(Eagle News) — Today, August 26, is the closing ceremony of the fourth installation of the regional youth program in the Philippines of the ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme (AYVP) 2016.
The AYVP is implemented by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (The National University of Malaysia-UKM).
The AYVP Philippines 2016, with the theme, ‘The Development of ASEAN Youth DRR-Leaders through Volunteerism and Community Engagement’ is organized in collaboration with the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University. It was held from the 1st until 26th August 2016 and focused on the thematic area of the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).
Some 50 ASEAN volunteers or AYVP DRR-Leaders embarked on a four week knowledge-driven, volunteerism journey with week 1 and 4 seeing them attending a series of workshops at the University of the Philippines Diliman Campus.
Weeks 2 and 3 saw them engaging with local communities in implementing DRR activities in Barangay Payatas and Barangay Banaba in Quezon City.
Three of the 50 ASEAN youth volunteers — Jeremiah Dalida from the Philippines, Tharasini Paranthaman from Malaysia, and Pham Thi Huyen from Vietnam – were interviewed in the NET 25 program “ASEAN in Focus” of Eagle News Service on August 23 where they talked about their experience in the program.
As part of the multiplier effect and sustainability of the program, these youth leaders will work on DRR project proposals and stand a chance to be awarded a seed grant of up to USD 2000 for project implementation in their home countries.
AYVP’s main goal is to drive youth volunteerism and community development that involve young people with a targeted demographic age between 18 and 30 (youth from higher education, colleges and working professionals) across ASEAN.
AYVP Philippines 2016 seeks to develop 50 ASEAN Youth DRR-Leaders with competencies and skills in youth leadership, disaster management, and shared ASEAN values through the spirit of volunteerism and community engagement.
This program is supported by the ASEAN Secretariat, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Malaysia, the National Youth Commission Philippines, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
