Young leaders meet in Thailand

16 January 2008

A group of 36 young leaders from YMCAs around the world, including England, Wales, Argentina, Gambia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Myanmar, Norway, Peru, Uruguay, USA and Vietnam, will join young leaders from Thailand later this week for the World Alliance of YMCA's first Transformational Youth Leadership Development Programme.

A cutting-edge global youth work programme, this Challenge 21 in Action leadership development programme is being run in partnership with Y Care International from 18-28 January in Thailand.

The programme will bring together young leaders from 26 countries to enhance their capacity and take back new leadership skills to their home countries. Participants will visit Chiang Mai YMCA and gain hands on experience working on the YMCA’s projects, covering the issues of HIV/AIDs, human trafficking, fair-trade and womens’ empowerment. Workshops will enable the young leaders to explore these issues and gain an understanding of social realities in Thailand, as well as the global perspectives of these issues.

Co-led by Y Care International’s Senior Global Youth Work Coordinator, Stuart Wroe and North East England Global Youth Work Coordinator, Sue Wrigg with a leadership team of six, Challenge 21 in Action aims to develop young leaders who will build global alliances and act as agents of change both in their communities and as part of the wider YMCA movement.

For more information about Y Care International’s global youth work programmes, email