YouthBuild program representatives from around the world gathered
to share best practices and innovations in education for opportunity youth
In May, YouthBuild México (YBM) and YouthBuild USA’s international team hosted the YouthBuild Global Schools Network (YGSN) Convening in Léon, Guanajuato, México. This event — the first of its kind for the YGSN — brought together 40 representatives of YouthBuild programs from Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, First Nations in Canada, India, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, the UK, and the United States.
Founded in 2019, the YGSN is a subset of YouthBuild programs from within the YouthBuild International Network, all of whom are looking to grow the scope and impact of YouthBuild diploma-granting secondary schools to advance the learning, leadership, and livelihood aspirations of opportunity youth within their unique geographical context. At the convening, participants learned about the variations of the YouthBuild educational models being implemented in each of the different geographies, with a focus on identifying and highlighting best practices and innovations.
During the four-day gathering, participants observed YouthBuild México’s Preparatoria Jóvenes con Rumbo high school model, from its planning to its execution. YBM also facilitated visits to the towns of La Ermita, Soledad, and Silao in Guanajuato, where attendees engaged with the program’s youth beneficiaries and heard testimonies from young graduates who shared how the program has transformed their lives and their community. Tere Lanzagorta, General Director of YBM, highlighted that the program has already been able to serve 500 young people from Guanajuato since 2018.
YBM also facilitated a panel discussion titled “Alliances That Work: Second Chances for Young People,” which featured experiences from young people around their employability and education. The panel was moderated by Juan Carlos Foncerrada, Director of Political Advocacy for YouthBuild México, and featured the participation of Diego Godínez, Social Responsibility Coordinator for the sports company Charly; Guillermo Romero, Secretary of Economic Reactivation of León; Laura Villanueva, Director of the Ciudad Educadora de León project; and Amonario Assain, representative of the Fundación Empresarial de Guanajuato. Also participating were Marco Morales, General Director of the National Employment Service of the Secretary of Economic Development of Guanajuato; Alejandra Angarita, Director of Decent Work at Nacional Monte de Piedad; Felipe Polo, Director of the FIDESSEG trust; Juan Carlos López, General Director of the State Training Institute (IECA); and José de La Luz Martínez Moreno, General Director of Higher Secondary Education of the Secretary of Education of Guanajuato.
The YouthBuild Global Schools Network Convening was hosted by YouthBuild México in collaboration with YouthBuild USA’s international team. This event was made possible with generous funding support from Oak Foundation, Prudential Financial and Skoll Foundation.
