>(Link to YCC Page)

Person-To-Institution Connection

Youth Community Center (YCC) –

In the first phase of operations YCC was basically the creation of a volunteer Nepali "Americorps" for the youth and students of the city, and institutionalization of this as an effective bridge between City Hall and the local community governments.

Each section of the city mobilized their own community-service youth club, and with the club was able to mobilize City Hall and community resources in an effective, locally-driven manner for community service activities, life- and job-skills trainings, and social activities for the youth. (Please refer to the attached documents in relation to YCC link: YCC file).

<paste photo: YCC training: Roshani training or Roshani in mandir>

This is a highly effective, locally driven project, and I am pleased to say that after 2 ½ years of Peace Corps service working specifically on this project I am no longer needed in Birgunj to help direct and implement programs: we have the team, vision, and system in place, with institutional sustainability and strong, committed local support.

Currently YCC is a functioning, active, and engaged youth community service club in Birgunj that’s operating on it’s own through City Hall - the "software" of the program.

The main goal for this year is the actual construction of the Youth Community Center - the "hardware": library (which is intended to serve as a regional-hub in the years ahead), computer training room and internet café, NGO collaboration forum, main offices, meeting hall, the construction of a new school for low-caste and low-income children, the use of the older school as a homeless children’s shelter, and the construction of a children’s park, all on the same compound.

Here’s what we’re working on: The Bal Mandir School is in the center of Birgunj, just around the corner from City Hall. Bal Mandir was designed as a school for low-caste and low-income children, which should prove to be a great focal point for community and the youth club activities. An added advantage is the large amount of open land available on the Bal Mandir campus within the heart of the city. What we’re working towards is this:

• As the current school is basically one large, open gym, absent a functioning toilet and facilities, they would like to build a new school on the same grounds and use the older school as a homeless children’s shelter. A great thing about this is the idea that the homeless children can sleep on the site and attend next door in the same school.

• On the same grounds, and just next door to the new school, they are working towards the construction of the physical Youth Community Center (currently housed in City Hall) - the main headquarters for the YCC youth club activities and community services. This includes the resource center and library, and also a computer lab for both community trainings and income generation. This is also where we’ll place the main offices of YCC for the staff, and most importantly, a meeting place for the youth club and community to meet up and interact.

• On the other side of the new school they are working towards the construction of a children’s park and playground, basically a safe-zone for children and a place of peace for the community.

• All of these put together provide for an incredible, highly visible, very rewarding center-piece to the Birgunj community, and with the connection to the YCC youth club and City Hall itself provide a focal-point and basic infrastructure for community services and activities with a meaningful, long-term impact for many years to come.
• With the expansion of YCC to various youth development programs and City Hall’s throughout Nepal, the YCC project in Birgunj should be able to serve as a model project for other communities to follow, and also improve upon, and the years ahead should prove motivating to be involved in.

Birgunj City Hall has provided strong funding so far for YCC youth club community service activities (the "software"), however the next step forward requires some outside help.

This will provide a focal point for community service activities throughout Birgunj, and in the years ahead serve as a model to replicate within other Nepali communities.

Estimates: Children’s Park

New School

Computer Lab

YCC Physical Facilities and Library