The WPDI team in Chiapas is proud to report that a participant in our Harmonizer program, Victor Sántiz García, was selected to represent Mexico in the Second Youth Meeting of The Pacific Alliance under the category “Youth agents of change”.
The conference took place in Chile from May 29 to June 1 in support of the Alliance for Youth Employability, a platform designed by Nestlé and the International Youth Agency for Latin America (OIJ) to promote employment and to provide young people in the region with advice on looking for jobs. Targeting an initial group of four Latin American countries, Peru, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, the initiative focuses on five fields of action: promoting dual education programs, promoting vocational guidance programs, promoting the creation of internship programs, promoting the entrepreneurial spirit, and supporting the development of digital skills.
During the meeting, youth from Mexico, Peru, Chile and Colombia shared opinions, ideas and experiences regarding unemployment, training, education and personal skills. Representatives of the Ministries of Labor and Education of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, as well as of the Deputy to the State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation of the Swiss Government, the Ministry of Education of Argentina were present to discuss this and other social problems.
Victor was invited to the conference based on his participation in the programs of WPDI in Mexico, whose mandate focuses on youth empowerment and leadership. In line with the principles of the Alliance for Youth employability, WPDI provides young people from vulnerable neighborhoods with skills in mediation, project management and ICTs and with resources, including mobile technology, to carry educational and cultural projects in their communities. The meeting was therefore an excellent opportunity for Victor to engage and collaborate with other youth in order to discuss youth employment challenges and opportunities in Latin America.
In Victor’s words: “The meeting enhanced my personal and professional development. It was a very interesting and satisfying experience. The encounter with other cultures, other experiences, community problems and other methodologies in the implementation of youth projects allowed me to expand my horizon and knowledge. The feedback on the work I have been developing will definitely influence and improve my social initiatives and projects. This was a great opportunity to exchange information and receive advice from important figures such as representatives of Nestlé, the International Labour Organization for Latin América and the Caribean, the Iberoamérica Youth International Organization, the World Bank and the Mexican Youth Institute. This new experience contributed to endorse my social commitment to take action in favour of youth employability building innovative and sustainable paths for Mexican youth. I thank WPDI for the support provided and the training offered during the duration of the Harmonizer Program, which undoubtedly has influenced my professionalization in the implementation of social projects.”