One By One's Young Global Leaders Program

One By One has started a Young Global Leaders Program. In October, we accepted 12 high school and junior high students from 5 Seattle-area schools to join us to learn more about obstetric fistula and One By One's work to eradicate it, as well as women's and girls' issues worldwide, global development, and complex public health systems.

Check out our blog over the next few months, as the students will be writing blog posts about their experiences in the Young Global Leaders Program. We have posted the very first blog by YGLPer and guest blogger, Grace Stonecipher. Grace is a junior at Lakeside School, and was involved with One By One last year. Please read Grace's blog post here.

We believe that youth have a vital voice in bringing change and momentum to this cause.

The Young Global Leaders Program is a school year long program designed for 10 students to work with One By One US Program staff to learn more about women and girls’ issues worldwide and participate in advocacy and outreach work related to gender equality as well as fistula treatment and prevention.

Students will be responsible, mature young people, ages 12-18, who are excited and interested in One By One's work, and who have a desire to develop their leadership and advocacy skills. These students will meet together with One By One staff on a monthly basis to receive tailored educational and training opportunities on topics such as obstetric fistula, One By One's work, women's and girls' issues, global development, policy advocacy and public health systems; they will also receive input on their outreach plan. Each student will create a goal-driven activity plan. These activities can include letter-writing campaigns, lobbying, social media use and events, giving circles, bake sales, etc... One By One will provide feedback and resources to students in order to make these activities successful.

Additionally, One By One's Young Global Leaders Program will work to collaborate on activities focused around International Women's Day with two other youth organizations that are working to empower women and girls and improve maternal health. Students will have the possibility of traveling to Washington DC to celebrate International Women's Day, as well as to meet with members of Congress.

At the end of the year, students will receive a certification of "Excellence in Global Health Leadership." They can also earn community service hours, which will be determined by how much time they invest in the program, and their participation as a volunteer at One By One's annual fundraising event on May 10, 2012. Students can also receive college references from One By One's US Program Staff.

As a result of this program, One By One hopes to create a national movement connected to the importance of ending fistula for women internationally. One By One will measure its progress in this area against the following goals:

1. Five Seattle-area schools will be inspired to become more involved in One By One's work.
2. 500 people will learn about One By One's mission through social media (Facebook, blog, etc.)
3. 100 new people will become engaged in One by One's work through student-led activities
4. 100 people will be exposed to One By One's work through Congressional activity
5. One By One will create collaborative relationships with 2 youth organizations
6. Students will participation in a national event

The success of One By One's Young Global Leaders Program is based on the following assumptions:

1. By reaching students now, we influence future leaders by already having them understand the importance of investment in gender equality, women and girls, maternal health systems and programs that promote gender equality.
2. By reaching students we leverage social media mechanisms to reach greater populations
3. Communities can influence and shape public policy at the national level