Filipino Youth Leaders: Paving the Way for a First World Philippines

Calling all Filipino Youth Leaders

See this Article and make a difference!!

Thanks Harvey Keh & Karla Angelica Pastores for sharing this wonderfull message!!

 

The Manila Bulletin - Filipino Youth Leaders: Paving the Way for a First World Philippines

Filipino Youth Leaders: Paving the Way for a First World Philippines
By: Karla Angelica Pastores
The Manila Bulletin

A true leader, they say, is one who produces greater leaders than him. The ability to inspire someone to translate vision to action is a leader’s greatest legacy. Much like the proud teacher who sees her student achieve extraordinary things, a good leader wants nothing more than to see his protégé succeed.

Of course, even good leaders need help every now and then.

Which is why the World Bank-Philippines' Knowledge for Development Center and the Ateneo de Manila University’s School of Government (ASoG) have come up with a program for young Filipino leaders to interact with their favorite role models.

“Youth Leaders for Knowledge and Development” is a year-long program for students and young professionals 18-35 years old who are the country’s future movers and shakers. One hundred of the country’s brightest young minds will get a chance to dialogue with some of the best leaders in the Philippines.

Following the success of “Panibagong Paraan 2009”, an annual knowledge sharing forum of the World Bank and Knowledge for Development Center where selected local government officials were invited to discuss innovative solutions to Philippine poverty, the World Bank and Ateneo decided to expand the project this year to include young leaders.

“It was our shared view that the youth have just as much potential as local government leaders to be creative and contribute to the solutions to our country’s problems,” Harvey Keh, director of the Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship program of ASoG, said. “It’s better to engage these young leaders early on to have more impact when their time to lead comes.”

Interested applicants may go to WB’s website at www.worldbank.org.ph/kdc and fill out the online form. A screening panel will then review the applications and choose fifty college and graduate students and fifty young professionals to be part of the program.

All one hundred participants will be invited to a special welcoming dinner to meet and know each other. The program, aside from being a learning experience for the participants, gives them the opportunity to network with like-minded colleagues and possibly work on an innovative project together. The World Bank and ASoG believe that our youth have brilliant ideas that seldom bear fruit for lack of resources. Networking with fellow leaders will bring them closer to transforming their ideas into reality.

Throughout the course of the program, the participants will be invited to twice-a-month coffee sessions or “kapihans” with a prominent leader, keeping in mind the overall goal of addressing developmental issues in the country. Participants can get the answers to their questions straight from their role model’s mouth.

“The good thing about the kapihans is that the guest speaker will be someone that the participants want to meet,” World Bank Philippines’ Public Information and External Relations officer Moira Enerva said. According to her, the participants will have a say in who they want to interact with for the kapihan sessions. After the first three sessions, which are decided by the World Bank and Ateneo, the organizers will have a clearer picture of the makeup of the group and cater to their interests.

Aside from the participants, Ateneo and World Bank also plan to invite their partner schools in the Knowledge for Development Centers in the provinces to participate via videoconference.

At the end of the program, Ateneo and WB plan to release a short book on the insights picked up during the discussions, as well as personal articles written by participants about their experience.

Every young Filipino is invited to apply for this program. We are looking for model citizens who aspire to be the change that our country needs, young Filipinos who are eager to take an active role in leadership and development. The measure of a country’s greatness is hinged upon both its leaders and citizens and how they work together to achieve distinction. Our dream of a first world Philippines will not be achieved in the span of a few short years, but then again, the first step is always crucial.

Deadline for submission of applications is extended until July 15, 2010. For inquiries, you may email ateneoylse@gmail.com or call (02) 4341458.

Comments are welcome at kai.pastores@gmail.com .

Karla Pastores works as a Program Officer at the Ateneo School of Government and is one of the founders of the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership.