Young Women's Leadership Program (YWLP) in Yemen
The Young Women’s Leadership Program in Yemen (YWLP) built the technical and professional skills of young women, age 22-25, to become leaders in civil society and media.
YWLP was funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). IREX and its network partner IREX Europe worked together with the Yemen-based Girls World Communication Center.
This project is now closed.
Goals
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• Build the technical and professional skills of young women for leadership roles in civil society and media
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• Increase women’s participation in public life in Yemen for a stronger civil society
Project Activities
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Technical Skills Training: Young women participate in intensive English language, computer skills, and organizational management classes. Participants also have the opportunity to choose between specialized NGO management or media training tracks.
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Leadership Training: An important aspect of the program is training in life skills—decision making, goal setting, self-confidence building, and negotiation skills—to reduce women’s isolation and teach them to make choices for themselves or in a group dynamic.
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Study Tours and Site Visits: Trainees participate in study tours to NGO projects sites, media outlets, and donor offices to learn through observation and interaction with staff.
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Work-Study Program: Young women work as volunteer interns at NGOs and media outlets for four to six weeks, honing their skills and gaining exposure to the work environment.
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Small Grants: All participants have the opportunity to design a proposal for civil society and media projects, of which 20 will receive program funding.
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Newsletter: Students produce a newsletter to serve as an informational and networking resource as well as a practical skill-building tool.
