Inspiring Young People to become Catalysts of Change
Inspiring Young People to become Catalysts of Change
World Vision Georgia works with young people in communities to increase their confidence and civic engagement. By empowering young people we are making communities stronger and more likely to thrive in the future.
Today, there are 40 youth clubs in schools of Kakheti, Imereti and Samtskhe Javakheti regions, with over 600 participants, most of whom are between 13 and 17 years old. World Vision first began forming youth clubs in Georgia in 2010 and for this period we have worked with 1200 youth.
WV youth clubs major activities are:
· Promoting non-formal education for youth.
· Supporting youth involvement in civic engagement through developing the school based youth work.
· Teaching youth to advocate at local and national level for better changes.
“ We feel like we are more developed, self confident, strong willed, hard working. We have started thinking out of the box” Ana, 16, from Dimi.
We believe empowered youth can become catalyst of change who can influence their peers to also become engaged and responsible citizens.
Youth Activism for Social Change
In the regions of Imereti and Kakheti, our youth groups initiated the establishment of three modern greenhouses, which now also serve as learning sites for 800 children and 1000 farmers. The income generated from these greenhouses will be spent to improve facilities at the community schools.
Before engaging with World Vision, 17-year old Giorgi was not sure which direction his life would take. He felt like he had no opportunities. Now, he is full of hope and says, “I may not be able to receive higher education, but after being part of the greenhouse program and training, I know how to grow roses and make a decent living. I am planning to make this my family business.”
The youth group in Imereti worked with the ADP and raised money to create resource rooms in two schools as well as a space to better integrate children with disabilities. The Kakheti youth group and ADP advocated to solve a waste management problem in their community.
In Samtskhe-Javakheti, the youth group successfully advocated for the local government to financially contribute to a kindergarten restoration initiative. As a result of their innovative activism using videos, the government committed to covering 38 percent of the costs for the kindergarten, which will serve 50 children in the community. Some of the other youth-led initiatives in the year included the establishment of a park in a village and the arrangement of accessibility conditions for inclusive education at a local school.