YES Network Pakistan's frontline project entitled PNYS was selected for a major presentation at the meeting. Mr. Ali Raza Khan, Founder and CEO of YES Network Pakistan was invited to serve as a resource person. The participants contributed by presenting information on their experience and their organization’s current activities on one or more of the following four selected themes. They also participated in discussions.

1. Lost Opportunities: 15 to 19 years old
2. Learning while Earning: Young people at work
3. What do young people need to know?: Priority skills
4. Making good choices: Career guidance and counselling

Ali gets selected as an “Architect of the Future” by Waldzell institute in Austria. Ali is one of 12 young individuals selected from all over the world. During the Walzell meeting 2006 in Austria, all the selected young leaders presented their projects and thoughts on the topic of change. For more information please visit www.waldzell.org

ALI SPEAKS AT GPF IN WASHINGTON, DC

At the outset, I would like to express deep gratitude to Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP), US State Department and Global Philanthropy Forum (GPF) for granting me the honor of participating in the 5th Annual Global Philanthropy Forum and conducting a study tour to help connect with other service programs/organizations for information exchange and potential synergies. It was a very productive, uplifting and mind broadening experience of participating in GPF and afterwards connecting with several service related organizations in USA. It helped me immensely in:

In the year 2003, Pakistan National Youth Service movement was launched in Pakistan with the objective of helping young people to re-brand their image in the society and to promote young people as the most promising resource available in meeting societal needs. The idea is to provide a structured opportunity to young people to show-off their talents, creative abilities and potential as well as to bring change in their communities. Within a period of three years, Pakistan National Youth Service has involved over 800 service volunteers in a wide range of community building activities in partnership with several local, national and international organizations. With the help of our service volunteers we have established over 150 female adult literacy centers, 10 skill development centers and conducted several pilot studies on youth issues.

Despite all these successes we believe it is still a long way to go to reach out to millions of young people who are waiting for someone to believe in them and to create a culture of youth service in the country. The other evidence of need is as follows:

DATE	HIGHLIGHTS
3rd April to 5th April	Participated in the Global Philanthropy Forum. Spoke at the Forum about my experience of running youth service campaign in Pakistan. Received very encouraging response from the delegates.
6th April	Had a meeting with Corporation for National and Community Service staff to exchange service programs and methodologies of implementing service related projects. In the afternoon, I had a meeting with National Association of Service and Conservation Corps (NASCC) staff. We gave each other presentations about our on-gong service programs and activities. I studied their field operations and organization.
6th April	Had a meeting with ICP staff to exchange information about service programs and also to identify areas of partnership for future. In the evening Susan Stroud hosted a wonderful dinner for me at her home which was attended by ICP staff. During the dinner we continued discussions about our programs, challenges and future plan of action for building up youth service movement in other Asian countries.
7th April	Had a meeting with USAID’S Equip3 Program staff and shared in detail about our strategies of involving and engaging youth service volunteers. The meeting was attended by several partners of EQUIP3. It was decided in the meeting that possibilities of implementing a joint project will be explored to further scale-up current service programs in Pakistan. In this regard, since my return several developments have been made in terms of how, where, when and who will be involved and approached for joint venture. In the evening I departed to Mississippi for meetings and exchange of experience with youth service volunteers working in the hurricane affected areas.
8th April	I joined Hands on Network team in Biloxi to learn about their efforts and experiences. I was very warmly welcomed by the service volunteers. I spent three hours working with the service volunteers in de-cluttering affected houses. After that I went to their coordination center where I was given briefing about their operations and management of service volunteers. It was a very enriching experience to learn about the methods and mission of the organization. It was very heartening to see the enthusiasm and spirit of the service volunteers.
9th April	I joined Disaster Americorps Team. I was given a tour by the team to its project locations. After that I was given a comprehensive presentation about the activities of the service volunteers. We exchanged various pieces of information with each other such as recruitment and management of service volunteers as well as reporting formats.
10th April	I joined Habitat for Humanity at the Yankee stadium. I enjoyed working with the service volunteers till lunch. During lunch I had the opportunity to exchange information with team leaders and supervisors about our rehabilitation efforts in the earthquake affected communities. It was very interesting to note their operations and style of working with youth service volunteers. In the evening I departed from Biloxi to Washington, DC.
11th April	Had a meeting with Heads Up organization. I was given a detail presentation about the projects and activities of Heads Up. It was interesting to learn about its model of involving educational institutions for the promotion of youth service. In the afternoon I had the pleasure of meeting with Larry Schwartz from US Department of State. I was accompanied by Susan Stroud, CEO of ICP. I shared with him briefly about my trip and experiences of implementing youth service campaign in Pakistan and the pressing need of launching new service programs for mainstreaming young people in the region for accomplishing many societal goals. Discussions were focused on the status of youth in the region and strategies to promote use of youth service in the different countries of the region. Special emphasis was put on identifying mechanisms that would increase attention and investments in youth service. The outcome of the discussion was to think up a plan to introduce, enhance capacity and strengthen current youth service programs in the region. In this regard, a paper prepared by ICP and me was submitted to Larry Schwartz. I also invited him to visit our project locations in his upcoming visit to Pakistan.
12th April	On 12th April, I visited Ashoka organization and had several meetings with the relevant staff members. Being an Ashoka fellow from Pakistan it was a lovely meeting with them. I had also the honor of meeting with Bill Drayton, Founder and Director of Ashoka to share my work and future plans. My meeting enabled me to increase my understanding of the operations of Ashoka and also to explore new areas of collaboration in the filed of youth development and involvement.

It would not be wrong to say that the inspiring discussions, field visits and excellent new ideas put forward have filled me with confidence that we will be able to make serious inroads in addressing the challenges that plague the meaningful engagement of young people for their personal development, family development and community development. This trip has helped me to develop friendly, peaceful and empathetic relationships as well as to increase mutual understanding and respect by promoting personal, professional and institutional ties between PNYS and organizations in the United States.