PRESS RELEASES 2005

Children’s NGO activist to explore youth solutions in the United States

December 29, 2005

Mr. Richard Troupe, Founder/Executive Director of Hope for Children Development Company, has been selected to participate in the International Visitor Leadership Program on “Youth Leadership,” from January 5 – 26, 2006. The program is sponsored by the U.S. State Department through the U.S. Embassy’s Office of Public Affairs.

The U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program brings up-and-coming leaders from around the world to the United States to meet and confer with professional counterparts and experience the country and its institutions first-hand. Mr. Troupe will join 22 other youth leaders from 19 countries, who will travel to several US cities including Washington DC, New York, Kansas City and St. Louis in Missouri as well as San Diego, California.

Mr. Troupe will examine how young people in the United States acquire leadership skills and are empowered to influence public policy and improve community life. He will explore youth education and training, and how young people are inspired to become active in public policy issues at the local, national and international levels. 

Mr. Troupe has worked on behalf of young people in Kingston’s marginalized communities for the past twenty-five years.  While in the U.S. he looks forward to sharing his own insights as well, “This program offers significant opportunities for sharing best practices in youth development work at the local, national and international levels.”  Mr. Troupe will have the opportunity to evaluate innovative models and approaches to coalition building, advocacy and youth inclusion in policy development, issues fundamental to his work at Hope for Children and other civil society organizations in which he is involved.

Mr. Troupe is Deputy Chairman of the Coalition for Better Parenting, a member of the IADB Civil Society Advisory Committee.  He is also a member of the Board of the Early Childhood Commission and Deputy Chairman of the Jamaica Social Policy Evaluation (JASPEV) Project’s Youth Inclusion Prototype.  Mr. Troupe hosts a talk show on community radio station Roots 96.1 FM.