Youth Development Fund

The Youth Development Fund (YDF; sometimes branded "Bhutan Youth Development Fund" or BYDF) is a Bhutanese non-governmental organisation focused on the welfare and development of young people, with offices in Thimphu. It was established under a Royal Decree of the 4th Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck in 1999 and is presided over by Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck.^[1]

The fund was created against a backdrop of rising official concern in the late 1990s about youth unemployment, school drop-outs, urban drift to Thimphu and Phuentsholing, and the emerging visibility of substance use among young people. It works through a network of programme partners including the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, the Ministry of Health, schools, monastic institutions, and international donors.^[2]

Programmes

YDF's stated thematic areas are climate action, health and well-being, education, skills development, and youth empowerment. It supports a portfolio of activities including leadership training, life-skills education, vocational and basic-skills training, advocacy and research, special-education services, and substance-use rehabilitation.^[3]

One of the fund's flagship interventions is the Youth Development and Rehabilitation Centre in Tshalumaphey, which provides residential treatment for young people with substance-use disorders. YDF also runs youth centres and resource centres in major towns and provides project-based small grants to youth-led organisations and clubs across the dzongkhags.

Governance

The fund is governed by a board chaired by the Queen Mother as President, supported by an Executive Director and a small secretariat. An International Advisory Council provides advisory input on programme strategy and fundraising and includes Bhutanese and international members drawn from civil society, business, and the development sector.^[4]

YDF is a member of the International Federation of International Athletic Associations (IFIA) and the Asia-Pacific Youth Network coordinated through the International Labour Organization (ILO).^[5]

Funding

YDF is funded by a mix of royal endowments, individual and corporate donations within Bhutan, and grants from international donors and partners. As a registered civil-society organisation under the Civil Society Organisations Act of Bhutan 2007, it operates under the regulatory oversight of the Civil Society Organisations Authority.

See Also

• Queen Mother Tshering Pem Wangchuck
• Youth Development and Rehabilitation Centre
• Jigme Singye Wangchuck

References

1. About Us — Bhutan Youth Development Fund
2. Bhutan Youth Development Fund (YDF) — APYouthNet (ILO)
3. Bhutan Youth Development Fund — Official Website
4. International Advisory Council — Bhutan Youth Development Fund
5. Bhutan Youth Development Fund — IFIA Full Member