Launching SKYE Clubs in Georgia

From November 7 through November 12, 6-day long Leaders Training was held in Tbilisi, Georgia under the SKYE project (The Skills and Knowledge for Youth Economic Empowerment) organized by WVG FinD program in partnership with New Horizons Foundation (NHF) with financial support of MEER FinD Integrated Program. The SKYE project’s main goal is to support disadvantaged youth develop the skills, behaviors and attitudes necessary to obtain sustainable livelihoods and participate constructively in their communities.

The SKYE Club model is a youth-focused economic development model that has been co-developed by WV and NHF to address youth’s needs. Within the program, SKYE Club participants will meet each other on a weekly basis. These groups will typically be made up of approximately 10-25 youth (age 18-26). At meetings, SKYE Clubs will work together to identify community problems and market opportunities, and then will plan and implement community service-learning and social entrepreneurship-learning projects in response. Youth will undertake three to four projects each year, and each project will be increasingly complex, delving deeper into community issues.

Implementation of the pilot program started in partnership with the International Charitable Foundation of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Illia II. The first orientation training was held in the office of Foundation for World Vision staff, partners and potential project coordinators on September 12-15.  As a result SKYE club leaders were recruited after which Leaders’ training was conducted. Among the trainers were foreign specialists from New Horizons Foundation and World Vision Armenia. The training was successful and resourceful for the 16 participants. They developed new connections, gained a sense of self-confidence and empowerment and left the seminars with a good understanding of how to facilitate non-formal education activities in their clubs. Upon completion of the training young boys and girls will take up on the leadership roles of the newly opened clubs. Total 4 clubs will be launched by the International Foundation of the Chatholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Illia II, 3 of which will be operating in Tbilisi and 1 in Gurjaani, where the local Orthodox Church will provide space for the club members’ meetings, will mobilize youth and raise awareness of the initiative.

Please follow the link for Leaders Training’s coverage by Media Channel Ertsulovneba. The video includes the interviews with the manager of the International Foundation of the Chatholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Illia II and the participant of the training.