SERES

LOCATION: Central America

SUMMARY: To address the root causes of high levels of youth migration from Central America to the United States by unleashing local youth leadership to build power, expand and deepen democracy, increase community voice, strengthen climate resilience and create new, more inclusive and equitable economies in Central America’s Northern Triangle.

PROBLEM SPACE: “The world’s most vulnerable regions and poorest communities such as in Central America sit on the frontlines of increasing planet vulnerability, growing strain on economic, political and social systems and unprecedented deterioration in air, water and land quality. Within Central America, the countries of the Northern Triangle Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras äóñ are amongst the most vulnerable. Plagued by overwhelming social, environmental and economic issues, increased pressure from climate change places stability, peace and prosperity at great risk.
With over 65% of the population under 30 years of age, the future is bleak for the next generation. More than one million of these youth are neither in school, nor employed. For them, contemplating a future at home is contemplating a future without hope.
Investing in youth opportunity while simultaneously finding creative ways to address the sustainability crisis is essential to providing youth with a reason not to migrate. If action is not taken to address the root cause of migration while simultaneously building climate resilience, the United States and Central America äóñ this unique region of interwoven lives, economies, food sheds and cultures äóñ could end up facing a tragic humanitarian crisis in the years to come.”

SOLUTION: “SERES seeks to address the root causes of youth migration from the Northern Triangle to the United States by unleashing local youth leadership to build power, expand and deepen democracy, increase community voice, strengthen climate resilience and create new, more inclusive and equitable economies.

Whereas many see the Northern Triangle youth bulge as a problem, we see it as an opportunity. By providing young people with training and building a youth network, SERES simultaneously galvanizes the potential of the youth bulge while creating new activated leaders and entrepreneurs. Combining transformative leadership with sustainability education and capacity building, the programs inspire and equip individuals to take action, increase their capacity, confidence and impact as young change agents, and strengthens the pathway for youth to achieve these ambitious goals and forge ahead within a supportive network of emerging leaders in the Northern Triangle.

The programs consist of a series of multi-day modules, using a funnel model that channels participants to further training and leadership development opportunities. Entry-level provides easy access to participants, and more commitment and participation is required as they move deeper into the funnel. Youth from the Activator level onward provide mentoring and facilitation at the lower levels, helping to provide both horizontal and vertical support for youth within the network and strengthen the youth-led initiatives.

+ Leader: 3-day non-residential. Topics include: contextual understanding of social/environmental/economic framework, community visioning, collaboration and shared leadership, goal setting, project planning
+ Change Maker: 5-day residential. Topics include: leadership development, life skills, peer-to-peer networking and exchange, personal discovery
+ Activator: 7-day residential. Topics include: facilitation, communication, strategic questioning, appreciative leadership, critical thinking, mentoring
+ Ambassador: 5-day residential. Topics include: community organizing, systems transformation, effective leadership, embodied leadership, knowledge brokering, social capital
+ Entrepreneur: 5-day residential. Topics include: technical capacity building, social innovation, entrepreneurship and project management, deep ecology.”

CONTACT: [email protected]