Reflections on the Women Deliver Young Leaders Program

Author: Luciana Grosu

This is my short update following my first six months as a Women Deliver Young Leader. More than ever, the experience strengthened my conviction that changing the world is first and foremost a result of coordinated and long-term team work.

Being part of the Women Deliver Young Leaders Program (YLP) was so far a challenging but rewarding experience. The program brings together virtually (and this year, also face-to-face) young professionals from different countries and backgrounds who share a common vision on S&RH rights and women empowerment. The young leaders themselves are extremely diverse and they bring different and fresh visions, especially when it comes to participants from less developed countries. These participants actually struggle daily to update not just their inboxes, but also their countries’ policies and backward mentalities.

The network is indeed strong and it is true that you gain as much as you invest into the program. The virtual part of the program offers a bit of everything that can be achieved through technology: distance learning, independent study themes, personal reflection space, online dialogue and a continuous flow of work & travel opportunities. One’s progress is only limited by one’s availability in terms of time and energy.

The program is first and foremost a learning experience. The e-course itself was interesting and demanding, at times time-consuming, but always packed with useful information. The new notions related to project cycle and project management were definitely very useful and the successful grant application tips were absolutely practical and applied to the reality of nonprofit work. Probably the most difficult part of the course was completing the assignments related to submitting a project proposal, including a complete budget plan and a Monitoring & Evaluation strategy.

I personally enjoyed the weekly questions and discussion themes. It is very important to learn more about the challenges that young people face in different countries. Some rights such as gender equality and access to CSE seem to be always threatened, no matter the economical or cultural context. Some groups, such as disabled persons and/or those living in rural areas seem to be always marginalized, no matter the country they live in. These are important lessons to learn and remember before going back to those complicated, but absolutely necessary, grant applications.

Overall, I enjoyed my participation into the program and I look forward with much enthusiasm to attend the Women Deliver 2016 Conference as a YouAct delegate!