In recognition of the vital role youth play in achieving development goals, UNDP RBAS launched the Youth Leadership Programme (YLP) in 2015. YLP aims to empower change-makers and support the young women and men to design and implement innovative, impactful, and sustainable development solutions, whether in the form of social enterprises, non-profits, NGOs, initiatives, or campaigns. The YLP specific objectives are to:
•Promote and support innovative thinking and leadership among youth;
•Accelerate implementation of pioneering solutions for sustainable development;
•Build networks of young men and women who are able to create change and have a positive sustainable impact in their communities, countries, and region;
•Showcase the achievements of young men and women as change-makers in their communities.
Within the framework of the YLP, UNDP Lebanon is working with the youth to accelerate the implementation of their ideas for social change, develop their leadership potential, and improve their skills in various social innovation approaches and methodologies. YLP also aims to strengthen their gender sensitive lens and skills, improve their advocacy and presentation skills, and help them become part of a dynamic network of young leaders and innovators.
In the light of the current pandemic that we suddenly found ourselves in, youth were among the most affected by this outbreak and many of them lost their jobs, stopped their education and suffered from anxiety caused by misinformation, fake news and many young people suffered from loneliness and isolation due to social distancing.
On 4 August 2020, one of the most powerful explosions has ripped through our beloved city Beirut caused by a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at Beirut port and causing more than 200 deaths, thousands of injuries, and large property damages, and leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless.
This crisis brought Lebanese people together again and thousands of the Lebanese including youth in their twenties, rushed to the streets, masks on, shoveling, sweeping, fixing damaged neighborhood, helping injured people, and feeding workers and affected people after the explosion.
Hence, many of our YLP’ers created initiatives and relief efforts to support Beirut and many volunteered with NGOs to help their people during the hardest times of this year and these efforts are always recognized and appreciated by the UNDP YLP team. Therefore, we will be working on launching a YLP Song (Youth Song) in collaboration with Manel Mallat in appreciation to all their efforts and restless activities they are doing towards building Lebanon forward.