I currently run a youth run international group, the Edison Youth Environmental Society. TakingITGlobal has supported us during many projects and has helped us reach out to so many more youth who were interested in taking action to protect our planet.
With the Global Youth Action network strategies and approaches learnt , we have been able to reach out to over 3000 young people who are in school on sexual adolescent and reproductive health , health literacy has been key in our work. With further partnership with Global Youth Action Network and other key partners, we hope to further more cover 90% of schools in all regions of Uganda especially those with high school drop out rates due to unwanted pregnancies so as to contribute to reducing maternal mortality rates and HIV infection.
My involvement in the organization's parent group of TakingITGlobal in Toronto Canada provides it's members with so much for their success in social change for social good. I've participated in their Sprout E-Course through the Microsoft Innovate for Good online community, as well as their Culture Connect pilot program. Both, especially Sprout, have given and empowered me to take what I love most to change the world for the better. What the team does at GYAN and TakingITGlobal really provides youth with the skills, resources, and other ways to have their voices heard.
The Global Youth has been a window to professional opportunities, as a GYAN Mexico member staff I had been able to combine my local efforts with international echo through: attending two delegations COP16 and CSD19, being E-teacher in Sprout and linking with lots of youth nets :)
The Global Youth Action Network provides an opportunity for youth to participate in many international conferences, to make their voice heard. As part of GYAN Mexico we also rise awareness about MDG´s , Climate Change &youth . Our local impact has reached more than 40000 young people since our foundation.
I worked with GYAN's delegation to Rio+20 this summer, and was blown away by the immense feeling of acceptance, love and passion that gave youth within the UN system a safe space to share their ideas on a global level. With all the problems facing our world today (climate change, overpopulation, etc) the concept of moving forward and creating a caring, just society can be truly overwhelming, particularly within a UN forum, but GYAN is a fantastic support network that encourages young people, and makes sure that we have a say in their own lives.
Its been truly a great opportunity to work on youth development and GYAN as an organization that provides has been one of the strong organizations that i happen to have been affiliated to through an NGO (Young People We Care ) I established in Ghana. As at the time i started i found the MDG Youth Action Guide very resourceful in my mobilizations and campaigns for youth engagement in the MDGs. Later on other resources were used to promote youth voices at key events such as the GFMD with thanks to the online platform of GYAN and TIG. GYAN serves as a great youth platform that enhances youth cooperation for effective advocacy and results.
Ive been involved with GYAN's delegations to Rio+20, the conference on sustainable development and the UN high level meeting on Youth. The GYAN network acts as a friendly community of youth practitioners who are leading progress towards the Millenium Development Goals and supports youth voice within these processes which will have a dramatic effect on our future. By supporting and connecting this work GYAN helps to champion the role of youth in creating change on a global scale.
GYAN serves as a platform that unites and communicates young people around the world to act upon the most critical problems of our generations, such as Climate Change and Sustainable Development in general. By being actively participating in both, COP and CSD international meetings, the network makes sure that the voices of youth is represented at the highest levels.
GYAN fosters cooperation and collaboration in today's youth movement in order to leverage efforts, resources, and maximize impact. The organization helps to combine and elevate young peoples' voices in decision-making, and to create greater recognition for their positive contributions, which has led to record levels of participation within the United Nations and other global institutions. GYAN plays a strategic role few other organizations do: looking at the bigger picture and connecting the dots, at a time when social movements are ripe, and the issues we face are increasingly global. It has been a privilege to continue serving on the board this organization, and to watch its impact continue to grow.
I believe that critical issues facing the planet today demand every generation's attention and action, and that young people are instrumental in movements for positive social change. As the Co Founder of the Global Youth Action Network, an international network of youth NGOs spanning 180 countries, which incubates global partnerships and increases youth participation in decision-making, I coordinated Global Youth Service Day since its launch in 2000. This has grown into the world's largest annual celebrations of young volunteers with millions of participants. I have since moved on from GYAN and recruited a new generation of young and dynamic leaders to take the organization to the next level. But these amazing experiences have taught me great things about life and how to inform, inspire and involve people to make a difference in their lives by taking positive steps to save the planet and helped the poor. This journey has also helped me a lot in my current work with the social enterprise I founded - Worldview Impact.
The Global Youth Action Network plays a critical role in creating opportunities for young people to participate in the development and evolution of global policy that will affect them and their world. I've been proud to collaborate with GYAN for many years, working with Benjamin, Bremley, and Jonah shortly after they founded it, and building a strong partnership and connections with our programs at TakingITGlobal. I'm proud that together, we've helped millions of youth understand and act on the world's greatest challenges.