The Central American Service Corps (CASC) – Jóvenes con Propósito initiative is a youth volunteer service initiative implemented by Glasswing International, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and with a wide range of local, national and international stakeholders. Jóvenes con Propósito was developed based on the experience of the Youth Impact Leaders project, an initiative funded exclusively by The Howard G. Buffett Foundation. The model has been adapted further for scale, in collaboration with diverse stakeholders, and USAID-funded research and resources. The vision of the initiative is to create a legacy of social impact for and with youth through a collaborative approach.
Youth participants embark on a comprehensive year-long journey, beginning with academic, technical, and soft skills training. They then complete a six-month community service internship. Their experience concludes with robust support aimed at facilitating their continuing education, connection to employment and entrepreneurial opportunities, and civic engagement over time. Participants receive stipends and other financial assistance to ensure accessibility, alleviate barriers to entry, and offset the opportunity costs associated with program participation.
Participant’s profile
The Central American Service Corps (CASC) – Jóvenes con Propósito initiative aims to engage 25,000 participants over five years, ensuring inclusivity by reaching out to youth with diverse backgrounds.
The initiative targets a specific demographic group: young people aged 15-29, in and out of school, who are in vulnerable circumstances and at increased risk of irregular migration due to a variety of factors:
- Limited economic opportunities
- Inadequate access to quality education, exacerbated by inequalities
- Social violence, including gender-based and gang-related violence
- Previous experiences of migration, either at the personal or family level
Expected outcomes
The vision of the initiative is to create a legacy of social impact for and with youth through a collaborative approach. The initiative provides a platform to actively invest in young people, enabling them to meaningfully engage in community service and pursue opportunities for personal and professional growth in education, employment and civic engagement.
The Central American Service Corps (CASC) – Jóvenes con Propósito initiative has four key outcomes:
Improved lives of young people in Guatemala through their participation in the service corps
Improved business model and implementation plan through a robust learning agenda
Sustainability structures and processes, including governance, management and funding, in place for local and/or national ownership
Increased community capacity to support the service corps and further strengthen it
For more information
please contact [email protected]
