SERES: Inspiring a new generation of leaders
BY LUCÍA SOLORZANO/TRANSLATED BY GEOFF WATSON
By 2022, the population aged between 10 and 29 comprised 39.6% of the population in Guatemala, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE). Being the vast majority, it is necessary to pay attention to achieve comprehensive development.
Several organizations work in the country, with different approaches, to address leadership issues with these youth. One of them is SERES. This is a network of young leaders, inspired, empowered, and equipped to lead the transition towards a more just and sustainable society in Guatemala and El Salvador. The SERES experience inspires millions of people to contribute in a personal and meaningful way to transform our systems, societies, and cultures to create a world full of well-being.
We take a holistic approach to developing youth leaders. Through the development of hard skills: financial literacy, digital literacy, and soft skills: leadership skills, creativity, agency, attitudes and qualities, we are creating well-rounded global citizens.
We continually support our community leaders through specific workshops to deepen the results of their action plans. We harness the best ideas and award youth groups small grants to maximize the impact of their action plans.
We are one of the world’s leading organizations working to combat complex social, environmental, and economic challenges at local, regional, national, and international levels. This was demonstrated by our UNESCO-Japan Prize for Education for Sustainable Development in 2015.
Sustainable transformation
Today’s interconnected global challenges, manifested in the current sustainability crisis we see around us, demand nothing less than transformation at all levels of society. The scale of this transformation is beyond the work of a handful of great leaders.
The work of transformation is more than the work of a few leaders and aware citizens; It requires a movement of leaders… a generation “full of leaders.”
The young leaders from SERES are the “unlikely” leaders on the front lines of enormous political, social, environmental, and economic changes, championing justice and equality for people and the planet. They are brave, bold, passionate and committed. We believe that, with the right encouragement and the right kind of learning, any young person can become a highly influential and impactful leader, one who is deeply committed to confronting the root causes of injustice and inequality in their community.
With our methodology, it is a learning ecosystem that teaches young people to navigate through emerging contexts, lead from a paradigm of living processes, and commit to taking action. This approach focuses on three key pillars: developing core sustainability leadership competencies, executing community action plans, and building a dynamic, highly connected, and diverse community of young transformative leaders.
Tangible Impact in the Region
SERES’ work in the Northern Triangle of Central America demonstrates that the transformation towards a more sustainable, just, and peaceful society is not only possible but is already underway. Through the empowerment of young leaders and the implementation of Transformative Sustainability Leadership, a generation capable of facing and overcoming contemporary challenges is being cultivated. This movement not only transforms communities but also inspires millions to join the cause, creating a multiplier effect that can lead us toward a brighter, more equitable future.
We have reached more than 7 thousand young people by developing leadership and sustainability skills, who have created more than 500 community action projects that impact more than 100 thousand people in 365 communities in Guatemala and El Salvador.
Since 2009, we have facilitated more than 730 programs and supported hundreds of community action plans that address the most pressing global challenges.
We provide professional and personal development that stimulates an active civil society to drive the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the universal call to action to end poverty and protect the planet by 2030.
How do we lead change?
If at-risk youth are provided with resources, skills, and opportunities to develop experience leading local projects, then more youth will invest in building a better future for themselves, improving community resilience, and decreasing youth migration. Our experience shows that providing an ecosystem of services and companions that support their growth and development increases their willingness to stay and take advantage of their communities.
We believe in long-term impact to build an empowered generation of future leaders who are creating more resilient and sustainable communities in Central America. If you want to read more about the organization and its impact, we invite you to visit our social networks.
