Youth Volunteers Network

The Youth Volunteer program was developed by PADETC  to contribute to the learning of children and adolescents in the formal schooling system by providing leadership training and experience in community service. In 2004, PADETC’s 300 young volunteers were officially recognized by the Ministry of Education and the network grew substantially. By the end of 2006, 56 groups had been formed in 13 provinces, totaling 1800 volunteers.

The Youth Volunteer program was adopted into policy of the Ministry of Education in 2009 and is now managed by the Ministry. PADETC continues to be the Ministry’s partner, trainers, and technical adviser  when needed.

Within PADETC, the Youth Development Program has become part of the Education for Sustainable Development Program. All Learning Centers and Networks are designed to be real life learning laboratories that support the Education for Sustainable Development Program. Youth Volunteers continue to be agents of change at their schools and communities. Youth Volunteers try out the new learning tools and approaches and then show others how to apply these tools. Learning successes encourage teachers and school administrators to adopt the new tools and approaches.

The “Wisdom Box” and “Design For Change” are two latest development tools being introduced to the youth volunteers for the implementation of Education for Sustainable Development.

Achievements and Impacts

2012

• Trained 40 teachers on youth activities planning.
• Trained 70 youth volunteer group leaders of volunteer groups on data collection for community development.
• Trained 32 primary school teachers on using handbooks on Indigenous Knowledge.
• Hosted the ASEAN Agriculture Network Meeting with 36 participants from 10 countries.
• Continued to implement the “Empowering Youth Volunteers and Communities through Mapping of Village Common Land”  project involving 224 youth.
• Completed one film on the village mapping process, which can be used as an example by PADETC and others.
• Undertook mapping and profiling surveys and data collection for 52 villages, and all of the villages had their own village profile written.
• Developed 38 village maps and produced comics book on their experiences.

PADETC Youth Leaders share their thoughts on volunteerism

Aor (20 years old) began volunteering with PADETC when she was in lower secondary school at 13 years old. At that time, she learned a lot about recycling and organic farming and now she uses this knowledge to teach Environment in Quality Schools. Aor was born in Khammouan Province and moved to Vientiane when she was 18 to study Politics Administration in National University of Laos.

“Volunteering has helped me to see things in new ways, for example visiting rural parts of Laos where there is no electricity, no water, no educational equipment and no uniforms for the children. This inspired me to become a volunteer.”

“The most important thing I have learned volunteering is teamwork. When I start my career, this will help me to work with many people.”