by Veronica Filippeschi

20 April 2010

Guatemala City, Guatemala: One year ago, in February 2009, I started a new adventure, one of the biggest dreams in my whole life. Being a UNV volunteer meant a lot to me. I improved my professional skills, I experienced a new country and culture and I had the opportunity to interact and share with Guatemalan people, which was definitely the best part of my experience.

I carried out my UNV assignment in Public Policies and Institutional Capacity-Building with UNICEF Guatemala, working as an Assistant for adolescents’ projects at multiple levels - public policies, participation, health and nutrition - ensuring a comprehensive approach.

Since the beginning, I had the chance to be directly involved in UNICEF work, contributing to the promotion, planning and development of programmes and projects directed at adolescents.

I have also been involved in field activities, which gave me the opportunity to get a real perception of the situation of Guatemalan children and adolescents, to work closely with local actors, individuals and groups, to share with and learn from them, and to achieve concrete results in the promotion and protection of children’s rights.

As part of my work, I also had the opportunity to be part of the UN Interagency Working Group on Adolescence and Youth, together with other UN agencies such as WHO/PAHO, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNAIDS, UNIFEM, UNDP, UNV and OHCHR.

My role involved coordinating the work of UN agencies and developing joint programmes and activities related to adolescents and youth, advocating for their rights and providing technical support. It was a very interesting and learning experience, since I could contribute directly to the Group’s creation and functioning, strengthening my team work capacity, and gain insights into other UN agencies’ work, procedures and specific expertise.

Within this Working Group, I also had the rewarding and inspiring experience of coordinating the interagency work on marginalized adolescent girls, in line with the aim of the UN Interagency Task Force on Adolescent Girls at UN Headquarters in New York, in order to support the advance of key policies and programmes that empower the hardest-to-reach adolescent girls, particularly those aged 10 to 14 years.