Voluntary and not-for-profit groups, which for decades have supported young people’s social and development needs, are central to the British Council’s efforts to expand accessibility and reach for young people in Myanmar. The Myanmar Youth Empowerment Network (MYEN) is a network of 10 experienced CSOs based in remote or conflict-affected parts of the country delivering a variety of educational and social development initiatives. MYEN aims to identify and better understand priorities among young adults and, with the British Council, to co-develop and deliver services across Myanmar that benefit them and support wider stakeholders during a time of crisis for the country. Network development involves capacity building, relationship development and research, with a particular emphasis on accessing youth in harder-to-reach rural communities, while programmes for young people centre on skills and knowledge required to safely realise social change, including English language provision, teacher and leadership training, library information services and opportunities to link and interact with peers across the country.
The 10 network centres are based in Myitkyina, Hakha, Loi Kaw, Taunggyi, Hpa An, Mawlamyaing, Mandalay, Magway, Sittwe and Dawei.
