Youth For Governance (Y4G) is an initiative launched by the Alumni of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) to transform Lebanon’s public sector through its youth.
Considering that most Lebanese young adults are choosing to emigrate, Y4G’s goal is to help students acknowledge that they can choose to stay and work towards change.
The program was designed by USJ’s alumni working at Sirens Associate and Sirens Analytics, an association specializing in innovating the public sector. The initiative is in collaboration with USJ faculty staff and Central Inspection (CI).
Y4G offers 20 full-time internships over the course of two months, covering several fields such as technology, social sciences, and communication. Chosen applicants will be chaperoned by a group of supervisors and alumni to guide their path.
Interns will conclude their journey by having a deep understanding of the challenges faced in the public sector and will have the necessary skills for crisis management. They will also be awarded a certificate of accomplishment and per-diem to cover travel expenses.
This year, more than double the number of students have applied to this program compared to last year’s numbers. 20 interns, representing 9 universities in Lebanon, have been chosen amongst 188 applicants.
The first cohort of interns has already started their journey, while the second batch will begin in mid-July.
Such initiatives are essential to maintain the sense of belonging and hope in the Lebanese youths, especially to aid in reforming the Lebanese public sector that is in much need of the rising youth talents and expertise.
For those who wish to apply, the same opportunity will be available next year on a bigger scale by including more universities and more public administrations.
