YMCA:  Enabling Young People Articulate their Interests in a Non-violent Manner

The Young Men’s Christian Association of Liberia, YMCA a partner organization of Civil Peace Service, CPS Liberia Network is implementing goal one of the CPS Mano River Union Cross Countries Strategy: Young people articulate their interests in a non-violent manner.

With this, the YMCA, CPS programs complements the actualization of the YMCA Subject to Citizen Youth Development Program, which aims to create the space for young people to develop voice and influence change. The program meets young people where they are, build their capacity to promote positive peace, advocate and campaign for gender equality, promote good governance and enhance their capacity to take actions that foster social cohesion.

Under this goal, young people are being trained through local political and intellectual youth platforms to develop a peaceful approach and conduct mediation, reconciliation and policy advocacy training.

Young people – in and out of school from 13-35 years, (focusing on predominately young women, boys and girls from informal settlement) youth groups and peace clubs are engaged through project activities, training, mentorship for self-empowerment, leadership topics and fostering peaceful co-existence in communities and building the requisite attitude to embrace transformative masculinity.

The YMCA is implementing the 3i session (inspiration, ideation and implementation of youth-led initiatives), designed to enhance the skills and capacities of local branches involved in the project by deepening their understanding of Human-Centered Design. The 3i session helps them to better understand the needs of young people and beneficiaries throughout their planning process.

As a result of the 3i training, participants say they appreciate the interactive and practical nature of the sessions, and have gained a clear understanding of design thinking and the 3i methodology. They also feel more confident in their ability to plan and execute program activities and they understand the layout of the YMCA/CPS activities.

The YMCA also hosted a one – day digital training for seventy-five young people at the YMCA Youth Center in Kakata, Margibi County under the theme, “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.” The training focused on the positive use of social media and access to digital platforms for self-improvement. The event was in collaboration with the YMCA /PSICD Project – Peace building and Social Inclusion through Community Dialogue, a program being implemented by the YMCA with funding Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). Following the training participants received certificates of participation.

The training helped participants gain clear insights into the positive use and benefits of social media; they also gained knowledge on the use of digital platforms that can help them improve their skills for social change, and access to platforms for educational purposes.

The YMCA annual internal and external radio training brought together 20 radio practitioners for a three-day intensive workshop at the Gbarnga YMCA Youth Center. The training focused on developing strategic actions for collaborative and peaceful reporting as well as strengthening participants’ capacities in reconciliatory reporting, media advocacy, and fact-checking.

The YMCA also embarked on raising awareness about the need to improve the quality of education for primary school children in Liberia, using the celebration of the International Day of the African Child to commence the campaign. The engagements involved schools, educational authorities, and local officials through dialogues and panel discussions. Over 218 children and young people from YMCA peace clubs and surrounding communities participated in the events across YMCA project locations in Liberia.