Youth Development Competencies Program (YDCP)

Civil Society Strengthening, Youth, Eurasia

The Youth Development Competencies Program (YDCP), funded by USAID and developed by IREX, supports and promotes effective youth policy and programming in 10 regions of Russia.

YDCP provides young people with an opportunity to contribute to their communities while developing the skills and abilities they need to become successful adults and engaged citizens. IREX has designed YDCP in line with best practices in positive youth development. This theory treats youth as a resource to be developed, rather than a problem to be solved, and engages the entire community in youth programs and policy.

Goals

• Develop the competencies needed by young people to become active, successful adults by engaging them in youth-driven community development

• Facilitate the transfer of successful youth project models among young people in different regions through networking, mentoring, and collaboration

• Contribute to the sustainability of youth programming and the development of effective youth policies by engaging local government, business, media, and educators

Background

In many Russian communities, young people lack opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities that are critical in the development of confidence, leadership abilities, and other necessary life skills. When youth have positive outlets to explore their interests, test their abilities, and take on leadership roles, they are more likely to stay in school, be active in their communities, avoid negative influences, and grow up to become productive and involved citizens.

Project Activities

Recruit innovative youth projects from across Russia: IREX identifies the most successful youth projects in Russia that actively engage young people and have a positive impact on their lives by doing the following:

• helping them find employment and improve their professional skills

• promoting tolerance and mutual understanding

• addressing the needs of rural and at-risk youth

• transforming local schools into a nexus of civic engagement for the community.

Promote the expansion of successful youth projects. After identifying successful youth projects, IREX promotes their expansion to other regions by recruiting, training, and supporting new youth teams in adapting these projects in their communities. To ensure success, IREX establishes a peer mentoring relationship with original project designers.

Facilitate peer-to-peer mentoring and collaboration between youth. IREX promotes collaboration between youth across Russia through peer mentoring, networking events, and the YDCP Online Clearinghouse, an information and knowledge-sharing portal.

Promote effective youth programming and policy in Russia. During all program stages, IREX engages stakeholders in government, business, nonprofit, and education sectors to ensure the sustainability of youth programs and improve the effectiveness of local youth policy.