UNICEF, Artik community, and Youth Initiative Center NGO to establish a youth house

UNICEF Representative in Armenia Christine Weigand signed a memorandum of understanding with Head of Artik community Ananik Voskanyan and Chairperson of Youth Initiative Center NGO Artur Najaryan on the establishment of a youth house in Artik. The youth house will be established at the end of 2023 with the support of the Armenian community in Argentina through Hayastan All Armenian Fund and will provide a range of services to around 500-700 children and adolescents, including extracurricular education, career counseling and networking through individual and group work, training, excursions, community events and study visits.

“Through the establishment of this youth house, UNICEF will support adolescents and young people of Artik and nearby communities to have access to non-formal education, build their life skills and foster their potential in civic engagement, innovation, and entrepreneurship. This youth house will be an important example of collaboration between many partners from local government to diaspora and civil society to help establish a quality community-based service for adolescents,” said Christine Weigand, UNICEF Representative in Armenia.

The municipality of Artik has already selected and allocated the premises of the youth house, as well as pledged to invest into the renovation work. As of 2024 January, the municipality will also cover the operational costs of the house as a community-based service, including staffing and utilities.

“The young people of Artik have a great potential to become an active member of the community and contribute to the development of their country. Some of them already serve in the community council. We place great importance in the healthy development of adolescents to reach their full potential, and with this youth house, we stand ready to further support them,” noted Ananik Voskanyan, head of Artik community.

Together with Youth Initiative Center NGO, UNICEF will renovate and equip the youth house, as well as supply with utensils, developmental games, learning and recreation materials for various ages of children. Once the new youth workers are recruited, UNICEF and YIC NGO will also provide them with training on adolescent development, principles of working with adolescents and young people and provision of child-friendly services. YIC NGO will further support the operations of the house, helping the community to deliver community-oriented and youth-centered services.

“We are hopeful that this youth house will become a platform for young people to have meaningful contribution to the development of their community and to voice their opinions. We pledge to support young people of Artik to acquire practical skills, present their experiences, present their solutions and successfully transition to adulthood and labor market,” noted Artur Najaryan, President of Gyumri YIC NGO.

The youth house will be established based on UNICEF’s concept of safe spaces for children and in case of an emergency, will also be prepared to serve as a safe and child-friendly space where children, adolescents and young people can receive psychosocial support and other services.

“On behalf of Fondo Armenia de Argentina, we express our heartfelt gratitude to the Argentine Armenian community that has supported this project for children and adolescents in Artik. And we are thankful to UNICEF Argentina and Armenia for the joint work. Looking forward to completing our mutual goals that represent our highest priority to give children and adolescents in Armenia a peaceful and productive future,’’ shared Mr Alex Kalpakian, head of Fondo Armenia de Argentina.