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| Asia-Pacific Youth Development Center | |
|---|---|
| Name | Asia-Pacific Youth Development Center |
| Formation | 1980s |
| Type | Non-governmental organization |
| Headquarters | Manila, Philippines |
| Region served | Asia-Pacific |
| Leader title | Executive Director |
Asia-Pacific Youth Development Center is a non-governmental organization focused on youth development across the Asia-Pacific region. It engages in capacity building, leadership training, policy advocacy, and community development initiatives spanning East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Oceania, and the Pacific Islands. The Center collaborates with regional institutions, multilateral agencies, and civil society to promote youth participation, skills development, and cross-cultural exchange.
The Center traces origins to grassroots networks and regional conferences in the 1980s and 1990s that convened advocates from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, United Nations Children's Fund, United Nations Development Programme, Asian Development Bank, and Commonwealth Secretariat. Early initiatives were informed by models from Salzburg Global Seminar, Asia Foundation, Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and bilateral programs led by Japan International Cooperation Agency, Australian Agency for International Development, United States Agency for International Development, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and Canadian International Development Agency. The organization established headquarters in Manila to leverage proximity to regional hubs like Bangkok, Jakarta, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong. Over time it expanded partnerships with regional bodies including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum.
The Center's stated mission aligns with frameworks set by United Nations, Sustainable Development Goals, and youth policy documents adopted at summits such as the Asia-Pacific Regional Youth Forum and the World Programme of Action for Youth. Objectives emphasize leadership development, employability, civic engagement, and cross-border exchange modeled after programs at Commonwealth Youth Programme, Asia-Europe Foundation, and ASEAN University Network. The Center cites commitments to inclusion reflected in declarations from Beijing Platform for Action, Auckland Youth Declaration, and regional accords negotiated at forums like the East Asia Summit.
Programs include leadership academies, vocational training, digital literacy workshops, entrepreneurship incubators, and exchange fellowships inspired by curricula from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation cooperative projects and open-learning initiatives linked to Open University-style consortia. Service offerings feature policy research, technical assistance for ministries such as those of Philippines, Indonesia, India, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea, and capacity-building for organizations including Asia-Pacific Adaptation Network, South Asian Youth Forum, and local NGOs. Signature initiatives have included joint projects with World Bank skills programs, pilot partnerships with Microsoft and Google for digital upskilling, and collaborative festivals akin to events run by Youth Assembly and World Youth Day-style gatherings.
Governance has combined a regional board with representatives from member states, donor foundations, and partner institutions such as Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, and philanthropic entities like Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Open Society Foundations. Leadership structures mirror nonprofit best practices seen at Red Cross national societies and regional bodies like Pacific Community. Funding sources have included multilateral grants, bilateral assistance from agencies like Japan International Cooperation Agency and Australian Agency for International Development, corporate sponsorship from firms with regional footprints such as Singapore Airlines and Axiata Group, and philanthropic endowments modeled after Ford Foundation grants.
Collaborations span intergovernmental organizations, academic institutions, and private sector partners. The Center has partnered with universities such as University of the Philippines, National University of Singapore, University of Delhi, Australian National University, and University of Auckland for research and internships. It has engaged multilateral partners including the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Asian Development Bank, World Health Organization, and International Labour Organization. Corporate initiatives have involved technology partners like Microsoft and Google and media collaborations with regional broadcasters such as Al Jazeera and NHK. Civil society alliances include networks like Asian Youth Council, Pacific Young Leaders Network, and regional chapters of Rotary International and Lion's Clubs International.
The Center reports outcomes aligned with indicators used by United Nations agencies and World Bank-backed evaluations: numbers of trainees, job placements, policy adoptions by ministries, and replication of pilot programs by regional partners. Independent evaluations have drawn on methodologies used by International Development Research Centre and Overseas Development Institute to assess effectiveness in areas such as employability, civic engagement, and social inclusion among youth populations in countries including Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. Impact narratives highlight alumni who progressed to roles in institutions like Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, national legislatures, and startup ecosystems supported by ASEAN accelerators.
Criticism has targeted reliance on donor funding and alleged alignment with priorities of major donors such as United States Agency for International Development and Japan International Cooperation Agency rather than grassroots constituencies. Scholars and activists associated with groups like Asia-Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development and Asian Human Rights Commission have questioned program sustainability and cultural appropriateness in contexts ranging from Nepal to Fiji. Other critiques reference governance transparency compared against standards promoted by Transparency International and audit practices recommended by International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The organization has periodically undertaken governance reforms and external audits in response to such critiques.
Category:Non-governmental organizations Category:Youth organizations in Asia