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COVID-19, climate change, and many other factors have impacted children and young people globally. An entire generation is at risk. The Children’s Policy and Funding Initiative supports efforts to encourage our government to make children and young people globally a top priority. To ensure effective policies, programming, and funding, it is critical that young people have a voice and a seat at the table and have input into decisions that impact their lives. Young people are leading changemakers and need to be part of solutions.
The Youth Alliance Working Group (YAWG) is composed of fellows, interns, and young people who provide partner organizations with a pragmatic way for youth perspectives to be part of the process. The YAWG objectives are to:
The Youth Alliance Working Group has helped shape the Initiative's joint advocacy agenda, providing their own recommendation such as calls for establishing a Congressional Caucus for Children and Youth Globally.
The Youth Alliance Working Group (YAWG) is composed of fellows, interns, and young people who provide partner organizations with a pragmatic way for youth perspectives to be part of the process. The YAWG objectives are to:
- Provide expertise and insights from a young person’s perspective into policy proposals and advocacy initiatives and ensure young people are fully engaged and contributing to policy priorities and advocacy initiatives
- Facilitate youth learning about and contributions to the Initiative and civil societies in proposing government initiatives
- Demonstrate that youth are changemakers who bring solutions
- Provide youth with practical experience interacting with government officials and NGO representative
- Engage global youth networks to ensure their experience, concerns, and recommendations are brought to policymakers and that the needs of children and youth globally are prioritized, rather than remain an afterthought
The Youth Alliance Working Group has helped shape the Initiative's joint advocacy agenda, providing their own recommendation such as calls for establishing a Congressional Caucus for Children and Youth Globally.
Political Will & Advocacy
CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH GLOBALLY
The YAWG is supporting and advocating for the joint advocacy agenda put forward by the Initiative to make children and youth globally a priority in government policy, programming and funding. The YAWG has also prioritized calls for the creation of a nonpartisan Congressional Caucus for Children and Youth Globally. This Caucus would:
The YAWG is supporting and advocating for the joint advocacy agenda put forward by the Initiative to make children and youth globally a priority in government policy, programming and funding. The YAWG has also prioritized calls for the creation of a nonpartisan Congressional Caucus for Children and Youth Globally. This Caucus would:
- Acknowledge young people as changemakers and future leaders on issues ranging from democratic governance, poverty alleviation, justice, human rights, equality and equity, violence prevention, conflict resolution, environmental protection, peace and security, and much more
- Facilitate activities by Members of Congress to support better outcomes for children and youth around the world
- Ensure issues impacting children and youth globally are prioritized in government policies, programming, and funding
- Encourage Members of Congress to support a holistic approach to meet the needs of children and youth globally.
To build political will and and strengthen advocacy efforts, the YAWG is currently active preparing and empowering youth to meet with officials in Congress and government. The YAWG has contributed to and is advocating for the Initiative's joint advocacy agenda, which would ensure children and youth globally are a higher priority in government policy, programming, and funding. In addition, the YAWG has prioritized calls to create a Congressional Caucus for Children and Youth Globally.
Initiative Consultations
The Initiative and YAWG participants consult and interact regularly to ensure youth perspectives are considered and integrated into Initiative recommendations and materials. The YAWG serves as a youth “soundboard” for proposals and engages to shape and influence outputs. The YAWG facilitates participation by youth advocates from around the world into virtual events for policymakers and their staff.
YAWG Secretariat
Beau Vega (he/him/his) is the Convener for the YAWG. Beau serves as a Research Fellow at Strategy for Humanity. Beau brings a diverse academic and professional background bridging international affairs and economic development. In recent years, Beau has conducted business and policy research for US private stakeholders, assessing the impacts of national and regional economic policies on their interests in the ASEAN region. His research covered sectors including food & agriculture, travel & tourism, and aerospace and defense. Previously, Beau worked for a women-led consultant and investment advisory firm in Ghana, where he gained valuable exposure to local business development and environmental sustainability initiatives across Western Africa. Beau is especially proud of the work he did with this firm to spearhead a project to enhance opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises throughout Southern Africa and enable them to compete effectively against international competitors. With a commitment to advancing inclusive and sustainable practices, Beau’s experience and research underscores his dedication to fostering economic growth and resilience across diverse regions.
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