In year 2019, the structure of the Rays of Youth project has slightly changed. In origin, the two-year program entailed one year that the youth devoted to their own training and a second year in which the youth passed the knowledge onto their peers and communities. In 2019, the program will turn into one-year in total. Following the selection of the youth, they will attend a two-month intensive summer camp to be introduced and trained on social issues and life skills. Following their intensive training program, the youth will be able to design and run their own mini-projects in migrant learning centres and communities. Finally, the staff of the Rays of Youth project will facilitate the introduction of the youth graduated within the program into a local NGO for a two-month internship experience, either at Help without Frontiers or elsewhere.
In February 2019, the Rays of Youth visited migrant learning centres in and around Mae Sot in order to introduce the students to the Leadership and Music programs and encourage them to apply. In March 2019, a total of 51 youth applied for the Rays of Youth Leadership and 27 of them were selected as the fourth group since the inception of the program who will grow confidence in themselves and their own personality, learn how to stand in front of an audience and moderate public events to lead awareness raising initiatives and drive social change. Other 20 youth have been selected as the third group who will join the Music program who will learn to play keyboard, guitar, bass, and drums and later will be able to pass knowledge onto their peers in a creative way.
On 28 March 2019, about 100 people took part to the Rays of Youth Summer Camp Opening Ceremony & Agreement Meeting at Help without Frontiers office in Mae Pa, including the selected youth, their parents, as well as the teachers and headmasters of their learning centres. The aim of the meeting was to share the details and plans of the Rays of Youth programs in 2019 - 2020. After the youth, the parents, and the teachers had the chance to clarify their doubts, they all signed a program agreement in order to ensure the completion of the program. The support of headmasters/mistresses, teachers and parents is crucial for the youth as they will start an intense period of activities and trainings that they will have to combine with their education.
For the next two months, the youth will take part to the Rays of Youth Summer Camp and join many team building activities and trainings on topics such as child protection and rights, safe migration, sexual reproductive health and rights, traffic rules, and much more. The youth will also learn Thai and English languages as well as they will attend regular computer classes.
We are excited to meet the youth and be part of their pathway towards a better and brighter future!
