History and Results
Young Americas Business Trust, founded in 1999, is a private sector initiative of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States following the Summit of the Americas process. The YABT draws on many years of pioneer OAS experience designing and developing innovative entrepreneur and micro-enterprise programs targeted to young people, including youth development, mentoring, training, and finance. YABT supports the work of the OAS in addressing the critical issues of poverty and unemployment among young people; issues that affect the potential progress of the Americas. Young Americas Business Trust, a US non-profit corporation and international non-governmental organization, is associated with the OAS by a Cooperation Agreement signed by the Secretary General of the OAS and the Chair of the YABT Board of Directors.
▪ Over 17,000 young people trained in 29 countries of the Americas.
▪ More than 15,000 young people of the 34 Member States gave their recommendations for the V Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, in 2009 through YABT's Youth Forum of the Americas.
▪ YABT brought young people as a social actor at the Dialogue with Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Fifth Summit of the Americas.
▪ A network of more than 10,000 entrepreneurial, dynamic and innovative young people in the Member States, encouraging trade opportunities, businesses and investments. ▪ More than 2,000 projects in portfolio, of young entrepreneurs.
▪ More than 60 international videoconferences with World Bank's Global Network for Learning and Development, which connects the Americas, Europe and Asia. ▪ For the first time in the history of the OAS, the youth recommendations were presented in a Special Session of the Permanent Council. Youth was included as a social actor in the Summit process.
▪ Hundreds of energetic young people that are part of the staff and volunteer's network from YABT in the Member States of the OAS and the world.
▪ One of YABT's programs, the Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas (TIC Americas), by the Numbers:
▪ More than 15,000 young people of the 34 Member States gave their recommendations for the V Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, in 2009 through YABT's Youth Forum of the Americas.
▪ YABT brought young people as a social actor at the Dialogue with Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Fifth Summit of the Americas.
▪ A network of more than 10,000 entrepreneurial, dynamic and innovative young people in the Member States, encouraging trade opportunities, businesses and investments. ▪ More than 2,000 projects in portfolio, of young entrepreneurs.
▪ More than 60 international videoconferences with World Bank's Global Network for Learning and Development, which connects the Americas, Europe and Asia. ▪ For the first time in the history of the OAS, the youth recommendations were presented in a Special Session of the Permanent Council. Youth was included as a social actor in the Summit process.
▪ Hundreds of energetic young people that are part of the staff and volunteer's network from YABT in the Member States of the OAS and the world.
▪ One of YABT's programs, the Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas (TIC Americas), by the Numbers:
o Reach - In 2010 more than 3,700 young people representing 1,535 teams from 40 countries from four continents (the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe) registered for the competition.
o Created new jobs - 43.19% of teams hired 1-3 additional employees, and 34.1% hired 4-6 additional employees after joining TIC Americas.
o Established new businesses - After competing in TIC Americas, the percentage of Finalist Teams remaining in the concept stage dropped from 30.2% to 7.1%.
o Made new enterprises more profitable - before the competition, only 6.98% of businesses reported profits, but after their participation in TIC Americas, 19.0% businesses started selling their products and earning a profit.
o ACTION: Reinforce local networks and provide follow up – Teams that are backed up by local institutions and mentors perform better in the competition
o Created new jobs - 43.19% of teams hired 1-3 additional employees, and 34.1% hired 4-6 additional employees after joining TIC Americas.
o Established new businesses - After competing in TIC Americas, the percentage of Finalist Teams remaining in the concept stage dropped from 30.2% to 7.1%.
o Made new enterprises more profitable - before the competition, only 6.98% of businesses reported profits, but after their participation in TIC Americas, 19.0% businesses started selling their products and earning a profit.
o ACTION: Reinforce local networks and provide follow up – Teams that are backed up by local institutions and mentors perform better in the competition