Asia-Pacific Regional Youth Leadership Training Course 2022: Cultivating Changemakers
“The Youth Leadership Training Course is not just an ‘event’, it’s a capacity-building endeavour, a process of self-growth and personal development.”
The Asia-Pacific Regional Youth Leadership Training was conducted from 19-23 July 2022, hosted by the National Scout Organisation of Thailand. The inaugural training supported by the Eric Frank Trust, Messenger of Peace and the Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Foundation was held in the newly refurbished Vajiravudh National Scout Camp in Chon Buri Province.
The training was executed by the planning team which consist of the then Regional Youth Representatives 2018-2022, staff of the Asia-Pacific Regional Support Centre and the appointed WOSM Consultants to the YLTC. It gathers 35 participants from 20 National Scout Organisations with an objective to enable young people to be more effective in their leadership roles and build high performing teams at all levels in Scouting, as well as in their wider communities.
The opening ceremony was officiated by Dr. Somjai Wuset-Taksin, Assistant Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education of Thailand. In his message, Dr. Somjai challenged young people to build bridges in their societies to cultivate the planet on a path towards peace and sustainability. The director of the YLTC, Lim Wei Yung, in his speech recognised the participation and contribution of all Scouts involved in making the YLTC a reality.
The YLTC includes more than 25 input sessions such as emotional intelligence, conflict management and ethical decision making, among others. Discussions focused on timely and relevant issues for the young people. The Scouts were oriented with the basic framework about the said programmes and were taught of the various opportunities that they could do to contribute in creating a better world.
One of the most important features during the YLTC was the pechakucha presentation that gave participants new perspectives coming from different NSOs. Participants in groups presented potential MOP projects that talk about the problems faced in their communities. Projects expanded from mangrove plantation, fast fashion industry, and mental health, among others.
Apart from that, the training also included an educational tour to the Pattaya City 11 Secondary School, Sukhawadee House and a cultural show performance in the heart of Pattaya. Thailand has so much to offer in terms of cultural diversity.
The YLTC was a big leap for the youth of the Asia Pacific Region as they move towards enhancing its youth programme by way of engaging, empowering and involving more young people.
After a hiatus of face-to-face gathering, it is important to reconnect the Scouts under one roof. More than the aims of the course, it was the leadership anchored with friendship and good network connection that further strengthened the young people of the Asia-Pacific Region. Truly, at this post-COVID times, we should no longer live in fear, we should instead live in faith.
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Contributed by Muhammad Naufal Bin Othman and Dianne Eden I. Villasis