Assignment + Job Description

Now that I’ve shared a little bit of the history of the PC program in Peru, I wanted to touch on the overall role of a youth development facilitator (I wont be given my specific assignment until I complete training sometime in August)…

Although Peru is a fast growing country, its young people have seriously been affected by the current global economic crisis.  Peru is the country with the lowest reading comprehension standards in Latin America, and many children don’t stay in school.  Some are still sent to the streets to sell candy or find other ways to earn a few coins a day.  Among disadvantaged low-income youth, there is often a feeling of hopelessness and low self-esteem that can result in a myriad of problems including drug use, illegal activities and unemployment.

The Youth Development Project in Peru looks to address the fundamental challenges of preparing low income adolescents to lead productive, fulfilling lives.

The goals of the Youth Development Project are:

1. Healthy Lifestyle Development – Peruvian youth will be engaged in strengthening their personal and social skills to become better equipped to meet life’s challenges through healthy lifestyle programs and activities that meet the youth’s individual needs.

2. World of Work Development – Peruvian youth will be better prepared with the skills and knowledge to participate in future vocational and/or advanced educational opportunities through developing goal-setting skills and by enhancing their ability to access local resources to develop livelihood and educational opportunities.

3. Youth Leadership Development and Community Involvement – Peruvian youth will be engaged as active and contributing members of their community through developing their leadership skills, connecting to supportive community networks, and being involved in community-benefiting projects and youth service groups.

Some specific duties might include:

• establish a summer program
• organize career fairs
• encourage youth to identify personal goals
• promote business ideas
• help families understand the importance of diet and exercise
• promote parenting techniques that improve familial communication
• explain to youth the importance of healthy behaviors and choices

This is the part of the experience I am looking forward to the most! Since my application process took forever and a day, I was willing to accept whatever assignment they chose for me, but secretly I was hoping (and wishing, and praying) to be placed in a youth development program.  The year and a half I volunteered at the Miami Bridge, a transitional home for at-risk youth, was extremely challenging but incredibly rewarding and I knew I would love to continue the same kind of work.