RAFI Opens YMA Season 9 to Applicants

The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. – Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center (RAFI-EADSC) launched the 9th season of its Young Minds Academy (YMA) program on February 7, Saturday, 1:30 p.m.at the RAFI-EADSC building, 35 Lopez Jaena Street, Cebu City.

The event was open to the public.

Just like the 6th to 8th Season, YMA will have “Urban Development’” as theme for its 9th season in support of the Mega Cebu project. This time, however, the program will put more emphasis on disaster preparation and humanitarian response.

“We are interested in developing leaders. The youth have great potential. We want that realized. But we don’t want just potential, we want to have potential converted into action and progress,” said RAFI President Roberto E. Aboitiz, in giving the rationale behind the eight-month leadership and citizenship training program of the foundation.

YMA aims to develop young people for them to be accountable leaders and responsible citizens ready to serve the public and its interest.
Since its inception in 2006, YMA has already trained 761 youth leaders under its 3Cs framework of building Competence, strengthening Character, and promoting active Citizenship.

“Because of YMA, I learned to accept any responsibility handed to me and give my 1000000% in handling that responsibility… I had no care for my community before but because of YMA, I just feel the need to involve myself and do something,” said Jerrica Noel, a YMA Season 8 graduate.

She narrated how she learned how to make budget plans, action plans and liquidation reports on expenses, which she would not learn in school at her current age of 16.

“YMA made me realize that I can be a leader. YMA taught me to be patient, strong and fearless. YMA taught me to love myself.” She further said.
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The program has learning sessions conducted during the summer, weekends and holidays. The training modules include those on self-awareness, leadership and character building, creative and critical thinking, community and social development awareness, research, and participatory project development and implementation using experiential education, immersion, and open discourse.

And as the YMA scholars become aware of the dynamics and challenges facing the community, their final output would be to develop projects addressing issues and concerns in their chosen locality or maximizing existing assets in the identified areas in relation to the Season 9 theme.

The Young Minds Academy is one of the programs of RAFI-EADSC under its Leadership & Citizenship Focus Area, which aims to build future leaders and influencers in a community that is ready to effect change.

Interested applicants must form a team of five members under one of the following categories: Generation A (17–20 years old) or Generation B (12-16 years old). The list of requirements and application forms may be downloaded at www.rafi.org.ph/yma-applications. Deadline for submission of application will be on March 7.

For more information about YMA, you may contact Jenny Lea Tan at 418-7234 local 112 or e-mail her at jenny.lea.tan@rafi.org.ph, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph.