By Cristina Melo
TSP2017 Volunteer
The Teen Summer Program 2017 (TSP2017) finished in July. This was a unique opportunity for teens from the WBG, IDB and IMF staff members to learn about these multilateral institutions and their contribution to the world. Through a three-week immersion program, the teens could enjoy teamwork and make friends, while developing skills that will be remembered and applied throughout their professional careers and personal lives.
During the first week, after icebreaking activities, participants had an introductory view of the mission, history and current structure of the WBG, IDB and IMF. At the WBG, they had a unique opportunity to listen to the President Jim Kim. Excellent questions, showing maturity and intelligence, were posed to him by the participants, who had been selected in a competitive process in the spring. During the following weeks, the teens began to really become familiar with this year’s theme of citizen engagement through a sequence of activities, projects and conferences with experts.
The life cycle of a development project and a very creative way to introduce the real meaning of citizen engagement were presented by Ronnie Hammad, Senior Operations Officer (Governance Global Practice). Through analysis, finance and partnerships with organizations, the speaker led the teens to reflect on how to address development challenges facing a fast-growing city. The teens could experience how important and challenging it is to better deliver services to citizens.
At the IFC, guided by the leader of the FinTech Investment Group, Andi Dervishi, participants gathered in groups to put themselves in the position of investment officers. They had to decide on the relocation of companies to countries with the harshest business climates in the world – such as corruption, political uncertainty, legal issues and access to raw materials. Through this activity, they could understand how IFC leaders decide whether or not the institution should invest in certain projects. An interactive session followed, back at the WB headquarters, with focus on interpersonal and globally effective skills. This session was led by independent consultant Jody Tangredi, who is a specialist in global mobility and interculturalism. Drawing on the personal experiences of the young participants, she demonstrated that valuable assets already developed in their lives could confidently promote skills for their future career aspirations; a wonderful experience for personal and professional development.
Executive Directors Otaviano Canuto and Kazuhiko Koguchi were also present at the TSP2017. They described a view on the Executive Board meetings and received significant feedback from the teens. The executive directors shared their professional experience and added a valuable contribution by answering questions related to their previous positions, enhancing the dialogue with the students.
In the final stretch, seven projects were explained to the teens, who then teamed up to present them at a Town Hall on the last day of the TSP2017. Shaheen Khan, our Special Adviser, and Catherine Mathieu, our Coordinator, guided the groups. The Senior Governance Specialist Tiago Peixoto prepared the teams for planning their presentations; participants were expected to promote their choice through an effective campaign.
What about budgeting? That was at the core of the last day, for personal and project purposes. A financial literacy session was presented by Eli Vasquez, CEO and managing director of the Bank Fund Services Federal Credit Union (BFSFCU). Teens learned how to create a spending plan, set SMART goals for their money, keep it in a secure place and establish credit. This session was followed by Executive Director of the Participatory Budgeting Group Josh Lerner, who introduced the teens to participatory budgeting, showing them how to engage citizens to make a difference in the quality of their social and economic lives. They went through a game time and then had a “live” experience of a town hall, in which their projects were evaluated following established criteria: winner for best argument, best engagement and best measurement of success. Funds collected by the teens were actually donated to the projects. This action demonstrated how engaged these teens already are as citizens.
The TSP2017 was a great achievement for all involved, as well as for the parents of these vibrant young citizens. The program was successfully developed by the efforts of leaders, consultants and volunteers-- all engaged citizens who wanted to participate in the personal and professional development of young talented adults from our WBG, IDB and IMF community. We would like to thank all of them for their dedication over the six months of planning and effort to make TSP2017 a remarkable experience. Also, a special mention should be made of the chaperones who supported and guided the participants.
And for our teens: we are thankful for your enthusiastic participation and for being part of your bright future. We are confident that lessons learned this year will join you for the rest of your lives.