Salvador Stadthagen landed in DC from Tegucigalpa to take in one of the youth sessions at the USAID Democracy & Governance Officers Workshop last week down at the Carnegie Center. After a quick pit stop by HQ’s communications office before he started his 3 day “marathon” working on youth related topics, Salvador always positive and energetic with a smile that underscores the passion that we at Creative have on issues related to youth programming.

Salvador is the Project Director for the Honduras Youth Alliance (Alianza Joven Honduras- AJH) Project. This project is a follow-on to the Alianza Joven Regional (AJR) USAID- SICA  project. AJH is strengthening and building  the sustainability of key elements of USAID/Creative’s AJR programming through grants, technical assistance and leadership for prevention of violence as well as engagement with the Government of Honduras, and other USAID CARSI implementers, donors, communities and the private sector. The project’s mission is to empower youth, communities, municipalities, and governments to confront the challenges of violence and implement the positive changes that they seek through the establishment of public-private partnerships, and the active participation of civil society.

For more Information about the session:
Session Description: This session examined the concept of youth development and the relationship between youth programming and advancing Democracy, Human Rights and Governance objectives. It opens with a briefing on the soon to be released USAID Youth in Development Policy, including an explanation of what the policy will mean for DRG officers, followed by short presentations from the field on innovative youth programming. The remainder of the session consists of an open conversation among field officers, USAID/Washington DRG staff, and several implementing partners with considerable experience working with youth on issues related to youth development, cross-sectoral collaboration and DRG youth programming. Additional resource persons, including an external youth development expert and youth experts from other USAID Bureaus and technical sectors also are participating in the discussion. Examples of questions that may be examined are included below; however, preference will be given to questions from field officers.
Presenters:
• Nicole Goldin, Senior Advisor, PPL and Chair, USAID Youth Policy Task Team
• Brioni James, Director, Democracy and Governance Office, USAID/Honduras
• Afrah Alzouba, DG Specialist, USAID/Yemen

Moderator:
• Maryanne Yerkes, Senior Civil Society Advisor, DCHA/DRG
Discussants:
• Kate Carpenter, Vice President for Public Sector Business Development, International Youth Foundation
• Anna Mecagni, Senior Program Manager, FHI360
• Bonnie Politz, Youth Development Expert
• Koebel Price, Senior Advisor of Citizen Participation programs, National Democratic Institute
• Salvador Stadthagen, Creative Associates International, Honduras Office
• Joyce Warner, Chief of Staff and Vice President for Education, IREX