Youth Development Group Final Report

Report on Youth Development in Naga City:

A Partnership Between the City of Naga and the University of British Columbia

A Dream of the Philippines for Youth

Submitted to Mayor Robredo, The Naga City Planning Department, and Dr Nora Angeles Paola Cassaigne, Daniel Gerson, Meg Faulkner, Diana Leung, and Charlotte Humphries On June 6, 2007

Acknowledgements This research project would not have been possible without the generous help, guidance and smiles of countless City staff, dedicated community members and Nagueño youth. The UBC Team for Youth Development extends our heartfelt thanks to members of the Ateneo de Naga University Student Council, Councilor Allen Reondanga, members of the Sangguniang Kabataan, Sir Reuel Barrios, Mary Andre Lim, members of Kalipi, the Missionaries of the Poor, Youth for Christ, Sarah and Sarah, and Father Louis, for their willingness to speak with us and for sharing so many insights. We thank the youth in Pacol for sharing with us their magical dreams, and Mrs. Doringo, Mrs. Ramirez and Mr. Clerigo for making that day possible. We also thank the members of the 2007 City Youth Officials, especially Nhel and Sally for their constant support and the brave and kind Ateneo de Naga University volunteers for showing us the ropes. We certainly could not have completed this report without the support of Aloha, Miguel, Carmela and little Jacob, at Surfer’s Outpost internet café. To Rose, Chit, Jerry and Willy, from the Naga City Planning Department; you have shown us true generosity. We are grateful to Vice Mayor Bordado and Mayor Robredo for giving us this opportunity and opening the doors to City Hall. Finally, we send out our love to Dr. Nora Angeles, a professor like no other! We are grateful for all your courage, support and warmth. Salamat po! Dyos mabalos po! The UBC Team for Youth Development

Table of Contents About the Authors Executive Summary I.

Introduction Limitations A. Core Concepts 1. Supporting a Healthy Youth + Community Equation Figure 1.0: Healthy Youth + Community Equation 2. Fostering Multiple Styles of Youth Citizenship Box 1.0: Types of Citizens 3. Engaging Youth Partners in Collaborative Governance 4. Guiding Principles of Youth Development B. Naga Context 1. Youth and Local Governance in Naga 2. Youth in Naga

II.

Recommendations A. Naga City Youth Development Framework B. Key Findings Table 1.0: SWOT Analysis C. Definitions and Relationships Figure 2.0: Relationship between Programs 1. Benefits D. Youth Development Plan. 1. Great Practices 2. Actions and Strategies E. Youth Coordination Council 1. Great Practices 2. Actions and Strategies F. Youth Coordination Office 1. Great Practices 2. Actions and Strategies G. Opportunities and Challenges 1. Opportunities 2. Challenges

III.

Recommendations to Improve Existing Programs A. Recommendations for the Improvement of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) B. Recommendations for the Improvement of the City Youth Officials Program (CYO)

IV.

Recommendations for the Establishment of New Programs A. Youth Operated Community Garden 1. Key Findings 2. Great Practices 3. Actions and Strategies

4. Challenges and Opportunities B. Youth Health Promotion 1. Key Findings 2. Great Practices Figure 3.0: Global Youth Voices Six Phase Model 3. Actions and Strategies 4. Opportunities 5. Challenges C. Creation of a Heritage Preservation Course D. Collective Remittances for Youth Development in Naga 1. Key Findings 2. Great Practices 3. Actions and Strategies 4. Challenges V.

Toolkit A. Youth Engagement Tools 1. Youth Friendly Checklist 2. Accessibility 3. Promotion of Youth Engagement 4. Partnerships 5. Capacity-Building B. Youth Development and Community Building 1. Visioning 2. Community Mapping for Youth in Naga 3. Communications 4. E-Governance for Youth in Naga 5. Media Technology a. Access to Media Education Society (AMES) b. Community Radio: Youth Voice FM C. Data Gathering and Record Keeping 1. Youth Participatory Research and Evaluation 2. Youth Participatory Monitoring Framework

VI.

Conclusion

APPENDICES: APPENDIX SECTION A: Tools A-1: Participatory Monitoring Framework A-2: Youth Engagement Assessment Chart APPENDIX B: Programs and Recommendations B-1: Whitehorse Youth Development Plan Risk and Protective Factors Chart B-2: Naga City Youth Coordination Council Framework B-3: Heritage Course Curriculum Outline APPENDIX C: Research Question Process Development C-1: Seven-Step Model – Development of a Research Question

APPENDIX D: Interviews D-1: City Youth Officials (CYO) D-2: Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) D-3: Youth of the Pacol Urban Poor Community D-4: SK Chairperson D-5: CYO Individual Member D-6: Kalipi D-7: Brother of the Missionaries for the Poor in Barangay Cararayan

In my vision I saw many things that I love. I was very grateful that people were united to do good things. I saw my family very happy because they have a good life. It is because of my dreams that I fulfill. I saw Philippines is now a better place. There are no poor people, no crimes, no corruption in the government, no shortage problems. I wish that what I saw today is real one day. Carl. 16 years old. Pacol.

About the Authors Paola, Dan, Megan, Diana, and Charlotte are completing their Master’s in planning at the School of Community and Regional Planning in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Paola Cassaigne – As a child, Paola could be found speaking out in school against the unfair treatment of others or perhaps in a back yard, scrambling up a tree. Today, she brings that same passion and enthusiasm to the work she carries out. Paola is studying social planning and international development and she is always ready to catch a glimpse of magic in the world around her. Daniel Gerson – Dan’s studies in youth engagement and social development have taken him from Vancouver, to Brazil, and now to Naga City. If he isn’t dancing on stage at Plaza Quezon, you’ll probably find Dan sharing a coffee and meal with a friend, deep in friendly discussion. Megan Faulkner – Though a long time ago, Megan used to get in trouble with her teachers for being little ‘miss messy’ in class, today she is a stand out student, studying heritage planning and international development. The wonderful people she has met in Naga City will inspire her forever. Diana Leung – Diana’s interest are in youth engagement, housing, and cultural heritage. Her skills are wide and dazzling; she climbs bookshelves, choreographs techno dances and infuses her life with an artistic touch. Charlotte Humphries – Clumsy Charlotte is always breaking things, but she feels the world can be mended with all the goodness and warmth she finds in places like Naga City. She is studying social planning and hopes to work youth when she ‘grows up’.

Executive Summary Current research into youth development shows that cities can take proactive steps to promote youth health, well-being and positive values. According to this research, a youth-friendly city is one that considers the importance of interactions between youth and their communities, presents youth with opportunities to participate in a range of civic activities, thus enacting varying degrees of citizenship, and one that promotes collaborative governance. Since 1990, researchers and practitioners focusing on youth development have acknowledged the importance of participatory and collaborative approaches, wherein youth are considered active agents in their own development. This new paradigm is directly related to a totally new understanding of youth, not viewing them as a problem but as assets for community development. Youth development is understood as an ongoing process, which should result in all youth being able to meet their basic physical and social needs, develop individual assets and competencies, and engage with their communities.

The recommendations proposed in this report are guided by three core principles: •

Supporting a Healthy Youth + Community Equation. The positive development of youth happens not in programs but in healthy communities. At the same time, healthy and engaged youth can foster positive transformations in their communities. Today, youth policies and program are centered on youth-adult partnership, stressing the importance of the reciprocal relation among communities and youth.

•

Fostering Multiple Styles of Youth Citizenship. Policy-makers and youth workers must consider what it takes for youth to be active citizens. There are different kinds of citizens that relate to different kinds and levels of youth engagement.

•

Engaging Youth Partners in Collaborative Governance. While public participation exists as a vital ingredient of good governance, public participation does not equate to an engaged citizenry. Many issues faced by youth are equally complex and, as such, effective governance approaches must include this group as a collaborative partner in developing youth-specific resolutions.

In this report there are three levels of recommendations: the first level addresses a framework for youth development; the second level speaks to the existing programs while the third level proposes the creation of new ones. Finally, the last level refers to specific methods and techniques to encourage youth organizing and youth engagement. The Naga City Youth Development Framework brings together and coordinates the interaction of three supportive structures: • •

Youth Development Plan: a policy document created through a youth-driven process outlining the various actors within Naga’s youth development landscape and the way each contributes to a shared vision of the future. Youth Coordination Council: a large umbrella organization that links different youth groups with one another in order to assist them in developing functional, sustainable, healthy, and cooperative relationships. The council would also be focused on working toward the inclusion of all youth in Naga in youth development programs and organizations, in making such programs available and accessible to all, and in developing a youth citizenry that is comprised of competent, strong, socially conscious people.

•

Youth Coordination Office: a body the puts into practice the policies stated in the Youth Development Plan. It would be founded on partnerships between community members, service providers and the government, and would serve to coordinate youth services in Naga and provide a centralized access point to information about these services for all Nagueños.

In the Recommendations for Existing Programs there are proposals on how the Sangguniang Kabataan and the City Youth Officials can play a critical role in the three structures described above. It also stressed the importance of modifying some functions and methods to foster a comprehensive positive development of youth in Naga. In the Recommendations for the Establishment of New Programs there are three suggestions to tackle specific challenges that youth in Naga face, building on some youth and community assets that were encountered during the research.

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Youth Operated Community Garden: we propose to create a youth run and youth maintained Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project. Youth Health Promotion: we recommend that youth become partners in the Naga Hearts and Minds program in order to bring the program more in line with youth engagement strategies, and enhance its effectiveness. Establishment of a Heritage Preservation Course: we recommend that Ateneo de Naga University establish a course in the preservation of local heritage, both built and cultural. The course would act as a tool for community investment as youth would be learning to research Naga’s rich history by interviewing elders of the community on their lives and their spaces. Youth would also be acquiring skills in the areas of photography, qualitative and quantitative research, and architectural discourse. Collective Remittances for Youth Development in Naga: we recommend creating a system and structure to direct a small amount of the remittances flow towards sustainable youth community development projects, building the capacity of youth to support each other locally by working globally.

The Toolkit for Youth Engagement which comprises techniques developed by youth organizations around the globe. Some of these tools are: • • •

Youth Friendly Checklist Youth Development and Community Building (Visioning Techniques and Community Mapping, Communications, E-Governance for Youth in Naga and Media Technology) Data Gathering and Record Keeping (Youth Participatory Research and Evaluation Participatory Monitoring Framework)

I. Introduction Current research into youth development shows that cities can take proactive steps to promote youth health, well-being and positive values. According to this research, a youthfriendly city is one that considers the importance of interactions between youth and their communities, presents youth with opportunities to participate in a range of civic activities, thus enacting varying degrees of citizenship, and one that promotes collaborative governance. Taking into consideration this current thought on youth development, the UBC Team for Youth Development conducted a study of youth experiences in Naga City. The findings from this study are based on demographic research, interviews, focus groups, workshops and observations. In general, we found that Naga City’s strengths in participatory governance and progressive youth engagement strategies provide a strong foundation for its youth services, programs and activities. These strengths are exemplified by the prominence of such programs as the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and the City Youth Officials (CYO). While programs such as these have a significant impact on participants, we found limitations in the access to these programs, in the coordination of youth services within and beyond the City, and in the institutionalization of capacity-building within youth development programs. We believe that Naga’s governance system and strong commitment to youth development puts Naga in a favourable position to pursue an enhanced youth development strategy. As such, our report outlines a set of recommendations which are meant to complement current youth development efforts. Our report begins with a short summary of current theories on youth development in cities and an analysis of the Naga context. Next, we outline our main recommendation, which is to develop a Naga Youth Development Framework, which would encompass three recommended courses of action: (1) the creation of a Youth Development Plan, which would outline (2) the mandates of a Youth Development Council and (3) the function of a Youth Coordination Office. In the next

section, we provide an analysis of two successful government-led youth programs, the SK and the CYO, as well as recommendations for their enhancement. Next we propose a series of new programs. Finally, we end the report with a Toolkit, which includes a set of tools and strategies meant to guide policy-makers, youth-workers or community members in the pursuit of institutionalized youth development. Limitations As with any research, we recognize that our understanding of the Naga City youth development context reflects our positions as visitors, as well as the nature of our visit to Naga. Indeed, as we engaged in research, we encountered a number of challenges related to data collection; we had a limited amount of time to gather data, we were unable to access detailed data on youth demographics for Naga, and we were unable to access records of past program activities and participants in youth programs. In addition, able-bodied, in-school, and English-speaking youth are overrepresented in the research sample, as we were less able to interact with marginalized or non-mainstream youth populations. Finally, data collection techniques were influenced by the our inability to Speak Tagalog or Bicolano. Nonetheless we are confident that the recommendations put forth represent great practices in youth development and if enacted, would participate in the enhancement of an already progressive, friendly and happy city. An Maogmang Lugar!

A. Core Concepts Adolescence is a time of transformations. Youth at this stage experience rapid physical, psychological, social, and cultural changes; they explore and develop their identities and question their place in the world. Generally, youth also begin to deconstruct their environment. With appropriate guidance, they may increase their awareness of social, cultural, and political issues that affect their lives. This is a critical moment during which strategic youth-focused programs must foster youth engagement and leadership in positive action for social change. In the 1960s, public policies and programs began reflecting an interest in understanding systemic problems that youth face. Up until the 1980s, youth policies and programs focused on alternative services and preventative measures to help so-called ‘problematic youth’. By 1990, youth development was increasingly being addressed through participatory and collaborative approaches wherein youth were considered active agents in their own development. This transition from understanding youth as a problem, to viewing them as young people whose assets should be nurtured within communities represents a paradigm shift in youth service provision. 1. Supporting a Healthy Community Equation

Youth

+

Today, youth policies and program are centered on the importance of youth-adult partnerships. Youth development is understood as an ongoing process, which should result in all youth being able to meet their basic physical and social needs, develop individual assets and competencies, and engage with their communities. In turn, healthy, engaged youth can then foster positive transformations in their communities. This paradigm of youth development stresses the importance of reciprocal relationships between community and youth; this is the healthy youth + community equation.

Figure 1.0: Healthy (Pittman 2000: 23)

Youth

+

Community

Equation

2. Fostering Multiple Styles of Youth Citizenship At the core of the relationship between healthy youth and healthy communities, is the idea of citizenship. While there is no absolute definition of citizenship, the concept should encompass the implication of an individual’s connection to a group, community or nation, in addition to a sense of the democratic rights and responsibilities. A democratic society depends on citizens to make informed judgments. In considering youth engagement, policymakers and youth workers must consider what it takes for youth to be active citizens. Citizenship can take on many forms; it can involve carrying out good behaviour, activism or even action to improve a nation (Sherrod et al 2002). Different kinds of youth engagement and participation mirror these differing levels of citizenship; youth can provide services (voluntarism, community service and fund raising), political engagement, youth organizing for positive community change, youth participatory research and evaluation, and youth participation in decision making and governance. During the course of PLAN 548H, guest presenters repeatedly lamented the lack of political engagement or activism in Naga youth today. While many factors exist that may attribute to this phenomenon (e.g. relatively more stable political environment), it is important to look at how youth programs and policies may influence the level of youth citizen engagement and the development of the kind of citizens of the future in Naga.

We propose to examine current and proposed youth programs and policies in the context of developing three types of citizenship: Personally responsible, participatory, and activist citizen (Wesheimer and Kahne 2004; see Box 1.0 for a detailed description of the three types).

As always, establishing organizational frameworks to include youth as partners is not enough to ensure youth development. A number of factors could negatively affect how youth partnership in collaborative governance can function. Some of the factors include tokenism or symbolic representation, declining motivation, and insufficient acknowledge, which may debilitate any potential that a youth-adult partnership model can bring.

Box 1.0 Types of Citizens Personally responsible citizen • Acts responsibly in their community (e.g. obeys laws, pays taxes, recycles, volunteers during crises) • Idealizes the honest and responsible citizens Participatory citizen • Actively engages with community organizations and/or improvement efforts • Organizes efforts and has solid understanding of effective strategies and government agencies • Believes in citizen leadership within established systems

The following guidelines reflect some lessons learned by organizations collaborating with youth: •

Activist citizen • Seeks out and addresses areas of injustice • Critically assesses underlying social, political, and economic structure that lead to injustices • Understands social movements and how to affect systemic change • See citizen debates and systemic change as solution to social justice

• • •

The three types of citizen described above hold valuable qualities that can help build an effective Nagueño citizenry, and as such, it is crucial to develop each one of these engaged citizen types. This classification is not comprehensive but outlines a framework we can use to assess and situate youth programs and policies in relation to the kinds of citizenship they foster. 3. Engaging Youth Partners Collaborative Governance

collaborative approach to governance to develop appropriate solutions. Many issues faced by youth are equally complex and, as such, effective governance approaches must include this group as a collaborative partner in developing youth-specific resolutions.

in

While public participation exists as a vital ingredient of good governance, public participation does not equate to an engaged citizenry. According to Newman et al (2004), public participation may increase political interest but it may also fuel public dissatisfaction when citizens are not collaboratively engaged with their governments. Complex issues such as social exclusion, inequalities, and community regeneration, for example, require a

• •

Demonstrate respect for youth voice and competency Delegate legitimate authority and responsibility Establish a positive adult-youth relationship Ensure youth belonging and connectedness to organization and mission Allow youth to work on teams with peers Acknowledge and give credit to youth work

4. Guiding Principles Development

of

Youth

The recommendations which follow are grounded in the authors’ conviction in the following three guiding principles. We believe youth development should 1. Support a healthy youth + community equation 2. Foster multiple styles of youth citizenship 3. Engage youth partners in collaborative governance

B. Naga Context 1. Youth and Local Governance in Naga Participatory governance in Naga is regarded as one of the best practices in local governance, nationally, as well as internationally, by the United Nations (Angeles 2007; Naga City website 2007). Two legal innovative tools are the foundation of this successful model: the Local Government Code and the Empowerment Ordinance. The former is enforced at a national level, while the latter was created and assumed at a local level. 1. Local Government Code Following the authoritarian rule of 1965 -1986 President Ferdinand Marcos, provinces and civil society groups rejected the concept of centralized government. The Local Government Code was then established in 1991 to decentralize and devolve powers to local government units (LGUs). The new framework of decentralized government set a better foundation for improving government – local civil society relationship in at least four ways. i. Promote the empowerment of civil society organizations and foster greater collaboration between government and these organizations in program implementation and decisionmaking processes (Angeles 2007; UN Habitat and Citynet 1997) ii. Ensure that local governments had an acute understanding of their constituents’ needs and priorities (Angeles 2007; UN Habitat and Citynet 1997) iii. Ensure government accountability, political transparency, efficiency, and equity in resource deployment (Angeles 2007; UN Habitat and Citynet 1997) iv. Enable LGUs to assume new financial responsibilities and restructuring (Angeles and Magno 2004; Angeles 2007) Since the late 1980s, decentralization became the tool of participatory governance as an approach to ensuring greater inclusion of all stakeholders in decision making processes (Angeles 2007). Naga City took advantage of this and began experimenting with the tool of participatory governance to maximize the

possibilities of the LGC in improving quality of life and advancing a progressive political culture. One of the many outcomes was the creation of the Naga City People’s Council (Angeles 2007). 2. Empowerment Ordinance “The will of the people shall always reign supreme.” Section 1. Ordinance 95-092 One of the key elements that has made Naga such a successful model is the Ordinance 95092, also known as the “Empowerment Ordinance”. This ordinance initiated a system for partnerships among NGOs and POs in Naga and the City Government. It institutionalizes community participation and stakeholder involvement in the design, implementation and evaluation of programs and projects. Through the creation of the Naga City People’s Council (NCPC), representatives of NGOs and POS participate in all stages of policies and programs targeting local development. Members of the NCPC also have participation and decision-making power in all City Government bodies. At the core of this system, is the recognition that a democratic society is only possible if the government and the organizations of the civil society work in partnership to reach a common vision. This tool fosters the right that each individual has to create a better community. It acknowledges that each sector of the community has its own needs and priorities. In order to address them it is critical to incorporate local knowledge and expertise, as well as encourage collaboration among the different sectors of society, and with the government. 2. Youth in Naga In Naga City, youth in the Philippines are divided into four sub-sectors: in-school youth are youth who are attending formal or nonschool based educational programs “recognized by the state”, while out-of-school youth are not enrolled in any school and are unemployed (Reondanga 2002: 1). Working youth refers to youth engaged in any kind of work. Special youth describes those individuals suffering from any form of disability (ibid).

In Naga, youth are defined by individuals between fifteen to thirty years old. Youth in Naga make up 64% of its total population, making this segment of the population the largest in this city (calculated based on statistics from State of Children in Naga City, [no date]). This raises enormous challenges and opportunities for youth and community development as well as for local governance. 1. Government Programs Naga City Hall has responded with a number of local and national programs that aim to develop young Nagueños into engaged citizens. The most representative ones are the Sangguniang Kabataan and the City Youth Officials. In addition, the youth representation on the Naga City People’s Council offer an collaborate structure to youth engagement in governance. • Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) The nationally affiliated Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) was created and defined by the Local Government Code in 1991 to institutionalize youth engagement in local governance, such that a youth council exists in each one of the 43,000 barangay nationwide (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific 2000; National Youth Commission 1997). In each barangay there are 7 councilors and 1 chair. They hold one general assembly per year, in which all youth of the barangay are invited. They also hold assemblies every four months with the Kilusang Kabataan para sa Kaunlaran assembly (the registered voters of the SK) to decide the activities the SK will undertake, to allocate the budget, and render accomplishment reports. The SK chairs of the 27 barangays in Naga form a federation. The president of the federation becomes a councilor in their Local Government. • City Youth Officials (CYO) This program was created by the “Proclamation No. 89-011” in 1989. The aim of the CYO program is to help youth of Naga to understand how the government works, as a result, the CYO are required to spend one month working in City Hall alongside their counterparts; besides that, they are required to do field work for 15 more days.

The activities undertaken in the field are decided solely by the 46 members of the CYO, according to what they perceive as the interest of youth. •

Youth Council Representation in Naga City People’s Council (NCPC) The NCPC is the umbrella organization that brings together a representative of different sectors of the society, created under the mandate of the “Empowerment Ordinance”. Youth are also represented in the NCPC and, as any other member of the council, the youth representative also has participation and decision-making power in a body of the City Government. 2. Key findings The UBC Team for Youth Development carried out several interviews, focus groups, workshops and informal discussions with city officials, youth organizations, community youth, and youth belonging to formal organizations. In this section we summarize the key finding that are the basis for our recommendations: • There are key structures already set in place for youth participation • There is a vital culture of participation among many of the youth sectors • Youth perceptions were that there are so many youth organizations and activities happening independently of each other and that somehow potential is being lost without a formal means of coordination • Members of youth organizations are aware of other programs in the City and in some cases participate in more than one simultaneously. • Members of youth organizations perceive a lack of collaboration between youth organizations • The stated goals and objectives of many of the organizations are very similar, creating a great opportunity in Naga for cooperation, collaboration, increased participation, and the sharing of funds, projects, and ideas among the many youth organizations • There is no centralized access point for youth to learn about or engage in youth organizations or programs in Naga City.

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•

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•

•

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Information about organizations and programs is accessed mostly through word of mouth or the radio Access to different youth organizations and programs is uneven, pointing to the existence of various circles of youth engagement (the church, political organizations) which do not necessarily mix or collaborate together While in school youth are well represented in youth organizations there seems to be an underrepresentation of out-of-school, working, and special youth There is insufficient data about the different sectors of youth and there is not enough gender analysis of youth While there is a big interest for delivering services to the youth, there are no institutionalized strategies for assessing their needs, interests and priorities of the different sectors and genders There is a negative representation of some sectors of the youth, potentially due to a lack of understanding about their needs and circumstances Youth recognized that most of the difficulties they face are a consequence of challenges in the community, such as: poverty, lack of parental guidance, lack of spiritual guidance, lack of unity, lack of employment opportunities While Nagueño youth feel they need to migrate to find better opportunities in the future, they feel it is their responsibility to improve the living conditions in Naga

II. Recommendations A. Naga City Youth Development Framework The city of Naga has a strong reputation for planning. It recognizes the need to plan in collaborative, inclusive ways. A Naga Youth Development Framework (NYDF) would build on this strong culture of planning, while pushing it in new and dynamic directions. Many of the pieces needed to create the framework already exist. A deep understanding of the importance of coordination and the value of both participatory governance and youth engagement support a relatively strong service base for youth. Guided by our key principles (supporting a healthy youth + community equation, fostering multiple styles of youth citizenship, and engaging youth partners in collaborative governance) the NYDF would strengthen and institutionalize what Nagueños have been working long to foster: a city that supports a healthy youth population, valuing their voice and encouraging their collaboration at every level of community and city governance.

1. Key Findings Discussions with members of Naga City youth organizations, as well as members of the general youth population revealed that despite strong youth programming in the City, coordination was necessary to improve efficiency in distribution of services and programs. Key findings are outlined in Table 1.0 below represented in a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats): Table 1.0 SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) Analysis of the Key Findings Strengths 1. Lots of programs 2. Motivated citizens 3. Principles of youth engagement and administration 4. Engagement at the barangay level (e.g. SK) 5. Recognition of the needs of out of school youth (e.g. the creation of NCCYA) 6. Current work on youth council (NCCYA)

Weaknesses 1. Need effective coordination between youth organizations 2. Require a common vision amongst youth organization 3. Programs may not be accessible to all youth (exclusionary) 4. Current youth-focused programs serve few interests 5. There is little research developed on youth in Naga 6. Youth programs requires more formalize process

Opportunities 1. Address inclusion of marginalized groups explicitly (e.g. gender, socio-economic status, etc.) 2. Build local capacity, particularly through youth governance 3. Develop a strong culture of planning 4. Foster more coordinated efforts amongst youth and other organizations 5. Attract more funding (tap into international sources!)

Threats 1. Limited budgets 2. Change in political leadership 3. The SK program is endanger of being cut 4. The perception of youth disinterest towards political engagement 5. Negative perception of ‘out of school’ youth 6. Poverty of youth and their families 7. Disruption and instability in families

2. Definitions and Relationships Youth Development Plan: A policy document outlining the various actors within Naga’s youth development landscape and the way each contributes to a shared vision of the future. It provides the mandate and the guiding principles/core concepts for the Youth Coordination office and the Youth Coordination Council. Youth Coordination Council: A Youth Council is a large umbrella organization that links different youth groups with one another in order to assist them in developing functional, sustainable, healthy, and cooperative relationships. The Council works alongside the office in coordinating the implementation of the Youth Development Plan. Youth Coordination Office: An office that coordinates youth programs in the city, provides an access point to the community and to youth organizations for information about youth development issues. It implements the policies laid out in the Youth Development Plan, and supports the activities of the Youth Coordination Council. For an illustration of the relationship between the three components of the Development Framework see Figure 2.0 below. Figure 2.0: Youth Development Framework - Relationship between Programs

Youth Community Organizing

3. Benefits The creation of an NYDF would have a double benefit: First, this framework would clearly coordinate the various departments within the city, NGOs, and the private sector, in relation to national and state youth initiatives, leading to: • More effective delivery of youth services: fewer overlaps and gaps • More efficient and effective dissemination of youth related information to Naga’s youth communities and the city at large • Greater youth input and engagement in local governance • Improved data gathering and monitoring of youth related activities and the overall well being of Naga’s youth communities • More coordinated information sharing and lessons learned among departments and organizations • A clearer understanding of each body’s role to achieving an overall vision • A clearer understanding of the system for outsiders • Attracting new NGOs and external funding sources for youth initiatives, while furthering Naga’s reputation as a forward thinking city in the realm of participatory governance The second benefit to the youth of Naga would be found within the development of the framework itself. In order for the NYDF to clearly reflect the realities, values, needs, and dreams of all its youth, the creation of the framework would need to be highly collaborative and youth-driven. The process would unfold in three large stages: collecting information, visioning, and determining actions. Each step offers potentials to experiment with new methods of youth engagement and participatory governance, supporting a healthy youth + community equation, fostering multiple styles of youth citizenship, and engaging youth partners in collaborative governance

B. Youth Development Plan

Great Practice 2

Recommendation 1: Create a Youth Development Plan through a youth-driven process that ensures every opportunity to support a healthy youth + community equation, foster multiple styles of youth citizenship, and engage youth in collaborative governance. This plan will mandate the creation of a youth coordination office and council.

Whitehorse, Australia’s municipal youth plan, “titled Y Plan? 2006-2008…identifies and outlines key actions that Council and the Whitehorse community can take to help the City’s youth”1. In contrast to Vancouver’s policy document, the Whitehorse planners made a short term (3 year) action plan, clearly outlining goals and objectives, and actions to take them there.

1. Great Practices: These two examples of Municipal Youth Plans were chosen to represent different approaches to the task of youth development planning. Both have relevant lessons for Naga City. Great Practice 1 Vancouver’s Civic Youth Strategy was developed in 1995 to address the lack of coordination among city departments and create overall policy direction regarding the role of youth in City Hall. The document presents an interesting model for Naga in two key ways: its detailed cross-departmental analysis of everything youth related, and its formulation of core objectives and guiding principles. Strengths of the Model for Naga: Plan Development • Overseen by a multi-departmental committee including youth members • Conducted an extensive review of every department’s involvement with youth and their levels of communication and coordination with other departments. • Gathered and compiled statistical data relating to youth and youth risk including: o School attendance rates o Youth in care of social services o Youth and poverty o Street youth o Youth health (including teen pregnancy, mental health, suicide) o Crime stats including violence Plan Content • Strong set of core objectives that reflect the youth + community equation, multiple styles of citizenship and collaborative partnerships: 1. Ensure youth have a PLACE in the city 2. Strong youth VOICE in decision making 3. Promote youth as RESOURCE to the city 4. Strengthen SUPPORT base for youth in City •

Strong guiding principles: 1. Strong youth involvement at local level 2. Partnership in planning and implementation 3. Assistance and support rather than control and management Function: • Takes a long term approach and acts as a guiding document accessible to all departments and city council. Limitations of the model: • Youth consultation was limited to a one day consultation workshop attended only by 100+ youth and as such lacks a strong participatory/consultative base. • The document lacks specific actions and time objectives and as such lacks a commitment to action. • Does not include any analysis of other youth agencies outside of city hall (NGOs, provincial and federal governments, private sector)

Strengths of Model Plan Development • The steering committee consisted of 2 Councilors, representatives from various Council departments, local service providers and two young people • Identification of current Federal, State, and Local government approaches to youth development • Risk and Protective Factors table: highlighting various categories of risks and protective factors youth face in the community, personally, in the family, and at school (see Appendix B-1 for example) • incorporated feedback from surveys, focus groups and consultations with young people, including those in school, those out-of-school, and young people from diverse backgrounds. Consultations were also conducted with service providers, parents and teachers. Plan Content 5 Key Priority Areas were identified (Transport, Health and Well Being, Educations and Employment, Making Connections, and Communication). Each includes • a one page discussion highlighting the key components of the issue and how they relate to youth concerns. • each objective is broken down in a table showing specific strategies, relevant existing plans, departmental partnerships and responsibility, and timeline. • This emphasis on existing plans and departmental partnerships ensures coordination, while the timeline allows for a clear measure of implementation. Function The Y Plan? is designed to provide a guide for the planning, development and evaluation programs, activities and facilities across all Council departments which involve or impact young people. The plan clearly articulates Council’s role in service and infrastructure provision, planning, advocacy and community capacity building and will enable Council to make informed decisions over the next three years, as well as the actions necessary to build on this plan and achieve continuous improvement in this area. The plan will also serve as a basis for negotiation with other local service providers on maximizing efforts and resources to improve access and service coordination and with other levels of government on funding and policy issues. Weaknesses: Does not include a detailed review of current services. Core objectives and guiding principles are not clearly articulated or defined.

2. Actions and Strategies a) Gather data to paint a richly detailed picture of the current reality of Naga’s youth populations, for a better understanding the needs, interests and priorities of the different sectors and genders. This picture would be made up of both quantitative and qualitative data gathered and compiled by the youth themselves, using various participatory methods described in the toolkit section of this report. Quantitative Data i) Statistics: family and housing type, education (including school attendance rates), economic characteristics (especially incidence of poverty, and street youth), health (including teen pregnancy, mental health, social-isolation, safety, access to help, suicide), criminal activity (including violence), and participation rates in community and civic organizations and programs, disaggregated by gender ii) Resources: need to be mapped, providing a detailed account of who is doing what, where. This would include an inventory of all governmental programs at City Hall for, with, and by youth; all NGOs run fur, with, or by youth, as well as resources offered by the private sector, and informal resources. (possibly gathered through the SKs – see toolkit for more details) Qualitative Data i) Community consultations with various youth, in various places, at various times. Adequate measures must be taken to include in-school, out-of-school, working, and special youth, as well as those in informal settlements, street youth, and any other group that might be marginalized in society. It would also be beneficial to consult those working with youth, including adults working within youth organizations, teachers, and of course parents. All these consultations would focus on understanding: Patterns of inclusion and exclusion; barriers to access of services; barriers to effective participation in

governance; patterns of expression and communication; feelings of security; concerns and fears of youth; hopes and desires. The compilation of all this information can be done by youth for youth, perhaps mobilized in each barangay through their respective SKs. SK members could be trained in the surveying and leadership skills necessary to coordinate the collection of data and facilitate youth consultations. b) Conduct a collective visioning process incorporating the voices and imaginations of all youth, articulating an ideal state for youth in the City of Naga. This vision could have multiple components: •

A vision for the well being of youth, focusing on service delivery and the elimination of problems that threaten the welfare of young people, with gender lenses • A vision of youth’s participation in governance, expressed as policy statements regarding youth as a resource to be called upon and developed both as future leaders, and as current experts in issues that affect their lives • A vision of youth’s development and capacity building, reflecting youth’s opportunities for experiential learning, self development, and community service These visions should come out of consultation and visioning workshops such as the one described in the toolkit section. c) Identify specific actions and strategies that the local government can take to move towards the vision • Actions should be time bound and responsible parties clearly identified. Indicators to reflect success could also be included • Depending on the structures available to implement these action plans, the actions might focus more on coordination mechanisms through the coordination office, rather than substantive program delivery • These coordination actions might include suggesting certain types of

programs to NGOs and higher levels of government, and recommendations for building the youth development capacity

of existing organizations and programs like the SK, the CYO, and the NCCYA

C. Naga City Youth Coordination Council (NCYCC) Recommendation 2: Develop a Naga City Youth Coordination Council that would act as an umbrella organization working toward uniting all Naga City youth groups as well as national and international youth organizations. The council would also be focused on working toward the inclusion of all youth in Naga in youth development

programs and organizations, in making such programs available and accessible to all, and in developing a youth citizenry that is comprised of competent, strong, socially conscious people. 1. Great Practices: The following great practices are relevant to Naga and should assist in the development of a Naga Youth Coordination Council:

Great Practice 1

Great Practice 2

Naga City Council for Youth Affairs (NCCYA) Summary: Naga City has long recognized the need for the development of a large youth organization that would work toward the unity, cooperation, and strengthening of all the different youth organizations. In fact, on several occasions different individuals and groups (like the Naga City People’s Council , NCPC) have attempted to call for the development of such a group; however, it does not, as of the writing of this report, exist in any tangible form – the establishment of the Naga City Council for Youth Affairs (NCCYA) was one such attempt. The NCCYA is included here as a great practice because the motivation, justification, and principles behind it (and the efforts of the NCPC) are so solid. The ordinance calling for the establishment of the NCCYA takes into account all the different types of youth that make up the community in Naga; including those considered marginalized or excluded from other youth organizations (out-of-school youth, working youth, and special youth). The constitution of the NCCYA also utilized the Naga City “Empowerment Ordinance” to determine how it would look and how it would function – based on the inclusion of all youth and the exclusion of no one. The concept of such an organization is essential, and the structure provided by the NCCYA and the NCPC is well-organized, the following description and the attached Appendix A-1 (only serve to emphasize the importance of such a group and to reinforce what the youth of Naga want and need. Relevance to Naga Context: Naga would benefit from the development, implementation, and maintenance of a Youth Council because it would increase the participation and inclusion of all appropriate youth organizations and more currently excluded or marginalized youth in Naga by increasing youth outreach, making programs and events more accessible, and offering more creative and more accessible options and alternatives for youth engagement. Created in Naga by the president of the SK Federation, the NCCYA is what is needed by Naga. As a progressive, motivated citizenry, the youth of Naga would benefit greatly from the establishment of such an organization, which would only function to strengthen and link the great work that is already being done. Weaknesses: Unfortunately, the NCCYA was never enacted and as of now remains a dormant organization The following actions and strategies only attempt to simplify the proposed Naga City Council for Youth Affairs (NCCYA). The new council is proposed to be named the Naga City Youth Coordination Council (NCYCC) as a way of starting from the beginning with something new and as a way to link the Council to the proposed Youth Coordination Office (YCO)

Summary: The Pacific Youth Council (PYC) was developed in 1996 as a way of linking all the various youth organizations in the various islands of Oceania (totaling more than 550,000 islands) in the hope of creating a more collaborative and sustainable youth development system. The PYC is a voluntary organization that accepts all approved youth organizations and groups in the hope of creating citizens of Oceania that are united, dynamic, socially motivated, and proud. The PYC identifies its objectives (of the 2003-2005 term) as being: • • • •

Holistic, gender-inclusive and responsive national youth policies developed by PICTs Strengthened youth organizations A greater number of skilled young people Young people better informed about regional trends and best practice in youth development (PYC 2003)

Relevance to Naga Context: As a nation of islands, the Philippines can relate to the predicament of communication and collaboration between national and international youth organizations. With a large number of youth organizations itself, Naga City has been unable to facilitate the cooperation of different youth groups on different projects and on meeting Naga specific goals. Using the PYC as a template, Naga has the opportunity to create an umbrella youth organization that would work to unite all youth locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. By observing the steps taken by the countries in Oceania, Naga can create a youth development network that offers the maximum amount of inclusionary techniques and community and country wide participation based on over ten years of success in the South Pacific. For more information please visit: http://www.spc.int/youth/PYC/pacific_youth_council.htm

2. Actions and Strategies We recommend that the Naga City local government, youth community, and youth organizations collaboratively institute a Youth Coordination Council (YCC). This Council should be modeled after the Naga City Council for Youth Affairs (NCCYA) proposed by Allen Reondanga, and other successful umbrella youth councils worldwide (like the Pacific Youth Council described above); it should also reflect the ideologies presented in the Naga City Empowerment Ordinance. The Council proposed in this report (the NCYCC) would function essentially, to achieve the following goals and objectives (for more information please see the attached Appendix B-2): The proposed Council should aim to: • To unite the youth organizations of Naga and to a lesser degree the youth organizations of the Philippines and of participating international partners. Some possible options that could be used to achieve such a goal are: o The creation of a youth radio program run by an executive member of the NCYCC. The program would allow youth to text in questions to the announcer. The primary responsibilities of the announcer would be to discuss important youth issues and disseminate information on different youth organizational activities and programs to increase youth outreach o Promoting local, regional, national, and international assemblies and summarizing such assemblies and meetings to keep youth informed, and to share information, ideas, concerns, and innovations o Gathering and disseminating appropriate youth information to the international community o Establishing a page on the Naga website, the national website, and/or an independent website for the wider promotion of youth organizations and information – and to make this

information more readily available and accessible •

To promote inclusivity within Naga city youth organizations, and to promote the inclusivity of Naga city youth in such organizations regardless of said youth’s financial status, achieved level of education and gender. Options to achieve this are: o Providing membership openings and the creation of spaces within Naga city youth organizations for those youth defined as being out-of-school, working, and disabled o Holding information seminars in vulnerable and/or poor and/or remote communities (for example, the urban poor community of Pacol), so that the most vulnerable and marginalized youth of Naga are recognized, acknowledged and included. Furthermore, to ensure that such youth as described above do not have to travel long distances and/or pay for expensive travel costs in order to participate in youth organizations or youth organizational activities. The organizations should come to the youth NOT the opposite o Holding such seminars as described above in comfortable, culturally sensitive and acceptable, and appropriate locations (parks, churches – when appropriate, community centres) o Holding skills workshops free of charge (or for an optional fee) for youth to participate in art classes, dance classes, business classes, creative writing classes, sports seminars, etc. o Holding career opportunity and resume writing seminars in such locations as described above, to help and encourage youth to promote themselves appropriately and to the best of their ability when searching for employment o Holding computer skills workshops (typing, search

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techniques), while access to youth internet sources Holding informal workshops or focus better understand issues of local youth

increasing oriented interview groups to the real

To provide the public of Naga, specifically members of the youth community, with information on all existing organizations and their respective activities, meetings, assemblies, and routine updates. Some options to achieve this are: o Radio programs o Newsletters published by the NCYCC o A Txt Naga Youth Program o An NCYCC website o Print media (newspapers, magazines) o Schools o (see Toolkits section for details)

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To promote idea sharing and information sharing among all youth in Naga, and eventually, among the youth in the Philippines, and worldwide. Some options to achieve this are: o The creation of an NCYCC website o Regional, National, and International youth assemblies, congresses, and satellite meetings

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To create greater awareness, recognition, and appreciation of the issues that affect Naga city youth. Some options to achieve this are: o Through the dissemination of information learned from seminars and workshops like those described above o Providing the information from such seminars through the methods described above

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To not only implement new programs, projects, and activities but to systematically monitor such innovations with the aid of a participatory monitoring framework, developed and maintained by the Executive Council of the NCYCC (See the example of a

•

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Participatory Monitoring Framework detailed in the Tools Section of this report) To foster cooperation and the building of sustainable linkages between all youth organizations (regardless of political or governmental affiliations) and the local and national governments of the Philippines. Furthermore, to foster cooperation and the building of sustainable linkages between governmental youth organizations and non-governmental youth organizations To strengthen all youth networks through the sharing of information and lessons learned

C. Recommendation 3: Naga City Youth Coordination Office Recommendation 3: Institutionalize a Naga Youth Coordination Office, which would put into practice the policies put forth in the Youth Development Plan. The Coordination Office would be founded on

partnerships between community members, service providers and the government, and would serve to coordinate youth services in Naga and provide a centralized access point to information about these services for all Nagueños. 1. Great Practices:

Great Practice 1: Vancouver Youth Outreach Team In 2002, the City of Vancouver piloted the Youth Outreach Team (YOT) in order to address the limitations of its youth development strategy. Because Vancouver’s administration and community strongly supported youth development, the City was in a good position to spearhead a progressive model of youth engagement to address these weaknesses. Today, the YOT model is considered a great practice in government-centered, comprehensive youth service coordination. The mandate of the Vancouver Youth Outreach Team (YOT) is to foster youth engagement in all aspects of civic business, to institutionalize the commitments of the Civic Youth Strategy and to provide coordination and planning for youth issues with all major stakeholders. The YOT is based out of the City of Vancouver Social Planning Department, but it collaborates with a large distribution network of youth, City departments, youth service providers and civic boards (Park, Police, Library and School). The YOT is designed as a hub model of youth service delivery as it offers youth and adults a ‘one stop shop’ for access and information about a diverse range of programs. However, the YOT’s most innovative attributes are its all-youth staff base, its face-to-face outreach methods and capacity-building programs. Functions • • • •

Provide expertise to City staff and departments about youth engagement Serve as a bridge between City staff, youth organizations, and networks of youth Act as “guides” to the system of government to other youth Build the capacity of staff in other Departments to work more effectively with youth

Strengths of the Model for Naga • Founded on collaboration between youth, adults and community institutions • Leadership and capacity-building roles for youth staff promote active forms of citizenship • Latest research demonstrates that face-to-face outreach is most effective for engaging youth • Provides youth with a direct link to the City; keeps City in synch with youth community • Facilitates communication and coordination between City departments and all youth service providers • Asset-based approach promotes positive perceptions of youth community • Similarities between Vancouver and Naga youth development contexts (strong administrative support, limitations in relation to youth awareness and service coordination) Limitations of the Model for Naga • Budget required to YOT staff positions and City adult ‘ally’ o Research shows that organizations cannot depend on youth volunteering time, skills and abilities because this leads to burn out and high turnover, in addition to difficulty sustaining long-term, multi-state initiatives • Space requirements o YOT requires an accessible and culturally appropriate office space For more information, visit the Vancouver Youth Outreach Team: http://www.vancouveryouth.ca/ and Raskin and Anderson (2006).

Great Practice 2: Abbotsford Youth Commission The Abbotsford Youth Commission serves to “identify, promote, improve, increase and provide services and programs for young people in the Abbotsford area” (Abbotsford Youth Commission). This non-profit organization was developed in collaboration with the government of the City of Abbotsford. While the City of Abbotsford provides core funding, the non-profit society raises the remainder of its operational costs through grants and fundraisers. The Commission employs three full-time adult staff. Functions • Advocate on behalf of youth • Pursue active involvement in the development of other community programs and services for youth • Serve as a resource for the community for information regarding youth services, and development • Host a youth council Strengths of the Model for Naga • Represents a feasible, small-scale approach to youth program coordination • Similar population base in Abbotsford and Naga • Provides both coordination and program delivery, therefore fostering multiple styles of youth engagement and information gathering • Founded on collaboration between youth, adults and community institutions Limitations • Budget required for staff base and office area • Represents a traditional model of program coordination where youth are clients as opposed to partners in service delivery For more information, visit the Abbotsford Youth Commission: http://www.abbyyouth.com/

2. Actions and Strategies The Naga City Youth Coordination Office should be modeled according to the successful Vancouver Youth Outreach Team (YOT) in relation to function; it should coordinate the distribution of different youth services and serve as a connecting point between service providers and the community. This function would both facilitate access to youth services, and minimize overlaps and gaps in service provision. In addition, the Office should follow the YOT model in relation to its youth staff-base and capacity building function. As such, it would embody the guiding principles in youth development, by promoting partnerships between community groups, between adults and youth, and by engaging youth in active leadership and decision-making.

As Naga is a smaller municipality than Vancouver, it is not necessary for the Office to attain the same scope in program and project delivery as the YOT. Instead, the Office, could serve mostly as a coordinating body and youth information resource to the City, much like the Abbotsford Youth Commission. In addition to this coordinating role, the Office should ensure that all government plans programs and policies are youth-friendly. This role could include ensuring materials are communicated in youth friendly language and media, ensuring access to service and providing training to other Departments for the development of youth-friendly programs and services. Finally, it is recommended that the Youth Coordination Office and its mandate be institutionalized in the Youth Development Plan.

D. Youth Development Framework (Plan, Council, Office): Opportunities and Challenges 1. Opportunities • • • • • • • •

Improve budget efficiency Potential to include more youth than before Potential to attract new funding sources and external knowledge Naga’s ready for it. Motivated, action oriented political climate Supportive local government Provide stability by institutionalizing the core values of youth development. Provide a space for the centralization of Naga’s youth development.

2. Challenges • Budget limitations • Complicated • Long process • Time consuming for core people involved • Efforts have to be made to ensure continuity • Will require a transition period, and learning curve

III. Recommendations to Improve Existing Programs A. Recommendations Improvement of the Kabataan (SK)

for the Sangguniang

The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) is a remarkable structure that has the potential to reach effective youth collaborative governance and development deep into every barangay. Unfortunately there was little evidence of this potential being realized to its fullest capacity. Interviewees often responded with little enthusiasm for the activities of the SK, lamenting how the possibility for enacting “real youth development” was usually replaced with one-off sports and entertainment events. Others feared that the SK was at risk of being co-opted by adult barangay leaders, sometimes limiting the SK budget to adult council approval, or exposing the young SK councilors to unfair politicking. The potential to develop Naga’s SK into a strong and viable force for change is great. With some strong guidance and support, the SK could be an excellent vessel to apply the three guiding principles of this report. By being a community based organization, and since the SK councilors have a direct mandate to their communities, it’s an excellent arena to support healthy youth + community equations. It provides an great arena to activate all 3 levels of youth citizenship, from activist citizens as members of the council, participatory citizens who volunteers in development programs, and personally responsible citizens who would benefit from the increased communication of youth ideas. Since the SK would have to work alongside the barangay councils, and city councilors and staff, countless opportunities to engage youth in collaborative governance would exist. Naga is well situated to being the first city to push the SK to developing its optimal potential. Its strong pride in participatory governance and youth empowerment are steps in the right direction, and the commitment of the SK president to accountability, transparency, and youth engagement is encouraging. If the role of

the SK could fit into the Naga Youth Development Framework, their potential to be a real force in youth development would be institutionalized. Some recommendations for improving the SK are to • Encourage the SK members to reach out beyond sports to meaningful youth development and engagement •

To play a lead role in the organizing the development of the Naga Youth Development Framework. This could be done by: • Coordinating participatory approaches to data collection • Facilitating youth community consultations • Facilitating a collective visioning process

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SK •

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could develop more participatory method of programming by Using workshop formats and actively seeking out representation from all youth types to set budget and programming priorities Using tools like community mapping, collective visioning techniques, participatory media production, and participatory monitoring/evaluation/researc h (See toolkit for more info)

B. Recommendations for the Improvement of the City Youth Officials Program (CYO) The City Youth Officials (CYO) program represents one of the key programs for empowering youth and incorporating their perspectives in decision making. The project incorporates 45 youth, mostly university students, into the daily workings of City Hall, shadowing the members of the legislative and executive branches and department heads. For 30 days, the youth work in their respective departments, following their counterpart around in their day to day activities, learning how the mechanics of local governance function. The last 15 days are spent in the field, working on their own projects for which they receive a budget. While this program represents a significant step towards including youth in local governance and orienting them towards an appreciation of city management, an analysis based on the 3 guiding principles of this report uncovers a few limitations of the program. Supporting a Healthy Youth + Community Equation. While the main focus of the CYO program seems to be more internal to City Hall, there are some ways that the youth interact positively with their community. During the 15 day field work portion, the youth plan, implement, and participate in activities that serve the greater good of the city at large, like cleaning up election posters, helping younger children to read, and supporting a blood drive. They also prepare events for the larger youth community, like talent competitions, providing youth a valuable venue to share and express their cultures. In this way, the CYOs interact with the city as a whole, fostering a closer relationship to the mechanisms of local governance and to the populations living in the city. A deeper community connection is limited by the fact that the youth spend most of their time within the City Hall offices. In addition, the assumption that these youth represent the eyes of the youth of Naga has the danger of hiding the complexities of youth communities in Naga. The process of selection for the CYO ensures that only the

youth who achieve high scores are allowed entry, thereby limiting the variety of views, opinions, experiences, and understandings represented in the CYO. There are no mechanisms to encourage the youth to reach out to their greater youth community when making programming decisions. Interaction with non-CYO youth seems to be limited to them attending or participating in public events such as music concerts or sports events. A related issue is the structure of the CYO program and how this structure could promote social learning from one year to the next. As it is now, there is no formal mechanism of evaluation for the youth at the end of their program, nor is there any mechanism for communication from one year to the next. This leaves the new CYOs in a position of having to reinvent the wheel each time. This also adds to the insular quality of the organization since any relationships developed with other organizations and youth one year cannot be maintained for the next. If there were more continuity from one year to the next, the linkages could be further strengthened every year, with more added, creating a youth development support network in Naga city. Fostering Multiple Styles of Youth Citizenship. The CYO gives a number of youth the opportunity to experience a high level of leadership and make a direct impact on the functioning of the city. By creating ordinances that are subject to council approval, the CYO is able to leave their mark on Naga. This level of decision making power is impressive in a youth oriented program. There would be further opportunities to develop leadership abilities and activist citizenship if steps were taken to encourage or mandate the youth of the CYO to work more with the youth community at large. It is impossible for a unit of 45 individuals to all collectively take on activist roles when functioning as one decision making body. Decision making power, and therefore true activist citizenship is probably centralized in the executive group. If the groups were broken up into teams which each lead programs

with groups of local youth outside the CYO program, the potential for more youth to experiment with true leadership roles would be heightened, and the input from these kinds of activities might be used to more accurately reflect the realities and desires of a more diverse set of youth when making programming decisions. Engaging Youth Partners in Collaborative Governance. The CYOs take part in the daily operations of City Hall, including city council meetings, and as such participate in local governance. Their shadow council and department heads attempt to replicate their counterparts, exploring the mechanisms of ordinance creation and policy debates. In this way, youth are engaged as limited partners in governance. The opportunity to engage youth more deeply as real partners in collaborative governance is hindered mostly by the length of the program. The 30/15 day split does not adequately allow for youth to access deep issues that might mean the most, nor does the structure encourage them to do so. It is unclear of the youth are truly consulted during their stay at City Hall, or just allowed to watch and observe. Having a parallel youth city council that makes its own ordinances creates a separation between youth governance and real city governance, hindering a real possibility for youth to be engaged in true collaborative governance. Ideas for improving the CYO program. Recommendations regarding the structure and administration of the program • Rethinking the length of the program to allow for more time for youth to learn leadership and community development techniques, the mechanisms of City Hall, and the ways to become a stronger voice in local governance • Rethinking the 30/15 day split. A longer amount of field time might allow for more meaningful engagement with the rest of Naga’s youth population • A smaller base of CYO would permit the City to divert funds to other youth development activities

For example, by reducing the number of CYOs to 30 the City would create an available budget for one full time youth staff working in another function, such as a Youth Coordination Officer Consider some kind of graduated system where first year CYOs are supported by second and third year CYOs at some point during their tenure in order to harness the benefits of continuity If real partnerships between new and old CYOs are impossible, there should at least be some kind of institutionalized communication mechanism of relaying information from one year to the next There should be some kind of alumni association/job placement system that acts as a way of maintaining previous participants in the civic fold, perhaps encouraging further participation in other civic events and programs and leading more directly to real jobs for ex CYO officials. More steps need to be taken to ensure that the program has a higher profile and is advertised to a wider set of youth, ensuring a divers set of youth are aware of the program Steps should be institutionalized to ensure that a diverse selection of youth is represented in the program, and at different levels of the program. Diversity should include location, socio-economic status, educational background, political affiliation, age, gender, etc. o

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Recommendations regarding programming and content of the CYO program • There should be a kind of selfmonitoring and assessment activity at the end the CYO program used to both learn and reflect as much as most possible from their experience, and relay information to the next year • The CYO could be mandated to look specifically at youth related

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development issues, focusing on creating ordinances to empower youth These ordinances could be the result of community visioning activities, community mapping, or other participatory assessment techniques lead for youth by various members of the CYO Youth could be encouraged to work with out of school youth, incorporating a more diverse perspective, fostering links among youth, and giving voice to marginalized youth Steps should be taken to ensure the CYO’s opinions are heard in regular council business. This would mean briefing youth about the issues that will be addressed and ensuring that they have an allotted time to express their opinions to council

IV. Recommendations for Establishment of New Programs

the

A. Youth Operated Community Garden The Recommendation: Create a youth run and youth maintained Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project, a vegetable community garden, in the Urban Poor Community of Pacol. 1. Key Findings: One of the concerns in the City of Naga with regards to youth issues is the proportion of out-of-school youth (those youth aged 15 – 30 who are not attending any educational institution and who are not employed). According to several interviews conducted, out-of-school youth become out-of-school due to a number of reasons: • • • • • •

Lack of parental or spiritual guidance Lack of unity within the community Poverty (shortage of food, cost of educationally related resources cost of post-secondary education) Lack of employment opportunities, especially for (uneducated) youth Having to drop out of school to help the family earn money There are gender-based reasons for drooping out school

As a result of the factors stated above, outof-school youth are not only segregated from the rest of the youth in Naga by their lack of access to education but also because they risk becoming engaged in socially unaccepted activities (including alcohol, drugs and crime) and/or because they are too busy working and helping their parents run the household. Out-of-school youth are thus excluded from participating in youth organizations and the activities run by such organizations, resulting in a marginalization of these youth from all areas of the community.

Great Practice 1: Wai’anae Community Supported Agriculture In 2004, a CSA was established in Wai’anae, Hawaii. Conceived from the knowledge that not buying produce locally results in a loss of revenue for a community and a reduction in the ability of a community to be selfsufficient and sustainable. The reverse, buying all (or the majority of) produce locally, however, creates communities that are self-reliant, efficient, and healthy. Buying locally not only supports local farmers and local industry, but the profits generated from the sale of local produce can be redirected to the improvement of other community services and projects. Money from supported local agriculture can be applied to: cover the production and maintenance costs of local farms; subsidize the costs of crop seeds and fertilizer so that new CSA’s could be established; to sustain low-income families; and to be filtered into supporting local concerns – like the development of a post-secondary scholarship fund for local youth, for example. In fact, according to a study conducted in 1994 and reported in this case study, a 600 square foot plot of land devoted to vegetable growing produces a profit of $450 – 600 USD every year per plot. The CSA of Wai’anae is operated, maintained, and the vegetables produced are sold locally by at-risk youth of the community. The project has proved to be both economically and socially sustainable. It provides atrisk youth with the opportunity to be involved in the community and to feel accepted and proud. The farm itself provides the community with a healthy, low-cost food source, while helping the youth to develop leadership skills, agricultural skills and techniques, as well as business and customer relations skills – an unexpected product of the farm was the strengthening of spiritual ties between members of the community (the adults and the youth, and between the at-risk youth and the general youth population). Operating successfully for over three years, the Wai’anae farm exists as one of the most relevant examples of participatory youth engagement today. Relevance to Naga Context: The Wai’anae community’s situation in Hawaii is similar to that of Naga City in many ways. Both communities suffer the problems and repercussions generated when there is a large percentage of local youth who do not have access to viable employment opportunities or post-secondary (or even grade school) education. In Wai’anae, as in Naga city, teenagers are “daunted by the costs of higher education [they] rarely proceed to college, and fail to pick up any real job skills because they don’t see the point. Drugs normally cop up” (Mata 2004). In addition, the community members of Pacol, currently, are not buying their groceries locally because the infrastructure for such services does not exist, the community is located outside of Naga city (where the services are located), and as a result, the people of Pacol are having to spend 26 pesos round-trip and over an hours traveling time to buy food for their families. Wai’anae, like Naga, has a very young population – a median age of just 21 years. Similarly, both Wai’anae and Naga are suffering the consequences of a generally young population when they should be benefiting from the positive aspects (youth should be seen as one of the most precious and valuable resources of a community). However, because families in both locations cannot afford the materials to send their children to grade school or college the strength that should be a young population is “cancelled out by limited educational attainment … youth (too often) slide into criminal behavior or engage in drug use, which tends to perpetuate the downward spiral into crime … in Wai’anae, rape, theft, and crystal methamphetamine abuse bring youth into incursions with the law” (Mata 2004: page). Naga could benefit from the creation of a youth run and youth maintained CSA just as Wai’anae has continued to do over the past three years. Hopefully, with the adoption of such a program the youth of Naga could also “learn to collaborate with each other and simultaneously enrich community networks by fostering networks between themselves and the community” (Mata 2004: page).

The creation of a CSA would provide all youth in the community, particularly outof-school youth, with the opportunity to participate in a socially acceptable and beneficial activity – effectively including them and providing them with something profitable to do during the day (as opposed to searching for low-level jobs or turning to crime to earn money). At the time of this report there were 275 out-of-school youth in Pacol, 100 male and 175 female (Grandview Elementary School, Pacol Community: School Poster Board) The inspiration for the development of a CSA, community vegetable garden, in the urban poor community of Pacol came from the following ideas and case studies: 3. Actions and Strategies

Great Practice 2: SPIN Farming Small Plot INtensive Farming (otherwise known as SPIN farming) is a farm, producing all the same crops, at the same volume, but done at a very small scale – resulting in the generation of organic produce at very low costs to the operator of the farm. According to the case study presented here, from Winnipeg, Canada, SPIN farming “removes two of the traditional barriers – excessive startup costs and access to large chunks of land – that often prevent new farmers from succeeding … An appealing aspect for struggling farmers and ‘agri-preneaurs’ is that a SPIN farm can be a very profitable venture without a huge up-front investment. One fulltime model touts revenues of $50, 000+ from a half acre [of land]” (Taylor 2007). At Fort Whyte Farms in Winnipeg, at-risk youth are being empowered and engaged in a SPIN farming project. The youth are gaining business, agriculture, and customer relation skills by working the farms. Run as a ten month volunteer program, graduated youth (youth that have complete the program) are being given the opportunity to stay on as paid interns and as mentors to help other at-risk youth coming into the program. Examples of SPIN Farming:

Idea: To establish a CSA or SPIN farm in the urban poor community of Pacol and, if successful, adapt the program for use in other areas of Naga and the Philippines. There should be a gender balance among participants The land: The land could be leased from the church or from the Grandview Elementary School. Currently, there is a large unused plot of land between the school buildings that would be ideal for a community garden project. It would also offer the youth the opportunity to spend more time with other children and teachers, and it is located near the church and the centre of the Pacol community. The land could also be donated from either of these locations. As an alternative, solitary mini-gardens could be established at the homes of each of the participating youth. The crops and seeds: Seeds could be purchased from local farmers or could be donated from agricultural companies or farmers. The knowledge and instruction: Local farmers from the surrounding rural areas could help the youth participating in the program to fertilize and work the land, to learn about how crops grow in the region, how to weed, water, plant, and harvest the fields. Furthermore, a professor from one

FROM: http://www.spinfarming.com/gallery/ Relevance to Naga Context: As start-up costs are most likely the biggest obstacle preventing Naga from creating a viable CSA or community garden project, the concept of SPIN farms provides an attractive alternative. Accomplishable with manual construction tools and irrigation systems, SPIN farms would be possible in Naga, and the profits generated would be comparable to those of a traditional CSA project. For more information on SPIN farming and on the SPIN farm in Winnipeg operated by at-risk youth please see the following links respectively: http://www.spinfarming.com www.mbeconetwork.org/archives/EcoJournalApr07/05spinfarm.ht m

of the local universities could hold an informational and planning seminar with the participating youth on how to sell the vegetables and what to do with the money that is earned. The garden: The CSA or SPIN garden would be planted and maintained by local out-ofschool youth. The youth would be in charge of determining what crops were planted, how the vegetables were harvested, where they were sold and for what price, and what would be done with the money made from the sale of the vegetables. The benefit: The community garden would be beneficial to the community in many ways: • The residents of Pacol would no longer have to travel into Naga to buy produce • The residents of Pacol would have daily access to nutritional locally grown produce • The youth would be receiving valuable skills including: agriculture, business, accounting, and human resources • The local economy of Pacol would be supported • The profits from the garden could be rerouted in many different ways: o The youth could keep the profits o The youth could keep a portion of the profits (30% 60%) and put the remainder in a community fund used for community based projects – like a community scholarship fund o The total of the profits could be split into different funds for each of the youth personally or for the community as a whole 4. Challenges and Opportunities • Start up and maintenance costs. However, the SPIN farming project as described above provides the community with a much lower start-up cost than traditional gardens and can be maintained using manual, inexpensive tools

•

•

Gardens take time to grow and profits take even longer. However, as detailed above, these projects are profitable and they benefit more than just the economy, providing a place to strengthen adult-youth relations and create opportunities for pride in one’s work and one’s community. As the lives of youth are constantly changing, it may be difficult to ensure that there are a sufficient number of youth in the community who are interested and willing to provide the longer term commitment required in such a project. It may be beneficial to hire a full-time staff member to work the garden or to have adult volunteers (local farmers) donate some of their time to the upkeep of the garden. Alternatively, youth volunteering at the garden could participate for three or four month intervals to ensure continuity within the program.

B. Youth Health Promotion Recommendation: Create youth positions with the Hearts and Mind program After early infancy, adolescence is the next period in life during which individuals experience the greatest general health vulnerability (Mandel & Oazilbash, 2005). Therefore, adolescents require appropriate delivery of health research, education, and communication to address this risk. The City of Naga delivers health services and information to youth through a nation-wide health program, Hearts and Minds. We recommend that youth become partners in the Naga Hearts and Minds program in order to bring the program more in line with youth engagement strategies, and enhance its effectiveness. 1. Key Findings Hearts and Minds in Naga Hearts and Mind is a nationwide program that provides health information, education, and communication to young Filipinos. The Naga City chapter of this program is run by the City Population and

Great Practice 2: Global Youth Voices - Youth-driven, community health research and communication

Nutrition Office staff (the City Population and Nutrition Office focuses its services to the rehabilitation of malnourished children through supplemental feeding and nutritional care and family planning assistance among married couples). In addition to providing marital counseling and contraceptives to married individuals, Hearts and Minds also holds information seminars on sexual health and addictions for young Nagueños in every Naga and Metro Naga barangay. Currently youth involvement is limited to logistical coordination by SKs. This coordination includes: securing venues and promoting seminars. As this program targets youth, it presents an ideal opportunity to employ youth-driven outreach strategies, wherein youth would play key roles in decision-making, program planning, and seminar delivery on local Hearts and Mind teams.

This Global Youth Voices project engaged youth in leading community health research and producing a health communication product. 20 youth in Israel identified health issues in their communities, including smoking, violence, friendship, suicide, and pollution, analyzed a selected health issues, and returned to their communities with an informative multimedia presentation: slideshow presentation, video screening, and photo exhibit (http://www.globalyouthvoices.org/middle-east/greetings-en.html). This model contains 6 phases:

• • • • • •

Engagement: Engaging youth to work on a health project in their community Issue identification: identifying issues of concern to youth in their community Planning: Selecting issues and developing strategy to address these Act: Implementing project Research, reflect, and reward: Evaluating and reflecting on completed project Sustainability: Considering opportunities to continue project

2. Great Practices: Great Practice 1: BC HealthGuide Persian community outreach television production Collaborating with multiple experts and groups as partners The BC HealthGuide television production was produced with three partners: members from a targeted community, a provincial health program, and a local university. This project illustrates how a collaborative partnership between multiple groups can produce targeted health communication media that is integrated into a civic program and supported by scholarly expertise.1 This collaborative project produced four culturallyappropriate public services announcements and a 15-minute documentary broadcasted on multicultural television stations, shown at community health workshops, and is also available on the British Columbia Ministry of Health’s BC HealthGuide Program website (http://www.bchealthguide.org/multicultural.stm#farsi).

Figure 3.0: Global Youth Voices Six Phase Model1

For more information, visit: http://www.globalyouthvoices.org/resources.html Website contains the following resources workbooks: Youth Voices: A Guide for Youth Expression and Action Youth Action Guide Community-Based Smoking Prevention Making Changes Work in Youth Centres

Great Practice 3: Meaningful youth representation on local health advisory board Health Advisory Board of Vancouver Coastal Health Youth represented three of nine volunteer members on a population health committee of a regional health board. These are the priorities for this youth engagement1: 1. Support the voices of children and youth being heard 2. Ensure that health services to our population are accessible 3. Ensure that children and youth are recognized as a priority in the regional healthcare system

3. Actions and Strategies Youth could partner with the Hearts and Minds program in some or all of the following ways: • •

•

•

The youth representatives could be equal partners in research, administration and service delivery The City of Naga could require the youth representative to be enrolled in nursing or other medical profession training programs Hearts and Minds could host a workshop for volunteer youth representatives from each barangay and co-develop barangay-specific youth health workshops Hearts and Minds could deliver youth-focused health information through a multi-partner mass media production where production teams would be made up of youth involved in health services and students from Ateneo’s multimedia program.

For example, Hearts and Minds could open one or more youth positions. These youth could steer the programming and take part in decision-making as administrators, in order for the program to better reflect the needs of the youth population. In addition, youth could be employed to carry out facilitation, in order to more effectively engage youth in the community through peer-to-peer outreach. Finally, youth could lead multi-partner health communication project. 4. Benefits •

• • •

Through localized youth engagement, Expose local health issues that may escape conventional medical documentation or attention Engage communities to share local medical knowledge Foster youth leadership, teamworking, and interview skills, as well as project management Promote the use of partnerships within the community

•

Promote a holistic, communitydriven approach to health promotion

5. Challenges •

•

Projects cannot rely solely on youth volunteer time, skills and abilities, staffing or honoraria budget is require Youth may lack medical expertise

C. Creation of a Heritage Preservation Course and Program We recommend that Ateneo de Naga University establish a course in the preservation of local heritage, both built and cultural. The course would act as a tool for community investment as youth would be learning to research Naga’s rich history by interviewing elders of the community on their lives and their spaces. Youth would also be acquiring skills in the areas of photography, qualitative and quantitative research, and architectural discourse. For the course outline and a description of course activities please refer to Appendix B-3. D. Collective Remittances Development in Naga

for

Youth

Recommendation To create a system and structure to tap into the flow of remittance money from youth working abroad and direct a small amount of it towards sustainable youth community development projects, building the capacity of youth to support each other locally by working globally. 1. Key Findings In 2004 alone, 933,588 Filipino overseas foreign workers (OFWs) left the country. According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, remittances sent through formal channels in 2004 amounted to US$8.5 billion (Asis 2006). According to a 2005 World Bank report, the Philippines is the fifth-largest recipient of remittance flows after India, China, Mexico, and France.

Contrary to common belief, people who migrate have more assets that the ones left behind. They are usually more educated, they are the strongest and the healthiest, and they have at least enough money to pay for their trip. The poor of the poorest have no opportunity to migrate.

3. Actions and Strategies • The Youth Council can be the organization that brings together youth that are planning to migrate. • Through any of the tools recommended in this report, an organization of young Nagueños migrants can be created. Together For the families of migrant workers, they can build a vision of their remittances are generally spent on fulfilling community, they can identify what the basic needs of the family, better is missing in their barangay. They housing, educational opportunities for can decide in which programs or children, and starting or investing in small projects allocate the collective businesses. However, most of the people do remittances. It is highly not share the benefits of this constant flow recommended that the resources of money. While remittances have buoyed are used to create human capital the country's economy, there is a need to among the youth through explore how migration can be an sponsoring scholarships, skill instrument for development. development trainings, material for productive projects, etc. In one of the workshops held, the • The organization should be based in participants agreed that they would have Naga, even though most of its to migrate because there are no members will be abroad. The opportunities for them in the Philippines. organization will be in charge of However one of their “biggest dreams” was managing and distributing the to come back to Naga and to live up to resources. their responsibility of giving back what they • While the City Government should have received. match the remittances of this fund, finding other sources like 2. Great Practice: international organizations is strongly recommended , Great Practice: 3x1 program in Zacatecas, Mexico. • It is essential to take into 3X1 program is a successful strategy undertaken by immigrants consideration self-sustainability associations from Zacatecas (clubes zacatecanos) in partnership with (financial, technical, the Federal and the Municipal Governments in Mexico. For years, environmental) and the fact that immigrants’ associations sent collective remittances as donations for remittances cannot provide a community projects. In 1993 the Federal Government began matching permanent subsidy for projects; the remittance dollars allocated in this community funds. By 1999, municipal governments also began participating. From 1999 to 2003, instead, remittances should serve projects were realized in over 35 municipios in Zacatecas. Because of as a catalyst, as seed capital, their importance, emphasis was placed on projects for the provision of perhaps in micro credit type potable water, construction of sewer systems, electrification, road schemes. construction, paving, and repairs to or construction of sports fields, • The beneficiaries of the fund churches, parks, public plazas, and lienzos charros (rodeo rings). should receive training if they are This highlights three contributions of a collective remittance system: to start a productive project. uniting the communities of origin with the communities of destination, • There should be an integrated view converting the associations into interlocutors with the three levels of in designing and executing government, and enabling the financing of community projects in projects, while not forgetting that regions that were previously marginalized (García Z. 2003). those projects must be initiatives Strengths of the model for Naga: of the communities themselves and • Mexico and the Philippines are two of the countries that that their members should be export the most immigrants per year incorporated into the project • The economy of both countries is highly dependant in planning, execution, and remittances evaluation. • Naga City has a successful culture of participation and • The connection between the association universities and civic organizations • The LGC allows the City to have control over the budget • The Empowerment Ordinance mandates the City Government and the migrants’ origin and to collaborate with NGOs and POs in training, which will be needed to initiate and sustain productive projects.

Weaknesses of the model for Naga: • Budget • It will be hard to involve the national government • It is not sustainable

destination communities should be strengthened. 4. Challenges • Remittances are private resources. The contributions should be seen as donations that should never be enforced. • OFW face a lot of constraints and difficult working and living conditions. Their contribution to the collective remittances must not be one more burden for them. The amount and frequency of their contribution must be voluntary.

V. Toolkit A. Youth Engagement Tools This section is a collection of tools that might be helpful to Naga on its path towards greater youth engagement. This section is in no way meant to be an exhaustive list, but rather a sampling of various methods that might spark interest here in Naga. The sections in this part of the report are also only meant to give a brief introduction to these tools, but lead to more complete references when they’re available. 1. Youth Friendly Checklist Youth friendly institutions are a fundamental component of youth friendly cities. Research into this topic has lead to the creation of guidelines focusing on accessibility, promotion of youth engagement, partnerships, and capacitybuilding. This checklist can be used to assess an institution’s adherence to these guidelines. This particular checklist is meant to act as a general guide, and can be changed to fit the particular context of youth development in Naga. 2. Accessibility Accessibility refers to communication and information sharing. For an institution to be accessibly by all youth, it should: Present information in a youthfriendly format, such as using youth to present information, avoiding jargon in presentations and written documents, utilizing a number of different types of media for information dissemination, and employing a variety of strategies for data gathering. Communicate information openly Make efforts to encourage creativity and difference 3. Promotion of Youth Engagement Youth will be encouraged to become engaged in an institution if they are made to feel that they have something of value to contribute. As such, institutions can promote youth engagement by compensating youth for their efforts. Youth friendly institutions should: Pay for youth staff

Provide food at meetings, transportation fare, and honoraria when youth devote time and skills 4. Partnerships In addition to monetary compensation, youth advocates argue that partnerships between adults and youth help foster engagement. The strength of these partnerships lies in the sharing of information as these “are based on an understanding of the independent, symbiotic nature of learning and teaching, and recognizing that both youth and adults have something different yet equally valuable to share with each other” (youth friendly p. 2). Institutions who fostering partnerships should: Invite youth to work in an institution Create youth advisory councils Develop mentorship programs Seek out support in the adult community in the form of ‘champions’ in different City departments who make a case for the benefits of youth inclusion 5. Capacity-Building Often training in youth development is required to develop a youth-friendly ethic in an institution. Examples of workshopstyle activities on this topic can be found at http://vancouveryouth.ca/civic_participati on/tools4adults and http://www.youthfriendly.com/english/gui de.php. In order to build the capacity of both adults and youth, institutions should: Invite youth to develop and facilitate training workshops modeled on those above Possible uses for a Youth Friendly Checklist in Naga. • It could be incorporated into the analysis of every city hall department necessary in developing a Naga City Youth Plan • It could be used to measure the growth of youth friendly policies and institutions • It could be used to measure and rank institutions,

rewarding those youth-friendly

most

actions, connecting to resources, and for conflict resolution.

B. Youth Development and Community Building

Visioning techniques can be powerful tools for engaging marginalized youth, affirming that their needs, hopes, and positive action is meaningful for the development of their community. It is key to consider ways to reach out to youth who, for whatever reason, have less access to social programs or youth organizations. Invite them to participate in a visioning workshop.

In this section, we present some tools that can be used to engage youth in positively changing their communities. These tools focus on youth as a resource for community development whose particular experiences can lead to a unique and insightful perspective. The ability to perceive a different world, live by their ideals, and challenge the status quo, are some of the characteristics that make youth an invaluable force for social change. 1. Visioning Techniques The biggest projects are born from the biggest visions. For human beings, having and sharing visions is critical for development. Having a vision is having the ability to imagine a worthy and possible future. Visions guide further plans and actions. A shared vision is the starting point for any participatory development project; it unleashes the capacity of people to make positive change. A shared vision is a very powerful tool that brings together the hopes, assets, creativity, commitment, and responsibility of the participants. There are several visioning techniques whose effectiveness depends in part on the facilitator and their ability to create a safe and reflective environment, and on the age and circumstances of the participants.

Examples of these techniques are: strategic vision workshop (guided visualization), participatory theater, drawing vision. (For an overview of successful visioning techniques, please refer to http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uplo ads/doc_1910200062310_PWA4.doc) Actions led to by the visioning workshops arise from the assessment done by youth and are planned, implemented and evaluated by them. These techniques promote positive adult/youth relationships since most are supported by a caring adult whose guidance is helpful for the training, planning and implementation of significant

These workshops usually take about 2.5 hours and should be scheduled at an appropriate time, in order to meet the needs of the target youth. (for an example

of a handbook please refer to http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uplo ads/doc_18920003301_Howto.doc ) The

main features of the workshop are: 1. To stress the importance of positive youth leadership and organization for community development. 2. To create a common vision of what youth want to see happening in their lives, families, communities, city, and country. There are several techniques for doing this. They might include relaxation, music, etc 3. To facilitate a brainstorm of the obstacles standing in the way of that vision; as well as of the assets and opportunities they have. 4. To facilitate a brainstorm of the actions that could be organized in order to challenge those obstacles, using the assets they have. 5. To help them organize the actions to be carried out (for an example see Take action, information handbook, of the British Youth Organization. In

http://www.biglisten.co.uk/downl oads/BYC_info_handbook.pdf),

clarifying what is going to be done, with what purpose, what specific strategies need to be implemented, when, who are the possible allies, and who is responsible for doing what. 6. Follow up the planning, implementation and evaluation of the actions undertaken.

Possible uses of Visioning Techniques for Naga • As a key way of creating the shared vision that will guide the actions of the Naga Youth Development Framework • As a way of reaching out to the out of school and working youth, ensuring their voices are heard within the political system • The SK’s and CYO’s could be trained to use these techniques with their constituents to make programming decisions. 2. Community Mapping for Youth in Naga Youth community mapping refers to a process whereby young people map out something of relevance to them. Maps are physical representations of communities and as such, reflect the perspective, point of view, and empowerment of those who make them. By putting the mapping process in the hands of young people, and letting them control this process and the content of the maps, youth are empowered to represent their communities from their own perspectives. Youth maps often highlight places where they feel safe or in danger, have fun, learn, heal, feel in control, or feel unheard. Maps can focus on promoting youth culture and identity, heritage, history, or visions of the future. By allowing youth to map what matters to them, planners and policy makers can gain a deeper insight into the way young people see, understand, and interact with their environments and their communities. In Vancouver, a group of Latino youth used community mapping to address the language barriers they perceived in the city. Drawing on their own experiences and the collective knowledge of their community, they produced a detailed map of Spanish speaking services available to them and how they could be accessed, identifying community gaps and strengths. In Belo Horizonte, Brazil, youth from a poor community participated in mapping workshops focusing on the health,

education, employment, leisure, and governance resources available to them locally. These workshops promoted debate and dialog among the participants, sharing and validating their lived experience in the community and created maps highlighting the assets and gaps in the resources available to them (to be documented in a forthcoming publication by Gerson and Ceasar, 2007). Community mapping is a simple activity that can be done with few resources – all that is needed is paper and pens, and perhaps some base maps containing the street structure of the area to be mapped: 1. Youth should decide on an area to be mapped and the themes the maps will address 2. Next, youth indicate on base maps the location of whatever it is that is being mapped. This step can happen in workshops to reach as many youth as possible, or it can be carried out by a team of youth through interviews with others. 3. All the various maps should then be collected and analyzed. All the info can be amalgamated to one map, or a few separated by theme. Possible uses for Youth Community Mapping in Naga City: • SK and CYO members could be trained in leading Community Mapping workshops and do so in order to determine which issues are of most relevance to their constituents • SK’s could use this tool to map the youth resources and the organizations active in their barangay to increase dialogue and coordination among them • Youth community mapping could be used as a participative way to collect information necessary for creating the Municipal Youth Development Framework 3. Communications One of the key findings of this report is that there is not enough information available to the youth of Naga about

programs and services available to them, or about ways they can express their voice and give their input in governance issues. This section contains a number of ideas that not only disseminate information to youth, but that encourage youth expression the sharing of ideas among youth and between youth and the government. 4. E-Governance for Youth in Naga The internet is a tool that has the potential to reach out to youth in new and exciting ways, engaging them in a highly interactive way both locally, nationally, and globally. Naga City is already a leader in egovernance, as recognized by UNDP. This concept should be extended to focus on engaging youth and giving them a place to express their comments, concerns, ideas, and culture. *An important limitation inherent in using the internet for community development is a lack of access for many youth, especially those marginalized by poverty. For this reason, any e-governance strategy directed at youth should be accompanied by plans to improve access to the internet for all youth. This might include working with private sponsors to set up free youth oriented internet access points in the poorest neighborhoods. www.redejovem.org.br Rede Jovem is a Brazilian website that acts as an e-centre for youth ideas and development in the country. It’s mission is to, “To engage young people from all over the country in a healthy environment of networking to exchange and produce collective solutions for their common problems.” This is done by providing free blog space for youth to express their ideas, concerns, post their art, rant, and share their experiences. It also includes youth produced news and articles, online courses in internet and other skills, chat rooms, classifieds where youth can sell things they make and promote their art and music, and more. The organization also promotes free internet access sites for those who don’t have access otherwise.

www.takingitglobal.org “TakingITGlobal.org is an online community that connects youth to find inspiration, access information, get involved, and take action in their local and global communities. It's the world's most popular online community for young people interested in making a difference, with hundreds of thousands of unique visitors each month.” This international site contains detailed youth-friendly information about development issues, active debates moderated through discussion sites, and lots of youth written information promoting youth journalism and expression. Possible ways for Naga to use e-governance for youth: The site could be part of the city website, or stand alone. It should be primarily in Bicolano to ensure access for as many as possible. This site could potentially serve the youth communities of Naga in 4 major ways: 1) With information about local governance and city hall: • Information about programs, and news from city hall that relates to youth • Information about the structure of city hall and the ways that youth can access key decision making processes, making their voices heard 2) Information about youth resources, including: • What’s available for youth, where it is, how to access it • links to other relevant youth organizations and city departments • perhaps an online version of a youth community map (See Youth Community Mapping in the Toolkit section). 3) Promotion of Youth Development • Information on development programs and events for youth

•

Issue based discussion boards • Youth written articles regarding development and issues related to youth. 4) Promotion of Youth Culture • Music – local bands, concert promos, music clips, etc… • Art – photo and drawing galleries • Video and other media • Discussion boards for each of the above, promoting a local arts community 4. Media Technology Another opportunity to give youth voice and representation is through digital and broadcast media. The United Nation’s discussion paper entitled The YouthFriendly City recommends that organizations and governments “develop positive media images of youth and support integrated media promoting child and youth friendly cities” (Regan & McNulty 2006). Some youth media advocate have even argued that it should become “a pillar – not just a component – of 21st century civic curriculum” (Rheingold 2006). In the Philippines, most youth already have access to some form of media such as newsletters, newspapers, magazines, televisions, and radio (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific 2000: 117). While access to media is valuable to developing perspectives on the world, it does not necessarily develop youth as an active and empowered citizenry. Young Nagueños need to be more than just media consumers but active producers of programs. As media consumers and producers, youth can bring a youth-friendly perspective to challenge current images in the public sphere and to create media relevant to their experiences. Currently, several youth-led radio and television programs exist in the Philippines. These include the News Watch Junior Edition, Sine Eskuwela and Batibot (ibid 117). Here are a few examples of good practices around the world.

a. Access to Media Education Society (AMES) http://www.accesstomedia.org/ AMES is a community-driven, grassroots organization that promotes media literacy and self-advocacy through media. AMES targets “multi-barriered” and empowers their voices through mentorship and production of youth-driven short films, video, and public service announcements. Some of these video have been integrated into its province’s public school curriculum, and shown on television and film festivals. Some issues they tackle are anti-racism, anti-homophobia and Aboriginal culture, and other experiences of social exclusion and social injustice. b. Community Voice FM

Radio:

Youth

http://www.youthvoice.org.uk Youth Voice FM is a community radio station for young people to broadcast in North Tyneside, United Kingdom. It provides a youth-friendly space for voice and representation of youth and youth issues. In addition to being a venue to promote local youth talent and art, it cultivates a sense of community. One weakness of this project is its limited airtime (one month per year). For effective youth engagement, youth-led programming must be regular and continuous. While youth media programs are diverse, they share many common factors. Most develop a time-intensive training workshops followed a period of supportive mentorship giving youth more than just technical skills in media production. This training curriculum should include seminars on social justice issues, creative expression, community and participatory research skills, while providing a safe environment to discuss issues of media representation, particularly with marginalized groups. During the mentorship phase, the youth lead programming and content; while mentors, sponsors, and funders take a backseat. Many of the programs attempt to connect youth to professional network that may transform into job opportunities. They encourage a one-year commitment and

develop youth as peer-mentors to ensure a continuation of youth-led programs Possible uses of Media for Naga • Partnerships could be sought with other organizations to develop participatory programming • Partnerships could be developed with the local media outlets to encourage more youth input and programming • Encourage the Ateneo Animation students to partner with other youth in exploring animation as a tool for youth development • Encourage the development and support of youth community radio stations • Connect to the Naga youth website to display youth made videos, photos, music and any other form of expression • SKs could use tools like participatory media production to explore youth issues in their barangay C. Data Gathering and Record Keeping 1. Youth Participatory Research and Evaluation The positive youth development movement has influenced scholars and practitioners to include youth as partners in the design and implementation of research involving issues that affect their lives. Engaging oppressed or marginalized youth in research and evaluation not only generates useful knowledge for communities and individuals but also provides opportunities for the development and empowerment of youth participants, leading to benefits for young people, organizations, the broader community, and the research process. (Kroeker 1996: 3) The entire enterprise engages young people in critically thinking about and researching important social issues. This enables them to exercise their political rights, prepares them for active participation in a democratic society, and empowers them to create social change. (Hart 1992: 22–24)

Engaging youth in participatory research and evaluation enhances the possibility that findings will be useful, owned and acted upon by those involved in producing them. Involving youth in the formulation of the research questions, in the strategies to answer them, and in the data interpretation, improves the accuracy of the results. “Youth and Adult Leaders for Program Excellence: A Practical Guide for Program Assessment and Action Planning”: is a comprehensive resource kit, based on youth development research and practice, designed for groups that are seeking to promote positive youth development through strategies of youth participation, youth activism, youth voice and youthadult partnership. The kit is most appropriate for programs that are actively seeking to improve their services, and which perceive youth as being key actors/partners in that process. This resource kit guides staff and youth through five phases of assessment and program improvement: planning and preparing to conduct a program assessment, collecting and compiling data, analyzing and understanding the data, sharing results with the group, action planning and finalizing the report. It also includes 3 research and practicebased assessment tools. • Youth engagement tool: for assessing the degree which youth have legitimate chances to be heard, respected and taken seriously during program design and implementation. • “Organizational-Youth Engagement Tool,” for assessing the extent to which youth are involved in decision-making forums and the degree to which the organization creates structures to support youth engagement over the long term. • “Program and Activity Assessment Tool”, for assessing the developmental opportunities and supports provided to youth in the program. Opportunities include the chance to explore new things, be creative, gain membership in a group, and contribute to others.

Supports include nurturance, emotional safety, high expectations, standards and boundaries, and strategic support through transitions. Whatever technique is used to engage youth in participatory research and evaluation, we recommend the use of the table and a consideration of the key concepts in Appendix A-2 Possible uses for Participatory Research and Evaluation in Naga • This tool could be used and promoted by the youth council and the coordination office to develop research projects among organizations (including local universities) and excluded youth • SKs and CYO can act as links for researchers and the youth communities in their barangay • These tools can be used to collect the research necessary for creating the Naga Youth Development Framework.

2. Participatory Monitoring Framework A participatory monitoring framework is a set of guidelines and exercises that help youth and the adults working with and for them to monitor the progression or digression of various programs and issues facing youth today. The framework outlined below was taken from a UNICEF report presented in 2005. The motivation behind such a framework is the ever changing lives of youth and the general lack of monitoring that occurs after a program or project is implemented. The framework is applicable to Naga because currently, there seem to be no established mechanisms to monitor how and if programs are working, and more importantly how youth are being impacted from the implementation of such programs. The framework provides a solid base for evaluation and assessment (done by the youth themselves) and a record for comparison, ensuring that the feelings and issues of youth are recorded and addressed. Finally, the standardization of a template

(like the one described in Appendix A-1) creates a benchmark against which all future youth programs and issues in Naga can be assessed fairly and accurately. In order to capture the change, if any, in the lives of youth, it is important to have periodic rounds of monitoring where the participatory monitoring framework will relate to a specific period, reflecting the periodic change for better or worse. Only then will the participatory monitoring framework be useful *See Appendix templates

A-1

for

examples

and

Possible uses for a participatory monitoring framework in Naga: • SKs can be trained to hold workshops with youth in each barangay to monitor the state of the youth in their constituencies and then use this information to direct programming decision • The entire process could be overseen by the Coordination council and office. • The tool could be utilized within organizations and schools for selfmonitoring (promoted through the Youth Coordination Office)

VI. Conclusion Over the course of time that the UBC team has spent in Naga, it has become clear that this city’s commitment to meaningfully engaging youth is sincere and genuine, placing it in a prime position for becoming a true leader in local youth collaborative governance. Most of the elements necessary for this achievement are already alive and well in this city. A myriad of programs designed to serve, teach, and engage youth exist in various City departments, NGOs, educational institutions, and higher levels of government. Youth participation is mandated as a fundamental component of barangay politics through the SK, and incorporates annual and quarterly gatherings of all youth to participate in budget allocations and decision making. The collaborative approach to governance fostered in this city has led to a culture supportive of youth, recognizing that if the gains and progress made here in the last 18 years is to be continued into the future, it will be up to the younger generation to carry on what the last so enthusiastically championed. We also suggest that more connection and collaboration occur on multiple levels of government. On the national level, for example, the National Youth Commission has produced a handbook entitled, Philippine Toolkit for Youth Development

([no date]) and the National Assessment: Youth Attributes, Participation, and Service-Providers (2004) that could potential inform local Naga youth organizations with alternative ideas. This pro youth attitude places Naga in an excellent position to begin pushing its experiences and experiments with youth development in new and exciting directions. The challenges presented in this document are not simple, small ways to improve what exists, but rather a new way of approaching youth development altogether. The ideas suggested here involve taking a large step towards ensuring that Naga is able to harness all the collective resources for youth development in this city and use them in the most effective and efficient way possible. Institutionalizing this level of coordination will mean ensuring that this commitment to youth development carries forward into the future, beyond this generation, supporting healthy youth and healthy communities for generations to come. While many obstacles might stand in the way of completing this task, the youth of Naga are some of the brightest and most resourceful in the world. Collectively they can overcome obstacles, bringing them closer together, making Naga an example of collaborative youth governance known across the world. The challenges are many, but if any city can take them on, Naga can.

APPENDIX SECTION A: TOOLS A-1: Participatory Monitoring Framework A-2: Youth Engagement Assessment Chart

Appendix A-1 The Participatory Monitoring Framework Template: Taken From: Mukherjee, N. (2005). Towards Evolving a Rights-Based Participatory Monitoring Tool for Sustainable Human Development and Reduction of Vulnerability of STREET CHILDREN in Urban South Asia. UNICEF – New School Conference, New York. STEP 1: Perspectives of Youth To begin with, youth should participate in a free-flow discussion and analysis of the issues facing youth in general and youth in their community, the questions posed can be as simple as “What kinds of problems do you think young people have here?”, but can become more collaborative or imaginative based on the people participating. Some Examples from Mukherjee, 2005: • • • • • •

no place of residence forced to sleep in the open uncertainties in accessing daily food weak health due to work no access to health services low income

A discussion (like above) of the problems and issues facing youth can also be conducted as outlined below: Box 1 - Prioritized Problem Ranking (by one group of youth) Examples: (i) Problem in accessing school (ii) Suffer health problems due to hard work (iii)Low wages and long hours of work (iv)Difficulties in accessing basic amenities (v) Etc. Box 2 – Prioritized Problem Ranking (by another group of youth – perhaps more marginalized than the first) Examples: (i) Difficulties of shelter, basic "security" and amenities (ii) Difficulties in accessing food (iii) Attitude and behaviour of people who call by names and misbehave (iv) Lack of affection (v) Difficulties in accessing clothes, keeping cash, attending school (vi) Etc. STEP 2: Evolving Criteria from the Perspectives of Marginalized Youth Below, in Table 1, spaces for youth to describe their perspectives, their issues, and the coping strategies they use or think they can use to deal with such issues have been provided as in column 2, column 3 and column 4, respectively. The table below is meant to map out the mechanisms for coping that youth have been resorting to, and possible ways these can be restructured into a healthier approach to dealing with problems and concerns. As Mukherjee discovered during research, “some of the issues listed by the youth are iterative though they can be easily termed as being repetitive in our view. The point is that they are perceived as different aspects of similar or dis-similar problems by the youth and hence two different

negative criteria could have similar issues though their implications need not be the same” (2005). See Table 1 below: Table 1: Drawing Generic Criteria from the Issues Raised by Youth (Column 1) (Column 2) (Column 3)

(Column 4)

Generic Criteria on Disempowerment, Denial of Rights and Capabilities Lack of access to basic amenities

Issues Raised by Youth

Coping Strategies Adopted by Youth

Towards Generic Indicators for Participatory Monitoring

No place of residence, lack of shelter, forced to sleep in the open, no safe place to keep cash, no opportunities for education

* Sleep on the street, wherever space is available * Often lose cash, clothes, sandals and other items

* Have access to a proper shelter * Have a safe place to keep cash and other items such as clothing and sandal,as required.

Continued … Until all issues raised by the youth are addressed in chart form

Continued …

Continued …

Continued …

STEP 3: List Generation The next step is to develop with the youth a negative list of 10 generic criteria : 1. Disempowerment and Powerlessness 2. Discrimination 3. Lack of access to basic amenities 4. Continued to 10 and Develop with the youth a positive list of 10 generic criteria and sub-criteria: 1. Empowerment and ‘Power With’ and ‘Power Within’ 2. Positive Discrimination 3. Right to Shelter and Safety and Practical Access 4. Emotional Well Being, Social Inclusion 5. Continued to 10

STEP 4: Towards a Rights –Based Participatory Monitoring Framework for Youth (in-school, working youth, out-of-school youth, etc.) The negative list of 10 generic criteria as in Table 1 have been transformed to a positive list of 10 generic criteria for constructing the rights –based participatory monitoring tool as shown in Table 2. Table 2 provides a set of generic criteria and sub-criteria for participatory monitoring of situation by youth. This tool can be adapted across countries and locations after testing and validation by the primary stakeholders. See Table 2 below:

Table 2: Participatory Monitoring by Youth: Generic Criteria and Sub-Criteria with Scores Generic Criteria

Sub-Criteria for Participatory Monitoring

I. Positive Discrimination

I.1 Confidence to talk with elders/ strangers and tackle unjust acts/demands I.2 Can challenge strangers and demand better behaviour I.3

Score: 1=Negligibl e

Score: 2=Low

Score; 3=Mediu m

Score: 4=High

Score: 5=Very High

Score: 6=Excellen t

Continued until all negatives are met with positive solutions – created by and for the youth participants Note 1: Qualitative Scoring: 1=Negligible; 2=Low; 3=Medium; 4=High; 5=Very High; 6=Excellent. Note 2: Range of Total Score: There are 10 generic criteria, which have 40 sub-criteria for qualitative scoring. Each sub -criterion has the highest score of 6, so 40 sub-criteria have total highest score of 240. Any individual/group of youth, which scores “excellent” on all criteria has a total score of 240 (6 multiplied by 40) while that, which scores “negligible” on all criteria has a total score of 40 (1 multiplied by 40). Scoring on participatory monitoring or participatory situational analysis of street children would have a range of 40 to 240.

Score on SubCriteri a

Appendix A-2 Youth Engagement Assessment Chart Appendix A-2: Assessing the level of youth engagement in participatory research Question Yes No Did the recruiting methods contemplate giving access to marginalized and excluded youth? Is there a partnership among youth and adults in the research team? Is there any incentive for their participation? Did they develop initial aims? Did they decide research topics? Did they develop research procedures? Did they develop instruments? Did they complete training on rights and responsibility of involving human subjects in research? Did they complete other training in conducting research? Did they recruit peers to participate? Did they recruit adults to participate? Did they survey peers? Did they survey adults? Did they debrief about research process and progress? Did they enter data? Did they analyze data? Did they interpret data? Did they present findings? Did they write publications? Did they meet with other youth researchers to share findings and experiences? Was there an increased participation by hard-to-reach population? Is there more complete data? Did youth develop new skills? Is there more community recognition of youth?

Key principles • Holding research roles offer young people optimal conditions for development. They develop various skills including how to design and plan a project, to develop instruments, to use different methodologies and procedures, to work with data, and to interpret findings; they may gain public speaking skills and learned how to give presentations to diverse audiences, as well as advocate for issues of importance to them and their peers. They might have opportunities to interact with and build relationships with people of different ages, backgrounds, and social networks. • All researchers need time to learn, practice, and improve their craft. • The timeframe needs to be realistic—long enough for the development, testing, and revision of new skills, but not so long that young people are unable to see it through to completion because of their own developmental changes. • The work of youth researchers needs to be supported with appropriate human, financial, and logistical resources. • Young people need to be engaged in and informed about the rights and responsibilities involved in “human subjects” research. • Youth voice need to be taken seriously by listening to and acting upon youth recommendations. At the same time, youth recommendations should not be endorsed uncritically. Multiple modes of participation are important. It is important to provide incentives or pathways to “ramping up” participation and assuming increasingly complex responsibilities, as well as ways for youth to reduce their involvement, while maintaining significant relationships with the project, as their developmental needs change.

APPENDIX B: PROGRAMS AND RECOMMENDATIONS B-1: Whitehorse Youth Development Plan Risk and Protective Factors Chart B-2: Naga City Youth Coordination Council Framework B-3: Heritage Course Curriculum Outline

Appendix B-1 Whitehorse Youth Development Plan Risk and Protective Factors Chart

Appendix B-2 Proposed Naga City Youth Coordination Council (NCYCC) Framework The Name: The name of the Youth Council can be determined by the incoming members of the Council itself. It will be called the Naga City Youth Coordination Council (NCYCC) throughout this Appendix only to simplify the following recommendations and constitution. This name is only temporary and is subject to change at the will of the founding members The Mission: The mission of the heretofore named NCYCC could be: To unite the youth of Naga city (and subsequently the youth of the Philippines and the international youth community at large) in the development of an equal, just, accessible, and sustainable youth development system NOTE: As suggested by Willy Prilles during the seminar presentation of this report, the SK could act as the organization that would effectively become the new NCYCC. This would be effective due to the fact that the SK is made up of motivated and able-bodied youth, especially those operating within Naga City. This suggestion could also be an effective solution to the concern that the SK will be abolished in the near future – transferring the SK members to the new Coordination Council would make the most use of their skills and energies. The Aims: The aims of the NCYCC could be the following: 1. To unite the youth organizations of Naga and to a lesser degree the youth organizations of the Philippines and of participating international partners 2. To promote inclusivity within Naga city youth organizations, and to promote the inclusivity of Naga city youth in such organizations regardless of their financial status or achieved level of education 3. To provide the public of Naga, specifically members of the youth community, with information on all existing organizations and their respective activities, meetings, assemblies, and routine updates 4. To promote idea sharing and information sharing among all youth in Naga, and eventually, among the youth in the Philippines, and worldwide 5. To create greater awareness, recognition, and appreciation of the issues that affect Naga city youth 6. To foster unity among the youth community of the Philippines 7. To not only implement new programs, projects, and activities but to systematically monitor such innovations with the aid of a participatory monitory framework, developed and maintained by the Executive Council of the NCYCC 8. To foster cooperation and the building of sustainable linkages between all youth organizations (regardless of political or governmental affiliations) and the local and national governments of the Philippines. Furthermore, to foster cooperation and the building of sustainable linkages between governmental youth organizations and nongovernmental youth organizations 9. To strengthen all youth networks through the sharing of information and lessons learned The Objectives: In order to achieve the aims stated above, the NCYCC’s principle tasks are as follows: 1. To unite the youth organizations of Naga and to a lesser degree the youth organizations of the Philippines and of participating international partners BY: a. The creation of a youth radio program run by an executive member of the NCYCC. The program would allow youth to text in questions to the announcer. The primary responsibilities of the announcer would be to discuss important youth issues and disseminate information on different youth organizational activities and programs to increase youth outreach

b. Promoting local, regional, national, and international assemblies and summarizing such assemblies and meetings to keep youth informed, and to share information, ideas, concerns, and innovations c. Gathering and disseminating appropriate youth information to the international community d. Establishing a page on the Naga website, the national website, and/or an independent website for the wider promotion of youth organizations and information – and to make this information more readily available and accessible 2. To promote inclusivity within Naga city youth organizations, and to promote the inclusivity of Naga city youth in such organizations regardless of said youth’s financial status or achieved level of education BY: a. Providing membership openings and the creation of spaces within Naga city youth organizations for those youth defined as being out-of-school, working, and disabled b. Holding information seminars in vulnerable and/or poor and/or remote communities (for example, the urban poor community of Pacol), so that the most vulnerable and marginalized youth of Naga are recognized, acknowledged and included. Furthermore, to ensure that such youth as described above do not have to travel long distances and/or pay for expensive travel costs in order to participate in youth organizations or youth organizational activities. The organizations should come to the youth NOT the opposite c. Holding such seminars as described above in comfortable, culturally sensitive and acceptable, and appropriate locations (parks, churches – when appropriate, community centres) d. Holding skills workshops free of charge (or for an optional fee) for youth to participate in art classes, dance classes, business classes, creative writing classes, sports seminars, etc. e. Holding career opportunity and resume writing seminars in such locations as described above, to help and encourage youth to promote themselves appropriately and to the best of their ability when searching for employment f. Holding computer skills workshops (typing, search techniques), while increasing access to youth oriented internet sources g. Holding informal interview workshops or focus groups to better understand the real issues of local youth 3. To provide the public of Naga, specifically members of the youth community, with information on all existing organizations and their respective activities, meetings, assemblies, and routine updates THROUGH THE USE OF: a. Radio programs b. Newsletters published by the NCYCC c. A Txt Naga Youth Program d. An NCYCC website e. Print media (newspapers, magazines) f. Schools 4. To promote idea sharing and information sharing among all youth in Naga, and eventually, among the youth in the Philippines, and worldwideTHROUGH THE USE OF: a. An NCYCC website b. Regional, National, and International youth assemblies, congresses, and satellite meetings 5. To create greater awareness, recognition, and appreciation of the issues that affect Naga city youth BY: a. Disseminating the information learned from seminars and workshops like those described above in step 2

b. Providing the information from such seminars through the methods described in steps 3 and 4 6. To foster unity among the youth community of the Philippines BY: SEE METHODS AND IDEAS ABOVE 7. To not only implement new programs, projects, and activities but to systematically monitor such innovations with the aid of a participatory monitoring framework, developed and maintained by the Executive Council of the NCYCC SUCH A FRAMEWORK IS AVAILABLE IN THE GOOD PRACTICES SECTION OF THIS REPORT 8. To foster cooperation and the building of sustainable linkages between all youth organizations (regardless of political or governmental affiliations) and the local and national governments of the Philippines. Furthermore, to foster cooperation and the building of sustainable linkages between governmental youth organizations and nongovernmental youth organizations 9. To strengthen all youth networks through the sharing of information and lessons learned The Membership Requirements: The membership requirements to become a member of the NCYCC could be as follows: The Naga City Empowerment Ordinance should be consulted before any such requirements are adopted. 1) Eligibility: a. Youth organizations (defined as those organizations comprised of members aged 15-30) b. Alternatively, individuals or small groups of youth who are yet to be affiliated with any specific organization but require placement could become members c. Any grouping of youth regardless of how formal or informal should have the opportunity to become members of the NCYCC d. All organizations must agree to the above stated Aims and Objectives 2) Admission: a. To be determined by the incoming Council members. However, the admission fees should only be collected from organizations with the budget to support such charges. All members should have equal opportunity to benefit from the funds and ideas of the NCYCC 3) Cessation: Organizations will cease to be members of the NCYCC if they: a. Fail to abide by the above stated Aims and Objectives b. Cause any harm, or discriminate in any way, against any other NCYCC individual member or member group 4) Other: a. National organizations can be admitted if they comply with the above requirements b. International organizations can be admitted if they comply with the above requirements The General Assembly of the NCYCC: • Based on participatory councils worldwide, the general assembly of the NCYCC should be the ultimate democratic decision making body of the NCYCC, the general assembly is comprised of a self-determined number of each of the admitted youth organizations –

the executive committee of each respective organization (president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary) may not be members of the general assembly. The general assembly of the NCYCC is empowered to (taken from Chapter 5: General Assembly of the Pacific Youth Council [PYC]): a. Determine and approve the policy and work programs of the NCYCC b. Decide on the budget of the NCYCC c. Receive reports from the Executive Council on policy, programs and finance d. Conduct the election of the Executive Council and Office Bearers by Secret Ballot e. Appoint a qualified Auditor recommended by the Executive Council f. Review and amend the Constitution as required • • • •

The Council should determine how often elections are held and how long individuals remain in their positions. This will most likely be based on the time frame of each of Naga’s current programs (including the CYO – a forty-five day program, and the SK) The General Assembly should have fair representation of age, gender, employment status, and Barangay of Naga city The meetings and assemblies of the General Assembly should be conducted in a language that is comfortable for every member of the Council. If Bicolano is preferable to most but not to all, English or Tagalog will be offered as a translated alternative. The meetings should also be conducted in a location that is comfortable and accessible to the majority of the attendees. If members are unable to attend, alternative arrangements for them to hear what was said and have their voices heard (either via text messaging, call-in, emails, word of mouth, or other). Web or radio feeds should also report on decisions made to keep the general public and youth informed.

The Executive Council of the NCYCC: • The Executive Council of the NCYCC should be comprised of a self-determined number of youth between the ages of 15 and 30 years. The General Assembly should elect the Executive Council • The Executive Council, just as the general assembly, should have fair representation of gender, age, employment status, and Barangay of Naga city • The Executive Council should meet together at self-determined intervals to discuss youth issues, to evaluate the current state of the program, to monitor the progress of various youth programs and projects, to discuss certain concerns and/or problems, and to answer questions and make decisions pertaining to the NCYCC and the Youth Coordination Office of Naga city • The meetings of the Executive Council should be conducted in a language that is comfortable for all members. If Bicolano is preferable to most but not all, Tagalog or English will be offered as a translated alternative. • The Executive Council is empowered to do the following: o To be determined by incoming members The Funds: The NCYCC should receive its funds from the following sources: • The membership fees from the member organizations • Contributions from approved organizations and/or individual persons • The Youth Coordination Office of Naga City • Other approved sources The Treasurer should be responsible for recording and organization the financial records of the NCYCC

Appendix B-3 Heritage Conservation Course Outline Name: Cultural Resource Management in Naga City, Philippines Descriptive Title: Heritage Inventories – Evaluation Description: This course explores the preservation of historic resources (cultural, natural, and built) existing in Naga City, the Philippine. The course also examines the development and use of inventory forms, techniques, and equipment used in the recording of and preservation of heritage/historic resources worldwide; it also uses information and evaluation techniques to understand and appreciate the value of traditional forms of buildings, spaces, and cultural resources in Naga City. It includes information on the development of a Philippines specific inventory form, field survey, photographic style (based on that used in Canada), database, and information management system. Finally, the course involve site visits to historic places in Naga and in other parts of the Philippines (where and when applicable), along with the assessment of local styles and the preparation of reports. Credit Value: 3 Textbook(s): 1) Tyler, Norman. (2000). Historic Preservation: An Introduction to Its History, Principles, and Practice. New York: Norton & Company Ltd. 2) Burden, Earnest E. (2004). Illustrated Dictionary of Architectural Preservation. Michigan: McGraw-Hill 3) Stipe, Robert, E. (2003). A Richer Heritage: Historic Preservation in the TwentyFirst Century. Historic Preservation Foundation of North Carolina Inc. Course Aim: To develop skills in preparing and conducting heritage resource inventories in a Philippines context Course Objectives (Knowledge): 1. Architectural History of the Philippines a. Pre-colonial b. Post-colonial c. Modern 2. Definition of Heritage Resource a. Built b. Cultural c. Natural 3. Definition of a Heritage Inventory a. What is a heritage inventory? b. Why are the heritage criteria important? c. What resources are most beneficial to use when conducting a heritage inventory? d. What tools are essential when conducting an inventory? 4. Good Practices a. Canada’s Statement of Significance (SOS) system b. Calgary’s value/merit based significance criteria 5. Examination of the Canadian Heritage Inventory System a. National b. Canadian inventory of historic buildings c. US-HABS d. Urban resources vs. rural resources e. City of Vancouver historic building survey

f. City of Ottawa survey 6. Recognized Heritage Resources in the Philippines and Asia a. Locally recognized b. Regionally recognized c. Nationally recognized d. World Heritage Sites e. Difference between designated, acknowledged, preserved, restored, and renovated 7. The Fundamentals of the Heritage Inventory a. Identification of resources b. Name of the resource c. Date of Construction d. Address e. Use (single-family residential, apartment, hospital, bank) f. Ownership (current) g. Discussion of where to find the above information in Naga 8. Description of how significance is determined for the purposes of the inventory a. Importance b. Official designation date c. Date history d. Historical comments e. Authorship f. Description of the resource g. Area and setting (where it is located, significance of place?) h. Site and structure (has the resource been moved?) i. Magnitude (is the resource considered a landmark) 9. Identify the general characteristics of describing a cultural resource a. Style (craftsman bungalow, Gothic, Edwardian) b. Material and technique (stone, brick, nailed frame) c. Construction elements d. Immovable elements e. Movable features 10. Identify conservation/restoration requirements a. Preservation b. Conservation c. Protection 11. Description of and explanation of how to find and use the sources of documentary evidence a. Files and reprints b. Maps c. Plans and drawings d. Photographs 12. Describe the steps in developing a local (Naga City) inventory a. Develop objectives b. Develop inventory forms c. Test the forms d. Revise the inventory forms e. Conduct a sample inventory f. Tabulate the results 13. Use of technology a. Digital camera instruction b. Video camera instruction 14. Describe the various systems of evaluation heritage buildings a. Review of the Parks Canada System b. The UNESCO system c. The Heritage Foundation system

15. Describe the basic approaches to developing a system of evaluation a. Value/Merit based systems (qualitative) b. Number and letter based systems (quantitative) c. Application of evaluation techniques d. Review of who should evaluate the application system e. Decision on what system to use in Naga f. Creation of a Naga City designation process 16. Identification of the major historical influences on architecture in the world a. Classical Greek and Roman b. Renaissance architecture c. Neo-classical architecture d. Gothic architecture e. Chinese architecture f. Spanish colonial architecture g. Philippine architecture 17. Identification of sources of architectural history a. Architectural dictionaries (see required reading) b. Special libraries c. Archives d. Individuals living in the community (elders, architects, planners, developers) 18. Identification of the various methods of study for inventories a. Photography b. Video recording c. Archival research d. Interviews with locals e. Documentation 19. Description of vernacular architecture a. Natural boundaries b. Physical boundaries c. House and building styles d. Roof types e. Decorative elements f. Functional elements 20. Identify the various building types and uses a. Naga specific styles b. Philippine specific styles Major Tasks/Subtasks: 1. Develop an inventory form for Naga City 2. Conduct a local inventory 3. Prepare an evaluation framework 4. Survey local structures and identify types of Philippines vernacular architecture and prepare a presentation 5. Prepare a building report on the local influences in Naga City architecture 6. Conduct a site visit to several communities and note the use of areas around the buildings Evaluation: Individual Project: 30% Participation: 10% Written Tests: 20% Group Project: 40% Lead Institution(s): Ateneo de Naga University and the University of British Columbia, School of Community and Regional Planning (SCARP)

Development History: Adapted from Robert Buckle, MDes Planning, Principle of Heritage Collaborative Inc.

APPENDIX C: PROCESS DEVELOPMENT C-1: Seven-Step Model – Development of a Research Question

Appendix C-1

Naga City Participatory Planning Studio Course: A Seven-Step Process to Develop a Research Question N–1 Step 1: The Task To develop a research question based on the improvement of the Youth Development programs in the city of Naga, the Philippines. The Participants: Daniel Gerson, Diana Leung, Paola Cassaigne, Charlotte Humphries, and Megan Faulkner When: May 16 - June 8, 2007 Where: Naga City, Philippines Step 2: Goals • • •

•

To create a question and a subsequent plan that is accomplishable within the time frame of the Participatory Planning Studio Course (May 16 - June 8, 2007) To create a question and a plan that are both beneficial to the youth of Naga City and the general Naga City community To create both a question and a plan that are sensitive to the specific context of Naga (both geographically, culturally, politically, and economically) and that are straight forward and easy to understand and change to better fit with future issues and concerns To create something that will effectively address the issues that Naga is currently facing with regards to youth and to recommend sustainable ideas that will be easy to implement and easy to maintain

Step 3: Facts Strengths • • • • •

• •

The participants all have experience working with youth in different contexts The participants are passionate about the subject of youth development The participants have access to the youth of Naga and to the entire city planning staff of the city The participants have access to international case studies and lessons that will inform them of what has worked and what has not worked in the past The participants have access to the knowledge and research of the other groups participating in the Naga studio course and as a result have access to other recommendations being made that might impact youth in Naga - either directly or indirectly The participants have access to all the information and research conducted by the city of Naga The youth community of Naga, the city staff of Naga, and the general population of Naga are willing to help and participate in any way possible

Weaknesses •

There is not a lot of money to spend on youth issues - budget is a major weakness

• • • • • •

The participants have no access to money or funds - impossible to implement or begin any of the recommendations There is a significant lack of data (statistics) There is a lack of knowledge of what activities street youth participate in and why and how they arrived in their current state There is a lack of knowledge of all the youth related programs offered and existing in Naga The issues affecting youth in Naga are so deep and so rooted in other issues (poverty, education, agriculture, economics, politics, transportation) that it is difficult to suggest recommendations that span only one issue The problems associated with youth development are costly and complicated and require the attention of local, national, and international resources and organizations

Opportunities • • • • • • • • •

The youth are readily available to the participants for consultation and support The CYO youths are just finishing their program, and as a result we have the opportunity to ask them to evaluate the program People are willing to help us Naga is a rare example of an excellent local government that is concerned with youth issues and is willing to do everything to improve the lives of its people The professor of the course is from the Philippines and is able to offer information, insight, and support that we might otherwise not have access to We have the opportunity to interview and talk to as many people as possible in the time we have We have the opportunity to live in the community we are studying Many people in the community speak excellent English, allowing us to understand each other We have received a lot of help and advice from people who have excellent ideas on what can be done to improve the Naga situation, and as a result we have the opportunity to take the advice we have received and turn it into something tangible

Threats • • • • •

Our objectives might not align with the people or government of Naga We are under significant time constraints We risk burning out and suffering from a loss of energy and/or motivation As outsiders, we do not have access to the cultural idiosyncrasies that operate quietly in the culture of the people of the Philippines We also do not have access to the complete history or truth behind something because people want to give us the best possible impression of the city, as a result we do not always see the entire picture as it exists in reality

Step 7: Decide The following research question was decided upon by the process detailed above and the analysis of the possible options: Research question: “How can Naga city officials foster the engagement and empowerment of all youth to achieve the following objectives: a. Institutional and greater community objectives: - To open opportunities for youth participation. - To build capacity among youth organizations - To create social and community capital b. Youth organizations’ objectives: - To strengthen linkages among youth organizations, and among these and the government. - To increase accessibility - To foster sustainability, robustness and continuity over time within and between groups. - To diversify youth-development programs Plan: 1st stage: To facilitate a participatory assessment on the current youth program. 2nd stage: To research on good practices on youth participation in good governance and youth development programs; as well as issues of youth in Naga. 3rd stage: To explore ideas and create new possibilities on how to foster the engagement and empowerment of all youth through a knowledge sharing participatory process. Data requirements: 1. Demographics of youth in Naga, desegregated by gender: education, poverty, labor market participation, etc. 2. Information about formal and informal current youth organizations: programs, activities, characteristics and amount of participants, outreach strategies, etc. 3. CYO’s mission, vision, constitution, programs, activities, characteristics and amount of participants, outreach strategies, etc.

APPENDIX D: INTERVIEWS D-1: City Youth Officials (CYO) D-2: Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) D-3: Youth of the Pacol Urban Poor Community D-4: SK Chairperson D-5: CYO Individual Member D-6: Kalipi D-7: Brother of the Missionaries for the Poor in Barangay Cararayan.

Appendix D-1 Interview: City Youth Officials (CYO) •

The CYO is a program aimed at advancing the citizenship and the governmental knowledge and appreciation of the youth of Naga City

Structure: • Every city official in the Naga City government has a youth counterpart in the CYO • What the city officials do, the CYO members also do • The CYO are trusted in all city matters and information • The CYO are prohibited from participating on monetary projects and from handling city funds • The CYO assist their respective counterparts when the city officials are busy • The aim of the CYO program is to help youth of Naga to understand how the government works, as a result, the CYO are required to spend one month working in City Hall alongside their counterparts, Monday-Friday, 8 am to 5 pm • The members of the CYO meet weekly for the forty-five days of the program (April 15May31) on Thursdays from 2-4 pm • 30 of the 45 days the CYO spend working in City Hall with the city officials, and the final 15 days are spent in the field organizing and running projects and programs • The programs carried out by the CYO are solely ideas of the CYO members. The CYO’s then all vote on the most preferred project ideas (this year there were 7 serious program recommendations and the CYO had to narrow that down to only 4) Selection Process: • Before youth can take the CYO entrance exam (which is comprised mainly of questions about Naga, about government, and about Philippine history) they must first meet a variety of criteria: youth cannot be working, youth cannot be former CYO members, youth must be between the ages of , must be Naga city residents for at least six months or longer, youth must present a water/electricity/rent bill to prove their residency status • This year there were 263 applicants, once the exams had been written, the top 46 youth were chosen • Those 46 youth were then interviewed and the top youth in the interview process became the Youth Mayor, the second place youth became the Vice-Mayor, etc. • Once the youth are accepted as CYO members they are put through a 2-day orientation Programs: • This year the CYO organized and facilitated four programs: The Brigada Basa (reading brigade – encouraging students to read), the Pauruagan (a sing and dance competition), the Brigada Naga (the cleanup of Naga city streets), the Trade Fair, the Battle of the Bands, and the Blood Drive Goals: • The CYO aims to encourage youth to become involved in government • The city government encourages the CYO to see what the government and city officials cannot see because they are too busy or to focused on specifics • The CYO are encouraged to fight for programs and advancements that are beneficial to youth in Naga • The program is meant to focus on the engagement and empowerment of Naga city youth Problems: • Lack of funds: $50, 000 (excluding honorariums, which totaled to $231, 000 this year)

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• •

Youth participating in the 2007 CYO program were not adequately exposed to what their counterparts in the government actually did (due to the elections – city officials were busy with campaigns), CYO’s lacked guidance and support and as a result were operating on their own for the 45 days of their term Youth in Naga are seen by the general public as being unproductive, lazy, and uninterested in politics or city issues Lack of CYO program promotion – youth are uninformed about opportunities like CYO because of a lack of promotion and youth outreach

Opportunities for Change: • Change the program from 30 days in office and 15 in the field to 15 in the office and 30 in the field so the youth have more of a chance to organize effective programs • Promotion of the program on radio and print medias – perhaps a radio show run by current CYO members promoting it to other youth • Three year graduated system where first year CYO’s work in the offices for 15 days and upon beginning the 30 days in the field are joined by second and third year CYO’s who will be able to provide support, advice, and networking connections between the CYO and other youth organizations – this way, sustainable linkages would be formed between different youth groups in Naga

Appendix D-2 Interview with the SK SK: Sangguniang Kabataan - created under local govt code - highest budget in city 650,000php/year SK types - barangay: 1 chairperson, 7 councilors - federation: assembly of chairpersons (27 in Naga) SK membership - Born fil - 15-17, however law being amended to change to 18-24 - At least 6 months residing in city - Read and write o Sir Allen believes members should have leadership skills as well SK Programs - Outreach to barangay - Green Brigade: youth involved in environmental protection - Livelihood training program: for out of school youth and students o Food preservation - Sport activity program General assembly - youth 13-30 KK Assembly - powerful assembly of members - voters of SK o Ability to vote and reassess SK and recall councilors o Makes recommendations on the budget - Membership approx 350, usually there is 75% attendance - Parents often participate in meetings - No strict rules regarding data gathering at assembly Challenges etc. of SK system - Budget o The LGC provides lump sum to Barangay o If projects of SK not aligned with goals of barangay – no money - Currently Sir Allen lobbying for SK fiscal autonomy in Congress o “Congress not ready for youth development” Sir Allen - Currently, no mandated training period for incoming SK officials o Steep learning curve Naga City currently preparing for abolishment of SK - NCCYA

Appendix D-3 Youth of the Pacol Urban Poor Community Participants: 4 Ages: 16, 16, 17, 20 Opportunities • Collaboration and communication between youth organizations (including community organizations), governmental organizations and youth. o Linkages between S.K. and church o Linkages between S.K. and, for example, senior citizens o Communication between organizations and youth • Spiritual guidance (from and between youth, community, church, parents etc) • Youth in Pacol listen to the radio (FM stations) • Spiritual guidance o Youth, teachers, friends, parents, • Prayers • Inspiration • Always being positive and optimistic • Advice from and for parents, S.K. youth • Unity Challenges • Education o Availability of scholarships to students o Out of school youth ƒ Lack of parental guidance ƒ Lack of financial assistance ƒ Poverty ƒ Shortage of food ƒ Bad influences ƒ Violence • Lack of parental guidance • Lack of financial assistance • Poverty • Shortage of food • Bad influences • Violence • Media o Violence and pornography • Corruption in the government • Abortions • Gambling • Knowledge of time and date of S.K. assembly • Prostitution Quotes from the Dream Session: “All we hear is the whisper of the wind and the sound of the animals” “We are united, we love each other” “I hope that what I see today, is real”

Appendix D-4 SK Chairperson Interview • •

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•

• • • • • •

Entered the program at 16 • Five years later as an ex-former member of the SK, became the chairperson for the barangay In each Barangay there is one chairperson and seven councilors. Each counselor is responsible for a different sector of the SK program: education, environment, peace and order, infrastructure, health and sanitation, and family and children (missing one). In barangay* (names have been changed), 4 men and 4 women make up the council The programs that are organized and run by the SK are decided upon through discussions in Barangay committee meetings, though sports programs and sports development have been the most popular programs o Indoor (chess, scrabble) and outdoor (basketball) activities The SK give priority (special consideration?) to the out of school youth in Naga. This is done through the zones in each barangay – for example, the barangay is split into 6 zones, each zone has a zone leader, these leaders and other SK members talk with out of school youth to assess what their primary needs are The SK receive 10% of each barangay funds every year There is a large problem among out of school youth with drug abuse – this is common in all barangay There is a problem of out of school youth in general dropping out of school or being unable to finish school because of poverty, most look for employment Youth over the age of 18 in Naga spend free time going to disco houses, shopping, chatting, and watching tv Underage youth spend time watching tv, playing basketball, participating in religious organizations (singing in the choir etc) The church sponsors a lot of events and activities for youth in Naga (the Miss Mayflower fiesta for example)

Appendix D-5 CYO Interview – with one current female member of the CYO • •

• • • • • •

Poverty is one of the biggest problems in Naga The public school system does not work – it does not have enough teachers for the number of students and as a result students are only receiving, literally, half the education of private school students (teachers have to split classes into 2 groups in order to make them manageable and half the students attend class in the morning while the other half attend in the afternoon) Out of school youth are youth who cannot afford to be in school either because their parents need them to work and earn money and/or because their parents cannot afford the educational materials that accompany a grade school education Out of school youth spend time looking for jobs, helping their parents, begging, selling secondhand or garbage items, and sometimes must resort to stealing to earn money There is a large problem in Naga with parents who spend money gambling and drinking, as a result there are a lot of youth who lack time and attention from their parents The majority of thieves in Naga are youth – they do use weapons There are street gangs in Naga that patrol the street, the gangs are made up of boys and girls and are referred to as BI (bad influences) Naga is seen as having two different categories of organizations: 1) the organized, political organizations like the SK and the CYO and 2) street gangs made up of drug addicts and criminals

Appendix D-6 Interview with Kalipi – The Young Liberals Kalipi in attendance: 6 members Kalipi: The Kabataang Liberal ng Pilipinas - Kalipi formed in 1997 - Accredited in Naga City People’s Council NCPC o Represent the youth sector in NCPC ƒ 20 youth organizations represented in youth sector o Kalipi coordinates with other sectors within the NCPC - Youth representative in Naga City Council for Women Programs and activities - Trainings o Political management o Leadership o Career guidance o Technical and vocational skills - Poll watching - Training ground for future leaders - Activities are tied in with Sk and barangay officials Membership with Kalipi - 15-35 filipino - Orientation - Monthly meetings and national and regional assembly every 3 and 2 years, respectively - Most members are former SK members, or youth leaders from other organizations (student govt, sk barangay, church, 4h club, frats/sororities) Principles and ideology - free/social market economy - pluralism - democracy Main concerns of youth 1. Education – quality. The problem is poverty and out of school youth 2. Employment – working in one’s area of education. Underemployment. Working abroad. NCYA and NCYDC - NCYA is currently inactive, since the change in leadership of chairperson of the federation of SK. - Kalipi, in collaboration with City, is currently drafting the code for Naga City Youth Development Council o Goals include ƒ Spread benefits youth can receive from government agencies ƒ Access to health and education Youth Coordination – current status - Inquiring youth are directed to NCPC and the NCPC contacts Kalipi. Challenges to youth development - youth togetherness - budget. Kalipi currently receives special funds from NCPC to carry out programs, otherwise not funded

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Communication between groups and between City and groups

Appendix D-7 Interview with a Brother of the Missionaries for the Poor in Barangay Cararayan. Cararayan is the poorest Barangay in Naga – aprox 600 families. Mission houses 120 people – mostly disabled, abandoned, most needy of the poor Also does outreach work in the community They take care of those housed with them permanently – supply everything including food. When asked about situation for 15 year olds, and youth in the barangay: • Most study high school, sometimes one child doesn’t study so that the others can. • After high school, no studying – some go to other family members to work. • Boys seldom work “just waste time all day” • Girls are more dedicated to finding work – often travel to manila to look for jobs. • More responsible than boys • Boys depend more on stuff from parents, waiting for something to happen. Eventually something happens… they find some kind of work through family… • Girls are more entrepreneurial • Boys get into smoking, alcohol, drugs, theft… (But little problem with drugs in Naga) • Violence is very rare • Problems start early in life – don’t have high expectations of self – growing up in environments of under-achievers Not much resentment towards the higher social classes. Programs that help: City w rotary club: Electrician training program – many participated, some got jobs from it Need more training programs like this. Other programs through the rotary club and barangay captain, Broken families and low church attendance = problem Some handicraft programs help women, others become nuns. SK program might not be so strong here (brother didn’t know about it’s presence) Barangay captain (tried to visit the captain was not there) Youth are not so politically engaged

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