WYA FOUNDATION INC

The World Youth Alliance aims to promote the dignity of the person by building a global coalition of young people able to articulate, defend and live the dignity of the person in their lives and influence the communities and world in which they live.

The World Youth Alliance works to understand and speak about the idea of the human person. We work with young people around the world to build a culture that supports and nurtures the dignity of each human person. We do through three key program areas: Advocacy, Education and Culture.

In Advocacy, the World Youth Alliance participates directly at the United Nations, European Union, and Organization of American States.

- Our advocacy work equips young people to work on critical topics that we face today.
- We provide research and fact sheets on current international policy issues.
- We prepare statements on topics that have been discussed and negotiated by our members at the UN.
- We provide training on international relations and foreign diplomacy for members
- We work one-on-one with delegates to develop person-centered policies and language proposals for international negotiations
- We organize advocacy conferences on international policy themes and our annual International Solidarity Forum at the UN.

In Education, the World Youth Alliance’s educational programs equip students of all ages with the resources, training and intellectual formation to promote the dignity of the human person. We offer a wide selection of both formal and informal educational and training programs to develop a deeper understanding of human dignity. Our material is designed to be adapted to different communities and ages as needed. Some of our programs include:

- Online and Offline Training Programs
- Internships
- International Solidarity Forum
- the Human Dignity Curriculum

We also hold training events and provide learning material such as:

- Emerging Leaders Conference
- WYA Book List
- WYA Film List

In Culture, the World Youth Alliance provides culture and art programs for integral human development. This includes our Manhattan International Film Festival.

Our 20th birthday on March 2019 was a festive time for the WYA community. It was spent reconnecting with WYA members and alumni who flew in from all over the world. A highlight of the March events was the official film screening of the Not for Profit Documentary. It traced the experiences of the individuals who established the first five WYA regional offices. The documentary showcased how WYA’s story was and continues to be a story of hope. 20 years after Anna Halpine chose to stand up for the dignity of the person, this commitment in WYA members remains ablaze.

Our members continue to turn to the place where they first fell in love with learning about the dignity of the person: the Certified Training Program (CTP). Their excitement to launch the Training of Trainers (TOT) Program, a module that equips our best certified members to teach the CTP, gained great speed. It resulted to an online version of the TOT program, which was quickly piloted by active Chapter leaders who already had a group of peers waiting to dive into the material.

As 2019 progressed, so did the TOT’s expansion. Active members continued to ask how they can continue contribute to WYA’s mission. An outcome of this was the eventual release of the TOT Trainer Levels where CTP Trainers are assessed according to what kind of trainer they can be. Level 3 Trainers, the highest tier, are given the chance to be trained on how to check submissions.

It has been the solution to our good problem of keeping up with the increasing number of young people who want to learn about the dignity of the human person. But on their end, trainers would express that the chance to re-encounter the CTP provides nourishment and helps them navigate how they live and lead today.

The CTP, now complimented by the TOT, revitalized the WYA Chapter and Committee landscape in 2019. A prime example of this was the great growth in chapters and trainees led by the newly opened WYA Southeast Europe (a chapter turned office located in Croatia). Members in both old and newly opened Chapters and Committees now aspire to be trainers after the CTP. The fire lit and kept on in learning that their WYA journey is just beginning. This gave way to an abundant 2019, with our target number of new Chapter and Committee surpassed.

The shift to an online platform has also been applied to the WYA internship program. The internship, a key program that allows us to train our members in a professional setting, has been essential in forming leaders all over the world. Our stellar roster of founding directors has proven this and points to the value of making the internship accessible more than ever. Fortunately, the launch of the WYA externship in 2018 continued its trajectory with our target numbers exceeded for 2019.

We look forward to seeing what the next 20 years will bring!