Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS - Groups - Action Tools

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From:	"Ian M. S. Royer" [ profile ]
Subject:	Deadline Extended for Nominations for the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS – National Focal Points
Sent:	Jun 27th, 2012 - 18:55:08

	Hello Youth Leader! Further to the subject matter I wish firstly to advise that I have been elected the Regional Focal Point for GYCA, (details on the group attached). With a primary focus on Policy, Capacity Building and Networking to empower youth across the region and globally to participate effectively in the HIV/AIDS Response. In this position I am looking for one young man and one young woman between the Ages of 13-26 from The Caribbean to sit on the GYCA Focal Point’s team during my two year tenure. In this regard I am seeking recommendations and volunteers for young persons who are: 1) Driven to Make a Difference 2) Able to Delegate and Manage Groups 3) Forward Thinking and Innovative 4) Passionate about the HIV/AIDS Movement I believe with this mixture of talent and the intense training that GYCA can offer to them will create a working force of youth that can effect positive change.All parties interested should send a letter of intent describing their goals as an nfp (no more than 500 words), with a coverletter detailing their interest and personal goals towards the AIDS Response to gycanfpcaricom (at) imsroyer.com no later than June 30, 2012.Thank you in advance for your kind consideration in this matter, should you require any further information please feel free to contact the undersigned at ian (at) gyca.org. Reguards, Ian Royer - RFP * * About GYCA The Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA) is a program of the Public Health Institute (PHI). GYCA is a youth-led network of more than 6,500 young leaders and adult allies working on youth and HIV/AIDS in over 170 countries worldwide. Its North Secretariat is based in New York, and its South Secretariat is based in Accra, Ghana. GYCA recognizes the potential of young leaders as the best force to address HIV and AIDS in their own communities, and empowers them with the knowledge, skills, resources and opportunities they need to scale up their initiatives. Three main areas of focus guide GYCA’s work: networking and sharing of best practices; technical assistance and capacity building; and political advocacy. Our Members GYCA members are young people and adult allies from over 170 countries worldwide. Anyone can join. GYCA members are engaged on a wide range of HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights issues, from sex education to ARV treatment access to maternal health. GYCA defines young people as ages 15-30. Young people living with HIV and/or those who identify as sex workers, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users and other marginalized youth, are encouraged to join. GYCA members take action by, for example… - holding events for World AIDS Day on December 1st each year; - applying to take a free, online e-course on project management, political advocacy or resource mobilization; - applying to serve GYCA's membership as a Regional Focal Point, elected by members, to represent the network at local and international events, carry out GYCA's activities and campaigns at the national and regional levels, connect and empower members in their region; - applying to serve GYCA's membership as a National Focal Point, chosen by the Regional Focal Point, - …and much more! Our Mandate GYCA seeks to improve HIV and AIDS policies and programming geared toward young people by facilitating the inclusion of skilled young leaders in decision-making that affects our lives. For example, GYCA has coordinated the inclusion of young leaders on government delegations through which they have addressed the UN General Assembly and dialogued directly with Ministers of Health and Education. GYCA has secured prominent advocacy opportunities for powerful young leaders affected and infected with HIV, such as the opening ceremony and plenary sessions at International AIDS Conferences. GYCA also connects young people to positions in their countries from which they can affect great change, such as employment with National AIDS Control Organizations, heading NGOs and designing effective prevention and outreach programs. Areas of Focus Capacity building and technical assistance GYCA members have regular access to training opportunities, internships, jobs, volunteer positions, grants, and scholarships, allowing them to reach their highest potential as change-makers. GYCA offers free month-long e-courses in Project Management, Political Advocacy, and Grant Proposal Writing & Fundraising to help young people more effectively conduct their HIV/AIDS work on the ground. Graduates receive technical assistance from GYCA staff and local members to implement their final project plan, and are linked to local members and allies in their own countries and communities. GYCA offers international, regional, and local trainings, e-groups, and speaking and publicity opportunities at prominent international events such as the bi-annual International AIDS Conferences during which GYCA is one of the lead organizer of the YouthForce program. International public health events are crucial opportunities for training, networking, fundraising, showcasing successful work, and for advocating to high level decision-makers to take action on HIV/AIDS interventions for and with youth. GYCA provides capacity-building workshops for youth before major events to train youth participants on advocacy, media outreach, technical aspects of the AIDS epidemic, and other topics. GYCA members are frequently selected to speak on panels, plenary sessions, and to give presentations. GYCA also offers a special e-course on preparing conference abstracts and securing scholarships before major international conferences. Networking and sharing of best practices GYCA maps youth-focused HIV/AIDS initiatives and leaders through an online Global Directory. The Directory links young leaders together to collaborate for change. It is frequently used by governments, United Nations agencies, and NGOs to identify local partners, to pool resources, and to reduce the duplication of efforts. GYCA's online social networking platform, TakingITGlobal, has helped hundreds of thousands of young people to turn their ideas and ideals into collaborative action. Political advocacy GYCA provides spaces for members to work directly with their governments and the United Nations to create and influence HIV and AIDS national and international policy and programs that affect young people. GYCA works to measure progress and hold governments accountable to international declarations and national commitments to reduce HIV infections among youth, and to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health information and services including comprehensive sex education, condoms, HIV testing, and youth-friendly health clinics. * * What does GYCA offer? GYCA is a platform for youth who are participants in the global HIV response. GYCA engages and empowers young people by adapting tools that have proven successful for previous initiatives, and complements them with a youth-created and youth-led plan of action. Such practices include: w Free E-courses: In partnership with MTV Staying Alive Foundation, GYCA offers three online courses: Project Management, Political Advocacy, and Grant Writing & Fundraising. Approximately 20-30 participants are selected for each course by application, and create a final project plan or proposal by submitting weekly exercises for review by the course facilitator, participating in online discussions, and implementing the project with technical support from GYCA staff. w Local Trainings: Regional and National Focal Points frequently organize events and trainings that prioritize working with marginalized youth, especially those without internet access. Gatherings assist the mapping process for our Global Directory to connect youth HIV/AIDS initiatives together, to local NGOs, their government, and the local United Nations offices. wOpportunities to participate: GYCA assists young people to participate in regional and international events as speakers, scholarship recipients, members of national delegations, abstract presenters, and delegates. Such events are important opportunities to showcase work and network with allies and donors. GYCA has organized this in the past around international events, including the various YouthForces at international and regional AIDS conferences. w Access to resources: GYCA shares information on scholarships, training opportunities, events, campaigns, and publications with its members on a regular basis through regional listservs as well as a main listserv. As a member of GYCA you will connect with others working in your community, country, and region. w Opportunities to shape governmental policies and programs: GYCA members working in political advocacy have shaped international and national policy on HIV/AIDS by participating on government delegations and advocating at the United Nations at events such as UNGASS on HIV/AIDS, and have been successful in having our issues incorporated into the international declarations. GYCA does not seek to duplicate existing processes; rather, GYCA seeks to enhance the efficacy of these efforts by publicizing successes, connecting youth skills to initiatives in need of support and development and compiling resources to solidify the common cause. * * National FocalPoints (NFPs) The Regional Focal Points work with National Focal Points within countries in the respective regions. National Focal Points (NFPs) are the main points of contact for GYCA members at the national and community levels. NFPs organize in-person meetings for the national and community memberships and map new organizations and members for GYCA's global directory. They actively engage non-ICT connected members with the myriad of information, opportunities and training material shared on the GYCA network. This gives GYCA its grassroots reach and strength. These young leaders spearhead and initiate targeted national and community level campaigns and projects to create meaningful and measurable impact. Our Focal Point alumni are often active beyond their term of service and the Focal Point program continues to grow. GYCA Focal Points gain experience and a network that continues to support them as they go on to positions from which they can affect great change, including working with National AIDS Control Organizations, heading NGOs, and designing effective prevention and outreach programs. In 2011, we are working to scale-up our systematic regional advocacy work by further investing in our Focal Points Program. With the support of SAT, through the activities described in this proposal, we hope to improve the synergy between local, regional and international advocacy goals and strategy by increased communication between the various levels and investment at the local/national level youth leadership. We also plan to support creation of national level strategies developed and led by youth. By building the capacity of young leaders and providing a space and facilitation for the strategy development process, we will ensure that GYCA’s work continues to be relevant to those young people most affected by HIV and AIDS. https://www.facebook.com/groups/gycacaricom/doc/163007020493778/ for more details Ian M. S. Royer, (Mr.) Regional Focal Point for the Caribbean - Global Youth Coalition on hiv/AIDS 2012-2014 * * (m) 1-868-721-7292 (e) ian (at) imsroyer.com (w) www.imsroyer.com (skype) ianmsroyer * * "You have been given the gift of life. It is a fragile gift and not one you can keep forever, but it is the most important gift in all the world! Use it well!" ~ Thundercats 2011 - The Song of the Petalars My United Nations Pledge 2011-2012: "To lend my wit and my strength to the AIDS Response guiding global youth towards one goal: Zero HIV: Zero AIDS Related Deaths, Zero New Infections, Zero Stigma"

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