YouthBank International News

<div class="page old_photo"> <article> <header style="background-image:url(/uploads/5301e5d28d958.jpg);"> <div class="box"> <div class="intro"> <h1>15 Years of Developing YouthBanks and still Going Strong!</h1> By Michael Alberg-Seberich, Managing Partner, Active Forum for Philanthropy </div> </div> </header> <div class="main"> <div class="container"> In the study 'Who, What, Why, Where and How? Youth Councils in Foundations' Active Philanthropy researched youth-led organizations and initiatives led by young people. These are the conclusions. <h2>Youth-initiated and youth-led organizations</h2>Participating in a philanthropy education program or initiating a project sometimes leads young people to establish and run a charitable organization on their own. This is true of YouthBanks. They are largely run as independent organizations led by young people aged 14–25 who decide which of a range of projects initiated by young people to fund and run. Local YouthBanks operate as autonomous entities, although adults provide advice, training and support where necessary.YouthBanks are often located alongside youth organizations or community foundations, which may also provide funding. Private family foundations are another source of funds.YouthBanks first appeared in the UK in 1999. There are now more than 200 YouthBanks worldwide; they exist in the UK, Germany, Bosnia, South Africa, and in many East European countries. Since introducing the YouthBank model to Armenia in 2007, the Eurasia Foundation (EF) has worked to support the idea across the Caucasus, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. With support from the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Eurasia Partnership Foundation expanded the initiative in five areas, in Armenia, Georgia, Abkhazia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.In South Africa,new YouthBanks are emerging in the Western Cape with the Community Development Foundation Western Cape and West Coast Community Foundation.Other developments have taken place in 2013 in Mozambique, Sudan and Egypt. The CS Mott Foundation, together with a number of partners, has made a donation of $200,000 over two years to the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland (CFNI) to assist with the global expansion of the YouthBank model.Another European example of youth-led organizations is the Solidarity Action Day Movement (SAME). This is a network of organizations in Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Italy, Serbia and Germany that all raise funds for social justice causes through a day of work.The young people in these organizations decide on the causes and projects the funds are to be donated to.The full report about youth councils in foundations, compiled by Active Philanthropy (Michael Alberg-Seberich, Sarah Fehrmann & Gabriele Störmann) can be found via <a href="http://www.children.de/fileadmin/user_upload/JH__Download-Bereich/Report_Youth_Councils_Foundation_2013_final.pdf">www.children.de/fileadmin/user_upload/JH__Downloa...</a> For further information please contact: Forum for Active Philanthropy - inform, inspire, impact gGmbH Monbijouplatz 2 D-10178 Berlin Tel: (0)30-2408824-23 Web: <a href="http://www.activephilanthropy.org/" style="font-family: Helvetica;">www.activephilanthropy.org</a> </div> </div> </article> </div>

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Issue 2