-

vice. A policy track offered participants the opportunity to take stock of new develop-

ments in National Youth Service Policy, reflect on the different pathways for developing

policies and programs, and consider the challenges associated with sustaining, innovating

and scaling up National Youth Service Programs. The relationship between employabil-

ity, youth engagement and service was explored through the lens of skill building, social

entrepreneurship, and transition strategies for youth approaching adulthood. The confer-

ence also looked at the factors that contribute to creating an enabling environment for

youth civic engagement and service. The contributions of youth engagement and service to

achieving peace, development and social inclusion objectives came under the spotlight,

as did the role of technology in fostering youth participation, good practice in program

design, impact assessment and evaluation, and the role of private sector funders,

among others.

These sessions were grounded in an opening presentation

by Susan Stroud, Executive Director of Innovations in

Civic Participation (ICP) and Director of IANYS, which out-

lined the definitions and frameworks for youth civic en-

gagement as a common platform for the discussion. At

the Opening Ceremony, US Secretary of State Hillary Clin-

ton gave an inspiring message via video emphasizing the

ability of young people to reshape our world and calling

for greater engagement of the global youth population in

solving local and global problems.

“If we are going to tackle our toughest problems, from terrorism to climate change, we will have to tap your talents and passions.”

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, video message for the 9th IANYS

Global Conference

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This conference report provides a high-level overview of the key themes that emerged

from the IANYS 9th Global Conference on National Youth Service.

The first section explores the role of civil society, government, family and culture,

and international institutions in establishing an enabling environment that can

support and sustain youth service and civic engagement.

The following section considers the value of youth service and civic engagement for

empowering youth in their transition to adulthood, enabling them to gain insight

into their potential, inculcating values of participation and democracy, cultivating

‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills, and creating the space for youth to become innovative prob-

lem-solvers in their own communities.

Next, the contributions of youth service to meeting regional, national and com-

munity needs are discussed along with the role of youth engagement and service in

promoting nation-building, peace and cross-cultural understanding.

The fourth section summarizes information shared at the conference on how to

measure success and improve program outcomes to make the case for youth

civic engagement programs more broadly.

The concluding section sketches out priorities for IANYS moving forward with a

view towards identifying concrete steps that IANYS and its global members can take

to generate greater support and recognition of the youth civic engagement and

youth service sectors among a broader spectrum of stakeholders.

Conference presentations can be accessed and downloaded at www.icicp.org/ianys/9thGC .

A conference agenda with a list of sessions and presenters can be found in Appendix 2.

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1 Creating an enabling environment for youth civic

participation

Considerations for the youth civic engagement field

Establishing an enabling environment for youth civic participation rests first and foremost

on changing perceptions about youth. This was a clear message throughout the IANYS

conference. Too often, young people are viewed in negative terms, seen as problems in so-

ciety rather than individuals with creativity, ideas, skills and energy to share. Experience

shows that when civil society, the private sector and government see youth as partners

rather than beneficiaries and afford youth

the respect and support they need, young

people can make profound contributions to

the development and well-being of their

communities. Changing the mindsets of

adults as well as youth themselves is thus

critical to fostering greater participation by

young people in their communities, their

countries and in global affairs.

However, the conference also highlighted

that in most countries, this approach to en-

gaging youth is not widely practiced. Thus,

it is important for those with experience in the youth development, service and volunteer-

ing fields to share their knowledge with individuals in civil society, the private sector and

government. Designing and implementing effective youth-led and inter-generational mod-

els of engaging youth will be critical to producing the tangible outcomes that govern-

ments and funders seek in return for investing in youth programs.

Given their diversity, youth need access to a multiplicity of opportunities and ave-

nues to participate in their communities and countries. Conference participants stressed

that far from being a homogenous group, young people represent every imaginable social,

economic, and cultural background and each possess their own unique perspectives, chal-

lenges, dreams and skills. To appeal to the spectrum of youth then, the opportunities for

voluntary service must speak to their diverse motivations and be relevant to the realities

they face in their everyday lives. When offered a variety of options for voluntary service

young people can then decide for themselves how and where to invest their time and skills,

which is in itself an empowering act.

In 1998 Dr John D. Gerhart, newly appointed President of the American University of Cairo (AUC), sensed a new energy among the young Egyptians and Arabs at the University. They wanted to give back to society, but lacked sufficient avenues for civic participation. Gerhart wanted the university to exemplify the practice of service and expanded programmes for AUC students to experience civic engagement through community-based activities.

16

In order to get involved, however, young people need to know about the opportuni-

ties available to them and what steps they can take to participate. In the United Kingdom,

for example, research by the Community Service Volunteers (CSV) found that “11 million

volunteers want to do something, if only they knew where to go.” It is thus crucial to raise

awareness about opportunities for civic engagement where young people live, congregate,

play and work. Numerous contributions at the conference stressed the potential of multiple

communications channels that could be harnessed for this purpose.

Communication strategies that aim to promote civic engagement among youth must

also challenge the various misperceptions and stereotypes held by many young peo-

ple about volunteering and civic service. When Hisham El Rouby, President and CEO of

ETIJAH/Youth and Development Consulting Institute (Egypt) and founder of the first vol-

unteer centre in Egypt asked youth in Egypt what the term volunteering means to them,

young people demonstrated a very limited idea of volunteering and associated it mainly

with the army, charity and rich people; they also saw it mainly as an activity for young

women rather than for young men. In South Africa, some youth view the National Youth

Service as a program for poor young black people who have no other options, while there is

a concurrent view that volunteering is the domain of rich, privileged white people. By pro-

jecting a more inclusive conception of civic engagement, campaigns and advertisements

can widen perceptions among youth about civic engagement and help break down the pre-

conceptions that often discourage young people from getting involved in their communi-

ties.

In South Africa, 75% of 15-24 year-olds have mobile phones while only 10% have Internet access.

In light of this, loveLife, a youth-led organisation that is educating youth around the country about HIV/AIDS prevention, created a ‘revolutionary mobile-based social network’, which enables youth registered with the program to access information about volunteer opportunities as well as HIV, workplace skills, bursary information and employment.

Participants from the US and the UK shared how the Internet and online portals are being used to reach a broad spectrum of youth. V in the UK has developed vinspired.com which enables youth to access volunteering opportunities that interest them, and uses various kinds of creative incentives to draw them to the online platform.

Mercy Corps, on the other hand, uses Google AdWords, which links people with information on Mercy Corps based on their keyword searches on Google.

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Involving active youth in raising awareness about the op-

portunities for service and volunteering is another strategy

for reaching out to a greater number of young people and

engaging them in civic activities on their own terms.

Ruwwad, a Palestinian Youth Empowerment project imple-

mented by the Education Development Centre, Inc (EDC)

involves youth in promoting rights-based sustainable devel-

opment through a three-month internship that gives youth

an opportunity to develop media skills and use their newly acquired skills to cover the ac-

tivities of Ruwwad on local radio and TV. In doing so, they help to spread the word about

the value of participating in the development of one’s community through volunteering.

Family members who demonstrate a commitment to civic participation in their own

lives can be enormously influential in sending a positive message to youth about their

own involvement in voluntary service. According to Elisabeth Hoodless, for example,

“research is showing that people who grow up in families where volunteering is normal are

more likely to volunteer in the future”. This points to the need for parents to expose their

children to a culture of participation at an early age as a strategy for promoting a lifelong

commitment to volunteering and service (without, of course, placing them in situations

where they may be exploited as child workers).

In some cultures, however, it is the family unit that some-

times challenges the value of participation, particularly if

it falls outside traditionally sanctioned forms of participation.

While this impacts differently on young women and young

men, it often constrains young women most strongly, owing

to the traditional gender roles ascribed to women and girls. In

cases like these, it is critical for youth service and volunteer-

ing programs to engage parents in their activities so as to cul-

tivate an understanding of how their child’s engagement can

benefit his or her development and contribute to the wellbe-

ing of the family, as well as making a wider social contribu-

tion.

“No matter how many times

I sit down with my parents,

they don’t understand what

I am doing. They are resist-

ing everything I do.”

Young woman participant in

ADWAR, a youth group in

Alexandria, Egypt

“Volunteering is still not a thoroughly good word in the UK.”

Dame Elisabeth Hoodless,

Executive Director , Community Service Volunteers; Chair of the

IANYS Global Council

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Influential champions of civic service and volunteering are also needed to help ad-

vance a positive image of volunteering and civic service. When celebrities, social entrepre-

neurs and other public figures share their stories of civic engagement through the media, it

can inspire young people to take similar action and sends a message that “giving back is

cool.” But young people also need direct exposure to the individuals in their immediate en-

vironment who are making a difference. Indeed, the most powerful and potentially trans-

formative learning happens when youth have the opportunity to forge personal relation-

ships with role models and gain the opportunity to reflect on what they have learned in a

supportive environment.

Supporting legal, institutional and social conditions for youth civic en-

gagement

For youth to become full and engaged members of society, certain enabling conditions

must be in place. Most fundamentally, a robust and vibrant civil society must exist,

where individuals have the freedom to form groups, participate in these groups and share

information without fear of repression or arrest by the government. With the freedom to

engage in civil society – the space outside of the political and economic spheres – citizens

have the opportunity to come together in community-based groups, trade unions, charities,

non-profit organizations, and religious groups as well as through the media to voice their

different perspectives and influence social, political and cultural life. This allows for the

plurality of ideas in a society to enter the public sphere and be discussed openly.

In some countries, governments have passed leg-

islation that restricts the formation and funding

of civil society organizations as well as the ability

for individuals to engage in activities that counter

entrenched norms or advocate for changes in

public policy. These legislative actions diminish

the space for civil society to operate and reduce the possibilities for citizens to engage as

active members of their communities. For example, Egypt’s Emergency Law, which has

been in effect since 1981, restricts freedom of association by giving the government the

right to arrest individuals involved in ‘gatherings,’ defined as more than three people con-

vened together. In recent years, the Egyptian government has indicated that the Emergency

Law will only be applied to counterterrorism and drug trafficking, but the law is still largely

viewed inside and outside of the country as a mechanism to repress all forms of political

opposition.

“Culture matters, but opportunities to

participate can only come about if

government and civil society do

something.”

Heba Handoussa, Lead Author, Egypt Human

Development Report 2010

19

Conference participants made the further observation that while governments largely de-

termine the legal framework within which civil society operates, individual citizens also

have a responsibility to take advantage of the spaces available to them, whether small or

large, to participate in their society. It is notable that even in contexts where civil society

activity is restricted by law, individuals have leveraged even the smallest civic space to

make remarkable and courageous contributions to their communities. In the process they

have broadened the space for participation by others. For example, many conference atten-

dees testified to the vibrancy of civil society in the Occupied Territories of Palestine where

there is a high degree of insecurity, high levels of underdevelopment, and many restrictions

on freedom of association, movement and expression. In the last five years, Egyptian soci-

ety has witnessed the opening of more civic space, which has prompted a proliferation of

new non-governmental organizations despite the continued existence of the Emergency

Law.

Where the freedom to participate is pro-

tected by the government, but is not suffi-

ciently practiced by citizens, the impera-

tive then becomes engendering a culture

of participation through the promotion

of civic education. Through this process,

young people can learn about their rights,

understand better how to exercise them,

and start to practice their right to active

citizenship.

International organizations, the private sector and donors also have a role to play in

promoting civic participation among youth. Through the provision of financial resources

and building capacity, these entities can support smaller organizations working on partici-

patory development issues. Support from an external entity can also lend legitimacy to an

organization, thereby strengthening its efforts to mobilize funding from other organiza-

tions and helping it forge partnerships. In other cases organizations such as the United Na-

tions can support efforts to create new entities that seek to involve people in addressing

issues that have been neglected by government. Lastly, these global entities can support the

promotion of youth civic engagement by using their influence to focus attention on the is-

sue of youth participation. The annual Global Youth Service Day and the 10th anniversary of

the International Year of the Volunteer (IYV+10) which will be celebrated in 2011, are two

such examples.

20

A dominant view at the conference was that youth voluntary service flourishes most

profoundly when multiple actors within society bring to bear their unique capabili-

ties and perspectives on advancing the field. As previously discussed, players in each do-

main make unique contributions to supporting the growth of an enabling environment for

youth civic engagement, and can play a leadership role in advancing the service and volun-

teering agenda among their peers and colleagues. However, cross-fertilization and collabo-

ration within and across these different spheres is equally important. Taking a multi-

sectoral approach can lead to significant advances in the youth service field and unleash

the potential for transformation within individuals, institutions and society more widely.

The next section will look at this issue in relation to policy and infrastructure for national

service and volunteering at the country level.

Policy and youth service infrastructure as enabling factors

According to a variety of presentations made at the conference, there is no single path-

way for establishing national youth service policy and programs. Sometimes govern-

ment actors push forward a youth service agenda in keeping with critical national impera-

tives, such as youth development, social cohesion, nation-building, or human development.

In other instances, civil society drives efforts to convince government officials about the

need to establish youth service policy and programs, and supports the government in for-

mulating policy and designing programs for youth engagement through service.

Success in establishing youth service policy and programs depends on number of different

factors including political leadership, the appropriateness of advocacy strategies, and the

particular historical, social and political environment of a country. While the strategies and

arguments for youth service inevitably differ from context to context, certain key ingredi-

ents are necessary for the creation of a strong national youth service program. According to

Susan Stroud, Executive Director of Innovations in Civic Participation, these include a com-

bination of policy, investment and well-managed programs. The conference provided an

opportunity to reflect on these different components of youth service in a range of country

contexts where youth service has recently emerged, and also in situations where govern-

ments face challenges in sustaining meaningful and effective youth service programs.

High-level political leadership can be instrumental in creating the momentum for na-

tional service in a country and securing the passage of youth service legislation. In 2008,

the Premier of Bermuda directed the government’s Central Policy Unit to develop a Na-

tional Service Plan, which was unveiled to the public for feedback in early 2010 and is cur-

21

rently in the process of being finalized. While the impetus for national youth service in Ber-

muda emanates from the political agenda of a national leader, political support is also criti-

cal when civil society is advocating for national youth service. For example, over the last

fifteen years, the French non-governmental organization, Unis-Cité, led a nation-wide cam-

paign to mobilize support for national youth service in that country. In 2007, the two lead-

ing presidential candidates in the French elections argued in favor of national youth ser-

vice, thus signaling the impending success of their campaign. This was consolidated in 2009

by the announcement of the creation of the new French “Service Civique”.

It is important to note however, that changes in political leadership can also shift the

national youth service agenda in a country. As priorities change and resources are real-

located or scaled back, government departments and civil society organizations must adapt

to new scenarios. Elisabeth Hoodless, Executive Director of Community Service Volunteers

(CSV), emphasized this point when she shared how the levels of political support for volun-

teering and service have ebbed and flowed over the past 20 years in the UK, with consider-

able impact on civil society organizations working in the sector. Following the changing

political dispensation in the UK after the 2010 general election, CSV is in the process of

adapting to yet another shift in the direction of national youth service. Under the new gov-

ernment, the approach focuses on giving 16 year-olds a six-week opportunity to engage

with young people from different backgrounds through a combination of service and out-

door activities.

At the conference, the various sessions on national youth service policy helped shed light

on the diverse reasons why governments buy into the idea of national service pro-

grams and how government priorities shape the design of youth service programs. Gov-

ernment officials from Mali and the Cote d’Ivoire cited

high rates of youth unemployment as one of the key

concerns of their governments. In both countries, ser-

vice programs seek to contribute to the development of

their youth populations while also engaging them in the

country’s national development efforts to reduce pov-

erty and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

The justification for national service in France has less

to do with human development and more to do with im-

proving social cohesion in a country that is increasingly

defined and destabilized by its religious, cultural and

racial divides. In Germany the three-year old govern-

22

ment-funded Weltwärts service program seeks to give German youth an education in de-

velopment and expects them to act as development educators among their peers and col-

leagues upon their return.

These contributions produced three key observations. Firstly, it is important to under-

stand government priorities when devising campaigns and strategies to advance a national

youth service agenda in different countries and different contexts. Representatives from

Unis-Cité in France emphasized the importance of producing evidence-based research find-

ings in order to convince governments about the impact of youth service, while the UK ex-

perience shows that it may be possible to demonstrate that enrolling young people in effec-

tive service programs can reduce public expenditure on youth in conflict with the law in

the longer-term. A few participants

suggested that it is important to in-

volve young people in these conversa-

tions with government in order to

strengthen advocacy efforts.

Secondly, it is critical to understand

where the leverage points are in a

country for promoting national youth

service within the government (e.g.

the Premier, Ministry of Youth and

Sports, Ministry of Defense, etc.). Find-

ing these points of entry depends in

part on whether or not youth service is viewed as a developmental strategy through volun-

tary participation or whether it takes place on the basis of conscription. And thirdly, it is

important for civil society actors in the volunteering and service fields to position them-

selves as resources that can help to formulate policy, and design and implement programs

in partnership with government. VSO Kenya, UNV, ICP and Unis-Cité have positioned them-

selves in this way with much success.

Conference attendees also reported a host of challenges associated with sustaining and

scaling up national youth service programs. Governments in South Africa and Ghana are

keen to expand their youth service programs so as to benefit a broader spectrum of youth

and promote social cohesion, but are struggling to reach their goals because of mispercep-

tions among some youth that service is only for poor youth. They are thus in the process of

23

developing new programs and strategies to promote wider participation, in some cases

drawing on closer engagement with civil society organizations. Italy’s national service

demonstrates how expanding the target group to include women helped shift perceptions

about the nature of the program and its perceived value. Countries like Bermuda and

France are using incentives to promote participation in their new programs, a strategy

which could be adopted by more well-established schemes that are seeking to promote

new, more innovative, directions for growth. Finally, countries such as Mali, Niger and

France are facing funding constraints, which limit their ability to scale up programs. Estab-

lishing multi-sectoral partnerships between government, inter-governmental actors, civil

society and the private sector may be a strategy for mobilizing the necessary resources

whilst promoting greater sustainability of youth service programs.

2 Youth service and transitions to adulthood

A variety of conference sessions examined the role of youth service in supporting the

transitions that young people make to adulthood. The context of youth unemployment

featured high on the conference agenda given that global youth unemployment is currently

at a record high of 13% and, according to a 2009 ILO report, is still expected to increase. In

countries in the Middle East, youth unemployment rates of more than 20% are common

and in sub-Saharan African countries, this rises to over 40%. The connection between em-

ployability and service is thus particularly relevant for countries struggling with high youth

unemployment rates, but at the same time presents a range of challenges. For example, cul-

tural practices may constrain the ability of young women to access employment – it was

noted that in Egypt gender equality in the workforce has regressed in recent years. Young

people in many countries face a vicious cycle in which their weak social networks and lack

of experience limits their access to the job market. In some cases this increases their vul-

nerability to crime, substance abuse and other risk behaviors, making it even more difficult

to complete their school education or obtain post-school qualifications, thus reducing their

chances of entering the job market even further. The extent to which youth service can help

young people surmount these hurdles is explored in the following section. However, con-

ference participants emphasized the importance of keeping a balance between the service

goals of youth civic participation and its potential for grooming young people for employ-

ment through increasing their preparedness for the workplace.

24

Youth leadership

A number of conference presentations showed that service and volunteer programs pro-

vide young people with the opportunity to discover their leadership potential and offer

them space in which to practice their leadership abilities with their peers, commu-

nity members and adults. To build leadership, however,

the experience must provide youth with the necessary sup-

port, guidance and opportunities to develop a sense of

agency, new skills, and an understanding of one’s rights

and responsibilities as a global citizen. As a result of their

involvement in a voluntary activity – be it arts, sports,

community development, advocacy or charity – many

young people go on to become role models who encourage

others to seek out their dreams, become involved in their

communities and practice the values of diversity, equality

and participation in their day- to-day lives.

Building confidence in a young person’s ideas and perspectives is fundamental to lead-

ership development among youth. At the American University in Cairo in Egypt, Anne

Schafer is employing a service-learning methodology to help her students and the youth in

the communities where her students serve to give expression to their individuality:

“The making of art is not about the final product but about the process. And the

process we are teaching is the process of finding one’s voice. What do I want to

say and how will I go about saying that and how will it be received? [Answering

these questions] is the key to becoming an adult.”

The ADWAR Youth Initiative in Egypt, which works on issues of youth identity, youth lead-

ership, and inter-cultural exchange, has empowered many of its members to take on new

leadership roles and responsibilities, which they were previously afraid to attempt. By

“building themselves by themselves,” ADWAR members have inspired and supported their

peers beyond the group to set up parallel youth initiatives and organizations.

“Through youth service, we

can build a critical mass of

young leaders that are ener-

getic and enthusiastic, who

are creative, capable and

committed to their communi-

ties and countries.”

Esther Benjamin, Associate Director for Global

Operations, US Peace Corps

25

A number of presentations stressed that while young people have a lot to teach each

other as well as older and younger generations, this is not adequately recognized in

many cultures, nor is it sufficiently appreciated within the youth service or youth de-

velopment and volunteering sectors. The Naseej Foundation believes strongly in the

need to promote youth ownership in all aspects of its activities, including the design, plan-

ning, implementation and evaluation of projects. Ruwwad, a Palestinian Youth Empower-

ment project also believes in the power of youth and sees its role as providing a platform

for young people to incubate their ideas and dreams. Conference participants argued that

when viewed in this light by adults, young people can become drivers of their own trans-

formation, learn new skills and form new perspectives that will assist them in furthering

their own development process, as well as that of their peers and the communities in which

they engage.

Structured service-learning programs help to transform youth into leaders with

skills and knowledge relevant to their communities and instill a commitment to civic

engagement that endures throughout their adult lives. This belief is at the core of the

Chautauqua Learn and Serve Charter School in Panama City, Florida, US, which takes as its

starting point the notion that all individuals, including differently-abled individuals, can

learn from and contribute to their community. The value of service is enshrined in the

school’s Life-Centered Career Education curriculum, which enables students to help others

whilst building their own skills. The school aims not only to contribute to the development

of its students, but also to groom students for a lifetime commitment to civic engagement.

“I used to be very shy and I felt uncomfortable around people, so my participation was limited.

Now here I am speaking in public and holding a microphone.”

Basma Abd El-aziz Founding member of ADWAR Alexandria, Egypt

“So far ADWAR has helped me realize many of my dreams and to approach the rest. I was ex-

tremely shy and I couldn’t express myself in public but I became confident, distinguished.”

Mayar Jacoub, 17 year-old Member of ADWAR

26

Youth employability

The conference presentations demonstrated that there is an astounding amount of anec-

dotal evidence that points to a positive relationship between volunteering and service and

employability among youth. Many service programs are in fact designed to link graduates

to employment opportunities by preparing them for work within the private and public

sectors. At the same time, participation in volunteering and service does not guaran-

tee jobs for young people; rather, youth service can equip them with skills, knowl-

edge and attitudes that will assist them with the job search and enhance their per-

formance in the workplace. Managing these expectations can be a challenge for organi-

zations and governments involved in the service and

volunteering fields.

Practitioners and young people testified to ways in

which involvement in youth volunteering and service

help young people prepare for the workplace, help

them access work opportunities, and enable them to

pursue sustainable livelihoods. Through their in-

volvement in service and volunteering, youth can ex-

periment with different professional fields, develop

critical skills needed for the workplace, and access

new social networks and information, which open

doors of opportunity. Innumerable governments and

civil society programs are based on this premise, and

even programs that do not explicitly seek to increase

the employability of their participants report gains in

this area.

When recruiting personnel, employers do not only consider the ‘technical’ skills of poten-

tial new employees, they also look for so-called ‘soft skills,’ such as critical thinking, crea-

tivity, collaboration, communication skills and leadership within the context of diversity.

This is confirmed by a survey conducted by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, a US-

based organization that advocates for 21st Century work-readiness among students. The

study found that 2,115 managers and other executives of American Marketing Association

member and customer companies in the US value the aforementioned soft skills but think

that the majority of their employees do not perform sufficiently well in these areas.

27

Several conference participants showed that in various countries, Palestine and Egypt be-

ing two examples, there is a mismatch between the skills that employers are looking for in

their employees and what students are learning in schools. It was suggested that informal

and experiential learning that occurs when young people are involved in youth ser-

vice and service-learning programs offer young people one avenue for acquiring the

soft skills so desired by employers. This is of particular importance as employers seek to

compete in an increasingly globalised, fast-paced and ever-changing economy. As the three

examples below demonstrate, youth service provides young people in many different con-

texts with opportunities to test their interests and abilities in certain professional fields

and to identify a career path that resonates with their particular passions and strengths.

Supporting students to link service to job

searches in Lebanon

The Volunteering Services Project at St. Joseph

University of Beirut, Lebanon provides students

with a variety of opportunities to volunteer in

their communities and in student campus life,

whilst also supporting them to develop skills in

areas such as management and dialogue through

training and mentoring. One participant is now

employed with the University’s medical centre,

which she attributes to the skills, networks and

opportunities she gained as a volunteer through

the University’s service-learning programme.

Through two core programmes – the ABC “Action

Bénévole et Citoyenne” elective course and the

Operation 7th Day student committee – the

university helps students to identify the

competencies they gained through their service

experience in order to develop a CV and a project

portfolio, which they can use to pursue job

opportunities.

Increased employability as an outcome of youth

service in South Africa

groundBREAKERS, the national youth service

corps of South Africa’s HIV/AIDS awareness and

prevention organization loveLife, provides some

basic career guidance to its servers, but does not

focus on linking its graduates with employment

opportunities post-service. Despite this, a study

conducted by VOSESA in 2007 revealed that while

only 12% of groundBREAKERS were employed

prior to the program, 59% are employed after

having gone through the program. When

compared to the national average, which shows

that only 36% of their peers find employment,

this suggests that participation in the loveLife

youth service program may help youth to access

employment opportunities. Ninety per cent of

the graduates who were employed stated that

the groundBREAKER programme had strongly

influenced their ability to secure employment.

28

In addition to the above-mentioned examples, the conference heard evidence that service

among young people in employment can impact on their career advancement pros-

pects and increase their income. A study conducted by the John D Gerhart Center for

Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at the American University in Cairo, found that 95% of

200 young people that were in the workforce and spent 6-12 months volunteering had en-

joyed a 30% increase in their income after they finished volunteering. The same individuals

had also made at least one career change after their time volunteering.

These results point to the role that voluntary service can play in setting young people

on a career path and increasing their prospects for gainful employment. However,

more research is required to convince actors outside of the youth voluntary sector, espe-

cially those in the private and government sectors, about the value of voluntary service in

preparing youth for the workplace. In most countries, the empirical data on this issue re-

mains thin, particularly in developing countries where the relationship between employ-

ability and service is particularly relevant, given the existence of structural unemployment

within a wider context of underdevelopment.

The accreditation of youth service programs provides another way of enhancing recog-

nition among private and public sector players of the benefits of youth service. Experience

has show that French employers still hold academic degrees in far higher esteem than non-

formal experience or skills gained through service. The National Civic Agency in France is

thus attempting to secure accreditation for its program through an existing process, which

allows individuals to apply for a degree after completing

three years of professional experience. If successful, gradu-

ates of the French NYS program will be able to lobby for a

degree with two years of professional experience and one

year of service. In Namibia, the National Youth Service pro-

gram has adopted a formal vocational training curriculum

used by other reputable training entities in order to increase

the chances of its recruits being hired by employers, who

generally prefer to hire individuals from accredited pro-

grams.

Some youth service organizations have made deliberate

efforts to align their skills development program components with the needs of em-

ployers. Examples were given of service programs that reached out to employers in both

the public and private sectors to learn about their hiring needs. They then aligned their

youth skills training component to these needs, educated employers about their service

program, and successfully placed their graduates in a variety of companies, organizations

“I look for people who have

volunteer experience and

prefer to give jobs to people

who demonstrate that they

are interested in giving

time to community and to

developing themselves

through training.”

Mohammed Hanno, Alexandria Business Association (ABA),

Egypt

29

and government departments with whom they had built working relationships. For the Pal-

estinian Education for Employment Foundation, this has proved to be a successful strategy:

“Employers now call us for our graduates because they see our graduates as assets.”

A number of speakers shared examples of how the private sector is helping to prepare

youth for the workplace by sharing human and financial resources to support volun-

teering and service programs. The Alexandria Business Association in Egypt draws on

donations from its members to run its ‘From School to Work’ program, which supports vo-

cational schools to tailor their curriculum to the needs of the market and assists students in

identifying markets for their projects. Another example came from V in England, which

runs a program that encourages companies to invest in youth volunteering programs

through donations and by participating in training workshops for youth. The program

works well because V gets needed resources while the corporate players gain tangible

benefits: they realize that they have something to offer young people and get a chance to

learn more about youth with whom they would not typically interact.

Some speakers also indicated that the private sector could do much more to foster

youth civic engagement. Ayman Shehata, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Director

of Price Waterhouse Coopers (Egypt) noted that while it is encouraging to see large and

small companies playing different roles in development, companies must first be per-

suaded that supporting youth service is in their best interest. In Egypt, 90% of employment

takes place in small, medium and micro enterprises. Large companies can invest in the sec-

tor with financial and human resources, while small companies need to be persuaded to

play a different role. More effort is needed to help companies understand how youth ser-

vice can enable young people develop the crucial skills of communication, collaboration

and teamwork, creativity and critical thinking so sought-after in young recruits entering

the workforce. Corporate support of quality youth service

programs can swell the opportunities for young people to

learn these skills in anticipation of their search for jobs. Ul-

timately the field needs more people like Mohammed

Hanno of the Alexandria Business Association, who pro-

motes awareness about the benefits of volunteering and

service among his peers in the business world.

Proposition: Civic engage-

ment among young people, if

structured correctly, can

spark social entrepreneur-

ship; and social entrepreneur-

ship, correctly structured, can

drive entrepreneurialism.

Scott Burnett, loveLife

30

Youth social entrepreneurship

Youth social entrepreneurship is a burgeoning sector increasingly viewed as a critical

strategy for promoting youth engagement, enhancing income generation among youth

and developing innovative solutions to the social and economic challenges of the day.

With the global youth population at 1.4 billion, accessing the traditional job market is not

an option for all youth, nor is it necessarily the preference of youth today. When Silatech

asked youth in 22 Arab countries about the skills they would like to develop, most youth

wanted to gain more experience with writing a business plan. Of the 15% of Arab youth

who reported to Silatech that they planned to start their own business in the next twelve

months, 12% were from high-income countries in the region, 57% from middle-income

countries, and 32% from low-income countries. Six percent of the respondents indicated

that they wanted to start a business in order to help their community. This points to a de-

mand among youth for social entrepreneurship opportunities and also hints to a mutually

supportive relationship between civic engagement and social entrepreneurship.

Although income generation is often cited as a criterion for defining social entrepreneur-

ship, Ashok Regmi from the International Youth Foundation stressed that this is not a

principle characteristic of social entrepreneurship. Instead, he offers the following simpli-

fied definition: “Social entrepreneurship is an approach whereby young people have a pas-

sion and they’ve started something to address something in an innovative way.” The fol-

lowing story exemplifies IYF’s conception of a social entrepreneur and the kind of ap-

proach IYF is looking to support:

The first step in creating an enabling environment for social entrepreneurship in-

volves encouraging youth to start thinking unconventionally and to see the potential

benefits of social entrepreneurship for their lives. “Just like a plant needs an ecosystem

to grow, so do youth social entrepreneurs need an ecosystem [in which to flourish],” said

Bright Simmons is 16 and from Ghana. He decided he wanted to understand pharmaceutical

fraud in Africa since this is a big problem on the continent. Government and other entities

were taking action, but he didn’t think their approaches were addressing the root cause of the

problem. He felt he needed to give power back to the consumers. So he created a system to

check the prescription bar codes using cell phone technology. Now consumers can go into a

shop, type in the bar code into their cell and find out if a medicine is fraudulent or not.

31

Dahlia Helaly from INJAZ Egypt, an organization that involves volunteers in providing

training and support to young social entrepreneurs. In Egypt, youth are hesitant to explore

the social entrepreneurship domain because of the strong culture of fear surrounding risk-

taking and failure. Parents put a lot of pressure on their children to focus on getting good

grades and often see any kind of extra-curricular non-academic activity as a distraction to

their children’s studies. INJAZ is attempting to combat this by raising awareness about so-

cial entrepreneurship among children at the primary level, supporting youth to articulate

and act on their ideas and engaging parents to help them better understand how its pro-

gram can set their children on a successful and meaningful path.

Innovative ideas for new businesses often grow out of informal conversations among

young people in places where youth tend to gather. At this early stage, ideas tend to be

undeveloped, but it is nevertheless important for youth to get started, even without a clear

plan, so that the social entrepreneurship journey can begin. The International Youth Foun-

dation supports young people to pass through the various stages of this journey and has

identified the following areas where youth require support:

1. Youth leadership – you can’t change the world until

you change yourself

2. Visionary leadership – knowing how to think big, but

act small

3. Knowledge leadership – the importance of having

knowledge about the sector in which you are seeking

to innovate

4. Collaborative leadership – promotion of inter-generational collaboration across

diversity

5. Organization leadership – the nuts and bolts of running an organization

6. Societal leadership – knowing when and how to go to scale and promote sustain-

ability

Social entrepreneurs also need access to finance. INJAZ is trying to work with banks in

Egypt to increase their receptiveness to investing in high-risk start-up businesses. A num-

ber of other entities such as Ashoka, the Skoll Foundation, Schwab Foundation and

YouthAction are providing critical financial support to social entrepreneurs around the

“If you have a vision

and you don’t take

any action then it is a

daydream.”

Dahlia Helaly, INJAZ,

Egypt

32

globe and are playing a much needed enabling role. However, accessing enough finance to

meet the demand continues to be one of the greatest challenges facing the sector.

Governments can take a lead on social entre-

preneurship by creating policy frameworks

that encourage social enterprises to flourish. For

example, in the United Kingdom, the Office of

the Third Sector was set up to work across gov-

ernment departments to support voluntary and

community groups, social enterprises, charities,

cooperatives and mutuals. In 2005, the British

government introduced a new type of company

called a ‘community interest company’ (CIC) un-

der the Companies Audit Investigations and

Community Enterprise Act 2004, designed for

social enterprises that want to use their profits

and assets for the public good. The law is de-

signed to make it easier for these companies to be set up in the UK and enables companies

to apply for charitable status so that they can more easily use their assets for the public

benefit. A similar structure exists in the US called a “low-profit limited liability com-

pany” (L3C), which provides a structure for companies to facilitate investments in socially

beneficial, for-profit ventures while simplifying compliance with International Revenue

Service rules.

3 Youth service contributions to development and peace

Youth civic engagement and youth service programs are increasingly being viewed

as strategies for promoting development and peace in communities, countries, regions

and globally. Youth participation in development and peace efforts can be structured or un-

structured and may involve a range of activities including charity, philanthropy, humanitar-

ian work, service delivery, capacity-building, service learning, advocacy and awareness-

raising. Given the opportunity, youth can apply their skills, passion, energy and knowledge

to addressing the most pressing challenges of the day such as HIV/AIDS in South Africa,

education in Ghana, unemployment in Egypt, religious tolerance in Philippines, peace-

building in the Cote d’Ivoire, and religious fundamentalism in Pakistan. In the process,

young people get to know themselves better and grow as individuals in environments that

value engagement and helping others. In short, as youth develop their capabilities through

participation, they also contribute to building healthier, vibrant and more cohesive commu-

nities and nations.

33

Meeting community needs

It was noted at the conference that far too often, people in developing countries look out-

side for expertise and experience when a range of assets already exists within their com-

munities. By shifting the development perspective to include a focus on assets in addition

to needs, youth can be engaged in development processes that unleash their potential to

become change agents in their own communities. Hisham El Rouby, President and CEO of

ETIJAH (Youth and Development Consulting Institute) in Egypt articulated the power of

applying the asset-based community development approach to youth in his story about a

small village in Upper Egypt:

“When I started to work with the youth in the village, I discovered that there

was a small channel, which community members wanted to build a bridge over.

So I asked around to find out who had studied engineering. I then asked these

young people to design a safe bridge and asked them what materials they

would need to build the bridge. The bridge that community members had

waited over 25 years to be built was completed by this group of talented youth

in one week."

This story is a testament to the reality that, given opportunity and support, young people

can contribute to overcoming the development challenges facing their communities.

The US Peace Corps also embraces an asset-based community

development model. In the communities where Peace Corps

volunteers serve, local youth are seen as critical partners in

the development process because they understand the devel-

opment priorities and opportunities of their communities and

often impart invaluable language and cultural skills to Peace

Corps volunteers. The Peace Corps has recently experienced a

rise in requests from governments, NGOs, community mem-

bers and youth in the countries in which it operates to assist

with the development of indigenous and particularly commu-

nity-based volunteer programs. In response, the Peace Corps

has developed the hand book V2 Volunteer Action Guide: Mul-

tiplying the Power of Service, which provides guidance to Peace Corps volunteers on how

to work with youth at the local level to address the development issues that they think are

important in their communities.

“International Peace

Corps volunteers can play

a role to inspire and sup-

port community members

to volunteer.”

Kathryn Green,

Expert Consultant, Overseas

Programming and Training

Support, US Peace Corps

34

Some of the conference presentations suggested that govern-

ments contending with large youth populations, high unem-

ployment rates and poverty are increasingly looking inter-

nally and seeing youth as partners in development. For ex-

ample, the Ghana National Youth Service Scheme deploys its

participants (recent college graduates) to communities

across the country based on the nation’s development priori-

ties. Ghana is currently experiencing a deficit in teachers at

the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of its education

system and thus 60% of NYS participants are being incorpo-

rated into the education sector. Through the ‘Community Im-

provement Unit’ service participants offer their skills where

needed, help to develop income-generating skills among

community members, and work with communities to design

and execute relevant development programs that promote

sustainable livelihoods.

Community-based learning (or service learning) at higher education institutions is an

emerging strategy in many developing countries, including Egypt and South Africa. By link-

ing the spheres of academic learning and practice, and asking students to reflect on situa-

tions and people outside of their normal day-to-day lives, service learning engages students

in a rich and valuable learning experience that prepares them to be more effective develop-

ment actors in touch with realities ‘on the ground.’

While community-based learning can help shape youth into development actors, some

youth are already taking action to address the needs of their communities. The youth mem-

bers of the Gudran Association for Art and Development are

promoting empowerment and development by involving

‘ordinary’ people on the streets of Egyptian communities in

the artistic process. Gudran’s work in the fishing village of El

Max has spurred a sense of pride among community members

in their village, encouraged them to take action to improve

their community, and promoted a respect for cultural diversity

and gender equality, particularly among children. In South

Africa, the groundBreakers program involves youth volunteers

as peer educators for HIV prevention in their communities.

This is another example of the power of youth-led initiatives

to impact positively on the development challenges of our day.

“Unlike their parents and

grandparents, youth aren’t

waiting for opportunities to

be offered to them. They

are beginning to form their

own initiatives and organi-

sations.”

Barbara Ibrahim, Director, John

D. Gerhart Centre for Philan-

thropy and Civic Engagement,

American University of Cairo

Supporters of active learn-

ing often give the following

average retention rates for

the various instructional

modes: Lecture 5%, Read-

ing 10%, Audiovisuals 20%,

Demonstration 30%, Dis-

cussion 50%, Practice by

doing 75% and Teaching

others 90%.

As quoted by Ashok Regmi,

International Youth Foundation

35

The private sector can also promote locally-owned devel-

opment in the communities in which they serve and oper-

ate. This is the vision of Ayman Shehata, CSR Director of

Price Waterhouse Coopers, who believes that the private

sector can take a more significant lead in youth develop-

ment. He argues that by recognizing young people as assets

and taking a cross-sectoral approach to stimulating sus-

tainable development initiatives, young people can be em-

powered to be the drivers of their own development and

that of the communities in which they live.

Promoting social cohesion

Youth civic engagement and service work at a number of

different levels to promote social cohesion. Firstly, partici-

pation in service and other civic engagement activities en-

ables youth to counter the social exclusion that they experience personally in their

lives. Often youth feel outside of the social, cultural and political structures that largely gov-

ern their lives. With unemployment affecting youth disproportionately, many young people

continue to be marginalized from the mainstream economy through poverty and their

struggle to secure sustainable livelihoods. This is felt most acutely by girls and young

women, many of whom have missed out on a quality education and lack the skills and so-

cial networks needed to find a path out of poverty. Secondly, youth participation can con-

tribute to alleviating the social exclusion experienced by others in society, such as peo-

ple with disabilities, the elderly and foreigners. Thirdly, participation in youth service or

civic activities can provide a space for individuals to learn

about and collaborate with people who are different

from them, and to develop shared values in the process.

This is particularly relevant in countries that have experi-

enced civil war or have a history of violence, oppression and

tensions between different religious, ethnic, racial and cul-

tural groups.

At the conference, Scott Burnett, Group Programs Director of

loveLife in South Africa pointed out that “youth are con-

stantly searching for a place to belong.” This is not some-

thing specific to youth in South Africa, but rather something

Social integration is defined

as a “dynamic and principled

process of promoting the val-

ues, relations and institutions

that enable all people to par-

ticipate in social, economic,

cultural and political life on

the basis of equality of rights,

equity and dignity.”

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social

Affairs, 2009

Development is sophisticated

and inter-related. You can’t

come from one sector and

lead the rest of the economy:

you must work with educa-

tion, health, industry, eco-

nomics and investment and

inter-relate it all. You can’t

make the change by yourself.

You must mobilize and syner-

gise with other sectors, but

need to trust that the people

from other sectors are assets.

Ayman Shehata, CSR Director, Price Waterhouse Coopers (Egypt)

36

common to youth around the world. Youth civic engagement pro-

grams such as loveLife offer a ‘safe space’ in which young people

can gain a sense of belonging and develop themselves as indi-

viduals. Through their involvement, youth are also exposed to

new experiences and this in turn creates opportunities for them

to challenge stereotypes and social boundaries and to build new

relationships, sometimes across traditional divides. In this way

programs can promote bridging social capital between diverse groups of young people in

society.

V Talent Year, a program of V: The National Young Volunteers Service in the UK, seeks to

enable 16-25 year olds to influence public sector services while also increasing their em-

ployability. The V program intentionally targets youth who are not involved in any form of

training, education or employment and who are thus vulnerable to a whole host of risks

such as unemployment, drugs, pregnancy, homelessness, and crime. V Talent Year partici-

pants are placed for 44 weeks in full-time volunteer positions in various organizations and

have access to personal development grants of up to 1,500 GBP. A survey administered to

young people who had completed the program in June 2010 found that 26% had pro-

gressed to employment; 48% had gone on to further education; and 15% had taken up an-

other volunteer placement. Also, 85% of the youth reported being more aware of organiza-

tions they could call on for help and support (V: The National Young Volunteers Service;

2010).

Research conducted in the United States further supports the contention that youth service

and civic engagement sets youth on productive paths. According to Elisabeth Hoodless, the

US-based Family Planning Association conducted a study, which shows that involving

young people in service is the most effective way of dissuading young girls from getting

pregnant. This is because the youth service experience gives young girls an opportunity to

discover their talents, reflect on their interests and broaden their vision of what they are

capable of doing with their lives.

The Namibian National Youth Service (NYS) is committed to promoting national develop-

ment along with a sense of patriotism and nationhood among its recruits who are drawn

from different segments of Namibian society. The Namibian NYS has instituted special

measures in the application process to ensure that the Himba and San peoples, who are in-

digenous minorities that have been marginalized in Namibia, can access the program. With-

“If you teach a young

person to love oneself

then they will love life.”

Tebogo Ramotshadi, loveLife

youth volunteer and confer-

ence participant

37

out these affirmative measures, the NYS Commissioner, Onesmus Katanga Upindi, stressed

that these people “would be left behind.”

Other governments are also looking to their National Youth Service programs to break

down the social and economic divides in their countries, which, if unaddressed, threaten to

cause destabilization.

Lastly, youth exchange programs, especially those that involve peer teaching and

learning among youth, can be a powerful tool for stimulating cross-cultural understand-

ing and respect. In 2005, an Egyptian youth initiative called ADWAR implemented an ex-

change program with German youth called the ‘Building Bridges Project’ with the support

of the Goethe Institute. By visiting each other, eating the same food as their hosts, living in

each other’s homes, and working together, doors of understanding, empathy and respect

were opened between the German and Egypt youth. As one young Egyptian conference par-

ticipant shared:

“It was only when I sat with the German people that I finally understood the

difficulties with talking about the Holocaust. One student’s mother had been a

child in the concentration camp and couldn’t bring herself to talk about the ex-

perience. And it was only when the Germans came to Egypt and talked to us,

that they could really understand our feelings on the Palestinian issue.”

In 2010, the French government launched its National Youth Service programme with

the strong support of President Sarkozy. Many government officials view the

programme as a key strategy for building social cohesion in a context where many

immigrants, particularly those living in the French suburbs, are experiencing social and

economic alienation.

In South Africa, the National Youth Service recruited thousands of young people to

support the hosting of two of the largest world events in the soccer calendar: the

Confederations Cup in 2009 and the Fifa Soccer World CupTM in 2010. In the process,

the NYS partnered with the South African Football Association (SAFA) to conduct a

four-week youth mobilization campaign aimed at teaching communities about

national symbols and the importance of national pride, as well as the value of

welcoming foreigners into the country.

38

Peace-building

Youth service and civic engagement programs can provide an effective means of fos-

tering reconstruction and peace-building in countries that have been ravaged by war

and conflict. Countries such as South Africa, Nigeria and Liberia are already employing na-

tional service as a strategy for building peace, social cohesion and development in their

countries. In Côte d’Ivoire in 2010, the government initiated a pilot National Youth Service

project with 200 young people, which aims to involve the youth population in rebuilding

the country in the aftermath of its civil war (2002-2007). Young people are being deployed

to assist with addressing education and urban health needs, as well

as to counter inter-ethnic and inter-religious tensions that still lin-

ger in the country. A key aim of the program is to contribute to so-

cial cohesion in the communities where young people are experi-

encing marginalization and ‘community action sites’ have been

launched towards this end.

The Philippines Muslim’s Volunteering Organization for Peace and

Development (Kapamagogopa Inc.) works to promote cross-cultural relationships, commu-

nity empowerment, and poverty alleviation in the southern Philippines, an area where

there have long been tensions between Muslims and Christians. Young Muslim profession-

als as well as young Muslims with a Bachelor’s Degree can participate in the program and

are trained to become ‘peace weavers’ in Muslim and non-Muslim communities. Youth par-

ticipants bring their skills, as well as a perspective of respect, tolerance, and understanding

to the organizations in which they volunteer. In the process, they demonstrate that Mus-

lims are not simply recipients of development, as thought by many in the Filipino commu-

nity, but in fact have a valuable contribution to make to development and peace-building.

Youth participation can also provide a

pathway for youth away from violence

and religious fundamentalism and to-

wards engagement in peaceful, produc-

tive and positive activities. BARGAD, a

Pakistani youth development organiza-

tion, has been promoting youth civic en-

gagement on university campuses as an

alternative to youth participation in fun-

damentalist and militant groups. When

“Engagement is the

best tool for living

peacefully and

promoting peace.”

Sabiha Shaheen,

Executive Director,

BARGAD, Pakistan

39

BARGAD approaches young people who have joined militant

groups, they find that many of the young men and women do

not want to die and want peace, but feel that they do not have

any other options. BARGAD has responded by establishing

working relationships with more than 35 higher education in-

stitutions all over the country to facilitate its work on cam-

puses. Thus far, more than 74,000 students, faculty members

and citizens have benefited from BARGAD’s Peace and Youth

Cooperation program, which provides young people with opportunities to foster their per-

sonal development, promotes youth dialogue on challenges facing the country (e.g. extrem-

ism and the humanitarian crisis following the 2010 floods) and encourages youth action for

the common good.

Conference speakers stressed that peace-building is not only about managing relations be-

tween and within nations, but is rather a never-ending process for which we as individuals

must take responsibility in our own personal and professional lives. Youth national service

and youth civic engagement activities provide youth with an opportunity to develop their

skills as well as gain a better understanding of their rights, which in turn helps them to deal

with the violence and conflict that they may face in their lives. Youth civic engagement can

also help to build awareness among people of all ages about their power, and how the

power they hold shapes and impacts on their relationships with others.

4 Assessing the impact of youth service

Throughout the conference, participants stressed the importance of impact evaluation for

programming and advocacy, but also shared the challenges they face with designing, plan-

ning and implementing impact evaluations in their own organizations and programs. At the

conference session on impact evaluation, participants raised a number of questions on the

topic related to issues of methodology, scope, the timing and planning of data collection,

categories for measurement, sharing of information and best practices, and the linkages

between measurement and program design. The presentations (by Manon Bernier from

UNV and Stephanie Desnogues from Unis-Cité in France) and discussions on good practice

in impact assessment (facilitated by Ron Israel, Sarah Nogueira Sanca and Sarah Sladen

from the Education Development Center, US) provided a range of insights into these ques-

tions, as outlined below.

“Reconciliation is not about

state and institution – it’s

about the interaction be-

tween us.”

Aly El-Raggal, ADWAR Youth Initiative, Egypt

40

How to measure impacts in NYS

programs?

Participants noted that while most pro-

grams achieve a range of outputs, the ex-

tent to which these can be considered

results or impacts requires further inves-

tigation. For example, which change is

being assessed? Is it the change in the

volunteers, the host organization or com-

munity members? Did these changes

have a broader impact on government or

on individuals outside of the primary tar-

get group? Clarifying what results one is

looking at and which ones should be

measured should be clearly defined at

the outset of an evaluation.

UNV has embarked on various initia-

tives to measure the results of volun-

teering. One such initiative, the Com-

parative Non-Profit Sector Project, being

carried out in cooperation with Johns

Hopkins University (JHU) and the ILO,

measures the economic contribution of

volunteering to national economies and

their GDP. JHU has developed tools for

National Statistics Offices to include this

kind of data in satellite accounts adminis-

tered in national statistics offices.

UNV has also developed what they call the “V-methodology,” a participatory process

that involves stakeholders and volunteers in defining their contributions to development

by looking at changes in behavior, relations, attitudes, perceptions, etc. In this sense, the

methodology is a process evaluation rather than an impact assessment, and provides a

structured, participatory method to reflect on how volunteers contribute to agencies that

are responsible for social change: what went well, what was unsuccessful and how pro-

Questions from conference participants about

impact evaluation

“We see social, academic, civil and skills

development impacts on youth and on

communities, but how do we measure them?

What is a cost-effective strategy to collect

baseline data? And when should this be done?”

“Lots of organizations are developing their own

methodologies to measure the impact of youth

service programs. Which practices are most

useful? How can we share those and how can

we avoid reinventing the wheel?”

“How can evaluation drive scale and quality?

And what about the cost-effectiveness of

National Youth Service? For every dollar, dinar

or pound, how much do you get back? How do

you measure the benefits side?”

“What are the most effective ways of assessing

the snowball effects of a youth civic

engagement initiative on a campus?”

41

grams can improve their activities to increase their impact. The process enables people to

be open about what worked and what did not, and also produces ownership of the results.

These tools will soon be published by UNV on their website (www.unv.org) and will be

available for wider use.

In general, youth service program outcomes may include increased participation, behavior

change, and access to opportunities; increased civic engagement and responsibility; the

ability of youth to replicate what they personally experienced and spread it out to others;

and developing a career path.

Conference participants shared a variety of perspectives on their experience of de-

veloping indicators for ‘youth change.’ In South Africa and many other countries, youth

change needs to focus on taking young people from a position of ignorance to a place of

knowledge and awareness when they leave the program. In other cases, youth change may

focus more on giving young people the skills

and experience to develop their potential and

increase their ability to get a job after the pe-

riod of service. One example from the US de-

scribed youth change occurring for young peo-

ple with severe psycho-social handicaps, where

participation in youth service programs can

help improve their health and wellbeing.

Methods for assessing impact

What methods do programs use to measure these indicators? Small to medium size

programs differ in what they measure and how. One small project in Kuwait works with

children aged 9-13, using volunteers who are older youth. The volunteers stay in continu-

ous contact with the youth who complete the program to see how well they retain knowl-

edge gained through the program; in some cases, program ‘graduates’ may be rehired into

the program as volunteers. An organization in Sri Lanka tracks whether youth go on to lead

their own projects and asks them to report back on what they have done. In Senegal, a

youth service program in the agricultural sector checks participants’ bank accounts for ac-

cumulation of funds in order to measure their savings and uses community surveys to

measure youth change more broadly.

42

In other cases, projects may not focus on the youth service process, but rather emphasize

and seek to assess the extent to which young people internalize change in themselves, no

matter what their service experience.

There was unanimity among conference participants that youth need to take the lead in

conceptualizing monitoring and evaluation strategies to measure the impact of

youth service on community change. It was suggested that participatory methods can play

a role where community members themselves identify how youth service has changed

their communities, and the young people engaged in service are trained in these methods

in order to facilitate the consensus around what change means and how it should be as-

sessed.

A different kind of methodology is required if the aim is to compare program designs to

find out which are most efficient (as is the case in France). In this case, baseline and/or

comparative data should be collected in terms that can later be used to analyze impact

across programs. Sharing such instruments more widely could help NYS programs evaluate

themselves in relation to each other, provided a bank of scales and measurement tools

were available that could be used to compare and aggregate results.

The importance of collecting base-

line information at the start of pro-

grams was stressed, as it provides a

basis for comparison, tracking pro-

gress and improving the program as

it develops. This information can

provide program managers with sig-

nificant insights, but too often pro-

grams do not make available the re-

sources needed for this step.

43

A youth civic service program in France, Unis-Cité, embarked on a five-year monitoring

and evaluation process to demonstrate the impact of its approach to youth civic engage-

ment. It tracked the program’s impact on the social, economic and political integration of

volunteers, on NGOs and on local public policies (tracking whether local government offi-

cials felt that civic service volunteers could make a difference). Quantitative methods were

used to survey participants at three points in their service experience: when they start

their period of service, at the end of their first period of engagement (after 6-9 months),

and then a final survey six months after completion of service. The program also used

qualitative methods to track impact on the volunteers and beneficiaries.

Unis-Cité found that by using the Internet to administer the surveys, it could double the re-

sponse rate and also save costs. The Education Development Center in the US has also used

text messaging on mobile phones as a survey technique, although this limits the research to

a maximum of 5 questions.

Various examples of how incentives can increase response rates were shared, includ-

ing monetary incentives whereby respondents can make a small donation to a charity of

their choice in return for completing the survey or offering respondents a text messaging

service that puts them in line for job matching, and enables the researchers to track their

progress. One participant indicated that when researchers send the message “I want to

learn about you and hear from you what has happened in the last six months,” this may be

sufficient incentive for many respondents to participate. In Sri Lanka, for example, re-

searchers found that a survey tracking instances of stigma and discrimination with people

living with AIDS enlisted exceptional participation from respondents, none of whom re-

quested compensation despite a demanding and lengthy questionnaire.

How to measure the cost-effectiveness of NYS programs?

With the help of a leading French business school and a partner in the Netherlands, Unis-

Cité assessed its program impact in financial terms in order to demonstrate to donors

and local communities the monetary value of the volunteer contribution. The study dem-

onstrated that for every input of €1 to the program, the output of the volunteers amounted

to €3.49. However, while this provided a measure of financial effectiveness, it was not nec-

essarily the best way of assessing the program’s comprehensive value. NGOs are usually

more interested in the qualitative nature of program assessments, while companies tend to

seek more pragmatic assessments of return on investment in the short-term as part of their

corporate social responsibility agenda. However, despite its attractiveness to donors, Unis-

Cité has chosen to focus more on its qualitative and quantitative assessments in order to

44

demonstrate program impact, given the complexity of assumptions behind the cost-

effectiveness calculation.

In assessing the social return on investment in the UK, the government has focused more

on what it is saving by involving young people in community service. If GBP1 improves

the employability of a young person, making him/her more economically and socially en-

gaged, it reduces state expenditure on health, unemployment benefits, crime diversion, etc.

However, Tracey Herald from V pointed out that any claims of this nature need to be very

carefully considered before programs can be confident that they are helping people avoid

risk behavior. As is the case in France, the UK experience still shows that companies are

mostly concerned with their corporate social responsibility agenda and the extent to which

the youth service program matches private sector aspirations and shareholder interests.

The assessment of the social return on investment thus remains a subjective exercise. Par-

ticipants advised that by focusing on percent change in pre-defined indicators, programs

can contribute to learning about what works and does not work in youth service programs,

and avoid the trap of claiming to be ‘the best.’

45

The need for shared tools and experience

Participants indicated the need for assessment tools to be shared more widely in order

to build the field of youth service. There is a particular need for simple tools that NGOs can

use to assess aspects of youth service such as leadership and team work.

Unis-Cité’s experience of cost-benefit analysis suggests that instead of distilling impact as-

sessments to a single number as an indicator of effectiveness, it may be more beneficial to

create indicators by means of which youth service programs can compare themselves to

others in a particular sector, within a region or across continents.

A robust conversation ensued about best practice for the monitoring and evaluation of

youth service programs and how to make the case for service as a cost-effective measure.

The discussion also helped inform the development of a document (forthcoming) entitled

Guidelines for Best Practices for Youth Service Programs in Developing Countries. The

publication will also address issues of program design and implementation in relation to

impact assessment.

Participants also stressed the need to look at the different

impacts of youth service programs on gender as well as its

impact on community-youth relations. For example, one

measure of success might be the ability of a program to get

the community to view young people as assets instead of

solely as people with special needs.

5 How IANYS Can Respond to the Needs of the Field

The closing plenary session of the conference focused on how IANYS can support the

growth of National Youth Service in countries around the world, and how it can strengthen

the field. Participants commented that attendance at this 9th IANYS Global Conference has

increased significantly over previous conferences, indicating that in-depth discussion on

the various aspects of national youth service and civic engagement is of keen interest in

many countries.

“For the first time, we can

see the members of IANYS

pushing us to do more and

we are hearing requests

and advising us on

initiatives.”

Reuven Gal, member of the

IANYS Global Council

46

One theme that emerged clearly was the desire for stronger participation by organiza-

tions (possibly as formal members of IANYS) and regions in shaping the IANYS knowl-

edge base, learning from the varied experiences that were showcased at the conference,

and influencing future conferences of this nature.

Four key suggestions were made for the future development of IANYS: strengthening the

knowledge base for national youth service through research; improving program design

and practice; promoting strong policy for youth civic engagement; and facilitating the ex-

change of information and resources.

Strengthening the knowledge base for national youth service

Participants identified the role of research and documentation as being critical to ef-

forts to advocate more strongly for increased investment in national youth service as a

form of youth civic engagement and youth empowerment. It was suggested that IANYS

could play a role in sensitizing researchers, particularly in developing countries, to oppor-

tunities for focused studies on different aspects of the field. The research agenda for na-

tional youth service could focus on issues such as:

Baseline information on youth service in different regions in the world and how the

age of youth involvement is changing;

Youth service policy scans and an analysis of what regional and sub-regional struc-

tures and institutions are doing about youth civic engagement;

Document the diverse impact of youth service on community development and so-

cial values;

Rigorous studies that interrogate propositions such as “if structured correctly, civic

engagement fosters entrepreneurship”;

The impact of stipends on youth civic engagement in different contexts;

The extent to which concerns about youth unemployment can undermine the role

of national youth service in fostering civic consciousness among young people;

The role of youth service in building social cohesion within and between diverse

communities;

The nature, scope and impact of asset-based youth service program designs;

Clearer differentiation between youth service and service learning.

47

There is a need for IANYS to play a role in packaging and disseminating information about

the role that youth service can play in the broader sphere of youth development. While

there is currently a strong focus on youth education as a means of increasing productivity

and employment, preventing youth from falling prey to extremism, and fostering youth

leadership, youth service has been underutilized and can feature much more prominently

as a strategy within each of these areas. IANYS could help to pull together a body of work

that demonstrates the role of youth service in other facets of youth development, and

makes a compelling case for how ser-

vice can inculcate social values and

transform individuals and communi-

ties.

IANYS may also have a role to play in

sharing research instruments to help

NYS programs evaluate themselves in

relation to each other. This could in-

volve providing a bank of scales and

measurement tools that could be used

to compare and aggregate results.

Improving program design and practice

Learning from each other about good practice in program design was a key area of in-

terest among the participants. Issues of particular interest include how to make youth ser-

vice programs more effective, how to sustain youth service in fast-changing country con-

texts and how to include all sectors of society in youth service.

A major challenge flagged for youth service is how to strengthen youth participation in pro-

gram design, governance and delivery. IANYS was encouraged to further strengthen the

participation of young people at the next conference by creating additional opportunities

for them to take a lead in designing, organizing and facilitating sessions.

Recognition of good practice in youth civic engagement was felt to be an area in which

IANYS could play an instrumental role, both at future conferences and between confer-

ences. For example, it was suggested that a prize could be awarded at each conference for

the best or most innovative youth service program.

48

Promoting strong policy for youth civic engagement

Advocating for strong youth policy between conferences is a key area of interest. It was

suggested that in the future, IANYS should consider issuing a conference resolution that

can be used to encourage national governments as well as international and regional bod-

ies to strengthen their support for programs that encourage youth civic engagement

through service.

IANYS should also engage with funders to sensitize them about the socio-economic returns

that investments in youth civic engagement can produce. Furthermore, IANYS could moni-

tor the countries in which youth service policies are in place, but not yet implemented, and

create momentum to persuade countries in which no youth service policy exists to move in

that direction.

It was also suggested that IANYS encourage the youth service sector in different countries

to spearhead campaigns that make young people keen to participate in service programs

because it is perceived as ‘cool’.

However, in order to ensure that IANYS is responsive to the needs of different countries it

was suggested that participants convene IANYS-type events in their own regions, use these

to reflect on the nature and state of youth civic engagement, and relay the outcomes of

these discussions to the IANYS Secretariat with the aim of informing others more widely.

Facilitating the exchange of information and resources regionally and in-

ternationally

For the first time, the IANYS conference drew substantial participation from the Arab re-

gion, where public space has been historically restricted, and facilitated a robust exchange/

conversation about the state of youth civic engagement in Arab countries. This highlights a

recent upsurge in the number of NGOs in the Arab region, which some argue exceeds the

number of NGOs in developed countries. Participants also indicated that the increasing in-

volvement of young women in youth programs is particularly important for this region,

given the gender-sensitive issues in the region.

49

African country participants advocated

strongly for more regional discussion on

youth service and youth civic engagement

between IANYS conferences. Youth service

is growing in African countries and the po-

tential for evolving a uniquely African per-

spective on youth civic engagement thus

becomes more tangible. These participants

indicated their interest in convening a pan-

African regional meeting on youth service

prior to the next IANYS Global Conference.

Many participants stressed the importance of regions taking the initiative to convene such

discussions in order to examine youth service issues of a regional nature. Regional discus-

sions could then feed into the planning of the 10th IANYS conference, which will again be

convened at the global level.

At the same time, the value of networking face to face with people from different countries

and regions was stressed. In the words of one young volunteer from Egypt:

“I know the importance of civic engagement and its importance for completing

the circle of development to serve the community and to teach the youth how to

communicate effectively and advocate for their causes. So I want to learn and

network with other NGOs to see how they involve youth and to exchange about

opportunities and challenges.”

The importance of creating more effective vehicles for sharing information with others was

also emphasized. A listserv for updates would be one way to provide people in the field

with access to information. Another example mentioned at the conference was the collabo-

rative online platform launched after the UNESCO International Conference on Youth and

Climate Change in South Korea (unitedforclimate.org), with members from 40 countries.

The initiative was embraced by UNICEF, who agreed to provide an intergenerational group

of regional advisors to run the interactive platform. Participants at the IANYS conference

expressed that a platform for youth and civic engagement along these lines would be enor-

mously beneficial to the global youth service movement. ICP has been taking steps to de-

velop this type of interactive networking platform (see below).

50

ICP, which serves as the IANYS Secretariat,

has been gathering and disseminating infor-

mation on NYS and other youth civic en-

gagement initiatives across the globe for the

past several years. It continues to develop

the IANYS website –www.icicp.org/ianys –

to include detailed proceedings from previ-

ous conferences, country profiles on youth

civic engagement programs and policies, re-

search and other relevant resources, and the

latest news and reports on youth civic en-

gagement from countries around the world. ICP also launched a social networking site for

IANYS in advance of the 9th Global Conference.

At the 9th Global Conference, ICP

announced its new “live” publica-

tion that features brief snapshots of

youth civic participation programs

and policies in 101 countries on six

continents. Each country snapshot

provides insight into the current

state of youth civic engagement,

including descriptions of youth ser-

vice initiatives, national youth poli-

cies, youth ministries, committees

or commissions that work on youth-related topics, and movements to create new or im-

proved policies. The publication also offers an overview of different youth civic engage-

ment program models such as those implemented by government, civil society, interna-

tional organizations and/or higher education institutions. Finally, the snapshots provide

rationale and background information on the establishment of youth service programs

and identifies how youth civic engagement contributes to meeting country needs. The

snapshots are not meant to be comprehensive, but instead to provide a glimpse into the

status of youth civic participation in the countries examined. The country snapshots can

be accessed at http://icicp2.org/ycpworldwide2010/.

51

For more information on ongoing IANYS and ICP

initiatives, please visit:

www.icicp.org/ianys

New ICP Publication—Country Snapshots on Youth

Civic Participation in Action:

www.icicp2.org/ycpworldwide2010

IANYS aims to channel the momentum built at the conference into its efforts to foster a

dynamic community of practice on youth civic engagement around the world. As the

IANYS secretariat, ICP will launch a new virtual community of practice that integrates ex-

isting resources and creates improved networking capabilities, including member profiles,

a listserv, and resources and discussions by topic and region. Additional activities and

strategies for the network will continue to be assessed in the months following the 9th

Global Conference. As IANYS enters its 15th year of advancing youth civic engagement in

countries around the world, it is uniquely positioned to harness the international momen-

tum for youth participation through service and to meet the needs of the evolving and

growing field.

52

APPENDIX 1: IANYS 9TH Global Conference Participant List

First Name Last Name Organization Country

Zulfiyya Mustafayeva World Vision International Azerbaijan

Calvin Blankendal Bermuda Government, Cabinet Office Bermuda

Marisa Sharpe Bermuda Government Cabinet Office Bermuda

Yao Kouadio Ministry of Youth Cote d'Ivoire

Abdalla Daif

Gudran Association for Art and Develop-ment Egypt

Adly Hassanein USAID/OMEP Egypt

Ahmed Ashmawy Plan International Egypt, Youth Program Egypt

Ahmed El Sheikha Step Up Youth Initiative Egypt

Ahmed Maher

Suzanne Mubarak Women's International Peace Movement Egypt

Aly El-Raggal Adwar Youth Initiative Egypt

Amal Ehsan Nahdet El Mahrousa Egypt

Amina Jaheen

British Council Egypt, Social and Cultural Partnerships Egypt

Amira Hossam

Naseej - Community Youth Development Initiative Egypt

Amira Nafea

Alashanek Ya Balady - Association for Sus-tainable Development Egypt

Amr Abdel Ghany

The American University in Cairo, LEAD Program Egypt

Ann Shafer American University in Cairo Egypt

Ayman Shehata Nama' Initiative Egypt

Barbara Ibrahim

The American University in Cairo, Gerhart Center Egypt

Basant Hassan

The American University in Cairo, LEAD Program Egypt

53

Dahlia Helaly Injaz Egypt Egypt

Defne Abbas American University in Cairo Egypt

Dina Sherif

The American University in Cairo, Gerhart Center Egypt

Dina Shoukrey

Naseej - Community Youth Development Initiative Egypt

Ehaab Abdou Middle East Youth Initiative Egypt

Ghada El Shimi American University in Cairo Egypt

Hakim Abdel-Na'em Eskenderella Egypt

Hassan Fayed Youth African Council Egypt

Heba Handoussa Egypt Human Development Report Egypt

Hisham El Rouby

ETIJAH/Youth and Development Consulting Institute Egypt

Hossam

Hassan Ibrahim Ali Gadou Global Xchange Egypt

Injie Swailam Institute of International Education Egypt

Ismail Alexandrani Adwar Youth Initiative Egypt

Janine El Gamal The American University in Cairo, LEAD Program Egypt

Jawad Nabulsi Suzanne Mubarak Women's International Peace Movement Egypt

Jehan Agha Institute of International Education Egypt

Kareem El Sharoud

The American University in Cairo, LEAD Program Egypt

Khuloud Saiid Adwar Youth Initiative Egypt

Kira Kumagai Cairo Economic Livelihoods Program; Aga Khan Foundation Egypt Egypt

Leticia Troncoso UNV-Egypt Egypt

Maha Fayed

The American University in Cairo, LEAD Program Egypt

54

Mai Yousef

The American University in Cairo, LEAD Program Egypt

Mary Ishak USAID/Cairo Egypt

Maryam Saifee US Embassy in Cairo Egypt

May Mostafa

The American University in Cairo, Gerhart Center Egypt

Mohamad Abdullah Adwar Youth Initiative Egypt

Mohamed Abo El-Enen Bdaya Egypt

Mohamed Fathy The Cyber Peace Initiative Egypt

Mohamed Hassanin

The American University in Cairo, LEAD Program Egypt

Mohamed Kadry Ibrahim Social Contract Center Egypt

Mohamed Kamal Plan International Egypt Egypt

Mohammed Ashraf Kamel Aga Khan Foundation- Egypt Egypt

Mohammed Hanno Alexandria Business Association Egypt

Naglaa El Bakri UNV-Egypt Egypt

Noor Abdelhafez Step Up Youth Initiative Egypt

Rana Sabry Step Up Youth Initiative Egypt

Reham Adel Entrepreneurs Business Forum Egypt

Riham Abdel Hamid Bibliotheca Alexandrina Egypt

Safa Beitawi The American University in Cairo, Gerhart Center Egypt

Safaa Saleh Garidat Al Esboa' Egypt

Salma El Sayeh

The American University in Cairo, Gerhart Center Egypt

Salma Wahba

UNICEF, Adolescents Development and Par-ticipation Egypt

55

Sameh El Halawany

Gudran Association for Art and Develop-ment Egypt

Sarah El Nashar

The American University in Cairo, LEAD Pro-gram - Student Life Egypt

Sarah Saleh

The American University in Cairo, LEAD Program Egypt

Sherine El Taraboulsi American University in Cairo Egypt

Shiani Korat Entrepreneurs Business Forum Egypt

Sohair Saad The American University in Cairo Egypt

Suzan

Adel Mohamed Zaki Hassanein Global Xchange Egypt

Waleed Sadek Youth Activist and University Professor Egypt

Yousra El Nemr

The American University in Cairo, LEAD Program Egypt

Claire de Mazancourt National Civic Service Agency France

Marie Trellu Kane Unis-Cité France

Stephanie Desnogues Unis-Cité France

Maia Tavadze Eurasia Partnership Foundation Georgia

Manon Bernier

United Nations Volunteers, Development Division Germany

George Gado National Service Scheme Ghana

Vincent Senam Kuagbenu National Service Secretariat Ghana

Reuven Gal Samuel Neaman Institute Israel

Elisabetta Zuccaro University of Pisa, CISP Italy

Pierluigi Consorti University of Pisa, CISP Italy

Davide Pesce CESAVO Italy

Hania Aswad Naseej Jordan

56

Loay Al Shawabka

Naseej - Community Youth Development Initiative Jordan

Ma'en Rayyan Questscope, Working Kids & Education Jordan

Reem Al Odwan Future University Network, Zain Jordan Jordan

Suha Syouf

Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human De-velopment, Princess Basma Youth resource Center Jordan

Zena Asfour Future University Network- Zain Jordan Jordan

Carol Kiangura VSO Jitolee, National Volunteering Kenya

Abrar Humod Al Roomi Women's Committee Social Reform Society Kuwait

Dalal Al Tawheed Women's Committee Social Reform Society Kuwait

Ghadeer Al- Sabej Women's Committee Social Reform Society Kuwait

Ma'aly Al Falah

Women's Committee Social Reform Soci-ety Kuwait

Suad Aljarallah

Women's Committee Social Reform Soci-ety Kuwait

Gloria Abdo

Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Social Service Office Lebanon

Jessica Daghfal Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Social Service Office Lebanon

Lina Abou Farraj American University of Beirut, Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service Lebanon

Mohamed El Hariri Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Social Service Office Lebanon

Olga Safa Mojzoub

American University of Beirut, Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service Lebanon

Patricia Nabti Association for Volunteer Services Lebanon

Rachelle Hleihel Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Social Service Office Lebanon

Raphael Checri Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Social Service Lebanon

Rhonda Staudt

Shirley Ann Sullivan Educational Founda-tion Liberia

57

Issoufou Boubacar

Centre National pour la Promotion du Vo-lontariat Mali

Ibrahim Ag Nock

Centre National pour la Promotion du Vo-lontariat Mali

Onesmus Katanga Upindi National Youth Service, Office of the Com-missioner Namibia

Kayode Akintola VSO - Global Xchange Nigeria

Anila Zahid Pakistani Youth Pakistan

Fahad Rizvi Young Social Reformers Pakistan

Fauzia Tariq VSO - Pakistan Pakistan

Iqbal Butt Independent Consultant Pakistan

Mary Nilanthi Catholic Board of Education Pakistan

Maxwell Hewagamage Catholic Board of Education Pakistan

Omesh Hewagamage Catholic Board of Education Pakistan

Parveen Rahamat Catholic Board of Education Pakistan

Sabiha Shaheen Bargad-Youth Organization Pakistan

Bisan Saidi Ruwwad Palestine

Haifa Shawwa

Palestine Education For Employment Foun-dation Palestine

Lama Arouri Ruwwad Palestine

Lina Tannous Ruwwad Palestine

Munia Dweik Ruwwad Palestine

Mu'tasem Abu Daqqa

Naseej - Community Youth Development Initiative Palestine

Xuan-Trang Ho UNICEF Panama

Catherine Inid Saceda Youth Lead Philippines

58

Dave Guarin Saceda Saceda Youth Lead Philippines

Jeziel Amit Saceda Youth Lead Philippines

Jill Caron Kawamura Saceda Youth Lead Philippines

Junifer Malaque Saceda Youth Lead Philippines

Kriszai Ruta Saceda Youth Lead Philippines

Leilani Kris Forinas Saceda Youth Lead Philippines

Ma. Lourdita Dinopol Saceda Youth Lead Philippines

Mariam Barandia Kapamagogopa, Inc. Philippines

Ritchell Oghayon Saceda Youth Lead Philippines

Riza Villarin Saceda Youth Lead Philippines

Sieglyn Canton Saceda Youth Lead Philippines

Ahmed Younis Silatech Qatar

Fahad Al Nahdi Qatar Foundation International Qatar

Ekaterina Korolkova Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee Russia

Gueye Souley-mane Diame National Civic Service, Ministry of Youth Senegal

Clayton Peters

National Youth Development Agency, Na-tional Youth Service & Skills Development South Africa

Elgien Ngema Department of Defence South Africa

Evert Jordaan Department of Defence South Africa

Helene Perold

Volunteer and Service Enquiry Southern Africa South Africa

Karena Cronin

Volunteer and Service Enquiry Southern Africa South Africa

59

Khanyisile

Litchfield Tsha-balala Department of Defence South Africa

Mfankhona Hlatshwayo Ministry of Defence South Africa

Nthuseng Tsoinyane

National Youth Development Agency, Na-tional Youth Service & Skills Development South Africa

Patrick Mphale

National Youth Development Agency, Na-tional Youth Service & Skills Development South Africa

Samuel Mkhwanazi Department of Defence South Africa

Scott Burnett loveLife South Africa

Stephen Tiba Ministry of Defence South Africa

Tebogo Ramotshadi loveLife South Africa

Vutshilo Mashau loveLife South Africa

Aarthi Dharmadasa Equal Ground Sri Lanka

Aravinth Nallathamby University of Peradeniya Sri Lanka

Myeisha Benshemesh Code-X International The Nether-lands

Willem de Boer CODE-X International The Nether-lands

Damon Mallory Qatar Foundation International USA

Renee Dugan

New York University Abu Dhabi, Campus Life UAE

Alison Berks International Award Association UK

Elisabeth Hoodless Community Service Volunteers UK

Hannah Wright V UK

Jenny Jacobs

International Award Association, Pro-gramme Team UK

Laura Smith VSO - Global Xchange UK

60

Sarah Hitchcock VSO - Global Xchange UK

Tracey Herald v UK

Adam Patterson

Chautauqua Learn and Serve Charter School USA

Amie Wells Mercy Corps, Global Engagement USA

Ashok Regmi International Youth Foundation USA

Carl Hagen

Chautauqua Learn and Serve Charter School USA

Cynthia McCauley

Chautauqua Learn and Serve Charter School USA

Donna Woolf Middle East Partnership Initiative USA

Esther Benjamin Peace Corps USA

Greta Saloman Bay District Schools USA

Heather Hay

Chautauqua Learn and Serve Charter School USA

James Jackson

Chautauqua Learn and Serve Charter School USA

Jean Manney Innovations in Civic Participation USA

Jim Kielsmeier National Youth Leadership Council USA

Joe Follman Florida Learn and Serve USA

Jonathan Pham

Chautauqua Learn and Serve Charter School USA

Katherine Jernigan Bay High School USA

Kathryn Green

Peace Corps, Overseas Programming and Training Support USA

Kathy Hurley

Pearson Education and the Pearson Foun-dation USA

Kelly Fox Innovations in Civic Participation USA

Kevin Vaughn

Chautauqua Learn and Serve Charter School USA

61

Lauren McCollough Qatar Foundation International USA

Lisa Schofield

Chautauqua Learn and Serve Charter School USA

Magdi Azab Lions Clubs International Egypt

Marcis Goodman Bay High School USA

Michael Buscemi Lions Clubs International USA

Michelle Smith Smithsonian Institution USA

Noel Stafford

Chautauqua Learn and Serve Charter School USA

Robert Cain Vista USA

Ron Israel Education Development Center USA

Ryan Robertson

Chautauqua Learn and Serve Charter School USA

Sahara Peters Bay High School USA

Sana Munasifi Open Society Institute, Youth Initiative USA

Sarah Sladen Education Development Center USA

Sarah Nogueira Sanca

Education Development Center, Interna-tional Development Division USA

Shira Mazor Qatar Foundation International USA

Steven Culbertson Youth Service America USA

Susan Stroud Innovations in Civic Participation USA

62

APPENDIX 2: Conference Agenda with Sessions and Presenters

Day 1- Monday October 25th, 2010

Welcome and Overview Session:

What do we mean by youth civic engagement, and what are the different models; Why is

this an important and timely topic in the MENA region and globally; How will this confer-

ence advance the youth civic engagement field and participants’ initiatives

This session will introduce objectives and themes of the conference; highlight the benefits

and outcomes of youth civic engagement (YCE); discuss the regional situation of YCE and

the global context, including the youth bulge as an opportunity, the relevance of employ-

ability and YCE (skill building, social responsibility, personal growth, academic growth,

leadership), the benefits of YCE and thus the importance of supporting and enhancing YCE.

· Susan Stroud, Executive Director of Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP), Di-

rector of IANYS

· Katie Green, Expert Consultant, Youth & Volunteerism Initiative, Overseas Pro-

gramming and Training Support, Peace Corps

· Hania Aswad, Regional Director, Naseej - Community Youth Development Ini-

tiative (Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, WB/G and Yemen)

Site Visits and Case Studies with Community-based organizations and initiatives in

Alexandria

Reflection & Networking with Peers

Opening Ceremony

· Susan Stroud, Executive Director of ICP, Director of IANYS

· Dame Elisabeth Hoodless, Executive Director, CSV; Chair; IANYS Global Council

· Barbara Ibrahim, Director, John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic

Engagement, American University in Cairo

· Keynote Speaker: The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton, US Secretary of State

- by specially recorded video message

63

Day 2- Tuesday October 26th, 2010

Special Presentation - Lifetime Achievement Award to Don Eberly, Founder and Hon-

orary President of IANYS

Presented by the IANYS Global Council

Youth Civic Engagement and the Connection to Employability Plenary Session

This plenary session introduces a multi-session track exploring different issues in the con-

nection between youth civic engagement and employability. This introductory session will

explore what constitutes employability and how it relates to youth civic engagement and

will begin to discuss the sub-themes for track: Skill-building, Social Entrepreneurship and

Transition strategies. It will address the youth bulge, high unemployment rates, structural

unemployment, and the need for experience and relevant skills. Presenters will also em-

phasize the many other benefits and merits of civic engagement for youth and communi-

ties, including cultivating civic responsibility and meeting community needs.

· Chair: Clayton Peters, Head of Division for National Youth Service and Skills Develop-

ment, National Youth Development Agency (South Africa)

· Panelists:

o Ahmed Younis, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communication, Si-

latech (Qatar)

o Ashok Regmi, Global Director for Social Innovation and Citizenship, Interna-

tional Youth Foundation (Global)

o Claire Demazancourt, Special Advisor, National Civic Service Agency (France)

Breakout Sessions A

1A: Youth Civic Engagement and Employability track – Skill Building

How participation in youth civic engagement program helps young people acquire neces-

sary skills –both practical and ‘soft skills (leadership, teamwork, communication) –for gain-

ing and succeeding in employment and livelihoods.

· Chair: Kathy Hurley, Senior Vice President for Strategic Partnerships, Pearson Foun-

dation; Chairman, Partnership for 21st Century Skills

· Panelists:

o Tracey Herald, Head of Policy and Development, The National Young Volun-

teers’ Service (England)

o Souleymane Diamè Gueye, Director, National Youth Service (Senegal)

64

2A: Policy track - New Developments in National Youth Service Policy/Government

Programs

(First in a multi-session track led by Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP) for policy-

makers or others interested in national policy and program development.)

This session will highlight exciting new developments including the creation of National

Youth Service (NYS) policies or programs, significant expansion of programs, or commit-

ment from governments to instituting policies supporting youth civic engagement. It will

provide a snapshot of the growth and momentum of the NYS field in countries around the

world.

· Chair: Susan Stroud, Executive Director, ICP; Director, IANYS

· Panelists:

o Claire Demazancourt, Special Advisor, National Civic Service Agency

(France)

o Marisa Sharpe, Policy Analyst, Government Cabinet Office (Bermuda)

o Elisabeth Hoodless, Executive Director, CSV (UK)

o Kouadio Yao, Head of Project, Ministry of Youth (Cote d’Ivoire)

3A: Youth service meeting community and national needs/contributing to develop-

ment

This session will highlight the contributions of young people and discuss how service is a

strategy in addressing critical social and environmental issues and meeting community

needs.

· Chair: Marie Trellu, President, Unis Cite (France)

· Panelists:

o Tebogo Ramotshadi and Vutshilo Mashau, GroundBREAKERs, loveLife

(South Africa)

o Vincent Senam Kuagbenu, Executive Director, National Service Secretariat,

(Ghana)

o Lama Arouri, Youth Development Manager, and Munia Dweik, Regional Me-

dia Center Manager, Ruwwad (Palestine)

o Abdalla Daif, Program Manager, Gudran Association for Art and Develop-

ment (Egypt)

65

4A: Contributing to the Development of Guidelines for Best Practices for Youth Ser-

vice Programs in Developing Countries: A two-part participatory workshop spon-

sored by the USAID EQUIP3 program. Part I, Design & Implementation

In this interactive workshop, participants will have the opportunity to contribute to the

development of a field guide for youth service programs by drawing on their experiences

and designing ideal program models for various contexts. Key components will include

methodology, program strategy, activities, youth recruitment and selection, program man-

agement and capacity.

· Facilitators: Ron Israel, Vice President, Education Development Center (EDC);

Sarah Nogueira Sanca, International Program Manager, EDC; and Sarah Sladen,

EDC (USA)

Breakout Sessions B

1B: Youth Civic Engagement and Employability track: Social entrepreneurship

This session will explore what makes an entrepreneur, what conditions foster social en-

trepreneurship and what role youth civic engagement plays.

· Chair: Ehaab Abdou; Special Advisor, Middle East Youth Initiative; Co-Founder,

Nahdet El Mahrousa (Egypt)

· Panelists:

o Ashok Regmi, Global Director for Social Innovation and Citizenship, Interna-

tional Youth Foundation (Global)

o Dahlia Helaly, Deputy Director, Injaz Egypt (Egypt)

o Amr El Abd, Chairman, Entrepreneurs Business Forum (Egypt)

o Ahmed Essmat, Project Manager, Alex Agenda (Egypt)

2B: Policy track: How to Develop NYS policy/government programs and how to

build support for strong NYS policy

This session will explore the process of developing NYS policy and programs, including

internal governmental efforts and technical assistance from other organizations. It will

also explore how to build support for youth civic engagement at the policy level, including

the role that civil society organizations can have in building this support. (Questions ad-

dressed will include Why are governments investing in youth service? What are the argu-

ments that work in convincing governments to invest in youth service? What are the bar-

riers?)

· Chair: Susan Stroud, Executive Director of ICP, Director of IANYS

66

· Panelists:

o Issoufou Boubacar, Chief Technical Advisor, National Volunteer Scheme,

UNV volunteer (Mali)

o Katie Green, Expert Consultant, Youth & Volunteerism Initiative - Overseas

Programming and Training Support, Peace Corps (USA)

o Marie Trellu, President, Unis Cite (France)

3B: Technology Facilitating Service Opportunities and Connecting Youth

This session will explore the use of technology in facilitating opportunities for young peo-

ple to get involved in their communities and in innovative ways of connecting young peo-

ple to learn about issues and take action.

· Chair: Scott Burnett, Director of Youth Programmes, loveLife (South Africa)

· Panelists:

o Hannah Wright, v – the National Young Volunteers’ Service (England)

o Amie Wells, National Co-Manager, US/Coordinator, Global Citizen Corps In-

ternational, Mercy Corps (Global)

o Michelle K. Smith, Director, Publications and Digital Media, Smithsonian

Center for Education and Museum Studies (USA)

4B: Youth Civic Engagement and Peacebuilding/Post-conflict reconstruction and

reconciliation

This session will explore the role that young people can play in peacebuilding efforts and

the role that youth service can have in rebuilding post-conflict communities and in pro-

moting reconciliation.

· Chair: Helene Perold, Executive Director, VOSESA (South Africa)

· Panelists:

o Mariam Barandia, Executive Director, Kapamagogopa Inc. (Philippines)

o Aly El-Raggal, Adwar Youth Initiative (Egypt)

o Pierluigi Consorti, Director, Interdisciplinary Center for Peace Sci-

ence (CISP) University of Pisa (Italy)

o Sabiha Shaheen, Head, BARGAD and Iqbal Haider Butt, Senior Partner, De-

velopment Pool (Pakistan)

Breakout Sessions C

67

1C: Youth Civic Engagement and Employability Track: Transition strategies

This session will examine how to support youth participants in transitioning from youth

civic engagement programs to jobs or livelihoods, including promising practices and chal-

lenges.

· Chair: Ehaab Abdou, Special Advisor, Middle East Youth Initiative; Co-Founder,

Nahdet El Mahrousa (Egypt)

· Panelists:

o Onesmus Katanga Upindi, Commissioner, National Youth Service (Namibia)

o Scott Burnett, Director of Youth Programmes, loveLife (South Africa)

o Haifa Shawwa, Training & Job Search Coordinator, Palestinian Education for

Employment Foundation (Palestine)

o Gloria Abdo, Social Animator, St. Joseph University of Beirut (Lebanon)

2C: Policy Track: Sustaining and Innovating Established National Youth Service Pro-

grams

This session will explore lessons learned, current experience, challenges and future plans

of NYS programs that have been implemented for several years. It will discuss how gov-

ernment programs can respond to changing times, and how can they re-invent and inno-

vate to meet evolving needs.

· Chair: Susan Stroud, Executive Director, Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP)

(USA)

· Panelists:

o Nthuseng Tsoinyane and Patrick Mphale, Senior Program Managers, Na-

tional Youth Service and Skills Development, National Youth Development

Agency (South Africa)

o Vincent Senam Kuagbenu, Executive Director, National Service Secretariat,

(Ghana)

o Pierluigi Consorti, Director; Elisabetta Zuccaro, Coordinator, Interdiscipli-

nary Center for Peace Science (CISP), University of Pisa (Italy)

3C: Evaluating the Impact of Youth Civic Engagement

This session will explore evaluation methods, challenges, promising practices, and ways to

build a better evidence base for the impact of youth civic engagement. Presenters will

68

share how they did their studies and engage in discussion with participants about impact

evaluation of youth civic engagement programs.

· Chair: Helene Perold, Executive Director, Volunteer and Service Enquiry Southern

Africa (VOSESA) (South Africa)

· Panelists:

o Stéphanie Desnogues, Head of National Projects, Unis Cite (France)

o Manon Bernier, Portfolio Manager and Youth Programming Focal Point,

United Nations Volunteers (Global)

4C: Institutionalizing service into schools and universities: Options, Challenges and

Promising Practices

This session will explore effective practices for integrating and institutionalizing service

programs into schools, including the value and challenges of having a mandatory service

policy.

· Chair: Patricia Nabti, President, Association for Volunteer Services (Lebanon)

· Panelists:

o Elisabeth Hoodless, Executive Director, Community Service Volunteers

(CSV) (UK)

o Mary Nilanthi, Principal and Parveen Rahamat, Principal: Pakistan Catholic

School Board (Pakistan)

o Jim Kielsmeier, Founder and President/CEO of the National Youth Leader-

ship Council (USA)

Day 3- Wednesday October 27th, 2010

Special plenary remarks

Egypt’s Youth: Heba Handoussa, Lead Author of the 2010 Egypt Human Development Re-

port (Egypt)

In the context of Egypt, the messages of the National Human Development Report con-

cerning Youth are that two government interventions are key. The first is supporting job

creation via reforms in the education and training systems, and the second is engaging

youth in civil society so as to provide them with a civic identity and secular responsibili-

ties.

Strategic Investment in Youth Community Engagement Plenary Session

This moderated panel discussion will feature different perspectives from foundations and

69

the private sector. In addition to exploring reasons for and the importance of investing in

youth civic engagement, the session will also explore different funders’ approaches or spe-

cific focus areas, relationships with partners, trends in the funding sector, and recommen-

dations for practitioners, policymakers and other funders in the audience.

· Chair: Barbara Ibrahim, Director, John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and

Civic Engagement, American University in Cairo (Egypt)

· Panelists:

o Kathy Hurley, Senior Vice President for Strategic Partnerships, Pearson

Foundation

o Ayman Shehata, CSR Director, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (Egypt)

o Mohamed Hanno, Alexandria Business Association (Egypt)

o Hisham El Rouby, President and CEO, ETIJAH/Youth and Development Con-

sulting Institute (Egypt)

Breakout Session D

1D: United Nations agencies’ support for youth civic engagement

This session will explore how different UN agencies are supporting youth civic engage-

ment globally, including current strategies and new initiatives.

· Chair: Manon Bernier, Portfolio Manager and Youth Programming Focal Point,

United Nation Volunteers

· Panelists:

o Heba Handoussa, Lead Writer, 2010 UNDP Human Development Report

(Egypt)

Trang Ho, Programme Officer for Adolescent Development and Participa-

tion, UNICEF- The Americas and Caribbean Regional Office (Panama/LAC

region)

Breakout Session D

1D: United Nations agencies’ support for youth civic engagement

This session will explore how different UN agencies are supporting youth civic engage-

ment globally, including current strategies and new initiatives.

· Chair: Manon Bernier, Portfolio Manager and Youth Programming Focal Point,

United Nation Volunteers

70

· Panelists:

o Heba Handoussa, Lead Writer, 2010 UNDP Human Development Report

(Egypt)

o Trang Ho, Programme Officer for Adolescent Development and Participa-

tion, UNICEF- The Americas and Caribbean Regional Office (Panama/LAC

region)

2D: Policy track: Going to scale

This session will explore taking programs to scale – how to scale up a program, the neces-

sary conditions and factors, and the challenges. This will be in the context of national ser-

vice programs but relevant for NGO programs as well.

· Chair: Susan Stroud, Executive Director, Innovations in Civic Participation (USA)

· Panelists:

Clayton Peters, Head of Division, and Nthuseng Tsoinyane, Senior Program

Manager, National Youth Service and Skills Development, National Youth

Development Agency (South Africa)

Steve Culbertson, President and CEO, Youth Service America (USA)

3D : Community Engagement and Higher Education

The session will focus on the outcomes continuum for service and community engage-

ment. On one end, we have community needs being addressed through service and on the

other we have strong student learning outcomes. Ideally, there is a good balance of com-

munity benefit and learning. The presenters on this panel will focus on the program ele-

ments that ensure success in different aspects of the program (student learning, commu-

nity partnerships, benefits of service, building skills for employment etc.)

· Chair: Dina Sherif, Associate Director, Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic

Engagement, American University in Cairo (Egypt)

· Panelists:

o Gloria Abdo, Social Animator, St. Joseph University of Beirut (Lebanon)

o Mohamed Al Hariri and Jessica Daghfal, Students, St. Joseph University of

Beirut (Lebanon)

o Ann Shafer, Assistant Professor and Director of the Art Program, American

University in Cairo (Egypt)

o Ghada Elshimi, Writing Instructor, Department of Rhetoric and Composi-

tion, American University in Cairo (Egypt)

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o Sohair Saad, Director, Leadership for Education and Development (LEAD)

Program, The American University in Cairo (Egypt)

o Sherine El Taraboulsi, Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engage-

ment, American University of Cairo (Egypt)

4D: Contributing to the Development of Guidelines for Best Practices for Youth Ser-

vice Programs in Developing Countries: A two-part participatory workshop spon-

sored by the USAID EQUIP3 program. Part II, M&E and Making the Case for Cost

In this interactive workshop, participants will have the opportunity to contribute to the

development of a field guide for youth service programs by drawing on their experiences

to examine evaluation methods for varying contexts and to create the story for how to

identify, justify and fund costs.

· Facilitators: Ron Israel, Vice President, Education Development Center (EDC);

Sarah Nogueira Sanca, International Program Manager, EDC; and Sarah Sladen,

EDC (USA)

Breakout Sessions E

1E: Global Organizations supporting service locally

This session will explore how a global model of youth civic engagement is created to fit or

adapt to local contexts, and will also explore how global organizations, through local ini-

tiatives, support the development of youth civic engagement within the civil society and

policy sectors.

· Chair: Mike Buscemi, Senior Youth Advisor, Lions Clubs International (Global)

· Panelists:

o Laura Smith, Head of Global Xchange, VSO (UK and Global representation)

o Steve Culbertson, President and CEO, Youth Service America, Global Youth

Service Day (US and Global)

o Magdi Azab, Past District Governor, Lions Clubs International (Egypt)

2E: Service and Transitions to Adulthood: the role of contribution for young people

The time period between childhood and full adult responsibility has become extended

worldwide. This session will explore how service and service-learning can impact this ex-

tended transition to adulthood period. The session will explore service in several cultural

contexts and across different institutions, from formal education settings to community-

based settings. Participants will leave with access to a global community of practitioners.

· Chair: Jim Kielsmeier, Founder and President/CEO of the National Youth Leader-

ship Council (USA)

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APPENDIX 3: Acknowledgements

Report Authors

Helene Perold, Executive Director, Volunteer and Service Enquiry Southern Africa (VOSESA) and Karena Cronin, Projects and Outreach Manager, VOSESA

Editing and design: Jean Manney and Lyndsay Hughes, Innovations in Civic Participation

Conference Organizers

Lead Conference Organizer: Jean Manney, Innovations in Civic Participation

Innovations in Civic Participation: Susan Stroud, Kelly Fox and staff

Bibliotheca Alexandrina: Heba El Rafey, Perihan Amin, Noha Fahiem and staff

Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement, American University in Cairo: Barbara Ibrahim, Salma El Sayeh and staff

Conference Sponsors

Equip3, a USAID Funded Project

Ford Foundation Cairo

Naseej

Open Society Foundations

Pearson Foundation

Silatech

United Nations Volunteers

US Embassies in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Egypt

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www.icicp.org