In January, 2008, in partnership with the Wrigley Company Foundation, IYF launched a new US$2.5 million, 36-month initiative entitled the Wrigley Youth. Empowerment. Success (Y.E.S.) Program.

The Y.E.S. Program is currently implemented in India, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, and Spain and will empower disadvantaged youth through three essential keys to positive youth development: leadership and life skills, community engagement, and improved education prospects. The program aims to benefit 15,000 vulnerable youth, in both urban and rural areas, who have been marginalized by lack of access to education and other benefits of economic and social development.

To date, the Y.E.S. Program has engaged local implementing partners and initiated the pilot phase projects in five target countries, providing over 1,800 youth with technical/vocational and life skills such as self-confidence, interpersonal communications, teamwork, business English, and ICT. The following skills training programs have been provided across five target countries as of January 2009:

• Workplace English training for 561 vocational students in Hyderabad, Delhi and Bangalore, India
• Life skills training for 352 students in Poznan and Lódz, Poland
• Integrated technical and life skills training for 83 out-of-school youth in Antipolo, Philippines
• Life skills training for 242 at-risk youth in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia
• Computer and IT skills training for 584 disadvantaged youth and 436 indirect adult beneficiaries in Barcelona and Zaragoza, Spain

PARTNERSHIPS

Donors: Wrigley Company Foundation

Implementing Partners: India: Youthreach; The Philippines: the Consuelo Foundation; Poland: the Polish Children and Youth Foundation; Russia: the New Perspectives Foundation; and Spain: Fundación Esplai.