U.S. Peace Corps Expands Youth Leadership Training to Reach Out-of-School Youth in Tarlac

The U.S. Peace Corps recently trained more than 65 youth leaders of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) on motivating their fellow youth who stopped attending school during the pandemic to resume their studies.

The U.S. Peace Corps and DSWD decided to scale up this innovative peer-to-peer approach of reaching out-of-school youth through life and leadership skills development following its successful initial rollout to youth leaders in Nueva Ecija in November 2021.

“You are performing an incredible act of service by volunteering as peer leaders in your communities and encouraging out-of-school to return to school,” said U.S Peace Corps Country Director Jenner Edelman.

“May you take pride in being 4Ps beneficiaries, as you are contributing to nation-building through your volunteerism,” added Philippines National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) Director Donald James Gawe.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded this unique leadership training for 4Ps youth.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, U.S. Peace Corps staff, rather than American volunteers, are supporting Filipino youth and promoting national volunteerism alongside DSWD, PNVSCA, and other partners.

The U.S. Peace Corps is the U.S. government’s premier volunteer organization and has supported Filipino communities across the country for more than 60 years.  Over 9,300 American volunteers have served as co-teachers, youth development facilitators, or in other roles requested by host communities over the decades.

To date, more than 300 Peace Corps volunteers have supported youth development programs in the Philippines.