Positive Youth Development (PYD) as a Catalyst for Change: EquipYouth Mexico

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At IYF, we are passionate about supporting partners to strengthen the assets young people have, whether that’s a greater belief in themselves or access to market-relevant skills and training. However, we know that systemic change can only be achieved when youth are surrounded by an environment that truly supports their agency and for that to happen, a positive youth development (PYD) approach is necessary. Therefore, building partner capacity for PYD was also a critical part of the Equip Youth Mexico approach.

IYF recently celebrated the successful completion of Phase VII of the EquipYouth program in Mexico, which over a 3-year period (2021-2023) aimed to increase youth employability by bridging the skills gap between youth and the advanced manufacturing and IT industries in northern Mexico. To achieve this, IYF collaborated with 5 technical and vocational education and training (TVET) subsystems in 3 Mexican states, to enhance the technical and socio-emotional preparation of teachers and students. 

At its core, PYD approaches see young people as assets to nurture, not problems to solve. They engage different stakeholders, across functions, levels, and sectors, to create policies, spaces, and relationships that interact to invigorate young people’s self-awareness and belief and provide the support needed to successfully transition from one developmental stage to the next. To implement PYD within the project’s TVET subsystems, IYF trained more than 90 teachers, administrators, and counselors using our Foundations of Positive Youth Development Training. Through interactive sessions that emphasized holistic, preventative, and positive approaches to youth development, participants acquired the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and tools they needed to create households, schools, and communities where young people thrive. 

A key objective of the training was to help participants identify and reconsider the “adultist” perceptions they have of youth and understand and own the PYD power they have as caring adults. Using Search Institute’s Developmental Relationships framework, our partners discussed elements and actions they find harder and easier to do and opportunities to better support youth in their institution. This showed that even career educators and trainers have room to improve when it comes to how they approach their students. 

EXPRESS CARE	CHALLENGE GROWTH	PROVIDE SUPPORT	SHARE POWER	EXPAND POSSIBILITIES
Be present Be warm Invest Show Interest Be dependable	Inspire Expect Stretch Limit	Encourage Guide Model Advocate	Respect Give voice Respond Collaborate	Explore Connect Navigate

PYD is not a single event or isolated experience. It is an ongoing process in which every member of the community can and should play a role. As we reflect on the successes and lessons learned from Equip Youth Mexico, the emphasis on PYD and intentionally centering the needs and perspectives of youth stand out as a magic ingredient. Shifting the hearts and minds of partners and equipping them with the tools and methodologies to think about and engage youth differently brought to life IYF’s mission of transforming lives by transforming systems, together.

To learn more about how PYD informs IYFs approach to Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), please visit: https://iyfglobal.org/gender-equity-social-inclusion.

Judith Hermosillo Lozano is Program Manager in IYF's Mexico office.