the empowerment agenda through youth organizing

by doing a write-up on the youth program of ACCE. :) Well, here goes..

ACCE believes that “The youth is the hope of the future and today.” ACCE sees young people as new pearls of hope for building new communities because they are the next leaders of these communities. In order to prepare the youth for their role in the future, ACCE promotes the empowerment of youth through youth organizing.

Empowerment of youth means facilitating the capability of youth to stand on their own. It includes developing the potentials of youth to become future leaders of their community as well as future educators of the generation next to them with regards to the situation of poverty and strategies to change it. In ACCE, the task is done through ‘collective empowerment’ of the youth organizations. Thus, youth are envisioned to depend on their selves by working with their fellow youth members in improving their life situations.

Presently, ACCE have partner youth organizations in Apelo named ASFA (Association of Students and Friends of APRIVEROD), in Perez named KAMALAYAN (Kabataang May Mabuting Layunin Para sa Bayan or ‘Youth who have a good objective for the nation’) and in Smoky Mountain 2, SSDN-Youth (Youth of Samahan sa Sitio Damayan ng Nananambakan or Scavengers’ association in community with concern for one another). The ages of youth members of these organizations range from 13 – 22.

Youth organizing is composed of (1) education and capability-building, (2) organization-building and (3) resource mobilization.

Education of the youth includes making them see the reality of poverty (which they also experience) and broadening their horizons in strategies of combating poverty. This is done through study sessions, workshops and seminars as well as summer camp with ACCE-Japan supporting teams where the youth learn about poverty, the role of youth in the community and international solidarity. On the other hand, capability-building means helping the youth enrich their skills, talents and potentials through cultural trainings. The cultural trainings include play-writing, song-writing, poem-writing, indigenous dances, acting, singing and visual arts. Student volunteers and advocates are invited as teachers in the cultural trainings to share what they know and what they could do, so that the youth members could also develop the same knowledge and skills.

Organization-building pertains to strengthening the bond between the members of the youth organizations and making the most out of the coming together of the youth. Youth organizations build the vision, mission and goals of their organizations and continue programs for the development of the organization through the facilitation of ACCE.

Resource mobilization includes tapping resources such as volunteers as teachers in the cultural trainings as well as generating funds by encouraging supporters of the youth organizing program. The advocacy program of ACCE has a great deal of importance with regards to resource mobilization. The study tours and organizing events such as “Tribute to Youth” as venue for youth to show the products of their cultural trainings is a way to gain support from other people. In another perspective, it is also a way to educate other people about the poverty situation in Smoky Mountain 2, Perez and Apelo as well as the richness of Filipino indigenous culture since the cultural presentations of the youth organizations inculcate these.

*ACCE's framework for youth organizing towards empowerment.