Last month, two meetings were convened by INCITEGov, Inc. and the Young Public Servants (YPS) to create a platform for updating and exchange among youth groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) engaged in Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) programs and initiatives.

The meetings, held on March 7 and March 27, were attended by representatives from the Ateneo de Manila Political Science Department, Angat Bayi, CYAN, Galing Pook, IDEALS, Akbayan, and IPG. During the first meeting, each organization shared their on-going initiatives and agreed to list and map areas of engagements. The second meeting focused on the possibilities of databanking and the inventory of tools, including training modules and good governance models.

Subsequent meetings have been scheduled to build the group as a loose community of support and invite more to join, especially those organizations from the regions. The conveners of this platform intend to keep the group as an informal consortium for information and exchange. However, individual organizations within the consortium may choose to initiate partnerships among themselves.

Overall, the establishment of this informal consortium is a significant step towards strengthening civil society participation in Sangguniang Kabataan. The platform will facilitate collaboration, resource-sharing, and the exchange of knowledge and experiences among youth groups and NGOs. It is hoped that this initiative will help to ensure democracy and good governance at the national and local levels.