Youth and Community Development Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP) is a non-profit social change organization that supports the development of innovative, high-quality youth civic engagement policies and programs both in the US and around the world. Founded in 2001, ICP is dedicated to creating opportunities for young people to change their communities for the better and build essential skills for future success. Funded through a multi-year grant from the Ford Foundation, we partner with individuals and organizations around the globe to stimulate innovation around two civic engagement strategies: national and service-learning. At ICP, we believe that well-structured youth service programs can provide innovative solutions to social and environmental issues, while helping young people develop skills for future employment and active citizenship. For more information, visit www.icicp.org. Introduction ployment or further education and training oppor- Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP)1 has tunities translates into disempowerment and often written this paper to demonstrate how civic ser- results in an increased sense of fatalism and weak- vice programs2 are one of the few proven and ef- ened initiative. In the absence of opportunities, fective strategies for empowering young people to risky behavior such as drug use, unsafe sex, and address the issues identified in the World Bank’s gang violence all too often fills the void and per- strategy paper on Children and Youth and help to petuates the cycle of poverty, unemployment, ille- achieve the Bank’s central goal of reducing pov- gal activity, lost production, and lost opportunity. erty. Rather than providing programs that deliver The causes for the problems that youth face services to young people, structured service pro- worldwide are complex and the solutions will not grams allow young people to play an important be simple. Nevertheless, it is imperative to engage role in addressing the development priorities in youth in the process. Although the concept of their communities. Creating the opportunities and ‘youth as resources in development’ is increas- infrastructure for these programs requires a com- ingly acknowledged, the mitment of resources over time. practice of engaging Lasting change The Bank’s strategy paper identifies five key youth in development best occurs when issues affecting youth prospects worldwide: activities as full partners communities • lack of adequate education and life skills is still not fully accepted. support youth • unemployment and precarious work International experience and youth • violence and crime has shown that service contribute to • risky behaviors organizations for young their • limited and exclusion people, while building communities. Structured service programs address these issues citizenship skills, can by: help society to appreci- • providing ‘hands-on’ learning opportunities ate young people and help young people to view where youth develop transferable skills and themselves as a resource for change, rather than as competencies, a troubled, at-risk group. The examples below • creating a pathway to further training and illustrate how the ingenuity, solidarity, and crea- employment, tivity of millions of ordinary young people can be • offering constructive alternatives to negative directed towards critical social, political and eco- behaviors, nomic issues around the world. • empowering youth to actively address urgent social, economic, and political issues in their The Case for Service communities. Lasting change best occurs when communities support youth and youth contribute to their com- Background munities. Youth should be viewed not as ‘clients’ At 1.7 billion, today’s youth comprise the or a set of deficits that need to be addressed, but largest generation ever to enter the transition to as essential protagonists in tackling development adulthood.3 In many developing countries, three - needs. Around the world, young people are mobi- quarters of the population are under the age of 30. lizing for civil rights, organizing for environ- The values, attitudes, and skills acquired by mental justice, and advocating for school reform. youth—and especially the choices made by the They are serving on agency boards, raising con- current generation of young people—will influ- sciousness through the arts, and providing ence the course of current events and shape the neighborhood-based services. These efforts chal- future in fundamental ways. lenge portrayals of youth as ‘victims of poverty’ At the same time, there is increasing concern and ‘problems’ in society, as well as the typical about the status of young people, particularly in focus of professionals on youth needs and defi- countries transitioning from war where many de- ciencies. An investment in youth service has hu- militarized youth possess limited education and man, social, and economic benefits that positively life skills. For many youth, limited access to em- impact the development of individuals, communi- Service As A Strategy: Youth and Community Development

ties, nations, and society as a whole. youth service.”7 Human capital formation—the knowledge, Service also has an important economic im- health, skills, energy, and creativity individuals pact. In countries where empirical studies exist, use to solve problems and earn a living—is one of the contribution of volunteering is estimated to be the strongest engines for economic growth in de- between 8% and 14% of GDP.8 In the United veloping countries. Young people States, President Clinton estab- who volunteer are 50% less likely The participatory aspect lished AmeriCorps in 1993, a pro- to abuse drugs and alcohol, be- of service can contribute gram that allows American citi- come involved in delinquency, or to a heightened zens of different ages to volunteer drop out of school.4 A study by understanding of the for a period of 12 months to James L. Perry and Ann Marie forces which shape strengthen American communities Thomson found that participating governments and through service. A cost-benefit in national and community ser- societies, leading to analysis of AmeriCorps estimates vice has direct benefits to skills greater transparency, that for every US $1 spent, the development and satisfaction, accountability, and country receives between US educational opportunity, self- improved governance. $1.60 and US $2.60 in return.9 On esteem, and physical and mental an individual level, service con- health. The authors further argue that national ser- tributes to capacity building processes by helping vice is an efficient and effective way to solve the individual to develop marketable skills, pro- community problems. In all but one of the 14 viding access to workplace networks, and boost- studies cited, benefits exceeded costs when na- ing confidence and self-esteem. tional service was applied as a problem-solving approach.5 Youth Service As A Strategy When youth are positively engaged through service, research indicates that social capital and For Poverty Reduction And citizenship increase. Social capital refers to basic Human Development: codes of conduct, trust, and cooperative behavior Lessons Learned among individuals and groups—the intangible 1. Youth Service in Education/Training foundations of a free society. Service fosters trust School enrollment rates have increased world- between citizens and helps develop norms of soli- wide, but the quality of education is undermined darity and reciprocity which are essential to stable by limited resources, outdated curricula, irrelevant communities. Apart from the tangible goals of skills training, poorly trained teachers, and limited their activity, working together helps bridge dif- access to new knowledge and technology. ferences that lead to greater trust and respect School completion rates remain low in many among persons who may otherwise never come countries, and many girls and boys do not together. Research suggests that when networks of achieve basic literacy or numeracy before they voluntary organizations are created which link drop out of school. In Africa, as few as 5 p e r - different interest groups, the increased interaction cent of young people attend college. Youth ser- leads to improved understanding and increased 6 vice projects enable schools to address social tolerance of diversity. The participatory aspect of needs and enhance educational quality at the same service can contribute to a heightened understand- time. ing of the forces which shape governments and During the 1990s, Argentina experienced ma- societies, leading to greater transparency, account- jor social and economic changes, which eventu- ability, and improved governance. At the World- ally led to the dramatic 2002 financial crisis. As wide Workshop on Youth Involvement as a Strat- the gap between rich and poor widened, organiza- egy for Social, Economic and Democratic Devel- tions of civil society took a leading role in fighting opment in 2000, Harvard’s renown professor of poverty and corruption and in offering alternatives Public Policy, Robert Putnam, offered, “All our to renew political practices. Educational institu- societies need more social capital…and in my tions, in turn, faced a growing social demand, but view the single most promising area of initiative is teachers were often overwhelmed and unprepared

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to deal with these pressures. With schools playing tion (ILO) estimates that 74 million youth are cur- an increasingly larger role in the community, the rently out of work. In the next 10 years, more than new concept of the school as ‘community center’ 1 billion will join the working age population. In is seen by many as putting the quality of education many developing and transition countries, one- at risk. Service-learning has done much to allevi- third to one-half of 15-24 year olds are unem- ate this situation.10 ployed. In many countries, youth lack the neces- Service-learning is a method whereby stu- sary skills to earn a livelihood. In others, large dents learn and develop through active participa- numbers of highly educated youth are unable to tion in organized service. Through service- find jobs. Lacking opportunities in the formal learning activities, students have the opportunity economy, youth can be more attracted to risky to apply their knowledge and practice their skills behavior or militant movements. Structured ser- in real world situations while developing good vice programs not only provide constructive alter- citizenship practices. When high school students natives to negative behaviors, but provide ‘hands- teach unemployed adults how to use a computer, on’ learning opportunities where youth develop the adults improve their chances of getting a job, transferable skills that can be applied to future and students improve employment or further education while actively Through service- their own skills through contributing to the development of their commu- learning activities, practice. Fourth graders nities and nation. students have the improve their writing South Africa achieved democracy in 1994 opportunity to skills and learn impor- after years of struggle against apartheid. Young apply their tant civic participation people played a significant role in this struggle knowledge and skills by sending letters and made many important sacrifices. Nine years practice their to newspapers about the after the advent of democracy, young people are skills in real world need for recreational the most seriously affected by ‘post-apartheid’ situations. facilities in their com- social and economic challenges. The most severe munity. Undergraduate of these challenges is unemployment. It is esti- economics students practice their skills by work- mated that 62% of economically active young ing with micro-enterprises to provide technical people are unemployed. assistance to enterprising people who lack institu- Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF) is the single tional supports. largest investment that the South African govern- Service-learning was a virtually unknown ment has made in support of the development of pedagogy in Argentina in the early 1990s. ICP has young people in South Africa. Its mission is to been working the Latin American Center for Ser- facilitate and promote vice Learning (CLAYSS) to develop and the creation of jobs and In many countries, strengthen service-learning programs and strategi- skills development of youth lack the cally build the field in the region.11 Today, ser- young people. Um- necessary skills to vice-learning is practiced by approximately 5,000 sobomvu has chosen to earn a livelihood, Argentine schools (13 percent of the total) and invest at least half of the or large numbers almost 100 universities. In the experience of a funds allocated to skills of highly educated growing number of teachers and students in Ar- development in estab- youth are unable gentina and other Latin American countries, ser- lishing a national youth to find jobs. vice-learning is allowing schools to achieve a bet- service program, view- ter balance by enabling them to attend to social ing service as a pathway to economic opportunity. needs and enhance educational quality at the same The program model uses service opportunities to time. All of this results in greater learning for the enable young people to develop their skills in or- students as well as in greater overall benefit to the der to access employment or generate income community. themselves. The program design aims to ensure 2. Youth Service and Unemployment that both the young people participating in service Youth unemployment is a problem that affects and the communities in which services are ren- all countries. The International Labor Organiza- dered, benefit from the service initiatives.

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Service activities undertaken South Africa’s and could die of AIDS. More than by the young participants over a groundBREAKERS is 60% of South Africa's new HIV period of 12-15 months included: successfully combating infections occur before the age of the labor intensive construction of HIV/AIDS while 25. In February 2002, Nelson a road with culverts and drifts providing volunteers Mandela announced the establish- necessary to control run-off, the with a sense of efficacy ment of a national youth service construction of a multi-purpose and transferable skills corps that will work to reduce the center, the development of mu- for future employment spread of HIV/AIDS. Known as nicipal food gardens, supporting and education. groundBREAKERS, the corps is the work of an underresourced an important new component of clinic running primary health education, care and loveLife, South Africa’s leading national HIV counseling projects, the provision of support pro- prevention program for South African youth. The jects for youth at risk in outdoor education, and core function of the groundBREAKERS is to the repair of infrastructure in a conservation area. “help young South Africans take an active role in Through their service, participants developed a set reducing the spread of HIV while developing of core skills in project planning, needs assess- skills to build healthy futures.”15 ment, budgeting, evaluation, self-assessment and The groundBREAKERS are young people management, negotiation, and conducting meet- between the ages of 18 and 25 drawn from com- ings that can be transferred to income generating munities across the country who give one year of activities at the conclusion of their term of ser- service in loveLife. The year includes a vice.12 ‘learnership’ development program of task spe- ICP has been working to strategically build cific training in loveLife’s HIV prevention initia- the service field in Southern Africa and recognizes tives as well as a structured curriculum of per- that UYF is making a serious attempt to break sonal and professional skills training. The training new ground in terms of generating employment will help the groundBREAKERS find work at the through youth service.13 The program is quite dis- end of their involvement with loveLife, either in tinctive in its efforts to not only counter unem- the private or public sector. ployment but also to contribute to national devel- Currently there are 700 groundBREAKERS opment and economic growth. combating HIV/AIDS. After completing her term 3. Youth Service and HIV/AIDS Prevention of service, one volunteer remarked, "I feel like a HIV/AIDS is a major threat to the lives of new person. I was just sitting at home and hoping young people. About half of new infections occur to find a job some day. When I got involved at the in youth under 25 and almost 12 million youth Y-Centre I started working with young people. currently live with HIV/AIDS. Aside from the I’ve developed as a person and can face the world high infection rate, the pandemic has orphaned 13 without fear. Now I want to go into business. I million children under age 15. The next genera- want to open a project that will help young people tion of adults will face greater poverty and stunted and give them financial empowerment. I also hope economic and social growth. The State of the to get them some skills training."16 World Report estimates the economic benefit of a In a country where AIDS is hindering the de- single averted HIV/AIDS infection is $34,600 for velopment of the state and many young people a poor country, and the social benefits are even feel disempowered in an greater.14 Mobilizing young people in the fight environment where they Through service, against AIDS has enormous potential. Young peo- are unable to find em- participants ple could become involved in home care, peer ployment or attend insti- develop skills in education, care for orphans, and public awareness tutions of higher educa- project planning, campaigns while developing transferable skills for tion due to economic needs assessment, future employment and education. restraints, ground- budgeting, At the current rate of infection, more than BREAKERS is success- evaluation, self- 50% of South Africans under 15 years of age— fully combating HIV/ assessment, and about 6 million young people—will contract HIV AIDS while providing negotiation.

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volunteers with a sense of efficacy and transfer- role in nurturing the well-being of their communi- able skills for future employment and education. ties. Service programs provide an outlet for disen- 4. Youth Service and Nation Building chanted youth to transform relationships within Poverty and deteriorating health trends are the communal social texture, change the policies disrupting social and family structures. Young and values of their nation, and bring hope for the people are being abandoned by their families and less fortunate members of the community. It also forced into military service or abusive labor prac- helps to address needs that cannot be met due to tices at alarmingly high rates. Intra and inter state the lack of human and material resources. conflict produces millions of internally displaced OSMIJEH, the Association for Psychosocial people and refugees, and drastically undermines Help and Development of Voluntary Work, has the values of democracy, social equality, and eco- become the national volunteer center for Bosnia nomic opportunity. Peace can be agreed upon by and Herzegovina. OSMIJEH has mobilized over high-level leaders gathered around negotiation 6,000 youth that include all members of society. tables, but such accords must be matched by ini- Muslims, Serbs, and Croats work side-by-side; tiatives on the ground which promote the ability local people interact with refugees and displaced of society to deal with and overcome conflict in people. Young volunteers help reconstruct rural the short, intermediate, and long villages, tutor in elementary term. Structured service programs Service programs provide schools, and care for disabled not only provide constructive al- alternatives to military children and isolated elderly. ternatives to military service and service and street gangs, Youth run radio programs, help street gangs, but foster relation- while also fostering with translation, and organize ships within society and can play relationships within public events, elections, seminars an important role in reconnecting society and can play an and conferences.19 divided peoples. In addition, it important role in Through service programs in affords young people the opportu- reconnecting divided BH, with different nity to become actively involved peoples. groups in different settings to ad- in the nation-building process. dress needs that the young gov- Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) has experi- ernment alone cannot. Their increased interaction enced dramatic changes in recent years. Ethnic with all members of society fosters bonds of trust conflict, the collapse of a socialist regime, and the and helps to reconnect divided peoples. Through split of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia have their services, volunteers develop new skills, learn hindered development progress. Today, BH faces about the functioning of various institutions, and economic stagnation and a severely disrupted so- often become aware of needs in other communi- cial structure. It is estimated that there are still ties. Perhaps most importantly, service programs 305,000 Bosnian refugees living outside the coun- in Bosnia and Herzegovina help to combat feel- try and 819,000 internally displaced people.17 The ings of hopelessness by providing young people bitter legacy of war (1992-1995) has left a suspi- with opportunities to become actively involved in cion of change and widespread feelings of pessi- the re-building of their country. ICP is working mism about future prospects. with OSMIJEH to foster youth service policy Many young people in BH feel marginalized, through our small grants program. excluded and ill-prepared to participate in com- munity life. BH parliament does not have any A Successful members under the age of 34 and according to the 2003 UN Agencies Report on Youth, 95 percent Service Strategy of young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina be- The task of launching a high quality youth lieve they have little or no influence on political service initiative that will have a serious impact events in their country.18 on both the youth participants and national devel- In such dire circumstances, service helps cata- opment objectives requires substantial levels of lyze positive changes. By investing their time, sustained funding and only makes sense when skills and passion, volunteers play an important they offer young people a real opportunity to change their social and economic circumstances.

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Since service programs focus on empowering the Conclusion local population, they are adaptable to many dif- The needs of children and youth worldwide are ferent situations. However, our experience has overwhelming. In their efforts to reduce poverty shown that the most successful service programs around the globe and address the Millennium De- contain similar elements: velopment Goals, donors, practitioners and policy 1. Project plans linked to national and com- makers have offered an array of solutions. All too munity development goals. often the solutions include programs that deliver 2. Appropriate incentives to support the par- services to young people, but fail to see young ticipation of young people in ways that are people themselves as important social protagonists consistent with positive youth development. who can be mobilized to address many of the pri- 3. Identification of future opportunities which orities for development in their communities. The the participants can access beyond the project, examples above highlight just a few of the many and ensure that these opportunities are real- structured service programs around the world that ized. help to establish a culture of citizen engagement 4. Structured learning programs to develop the and empower young people to address urgent so- skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to cial, economic and political issues in their com- access opportunities beyond the project. munities while develop- 5. Implementation through effective partner- ing transferable skills All too often, ships. and competencies in the solutions include process. Service pro- programs that The World Bank grams are proven, realis- deliver services to and Youth Service tic, and effective. The young people, but The World Bank has a comparative advantage World Bank should in- fail to see young in the following areas to promote service pro- vest in youth service people themselves grams as an effective way to empower young peo- program development, as important ple to address urgent social, economic and politi- the creation of an ena- social cal problems while providing them with transfer- bling policy environ- protagonists. able skills for future employment or education: ment, research, and 1. Facilitating youth service policy discus- training. sions with governments to promote the au- As a non-profit organization dedicated to de- thentic engagement of youth in addressing the veloping and strengthening policies and programs needs of their world. around the world that promote civic engagement 2. Researching the surrounding social, politi- through service, ICP can assist Bank staff with the cal and economic framework. formulation of a strategy paper and provide tech- 3. Providing financial support for the develop- nical assistance to assist with the development of ment of service programs and policies and the an investment plan in the area of youth service necessary infrastructure for programs to suc- worldwide. Working in over twenty countries on ceed through government grants, social funds six continents, ICP has been involved with many (on a competitive basis to encourage innova- of the programs cited above. ICP has worked with tion). universities, NGOs, national and local govern- 4. Developing partnerships to establish a ments, and several multilateral organizations such training and technical assistance network. as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), 5. Evaluating ongoing programs for impact, International Association for National Youth Ser- sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and replica- vice (IANYS), International Council on National tion. Youth Policy (ICNYP), Develop- ment Program (UNDP), United Nations Volun- teers (UNV), United States Agency for Interna- tional Development (USAID), and World Bank.

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Endnotes

1 ICP is a Washington DC- based non-profit social change organization specializing in the development and sup- port of innovative service programs and policy worldwide. www.icicp.org 2 Civic Service can be defined as an organized period of substantial engagement and contribution to the local, national, or world community, recognized and valued by society, with minimal monetary compensation to the participant. (Global Service Institute (GSI) working definition of service- http://gwbweb.wustl.edu/csd/ gsi/). This formal, programmatic focus in defining civic service does not include many other forms of volun- teerism, such as informal systems of care. Informal, mutual aid and kinship networks are commonly found in less industrialized countries and tend to be the dominant or major forms of “volunteerism.” 3 The United Nations General Assembly defined ‘youth’, as those persons falling between the ages of 15 and 24 years inclusive. This definition was prepared for International Youth Year, held around the world in 1985. 4 Inter-American Development Bank “Regional Plan of Operations: Youth Service in the Americas.” 2003. 5 Perry, James Civic Service: What Difference Does It Make? (Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2003). 6 Institute for Volunteering Research. “Volunteering and Social Development: A background paper.” New York, 1999. 7 Ford Foundation “Workshop on Youth Involvement as a Strategy for Social, Economic and Democratic Devel- opment” Costa Rica. 2000. 8 UNDP “Volunteerism and Development” Essentials October 2003. 9 Karasik, Judy “National and Community Service: Ten years of National Service” Research report. Washington DC: Innovations in Civic Participation. 2003. 10 Tapia, Nieves Marta and Mallea, Maria Marta “Service-Learning in Argentina” from Service Enquiry: Service in the 21st Century. First editition. 2003. 11 Centro Latinoamericano de Aprendizaje y Servicio Solidario (CLAYSS) www.clayss.educaciondigital.net/ index.htm. 12 Foley, Penny “Youth Service for Employment: The Umsobomvu Youth Fund initiative in South Africa” from Service Enquiry: Service in the 21st Century. First editition. 2003. 13 Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF) http://www.uyf.org.za/ 14 UN “State of the World Population- Making 1 Billion Count: Investing in Adolescents’ Heath and Rights.” 2003. 15 quoting John Samuel, Chief Executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, from http://www.lovelife.org.za/ corporate/index.html. 16 quoting volunteer from loveLife http://www.lovelife.org.za/corporate/index.html. 17 UNV “Volunteering in Bosnia and Herzegovina.” 2002. 18 UN “Agencies Report on Youth.” 2003. 19 Huzejrovic, Vahida “Youth Volunteering in Bosnia and Herzegovina.” Voluntary Action: The Journal of the Institute for Volunteering Research Volume 5, Number 2. Spring 2003.

7 Susan Stroud, Executive Director 1776 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Suite 201 ♦ Washington, DC. 20036 phone: 202-775-0290 ♦ fax: 202-833-8581 ♦ web: www.icicp.org ♦ e-mail:[email protected] ♦ skype: icicp1