Young Ambassadors in Action
IOM's (International Organization for Migration) Communication for Development campaigns seek to go beyond just providing information, and one of their main components is youth and community leadership. People usually rely on the stories of their friends and acquaintances, and even base their decisions on the experiences of others, so it is extremely important that more and more young people are empowered and can help combat misinformation in their communities, that is the main mission of the ambassadors of the "Think twice" campaign.
"Think twice" aims to provide safe information about migration and to warn about possible scams and deceptions related to human trafficking and smuggling. Therefore, one of its purposes is to strengthen the knowledge of young people so that they can make life decisions based on safe information, and at the same time become agents of change in their communities.
What does a Think Twice ambassador do?
First, they receive training from the IOM through workshops and learn about basic concepts of migration, scam detection, finding employment or safe study opportunities, life planning, soft skills, among others.
Second, beyond gaining theoretical knowledge, the youth ambassadors strengthen their leadership, creativity, teamwork and communication skills through the development of activities in their own communities. In this way, knowledge flows into the communities through the trained ambassadors.
From paper to action!
Sharing that knowledge is vital for the campaign to come to life and benefit more communities. Our ambassadors have developed mural painting, music workshops, theater performances, information days, creative circuits, among others.
The way to share knowledge has no limits, that is why the ambassadors are encouraged to propose new dynamics. And it is precisely from their ingenuity that informative videos, community activities and even a play with a 100% original script inspired by their own life experiences have been created.
Some young people have mentioned how it has changed their way of seeing life. Daniel, from Honduras tells us, "Piénsalo2Veces brought me closer to art and I realized the power that theater has to transmit our ideas and emotions."
What do I need to be an ambassador?
1. Eagerness to learn about migration issues.
2. Empathy to connect with people.
3. Commitment to attend trainings and support in campaign activities.
4. Creativity to propose new ways of sharing information on migration issues.
5. Eager to meet young people who, like you, want to contribute something positive to their communities.
Yes, you can even meet young people from other countries! We are a Central American network of young leaders. In fact, the talent of the ambassadors is the engine that keeps this campaign alive and more than 100 young people in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Panama are currently active.
If you are ready, you can send us a private message on Facebook and we will give you the contact of the person in charge of your country.