INTRODUCTION
The Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs (APAY) Youth Assembly is a two-day event that intends to prepare the youth delegates to actively participate and meaningfully integrate to the entire General Assembly processes. Thus, this event is an integral part of the 20th General Assembly and not a separate program. Youth participants to this event must be a registered delegate of the 20th General Assembly.
More importantly, the Youth Assembly is one of the major activities within the regional participation and leadership development program that is aimed to build potentials of youth through spiritual enrichment, education, value formation and capacity building leading to active contribution in sustainable community development processes. This commitment of empowering youth requires the creation of spaces for young lay leaders, volunteers, student members, and young staff to actively engage in learning, reflection, and deliberation on social realities impacting them and society. The youth needs opportunities to plan appropriate actions in response to challenges they are confronted with such as complex concerns on war and conflicts, poverty and hunger, consumerism, the digital divide, environment, and climate change, discrimination, deprivation of human rights and fundamental freedom, unemployment, education, health-care and the culture greed for material wealth and power.
The YMCA, as part of wider social movement that is called to build a community of justice, love and peace, has the responsibility to illustrate and nurture these values among young people. As expressed in Challenge 21, each YMCA is called to empower all, especially young people and women to take increased responsibilities and assume leadership at all levels and working towards an equitable society. Following therefore our mandate, this youth gathering is designed to provide additional space for the young people to deepen understanding and experiences on the life and work of the movement in relation to the commitment of becoming bearers of peace and justice.
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES
As an integral part of the General Assembly and the region’s goal of creating opportunities for youth participation and leadership development, the Youth Assembly aims to meet the following specific objectives:
• to recognize youth’s potential and capacities as key partners in realizing the mission of YMCA
• to learn and reflect on social realities impacting the youth, their immediate community and the larger society
• to represent the concerns of the youth rooted from their local and national realities
• to share experiences and insights on becoming an active participants in the YMCA and in strengthening network among youth
• to create awareness and develop appreciation on regional YMCA identity and goals
• to deliberate and search together for a meaningful and practical YMCA responses
• to prepare the youth for their active participation and meaningful integration to the General Assembly
As an integral part of the General Assembly and the region’s goal of creating opportunities for youth participation and leadership development, the Youth Assembly aims to meet the following specific objectives:
• to recognize youth’s potential and capacities as key partners in realizing the mission of YMCA
• to learn and reflect on social realities impacting the youth, their immediate community, and the larger society
• to represent the concerns of the youth rooted from their local and national realities
• to share experiences and insights on becoming an active participant in the YMCA and in strengthening the network among youth
• to create awareness and develop an appreciation on regional YMCA identity and goals
• to deliberate and search together for a meaningful and practical YMCA responses
• to prepare the youth for their active participation and meaningful integration to the General Assembly
The Youth Participants shall not need to pay any cost for the Youth Assembly. They shall be accommodated at YMCA International Youth Center, in the dorms during the General Assembly at a special rate. Youth participants who wish to stay in other hotels shall have to pay the cost of accommodation. Participants to the Youth Assembly must be a registered delegate of the 20th General Assembly. Although the on-going programs for youth attract and serve a relatively wide range of young people, the regional YMCA considered youth for this purpose as those 18 –30 years of age. They can also be young lay leaders, volunteers, student members, and young staff.