Youth-INProject Progress Report October to December2012

Report type / Quarterly project progress report
Project title / YOUTH INNOVATION (YOUTH-IN): A Caribbean Network for Youth Development
Period / October to December2012
Prepared by / Paula Hidalgo Sanchis PhD, Youth-IN Project Coordinator
Project Output 1: Culture, sports, arts and innovation: Create new and enhanced interactive mechanisms and synergies with existing global, national, regional youth networks in culture, sports, arts to support enhanced youth networking by Caribbean youth.[1]

The “Youth Talk Through Arts” initiative promoted by the Youth Think Tank was launched during the last quarter of the year, and the showcase was conducted in Barbados (The Plantation Garden Theatre on November 11, 2012) and St. Lucia (Derek Walcott Square on November 17, 2012). The initiative was implemented by national Governments, spear headed by Youth Think Tank members, and implemented in coordination with youth networks, civil society organizations andsupport from the private sector. The initiative has empowered youth to participate in governance processes raising their voices through arts and has informed policy highlighting areas affecting youth through the performing arts. In addition, it has also promoted youth networking and participation of youth in arts and culture linked to creative industries. The process has also been initiated in St. Kitts and Nevis and The Commonwealth of Dominica.

Implementation of the pilot programme that promotes knowledge exchange and collaboration on the topics of film production, broadcasting and youth networking between the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination of the University of the West Indies (UWI-EBCCI[2]) (Cave Hill Campus, Barbados) and Italians Centres of Excellence, namely Radiotelevisione Italiana 3 (RAI3) /Agenda del Mondo[3] and Sapienza Università di Roma (Sapienza University of Rome) continues. A workshopwas held in Roma (October, 8 – 12) and a workshop was held in Barbados (November 16 – 20). The agendas of the workshops are included as annex 1 and 2 to this report. The draft documentaries “youth voices” that will reflect the voices of Caribbean youth have been produced, and plansto broadcast themhas been drafted.

Networking among Caribbean youth has been promoted with all the project activities, supporting youth exchanges in existing global, national and regional youth networks. Responding to the invitations from host organizations, youth networking has been promoted with the participation of Youth Think Tank members in the following events:

-Democratic Governance Community of Practice “Youth participation and Democratic governance in LAC" (Mexico City, 16-18 October)organized by UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Latin America and The Caribbean. The concept note of the meeting [4] is included as annex 3 to this report.

-Youth Conference 2012: “Youth in Action for Democracy and Entrepreneurship” organized by the Organization of American States (OAS) (Washington, 4 December)( The concept note is included as annex 4 to this report.

-Caribbean Youth Environment and Development Congress (Gros Islet - St. Lucia, 1 to 5 November) organized by Caribbean Youth Environment Network.

-Training on volunteerism (Italy, 19 to 30 November) organized by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) in collaboration with the Italian Civil Protection Department. The invitation letter is included as annex 5 to this report.

The pilot initiative that will increase opportunities for youth development linked to the development of creative industries in Barbados is under implementation by the Ministry of Family, Culture, Sports and Youth. The project will support the expansion of the Digital Media Film Unit (part of the Youth Mainstreaming Programme) that provides out of school youth with capacity building and livelihood opportunities in the media industry.

Project Output 2: Entrepreneurship and micro-credit: Created and established spaces/structures for orientation, training and micro-credit services supporting new and emerging youth entrepreneurial initiatives established and functioning within the framework of regional and national economic diversification strategies which will include frameworks of the GEF Focal Areas and GEF/SGP to generate co-funding opportunities for environmental conservation business projects with new eco-sustainable enterprises.[5]

The Caribbean Innovation Challenge (CIC) was officially launched on October 2, within the framework of the Foromic Conference[6] organized by the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), a member of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs of Barbados.

Work has continued to establish partnerships that will ensure an “ecosystem” for youth entrepreneurship that supports the sustainability of the CIC in the region. Presentation of the Caribbean Innovation Challenge (CIC) was done during the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) in Belize, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago. A report on the presentations of the CIC during the GEW is included as annex 6 to this report.

In partnership with Government and private sector a new series of Business Labs and Mini Business Labs workshops were launched to provide support for young people, helping them generate innovative business ideas and preparing them to register for the Caribbean Innovation Challenge (CIC):

-Business Lab focused on Creativity and Innovation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (November 27 – 30);

-Mini Labon Creativity and Innovation in Paramaribo, Surinamein partnership with the Ministry of Youth in Suriname and the Women's Business Group Foundation (November 14);

-Mini Lab in St. Vincent and theGrenadines (November 26).

Training and resources have been delivered on line via the CIC website ( These resources includevideo tutorials, webinars, on line courses and on line coaching benefiting approximately 214 youth.

Overall, by the end of the year, a total of 874 young people have benefited from direct training linked to the CIC, a detailed report on the training conducted and the beneficiaries is included as annex 7 to this report.

The online community of practice[7]( continues to function with the participation of the trainees and partners in online dialogue. The group has grown and promoted knowledge exchange, business development and networking to around 600 members.

By the end of the last quarter of the year a total of 305 registrations have been submitted to the CIC from 14 countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, The Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobagoand Saint Lucia.

Dialogue has continued with financial institutions in Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis and the Bahamas to formalize agreements in support of young entrepreneurs under the framework of the CIC. Institutions such as The Saint Kitts and Nevis Development Bank, the Grenada Development Bank, Grenada Cooperative Credit Union and The Bahamas Development Bank, have expressed interest in facilitating financial support to youth that complete the CIC process.

Under the leadership of CARICOM, support has continued to the Caribbean Centre of Excellence on Youth Entrepreneurship[8]. The manual “Creativity for Employment and Business Opportunity” (CEBO) that has been created to strengthen the capacity of national institutions to teach entrepreneurships to “out of school youth” has been successfully rolled out in countries. During the last quarter of the year, training was conducted in The Bahamas, Jamaica, Belize, The Commonwealth of Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis andGuyana in collaboration with National Business Trust, Governments and civil society organizations.

Project Output 3: Communications, inclusive governance and regional integration: Increased innovative communications for development, created with ICTs tools to showcase youth capabilities, assets and inputs in cultural, media and audio-visual communication initiatives. Strengthened youth planning, enhanced advocacy and public awareness capacities in Environmental Awareness, Financial Literacy, Entrepreneurship[9]

With the support of the Youth-IN project, CARICOM has developed the policy instrument CARICOM Youth Development Action Plan (CYDAP) 2012 – 2017 and the supporting “Monitoring and Evaluation Plan”. The tools will guide the development of national youth policies in the region, responding to the need identified by the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development (CCYD)to increase national capacities to define outdated of or absent national youth policies and will support policy harmonization. The CARICOM Secretariat’s Youth Programme has drafted a plan to disseminate theCYDAPand support the development of national youth policies.

The Youth-IN portal ( and launched in Octoberwith an official event at the UN House and a series of on line discussions for youth that were followed by 400 young people in the region. The series of interactive internet discussions featured regional pioneers and prominent exponents of art, culture, politics, media, entrepreneurship, environment/conservation and activism:

-"Young People This, Young People That: what media says about youth?" (October29) with the participation of young media leaders – Vincentian Clare Keizer, the CEO" and Editor-in-Chief of the Searchlight Newspaper, St. Lucia's Clinton Reynolds, the president of the Media Association of St. Lucia and Andrea Bryan, President of Youth Media Guyana and YTT Member for Guyana;

-"Is Caribbean Politics An Old Man's Game?" (October 29) with the participation of Her Hononour Senator Kerry-Ann Ifill, President of the Barbadian Senate, and Shireene McMillan Commonwealth Youtuh Programme Pan Caribbean Chair and YTT Member for Grenada.

-"Ain't No Business Like Show Business: The Life And Trials Of A Cultural Entrepreneur” (October, 30)with the participation of Marlon Grant, Entertainment Entrepreneur and Creative Director of Island People in Trinidad, Auturo Tappin, Internationally Renowned Saxophonist and Shari Pollard, Cultural Entrepreneur and YTT Member for Barbados.

The main focus of International Volunteers Day 2012 (IVD 2012)[10](December 5)was awareness of and recognition for volunteers and volunteer organizations. The purpose was to recognise this commitment, to inform people about the impact of volunteering on peace and sustainable development, and to applaud volunteers for their dedication and impact.The Youth-IN project commemorated IVD 2012 celebrating the following achievements that will support programming in 2013:

-UNDP Youth-IN Photo Competition on Volunteerism “Celebrating helping hands”.The competition aimed to celebrate and to encourage youth to share views and experiences on the power of volunteer action in their communities and countries ( A total of 4,780 young people participated voting for the winners of the competitions. The concept note on the competition is included as annex 7 to this report.

-Desk review “Volunteerism in the Eastern Caribbean”. The desk review on Youth Volunteerism in the Easter Caribbean countries[11] has concluded with the production of a mapping of existing volunteerism activities and organizations promoting volunteerism in the region. The report produced, that includes a “youth friendly” version and testimonies of volunteers, will be launched in 2013.

-UNV Institutional Capacity Development Officer. UN Volunteers Programme will fund a UN Volunteer to support civil society capacity development and advocacy for volunteerism in the region.

An example of the media promotion conducted is included as Annex 9 to this report.

Youth volunteerism has been encouraged with the dissemination ofCDsproduced with the “Spice It Up - Sing for Preparedness”competitionwith a total distribution of 300 CDs among stakeholders, youth organizations and radio stations.

To support the project outreach and youth involvement in the project, a total of 20,000 brochures with information on the project initiatives have been distributed in the region through Directors of Youth and Youth Think Tank members.

The project outreach has continued with the support of a communications company and Youth-IN activities have been widely covered by the media; examples can be found on the following links of digital media:

Youth-IN portal launch / Barbados Advocate, Stabroek News, Barbados Today, Bajan Reporter, CBC Television, Caribbean Current
Youth-IN volunteerism / Advocate, Barbados Today, Nation
Youth-IN Entrepreneurship / Barnacle Newspaper


Nevis Pages

YTTA / 1SLU.com, Damajority.com, St. Lucia News Online
Youth-IN competitions / Green Antilles, Barbados Today
Support to national initiatives /
BGIS

Annex 10 to this report shows an article on the EBBCI/UWI-RAI3/Agenda Del Mondo collaboration in included in the ItalianCooperation Agency Magazine.

Project Output 4. Programme Management, Monitoring and Evaluation[12]

For the reporting period, the following project staff has supported the implementation: Youth-IN Web Portal Manager (National UNV), Volunteerism Project Officer, Youth-IN Project Coordinator, Administrative staff (part time) and Project Officer for Capacity Development and Implementation Supportbased at CARICOMSecretariat (that entered on duty in the last quarter of the year).

The Youth Think Tank (YTT) for the Caribbean, one of few think tanks in the world that have been created to give the young generations a voice, and that it is unique in its structure has initiated in country activities as explained under Output 1.

The thirdProject Steering Committee (PSC) meeting took place on October 4, in St. George's, Grenada, hosted by the Government of Grenada. The notes on the meeting are included as annex 11 to this report. A Project Appraisal Committee meeting (PAC) was conducted via online and teleconference to draft the 2012 Youth-IN Project Annual Workplan in December. Preparations for the fourth PSC committee meeting are on-going.

Report on Budget consumption and resource mobilization

Theannual project expenditure has gone according to plan and accounts for approximately100% of project budget for 2012. The next table provides an overview of the distribution of the expenditure.

Table 1. Project Expenditure by Output in 2012

Output / %
Project Output 1: Culture, sports, arts and innovation: Create new and enhanced interactive mechanisms and synergies with existing global, national, regional youth networks in culture, sports, arts to support enhanced youth networking by Caribbean youth. / 11
Project Output 2: Entrepreneurship and micro-credit: Created and established spaces/structures for orientation, training and micro-credit services supporting new and emerging youth entrepreneurial initiatives established and functioning within the framework of regional and national economic diversification strategies which will include frameworks of the GEF Focal Areas and GEF/SGP to generate co-funding opportunities for environmental conservation business projects with new eco-sustainable enterprises. / 24
Project Output 3:Communications, inclusive governance and regional integration: Increased innovative communications for development, created with ICTs tools to showcase youth capabilities, assets and inputs in cultural, media and audio-visual communication initiatives. Strengthened youth planning, enhanced advocacy and public awareness capacities in Environmental Awareness, Financial Literacy, Entrepreneurship. / 33
Project Output 4. Programme Management, Monitoring and Evaluation. / 32

Note on the budget- as per agreement reached during the 3rdProject Steering Committee Meeting, a budget revision will be done to increase the project budget for 2012 andadjust budget lines to accommodate the advanced implementation of activities during the year.

Resource mobilization efforts have continued, promoting Youth-IN among donors, development partners, stakeholders and private sector. The following resources have been mobilized to support project implementation to date:

-Youth-IN Entrepreneurship: i) the Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation (MASHAV) has sponsored the fees and travel of the trainers of the six (6) Business Labs conducted to date; ii) PepsiCo Beverages will award environmentally sustainable projects as a contribution to the CIC. These contributions have been formalized through collaboration agreements with Youth-IN implementing partner, the Young Americas Business Trust.

-Youth-IN Competitions: i) Private sector companies contributed to the Youth-INSpice It Up competition; ii) The ARC Magazine () has advertised Youth-IN competitions on a pro-bono basis.

-Youth Talk Through Arts: i) Private sector companies have contributed on a pro-bono basis for the implementation of the initiative in Barbados and St. Lucia, a detailed report on the contributions will be presented in the next reports.

Work has continued to explore possibilities of engaging philanthropy to support youth development in the region, with approach to private foundations conducted during the reporting period.

Annexes to the report

Annex 1.Agenda 2nd Workshop on film production, post production and broadcasting

Annex 2.Agenda 3rd Workshop on film production, post production and broadcasting

Annex 3.Youth participation and Democratic governance in LAC–Agenda of the meeting

Annex 4.OAS Youth Conference 2012: Youth in Action for Democracy and Entrepreneurship -Concept note

Annex 5.Capacity building on volunteerism organized by CDEMA -Invitation letter

Annex 6.Report on the presentation of the Caribbean Innovation Challenge in the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2012

Annex 7.Report on the training delivered under the Caribbean Innovation Challenge in 2012

Annex 8.2012 Youth-IN photo competition - Fact sheet

Annex 9. International Volunteers Day 2012 -Media promotion

Annex 10. Article on EBBCI-RAI3 collaboration in Italian Cooperation Agency Magazine

Annex 11.Third Youth-IN Project Steering Committee Meeting – Notes on the meeting

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[1]Photo: Youth Talk Through Arts Poster

[2]

[3]

[4]Text In Spanish.

[5]Photo:Secretary General, CARICOM Secretariat seated with participants of the CEBO workshop held in Dominica.

[6]The region’s leading forum for supporting and financing microenterprises, SMEs, and small farmers in Latin America and the Caribbean. The event was organized by the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), a member of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs of Barbados.

[7] The online community facilitates networking, knowledge exchange and learning towards starting a business and participating in the CIC.

[8]The Caribbean Group of YBTs presently comprise 9 countries: Barbados Youth Business Trust, Belize Youth Business Trust, Dominica Youth Business Trust, Youth Business Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana Youth Business Trust, Jamaica Youth Business Trust, Gilbert Agricultural and Rural Development Center, St. Lucia Youth Business Trust and St. Vincent & The Grenadines Youth Business Trust.