QCU launches USAID-funded Executive Course for QC Barangay and Community Leaders

Quezon City University, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Opportunity 2.0 Program through the Education Development Center (EDC) launched the Executive Course for Barangay Leaders on System Delivery Support for the Out of School Youth (QCU BLeSDS for the OSY) on November 27, 2021.

QCU BLeSDS for the OSY is a  six-month executive training program designed for barangay officials, youth leaders, community organizers including OSY ALS, and TESDA course completers to better understand the situation of the OSYs in Quezon City. 

The program launch, orientation, and first session of the executive course featured Quezon City Mayor Ma. Josefina “Joy” G. Belmonte, EDC Chief of Party to the Philippines Dr. David Hall, and QCU President Dr. Theresita V. Atienza. 

Mayor Belmonte highlighted the continuing support by the local government for the vulnerable OSYs who face significant challenges in education, livelihood, and employment that have become more prominent during the Covid-19 pandemic. The honorable Mayor also emphasized the need to provide relevant training to barangay officials to ensure the efficient delivery of government programs to the OSYs. 

“…nitong pandemya, maraming estudyante ang naapektuhan. Karamihan sa kanilang mga pamilya ay nawalan ng pagkakakitaan. Kaya may iilan rin ang pansamantalang tumigil sa pag-aaral… may iilan pa ring napilitang hindi mag-aral para tumulong sa pamilya. Ang end-goal o layunin natin bilang mga leader ng ating lungsod ay ang matulungan ang ating mga out-of-school youth (…during this pandemic, many students were affected. Most of their families lost their livelihood sources. Other temporarily stopped in studying… while other [youth] were forced to get out of school to help their families. Our end-goal or objective as leaders of our city is to help our out-of-school youth),” Mayor Belmonte said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Hall congratulated QCU for successfully shaping the project and the successful bid for the Opportunity 2.0 grant. He emphasized the pressing need to engage the private sector and higher education institutions in enabling sustainable pathways into work and into further and higher education.

“I hope this is the beginning of a long collaboration between USAID, EDC, Opportunity 2.0, and QCU,” Dr. Hall ended. 

QCU BLeSDS for the OSY aims to train local QCitizen leaders in developing and designing community programs, projects, and activities that will address the situations, problems, and concerns of OSYs in Quezon City. The first part of the program focuses on youth leadership and development covering modules on bridging leadership, positive youth development, education and training opportunities, livelihood and employment, health education and responsible parenthood, and peace, justice, law, and order. 

The second part will cover modules on planning, designing, and organizing OSY-related programs, and implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. A two-day workshop on project proposal development will be held at the end of the program. Selected output from the workshops will be implemented before being presented during a youth summit on June 2022. The online executive course started on November 27, 2021, and will end on April 30, 2022.

To receive more updates about the USAID-funded program, visit the official Facebook and Twitter pages of the QCU BLeSDS for the OSY Executive Course.