Working With Youth

This issue of The Bridge examines Mercy Corps' work with youth. The following articles look at some the approaches that different countries and programs have taken to empower youth and promote their leadership and participation.

With half the world's population under the age of 25, and one in four people between the ages of 14 and 29, young people are an increasingly important stakeholder group in solving today's development challenges, as well as the future leaders of tomorrow's solutions. Mercy Corps sees youth, roughly defined as those between the ages of 14 and 25, as an increasingly important group, one that we should strive to target strategically.

In helping people build secure, productive and just communities, Mercy Corps seeks to strengthen civil society by promoting participation, accountability and peaceful change. Mercy Corps recognizes the necessity of promoting the inclusion and empowerment of young people in their communities. The involvement of youth, an often overlooked group, is essential for ensuring community-wide engagement, a vibrant civil society and the sustainability of any development project.

In this issue: Charlotte Block describes our work with young people in the aftermath of the Gulf Coast Hurricanes; Karen Saba illustrates the importance of ensuring the participation of youth with disabilities; Albana Dwonch explains how Mercy Corps is connecting youth around the world; Rasaiah Malarvili explores the important role youth play in Sri Lanka; Mirjam Hendrikse reflects on the future of youth in East Timor; Marija Cvetkovic provides her insight into the Youth Voice project in Serbia and Kosovo; the Tajikistan Conflict Prevention Program (TCPP) team describes their approach toward including youth; Kevin Grubb illustrates how sports can help reduce the potential for conflict in the Ferghana Valley; Michelle Rebosio highlights how the Youth Education for Life Skills (YES) program is working to reintegrate conflict-affected communities in Liberia; and Arthur Martirosyan remarks on his work with young leaders from the Former Soviet Union through the Momentum Program.