PROPOSAL IDEA

Democrats for Israel Los Angeles seeks to empower and energize students and communities with leadership training and educational programs on college campuses, high schools, and middle schools. Democrats for Israel Los Angeles informs through social media, print and digital materials, films, weekly newsletters, and missions to Israel.

The organization plans to initiate youth education engagement programs which promote effective policies and programs and advocate for resources to support youth worldwide, notably in the Middle East (Israel and her neighboring countries). Here is a look at the purpose and mission of this program, which is still in development:

Democrats for Israel Los Angeles Youth Development (DFIYD) is planned as a community practice and advocacy platform of leading U.S.-based youth and community development organizations.

Democrats for Israel Los Angeles seeks to provide an opportunity for engaged organizations and individuals to share effective practices across all sectors of international youth development, and to inform programs and policies that support and impact youth. DFIYD will draw on its collective expertise to advocate for informed and targeted investments for young people globally.

Democrats for Israel Los Angeles believes in the power of civic education. DFI's mission is to connect and engage Los Angeles youth with local governments to help them make a meaningful difference in their communities. Our plan for Youth and Civic Engagement Fellows encompasses attending a virtual summit featuring keynote speakers discussing how to receive mentorship and providing resources on how to become civically engaged. These empowered high school students will then have the tools, connections, and guidance to address and combat the top policy issues of Los Angeles today, giving them practice for how to later employ those same skills on a global scale to benefit the future of the Middle East.

ADVOCATE - We advocate for informed and targeted investments for youth worldwide. We believe that the international donor community, global businesses, governments and youth must work together increase investments in programs that support young people. We advocate for the ability of youth to engage in productive livelihoods, become active members of their communities and make responsible decisions for themselves and their families.

We believe we can do better when we work together to:

PRACTICE - Our members work on the frontlines of youth development. Around the world and across all sectors of international development and humanitarian assistance, our members target youth through interventions focused on health, livelihoods, workforce development, entrepreneurship and financial services, leadership and civic engagement.

LEARN - We provide a forum for the youth development community to connect, engage and contribute to new learning on youth policy and practice. The challenges that impact youth affect all of us. Finding solutions demands collaborative thinking and collective action to address the scale of the challenges facing young people worldwide.

Our impact is greater when we work collectively. Youth comprise half of the world’s population—the scope and complexity of youth development work therefore requires partnerships and collaboration to achieve the scale of impact needed, and to ensure best practices are widely understood and shared.