Regional Meeting: Latin America

Date: August 16th 2008

Attendees: 50

*Emphasis on informal education and opportunities for alternative education

Methodology

To start, each person identified three things:

a) their area of interest (environment, human rights, education etc)

b) a need (to be more effective in their work) or a skill set they would like to build (ie. curriculum on environmental education, partnerships, fundraising)

c) A skill/resource they can offer others

They then formed groups according to areas of interest.  From these issue-based groups, they divided into smaller groups using one of two methods: a) breaking into more specialized groups (in a thematic sense) b) matching needs/strengths within the groups

These smaller groups had a discussion regarding the challenging facing the Latin American region related to their theme.  Conclusions were presented. 

Afterwards, each group had to prepare a short presentation to the government (role playing) to present some key challenges and opportunities that is observed in the Latin American region, along with 3 recommendations for how the gov't can support youth-led development. 

We then chose 3 recommendations as a full group:

1) To democratize and facilitate access to governmental and private funding at the national and int'l level to develop the leadership capacity of youth who are actively engaged in initiatives related to social action, education, environment and health. 

2) Institutionalization of youth participation in political decision making processes via minimal requirement (%) of youth representatives

3) Latin American cooperation in environmental policymaking to set immediate standards/regulations that enforce the suspension of mining activities until sustainable practices are established and guaranteed. 

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Groups and subgroups

Environment

a) Sustainable development

b) Methodologies to achieve higher quality education

Education

a) projects and effective methodologies

b) Effective implementation  

Human rights

a) holistic development involving youth

b) Economic and social development

** one highlight: a group was talking about how governments support youth but don't take their work seriously - there is no process of M & E to assess the impact of youth-led initiatives

Highlights from general report back from each group:

Environmental education

- Raising consciousness/awareness and having greater decision making power when it comes to environmental policy and education

- no formal education in this, no basic necessities

- need strong evaluation of this project and to involved community members and leaders

- need sustainability of these projects (politicas publicas)

- young people need capacity buiding on how to run their own projects around environmental education

- what's happening in other countries? Resources should be exchanged

- Involve young people in politics today, to see to carve their place/representation in the political sphere in the long term

- more regional development in Latin America around environmental concerns

- youth need youth-led strategies, need opportunities to build leadership capacity and funds to run their projects.  They have the ideas but lack the financial resources. 

Economy of solidarity (fair trade but more expansive than this).

- financing, higher scale relations (with donors and larger institutions)         

- youth need employment opportunities related to this topic

- need greater dialogue via internet to further discuss this

- establishing local economies is necessary in order to have a more viable and just economic system that employs youth to carry out their social ventures

Human Rights

Conclusion was to create a blog and have monthly summaries/articles with the intention of generating ideas and joint projects.  Publications should included researched articles/materials related to the topic at hand. 

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All Recommendations

1- supporting young leaders with an open space a responsible staff member assigned to respond, dialogue, discuss and support young people working with different issues.

2- governments to take responsibilities on the project

3- creation of a central database with youth organizations and projects and a fund to support those projects and groups.

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1- creation of a fund focused on Latin American youth integration.

2- demand sustainable technology to be implemented through stronger polices that will lead companies into more sustainable practices.

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1- financial support to Latin youth groups specially to support personal development, empowerment, and their meaningful integration in society

2- public policies that will keep companies accountable and promote sustainable practices.

3- inclusion of youth leaders in decision making processes, with a meaningful and active role.

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**Comment: There are opportunities out there, we just need to find out and share practices and knowledge

1- support to informal groups, allowing them to take action independently without bureaucratic setbacks, having access to funds and institutional knowledge (partners)

2- recognizing non-formal education as an important role in education, and recognize hands-on experience to have the same level of importance.

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1- inclusion of young people on decision making processes in governments

2- more budget for education and prevention programs  - for projects, non-formal education, capacity building, etc - not just formal education

3- reflect and update the school curriculum, adapting it for the local reality and current issues, increase sexual and reproductive  health education in school as a compulsory subject, in order to prevent HIV/aids - also environmental education

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1- to reserve the 0.7% of the GNP to international cooperation and development - and to follow the commitment done with the Monterey declaration/agreement

2- supporting councils, cooperatives and civil society organizations to influence decision makings, should not be considered solely consultative bodies

3- reserve seats for youth representatives in all levels of decision making processes and national and international institutions 

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1 - create a central hub to provide information and support in a more accessible and youth-friendly way. Ensuring that information is more accessible, can reach more people on the ground with local groups and having a central hub for information, questions, and support.

2- to have clear indicators to measure social development that are more comprehensive and meaningful to each reality in each community.

3- Support the creation of tools for project planning and implementation.