HLA launches Humanitarian Youth Internship Programme in Latin America and Caribbean

The Young Humanitarians programme is a 12-week internship initiative, designed by the HLA with support of Save the Children Peru, to improve localisation in humanitarian response efforts, while building a sustainable network of young leaders equipped to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.  

From the beginning of October 2024, 8 Peruvian young professionals from varying fields of study were placed in 4 local civil society organisations, as well as in Save the Children Peru.

Mercedes Garcia, HLA Lead in Latin America and Caribbean shared her enthusiasm for this initiative, she said:

“The Young Humanitarian Program is a new experience for HLA in Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) that seeks to strengthen the capacities of both young professionals and local organisations.

Through the initiative we provide a capacity building programme to strengthen humanitarian knowledge with the support of experts that connect with the values of the current generations; showing how the humanitarian sector is a high demand career option today and requires new professionals who bring their energy, creativity, connection with technology and desire to contribute to their territories.

This career offers opportunities for a diversity of roles in which they can develop their knowledge and skills, and on the other hand, make significant impact on people’s lives. In addition, this programme strengthens local organisations by placing practitioners in on-going humanitarian programmes boosting the quality of delivery.”

Elka Baldeon, Executive Director of DAS Peru – one of the organisations hosting interns, added that:

“Through the implementation of the Young Humanitarian Internship Program, DAS has intensified its commitment to improving access to health and nutrition services for the native communities of Ucayali, while promoting the training of young people in the region to become humanitarian leaders with a transversal and intercultural perspective, especially in emergency contexts.

This approach not only raises the quality of life of indigenous communities in the present, but also lays the foundations for a more resilient and self-sufficient future. Promoting sustainable development and well-being, this project guarantees special attention to the protection and training of children and adolescents, preparing them to lead and sustain the progress of their communities for future generations.

Thanks to Save The Children and the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, together we are transforming lives in communities living in the Amazon Rainforest.”

“Already an impactful initiative”

Daniel Flores, Head of the Junin Territorial Operational Unit at Descocentro – another organisation hosting interns, added that the programme is already of great value to his organisation:

“Having professional interns like Muriel Muñoz, in the area of ​​communication, has strengthened our capabilities in the management of institutional communication. Her work in strategic content planning, as well as in the creation and management of digital campaigns for social networks, is having a significant impact. Thanks to her support, we have managed to increase our visibility and improve interaction with communities and strategic allies, which allows us to more effectively position the projects we are developing.

In the case of the young professional Smith Espíritu, who is a psychologist, he is implementing a comprehensive intervention approach through the implementation of Parent Schools, where he promotes positive discipline and provides families with tools to improve their relationship with children and adolescents.

His work focuses especially on preventing school dropouts, carrying out personalised psychosocial assessments that identify risk factors in families, and develop action plans to support minors in vulnerable situations. This intervention is being carried out in communities in Huancayo and Jauja, and we are already seeing positive results in improving parental engagement and in the academic performance of their children.

For Descocentro, this internship program is key to strengthening our commitment to safeguarding, child protection and risk management policies in emergency situations, ensuring the well-being of both our team and the beneficiaries of our programmes. We are convinced that working together with these young humanitarians strengthens our ability to generate a positive impact in the communities where we operate.”

By investing in local youth, Save the Children is ensuring that its humanitarian interventions are not only more effective, but also more sustainable, ultimately leading to stronger and more resilient communities.

Alexandra Egas, one of the 8 young interns, mentioned that the Young Humanitarians programme gave her the opportunity to get closer to humanitarian work, experiencing first-hand the work of organisations like Save the Children.

She said: “So far, the programme has been an enriching and inspiring experience. Each training course, field work, and mentoring session has helped me understand how much care and effort is required for a humanitarian project to be truly effective without causing harm to the communities.

By completing this internship, I hope to acquire the knowledge and tools necessary to start a career in the humanitarian field, and to have a clearer vision of the topics in which I would like to specialize to be able to contribute with my skills to the well-being of the most vulnerable communities in Peru.”

The Humanitarian Leadership Academy is proud to create and manage this programme along with supportive partners as part of a wider strategy to strengthen youth leadership, and at the same time, achieve positive impact in the strengthening of local organisations.

About HLA’s Young Humanitarian Internship Programme (YHIP)

The Young Humanitarian Internship Programme (YHIP) for youth aged 18–29 aims to contribute to a more inclusive, resilient, and youth-led global humanitarian ecosystem by 2030. It has been designed to actively engage youth in crisis-affected countries, equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and practical experience necessary to be instrumental in humanitarian response.

The goal of the programme is to develop a global network of young humanitarian leaders who actively participate in decision making processes, shape public policy, and lead localised humanitarian responses.