Youth Health Facilitator

Project Description Panama is commonly referred to as “puente del mundo, corazón del universo” (bridge of the world, heart of the universe). It is also a land of mixed realities. Its strategic geographic location influenced the construction of the canal, which accelerated immigration and contributed to Panama’s diverse population. Panama is known as an international logistics, banking, and tourism hub.

For this and other reasons, the isthmus holds distinct social and economic realities which impact structural inequalities. We are seeking creative and energetic Volunteers to help support the next generation of Panamanian leaders. The Youth Health and Well-Being (YHWB) program engages Indigenous youth and focuses on sexual and reproductive health education with an emphasis on HIV prevention. Volunteers will support community leaders, school staff, local NGOs, and state health professionals as they work to increase public knowledge, reduce teen pregnancy, and stop the spread of HIV.

Volunteers will collaborate with local counterparts to conduct health promotion activities. Although the technical component is paramount, these activities will need to do much more than just share the facts. Successful activities are engaging, empowering, and fun. Together, Volunteers and counterparts will learn of opportunities and interests of their specific community.

Examples could include a summer soccer club, an after-school theater program, or a day-camp for art, music, or dance. Volunteers will join their counterparts in creating safe spaces to share information, foster peer networks, raise autonomy and encourage youth to make informed decisions about their bodies and their health.Volunteers will support communities to strengthen the link between community leaders and local health professionals. In response to a growing number of cases of HIV, the Ministry of Health, along with a network of NGOs, are promoting prevention, testing, and treatment. In 2018, the Ministry of Health formally asked Peace Corps Panama to assist in combating HIV specifically in the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé, Panama’s largest semi-autonomous Indigenous region and home to over 200,000 Ngäbe people.The 2,700 sq.

mile region of the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé stretches along the Caribbean coast and spans over the mountains of the Cordillera, nearly reaching the Pacific coast. Peace Corps Panama has had the privilege of working with communities in the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé for over two decades. Our Volunteers recognize that it is an honor to have the Ngäbe-Buglé community share their unique language, culture, and traditions. In order to support their community counterparts, Volunteers will need to learn all they can about the language and culture of their community.

The Peace Corps/Panama staff includes Ngäbe facilitators to help support Volunteers, but it will be incumbent on Volunteers to stay curious and continuously deepen their understanding of Ngäbe culture and language throughout their two years of service. Over 90% of the population in this area lives in poverty. Apart from a few large communities, the majority of the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé is extremely rural. Roughly 1 in 3 have access to running water and basic sanitation while just 4% have access to electricity.

The lack of adequate water and sanitation leads to high incidences of infectious diseases, high infant and maternal mortality, and an overall life expectancy that is 10 years shorter than the average Panamanian. High rates of adolescent pregnancy, low graduation rates, and limited participation in the formal labor market are both caused by, and the result of, the multidimensional nature of poverty. Limited access to health care was an issue even before HIV cases started to rise. The Ngäbe youth of today will be the Ngäbe leaders of tomorrow and they have the enormous potential, and responsibility, to carry their people forward to a healthier, more equitable future.

COVID-19 Volunteer Activities In the past year, the world has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a Volunteer, you will be trained in how to best protect yourself from COVID-19 exposure and understand the impact of and steps to reduce stigma related to COVID-19. You may also have the opportunity to engage with your community on implementing or enhancing COVID-19 mitigation activities, such as COVID-19 prevention and risk reduction strategies including social distancing, hand washing, mask wearing, addressing myths and misconceptions related to these practices, and vaccine hesitancy. Activities will be tailored to address the COVID-19 circumstances in the communities where you will serve.
- Certified Physician Assistant or Public Health Nurse with expressed interest in public/community health - Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition, Health, or Nursing
- Experience in community-level health education and promotion with vulnerable populations
- Experience teaching adults and youth formally