USAID/Colombia Youth Resilience Activity (YRA)

The United States Agency for International Development in Colombia (USAID/Colombia) fosters a continuum of care, support, and engagement for youth so they can live without fear of violence or retribution. The Youth Resilience Activity (YRA or the Activity) is driven by USAID/Colombia’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) goal of “Creating the conditions for a sustainable and inclusive peace in Colombia.” The activity stems from Development Objective 2, which seeks to “advance reconciliation among victims, ex-combatants and other citizens” and is built upon lessons learned from previous and ongoing USAID/Colombia programs working with youth, marginalized groups, victims of the conflict, prevention of recruitment, reconciliation, psychosocial support, peace-builders and inclusion of conflict-affected populations.

Through this activity, USAID/Colombia’s Reconciliation and Inclusion Office (RIO) seeks to support youth in high risk environments to reach their full potential, as safe, productive, healthy and engaged participants with positive enabling environments where violence is prevented and risks associated with crime are mitigated. This will entail supporting youth-centered efforts targeting Colombian and Venezuelan youth, disengaged child soldiers, and former youth offenders. Adhering to USAID’s Youth in Development Policy definition of young people, YRA’s target youth range is from ages 10 to 29, with emphasis on adolescence and emerging adulthood (ages 15-29). From a socio-ecological systems approach, YRA also targets youth’s families, community, service providers, and others impacting their development.

To achieve the above, USAID/Colombia will support YRA’s efforts to develop peaceful andprotective environments; strengthen relationships among youth, their families, communities, and local authorities; and provide alternative education and economic opportunities for youth, in particular women and girls, in high-risk environments. In doing so, USAID/Colombia will be better positioned to address the needs of violence-impacted youth and their communities, support the prevention of recidivism by disengaged child soldiers and former youth offenders, and foster greater economic and social stability for youth in Colombia.

USAID/Colombia envisions that YRA will partner with the private sector to provide sustainable, inclusive and market-driven economic opportunities, to foster employment according to Colombian and international labor regulations and promote entrepreneurship and other productive activities.