The Youth Alliance Working Group (YAWG) is composed of fellows, interns, and young people who provide partner organizations with a pragmatic way for youth perspectives to be part of the process. The YAWG objectives are to:
The Youth Alliance Working Group has helped shape the Initiative's joint advocacy agenda, providing their own recommendation such as calls for establishing a Congressional Caucus for Children and Youth Globally.
- Provide expertise and insights from a young person’s perspective into policy proposals and advocacy initiatives and ensure young people are fully engaged and contributing to policy priorities and advocacy initiatives
- Facilitate youth learning about and contributions to the Initiative and civil societies in proposing government initiatives
- Demonstrate that youth are changemakers who bring solutions
- Provide youth with practical experience interacting with government officials and NGO representative
- Engage global youth networks to ensure their experience, concerns, and recommendations are brought to policymakers and that the needs of children and youth globally are prioritized, rather than remain an afterthought
The Youth Alliance Working Group has helped shape the Initiative's joint advocacy agenda, providing their own recommendation such as calls for establishing a Congressional Caucus for Children and Youth Globally.
Political Will & Advocacy
CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH GLOBALLY
The YAWG is supporting and advocating for the joint advocacy agenda put forward by the Initiative to make children and youth globally a priority in government policy, programming and funding. The YAWG has also prioritized calls for the creation of a nonpartisan Congressional Caucus for Children and Youth Globally. This Caucus would:
The YAWG is supporting and advocating for the joint advocacy agenda put forward by the Initiative to make children and youth globally a priority in government policy, programming and funding. The YAWG has also prioritized calls for the creation of a nonpartisan Congressional Caucus for Children and Youth Globally. This Caucus would:
- Acknowledge young people as changemakers and future leaders on issues ranging from democratic governance, poverty alleviation, justice, human rights, equality and equity, violence prevention, conflict resolution, environmental protection, peace and security, and much more
- Facilitate activities by Members of Congress to support better outcomes for children and youth around the world
- Ensure issues impacting children and youth globally are prioritized in government policies, programming, and funding
To build political will and and strengthen advocacy efforts, the YAWG is currently active preparing and empowering youth to meet with officials in Congress and government. The YAWG has contributed to and is advocating for the Initiative's joint advocacy agenda, which would ensure children and youth globally are a higher priority in government policy, programming, and funding. In addition, the YAWG has prioritized calls to create a Congressional Caucus for Children and Youth Globally.
Initiative Consultations
The Initiative and YAWG participants consult and interact regularly to ensure youth perspectives are considered and integrated into Initiative recommendations and materials. The YAWG serves as a youth “soundboard” for proposals and engages to shape and influence outputs. The YAWG facilitates participation by youth advocates from around the world into virtual events for policymakers and their staff.
