Youth Concern Global Network (YCGN) is a distinguished non-governmental organization (NGO) established on January 29, 2004, with a primary focus on addressing the educational and entrepreneurial needs of underprivileged youth across diverse communities. Since its inception, YCGN has remained steadfast in its commitment to providing access to high-quality education for those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged.
In the beginning there was a dream of two individuals; Rev. Alex Odamtten and Mahmud MWS BIM, the two founders and key people behind the Youth Concern Global Network. Both ordinary people but driven by an extraordinary dream – of doing something to change the lives of the millions of underprivileged children in Ghana and the world.
The idea was to build a youth network that would be an intermediary between people who want to do something about the situation of children and the people and organisations at the grass root level. It was an idea that was rooted in these two individuals strongly held belief that every person is moved, by however small an extent, by the plight of the deprived, and if shown a simple way to express it. would definitely do so. And when many Individuals do it, It amounts to a number sufficient to make a real difference to children’s lives.
YCGN’s core objectives revolve around two key pillars:
Bringing Higher Education to Impoverished Youth: YCGN aims to break down the barriers preventing disadvantaged youth from accessing quality education. By providing educational opportunities, we seek to empower young individuals to realize their full potential and become catalysts for positive change within their communities.
Establishment of an Academy for Developing Entrepreneurship and Life Skills: Central to our mission is the creation of an academy that nurtures and equips young individuals with the necessary entrepreneurship and life skills essential for thriving in the contemporary world. This initiative is designed to instill a culture of innovation, creativity, and resilience in the youth, thereby fostering a generation of self-reliant and resourceful individuals.
Our enduring commitment to youth development and empowerment has led us to forge meaningful partnerships with influential entities such as Nestle Ghana and Barclays Bank, Kingdom Outreach Church, among others. These collaborations have not only amplified our reach but have also enabled us to enhance the quality and impact of our programs and initiatives. Through these partnerships, we have been able to implement sustainable and impactful projects that have brought about positive change and advancement in the lives of the youth we serve.
The journey of YCGN is marked by a persistent dedication to promoting education and fostering an entrepreneurial spirit among the youth, thereby contributing to the overall development and upliftment of communities globally. As we continue to expand our endeavors, we remain steadfast in our vision to create a world where every young individual has the opportunity to access quality education and develop the skills necessary for personal and professional success.
Importance of Fostering Youth Entrepreneurship
Fostering youth entrepreneurship is critical in today’s dynamic global landscape. Empowering young individuals with entrepreneurial skills not only cultivates a culture of innovation and self-reliance but also contributes significantly to economic growth and societal development. By encouraging entrepreneurship among the youth, we enable them to become proactive contributors to their communities, driving sustainable change and fostering a spirit of creativity and resilience. This emphasis on entrepreneurship not only equips the youth with essential business acumen but also nurtures leadership qualities and a sense of responsibility, ultimately fostering a generation of forward-thinking and socially conscious leaders.
We believe that the lives of all children and young people should be free from poverty, exploitation, discrimination and exclusion with, an equal chance to access free education.
YCGN’s purpose of existence is to help children and young people in need, transform their lives and fulfil their potential.
YCGN intends to achieve its purpose by delivering its services in diverse national locations as well as international locations. We provide resources that enable poor and disadvantaged children and youth to improve their quality of life. We work with impoverished and marginalised communities and empower them to reform the system that keeps them poor.
HISTORY
Back in the mid 90’s at a very basic level, an individual named Rev. Alex Odamtten put faith into action by starting to bring up young individuals in need, train and equip them to make it in life. His aim was to improve the situation of the underprivileged child. Fighting alone first, only supported by his wife he named this project Youth Concern Ghana.
ORGANISATION
The Youth Concern Global Network is a growing confederation,sharing common values and working together and currently comprising three Youth Concerns namely: Ghana, Germany and the UK (as from September 2003) with national offices in Accra, Hamburg and London. YCGN is an independent operating NGO/Charity.
In the three nations, YCGN draws on the expertise of local representative leaders to advise and encourage the YCGN team, through advising and executive committees.
VALUES & ATTITUDES
YCGN seeks to be:
Excellent – seeking the highest standards of integrity, financial accountability and stewardship
Consultative – listening to the hopes and concerns of our members
Enabling – as the servant of our members, working through them – wherever possible – and helping them to be more effective
Forward looking – constantly pressing forward to face the issues and challenges of tomorrow
Focused – giving priority to the issues which maximise the impact of our available resources
GROWTH
In 9 years, Youth Concern has grown from being the dream of two individuals in a developing nation, to an international movement for children and youths rights. This movement has been built individual-by-individual, with just the belief that anybody, you or I, can indeed make a difference.
Today, the Youth Concern Global Network has partnered many individuals and organisations whose resources have enabled child and youth-development initiatives in Ghana and is now stepping on new grounds in Europe.
What is truly extraordinary is the demonstration of the power of the individual to create change. Individuals who have participated in this movement in a myriad different ways – by contributing money, skills or time, by displaying passion and conviction, by convincing others to join in.
Being from the poor northern part of Ghana Mahmud MWS Billa was never able to reconcile within him the differences that exist between privileged and underprivileged children. He talked of the great pain he felt at seeing children deprived of something so basic as love. But to him, feeling pain wasn’t enough. He felt it was necessary to do something about it. He formed the Future Leaders Association in 1998, aimed to provide basic education for street children and
orphans. There was no support, no resources – but hope.
In early 2003 the two parties agreed to join hands, combine their strength and merge to one single organisation – Youth Concern Global Network.
YCGN is living proof that when enough people believe that change is possible, change is indeed possible. Individuals and organisations can, within the context of their lives and work, make a difference. No situation Is so harsh that it cannot be improved when enough people care.
It was their dream, their passion and their conviction that drove the movement through its early, difficult years. The ability to push on and motivate co-workers and sympathisers to the limit and their inability to conceive of dead ends were what made Youth Concern Global Network what it is today – a true movement for the needy child.
SERVICES
Our services range from providing day care centres or services for vulnerable children, to educational and vocational teaching and training for streetchildren, orphans and disadvantaged teenagers; from respite care services for children with disabilities, to projects which help young people in local authority care to manage the transition to independence; from efforts to promote equal opportunities to free education for all children; to campaigns on health matters such as HIV/Aids awareness or teenage pregnancy.
YCGN plans its work with children, young people and their families/guardians by focussing on programmes and projects. A programme/project contains all major services within an area of need and embraces research, consultancy, training, evaluation-, communication and dissemination, influencing and lobbying, funding and cogs. There are five subjects: community, education, family, health, and disability – an issue that crosscuts them all.
Each subject includes YCGN’s purpose, which is:
“To help needy children and young people change their lives and achieve their goals”. We believe that all children and young people have a basic right to: