RAFI to launch Young Minds Academy Season 8

CEBU, Philippines - The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. - Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center (RAFI-EADSC) will launch the eighth season of its Young Minds Academy (YMA) program on February 8, Saturday, 1:30 pm, at the RAFI-EADSC Building, 35 Lopez Jaena Street, Cebu City.  The event is open to the public.

Since its inception in 2006, YMA has already trained 652 youth leaders under its 3Cs framework of building Competence, strengthening Character, and promoting active Citizenship.

"I never thought that it (YMA) would impact my life greatly. The program gave me a bigger drive to help the community because it showed to me the struggles of the community as well as what the people living in it were experiencing," said Angelo Lumapas, one of the graduates of last year's YMA Season 7.

The program runs for eight months, with learning sessions conducted during the summer, weekends and holidays.  Modules include self awareness, leadership and character building, creative and critical thinking, community and social development awareness, research, and participatory project development using experiential education, immersion, and open discourse.

As the YMA scholars become aware of the dynamics and challenges facing the community, their final output would be to develop projects addressing issues and concerns or maximizing existing assets in line with an annual theme.

Just like the 6th and 7th runs, YMA Season 8 would still have 'Urban Development' as theme for its 8th season in support of Mega Cebu.  This time, however, the program would give more emphasis on disaster risk reduction and management and climate change adaptation, in response to the recent calamities that hit Central Visayas.   

Interested applicants must form a team of five members under one of the following categories: Generation A (17-20 years old) or Generation B (12-16 years old). The list of requirements and application forms may be downloaded at www.rafi.org.ph/yma-applications. Deadline for submission of application will be on March 10, 2013.

The Young Minds Academy is one of the programs of RAFI-EADSC under the Leadership & Citizenship focus area, which aims to build future leaders and influencers in a community that is ready to effect change.  

For more information about YMA, you may contact Jenny Lea Tan at 418-7234 local 112 or e-mail at [email protected].  You can also visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph.  (FREEMAN)