(LdA) Leaders of Tomorrow

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The Project (LdA) Leaders of Tomorrow equips promising teenagers from public schools of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with social tools that will enable them to strengthen their role as young leaders in their communities.

Standings & Awards

128 out of 190 in Central & South America
478 out of 778 in Education
336 out of 574 in Pilot
806 out of 992 in Charitable
2056 out of 4003 Overall

87

VOTES

(LdA) Team

It turns promising high-schoolers from underserved backgrounds into agents of change in their communities.

Brazil needs to move forward. The sixth largest economy in the world still occupies the 88th position in the UNESCO ranking of Education. Only 12.1% of the young Brazilian population is currently in college and, out of the whole Brazilian black population, only 2.8% had access to higher education in 2007. Add to this scenario the fact that the per capita income of over half of the Brazilian population is still less than the country's minimum wage and it is clear to understand the disparities that are part of our reality. One of the pivotal causes of this really is concentrated on the barriers in between the young generation and the access to good education. In the Brazilian culture , there seems to be a consensus that, despite the iminent need for things to be modified, such changes are practically unreachable and go beyond the scope of incluence of individual actions. The young generation, which corresponds to about 19% of the population, has not seen a massive social and political movement for nearly 20 years in our country and maybe that's the main reason why this portion of the population increasingly refrains itself from decisions that can and will undoubtedly change the country. We felt a need to give this generation a chance to see their power to trigger the change.

The Project Leaders of Tomorrow (Líderes do Amanhã, in Portuguese) equips thirty promising teenagers from public schools of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with social tools that will enable them to strengthen their role as young leaders, successfully conduct the course of their own professional and personal trajectories and generate change in their communities through the implementation of Community Action Projects. These projecs will mainly embrace four of the most pressing issues faced by the young generation in Brazil; (i) teenage pregnancy, (ii)unequal access to higher education, (iii) fight against drugs, and (iv)religious, cultural, sexual and racial intolerance. As these issues are four of the greatest barriers to the successful completion of primary education in Brazil, through the Project Leaders of Tomorrow, the participants will be able to learn about their own power to bring about tangible and positive changes to these scenarios.

In January of 2013, the LDAs meet at the first-ever “Leadership for Tomorrow Conference”, event that takes place in Rio de Janeiro. Part of the conference will focus on building in these young leaders a solid leadership profile through sessions led by mentors and based on the best-seller “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens”. The mentors of the program – young college students with proved interest in bringing about change in their communities – will also support the participants throughout the whole envisioning, planning and executing of the four Community Action Projects that will ultimately impact at least over 500 teenagers in the city of Rio. In addition to it, participants engage in workshops, debates, exhibition of documentaries and a visit to a social organization.

Ultimately, the program provides a full leadership and social entrepreneurship training that will take the participants of the program to a greater understanding of the role they play as agents of change in their communities. As a result, the program gives a single opportunity to promising youngsters from underprivileged backgrounds to expand their horizons, partake of a unique network of young activists and contribute to the dissemination of values and lessons that are undoubtedly shared amongst those who will inevitably play the role of the great leaders of tomorrow.

Check out our page on facebook.com/LideresdoAmanhã2013

FIVE PROJECT QUESTIONS Required (60 - 90 minutes)

1. What is your innovation?

(LdA) Leaders of Tomorrow is innovative because, in Brazil, there has never been a project fully idealized by youth and to youth that so promptly encapsulates not only the mentoring experience, but also presents youngsters that come from underprivileged backgrounds a chance to see themselves not as individuals that passively wait for changes to be made in their reality, but as active agents of change who dare to take the first step towards a better future.

2. Who gains the most?

The project brings a unique sense of citizenship as a gain to the Brazilian young generation. This portion of the population, about 19% of the country, hasn't seen a big political movement for nearly 20 years, which leads them to increasingly refraining from decisions that impact the country’s development. The project shortens the huge gap that there is between a better future and their scope of influence, showing them they are indeed responsible for a portion of the development of the nation.

3. Who pays?

The project has already been selected by British Council and the US Embassy in Brazil as one of the projects officially supported institutionally and financially by the institution, fully covering the expenses of this pilot. Nevertheless, we are still seeking partnerships with local companies and individuals who would be willing to embrace a project of such caliber so we will be able to replicate this project not only in Rio de Janeiro again, but also in other cities of Brazil.

4. What is your success?

We understand success as a change in mindset of the younger generation of Rio de Janeiro who will, because of the project, more widely understand the role they play as agents of change in their communitites. In practical and measurable terms, (LdA) will be successful when the Community Action Projects reach their final stage of implementation, impacting the lives of nearly 500 youngsters from public schools of Rio, which will ideally happen up until the end of April 2013.

5. How will you do it?

We aim to partner with NGOs on the four core areas of the program and with the Secretary of Education of Rio de Janeiro. These institutions have strategically been chosen because they not only possess expertise on projects embracing these issues, but will also help us go through the steps of promotion, selection of candidates and development of the project.