Youth Leadership Training

Argentina

The United Council of Christian Education (CUEC), a partner organization to Global Ministries in Argentina, was established over 50 years ago and was one of the first ecumenical organizations shared by several Argentinian denominations including the Disciples of Christ Church, the  Evangelical Methodist Church the Waldensian River Plate Church, The Church of God Association, and others.   The goal of CUEC is to create opportunities for communication and inter-religious dialogue.  CUEC has identified conducting workshops, seminars, and meetings as a special focus.

One way that CUEC works toward achieving its goals is through organizing workshops such as “A culture of Peace” experience led with young people in the marginalized areas of Greater Buenos Aires.  Emphasis was placed on overcoming violence and promoting changes in attitudes to help alleviate youth crime and the experience was evaluated as bringing change in the lives of its participants.   CUEC has put a great deal of effort and commitment since 2006 in cooperation with other organizations to encourage this kind of training and to developing potential for youth.

CUEC workshops have a direct impact in helping youth:

• To revalue their living areas from their own experiences.
• To highlight the importance of having a safe area for training and participative discussions about human rights.
• To determine how to become a leader of transformation through Jesus Christ.

CUEC would like to expand their capacity to offer such workshops.  Special gifts from Global Ministries will allow them to contract additional trainers.  They find that a three-person team to staff such experiences is more effective than one trainer.  Cooperation with member denominations and other ecumenical partners has been valuable, especially the identification and commitment to participate of new trainers. 

Workshop progress reports are provided by the participants taking into account the characteristics of the group, the contents to be developed, and methodologies to be applied.  In response to these reports, CUEC makes the necessary modifications and adjustments to achieve the objectives. The impact of the workshops in different areas (neighborhood, school, family, church, etc.) is also measured.  According to interviews conducted in each place it is possible to see changes in personal attitudes in a number of young people involved as well as in the program.  These reports are very beneficial and contribute new data and resources for each workshop with full participation of youth and young adult participants and leaders.