US, Philippines boost youth volunteerism in Subic workshop

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Subic, Zambales – The United States Peace Corps and the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) have joined forces once again to strengthen youth volunteerism across the Philippines.

From August 19 to 21, the two organizations hosted the second “Youth Volunteerism Workshop” in Subic, Zambales, bringing together over a hundred Peace Corps Volunteers and Filipino youth leaders to advance community development efforts.

Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), this year’s workshop provided training to 41 Peace Corps Volunteers, 82 Filipino volunteers, and various youth leaders.

The participants engaged in sessions focused on volunteerism strategies, including recruitment techniques, building and managing connections, and developing effective volunteerism frameworks.

The workshop also emphasized creating actionable plans and sharing best practices for networking and collaboration.

The workshop adopted a “train the trainers” model, with a goal to extend its reach to 10,000 youth across the country.

“I am excited to see how this year’s participants will replicate and scale up the success of their facilitators, reaching more youth, especially those who are currently out of school or at risk of dropping out,” said USAID Philippines Deputy Education Director Yvette Malcioln during her opening remarks.

Post-training, participants are expected to lead peer education initiatives in their communities, focusing on crucial themes such as youth mental health, HIV/AIDS prevention, and adolescent sexual reproductive health.

Additional topics include life skills, environmental and climate change awareness, academic tutorials, and other subjects tailored to the specific needs of their communities.

PNVSCA Executive Director Donald James Gawe encouraged the participants to maintain their commitment to volunteerism as they return to their communities. “I encourage participants to continue to carry the torch of volunteerism high, nurturing the flame of compassion and dedication as they return to their communities,” Gawe stated.

Building on the success of last year’s workshop, which trained 12 Peace Corps Volunteers and their Filipino counterparts and reached 5,000 youth in 14 municipalities, this year’s initiative is expected to make an even broader impact.

To date, more than 300 individuals have been trained under the Youth Volunteerism Project, part of Peace Corps Philippines’ broader Host Country Volunteerism program, which is supported by PNVSCA to institutionalize volunteerism across the Philippines.