PRACTICES - | MENA Adolescent and Youth Hub

in Adolescent andYouth Programming

PRACTICES

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Acronyms and Abbreviations

Executive Summary

1. Analytical Report on the Good Practices in Adolescent and Youth Programming

I. Rationale

II. Approach

III. Methodology

i. Mapping and identification of programmes

ii. Reference groups to guide the process

iii. Tools developed for assessment and data collection

iv. Process of data collection and review

v. Process for write-up of good practices

vi. Challenges

IV. Results and Analysis

i. Overarching elements of success

ii. Key elements of success by theme

iii. Analysis of promising practices

V. Recommendations

i. Recommendations to programme implementers, decision makers and policymakers

ii. Recommendations for smart programme management

iii. Recommendations related to next steps in good practices documentation

2. Good Practices in Adolescent and Youth Programming

Skills development

A Right for an Equal Life, Ebtessama Foundation

Young Researcher Programme, Al Nayzak for Supportive Education and Scientific Innovation

Economic and Social Inclusion Project, Lebanese Handicapped Union

The BRIDGE Programme, Unite Lebanon Youth Project

Skills-Building for University Students, Injaz

Ishraq, Population Council

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5

8

13

14

16

16

16

19

21

20

22

23

24

27

32

34

36

36

37

37

40

40

41

52

70

91

101

114

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ENTRA 21, International Youth Foundation

Passport to Success, International Youth Foundation

Know About Business, International Labour Organization

Youth Economic Empowerment Programme, United Nations Development Programme Yemen

Youth Employability Skills Network Project, Education Development Center Inc.

Youth Career Initiative, Jordan River Foundation

Civic engagement

Adolescent-Friendly Spaces, United Nations Children’s Fund Middle East and North Africa Regional Office

U-Report, United Nations Children’s Fund Uganda

Y-PEER, United Nations Population Fund

Health

Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth, Parent Action on Drugs

Unplugged, European Union Drug Addiction Prevention Trial (EU-DAP) Coordinating Centre

Family Spirit, John Hopkins Center for American Indian Health

Students as Lifestyle Activists, Primary Health Care Education and Research Unit, Western Sydney Local Health District, University of Sydney

Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Program, PATH and Population Council

Resilience development

Building the Resilience of Youth, War Child Canada - Sudan

The Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools, The Treatment and Services Adaptation Center for Resilience, Hope and Wellness in Schools

3. Promising Practices

Arab Youth Volunteering for a Better Future, United Nations Volunteers

Golombiao, United Nations Children’s Fund Colombia and Young Colombia

By Youth for Youth – Design Centre – Youth Advocacy Platform, Innovations Lab Kosovo

Adolescent Asthma Action, Jordan University of Science and Technology

Youth Employment Generation Programme in Egypt, United Nations Development Programme

Youth Empowerment Program, Palestinian Counseling Center

4. Annexes

140

153

168

185

196

208

209

231

244

256

257

273

282

296

307

322

323

337

349

350

362

375

386

404

418

430

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Acknowledgments

This report has been produced under the direction of the technical committee led by Rima Afifi and Aline Germani, Center for Public Health Practice, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut.

The committee wishes to acknowledge the members of the technical team that participated in this project: Racha Adib; Sarah Armoush; Sanaa Mogharbel; Aaron Torres; Fatima Moussawi; Clara Abou Samra; and Bayan Jaber.

The committee also wishes to thank the Adolescent Development and Participation section at UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office for their technical support and coordination on behalf of the UNIATTTYP, Veera Mendonca, Liv Elin Indreiten and Howayda Dakhallah; Deirdre O’Shea for her editorial guidance and 4Ps technical team for the design and layout of the final publication.

The document would not have been possible without the engagement of young people through the online surveys, the different implementing organizations for their patience and timely feedback during the multiple interview, review and validation processes, the Advisory Committee for their counsel, the UNIATTTYP members for their guidance and contribution in peer review and the close follow up and valuable contribution of Karin Schmidt Martinez.

Suggested citation: Analytical Report on the Good Practices in Adolescent and Youth Programming, UNICEF MENARO, on behalf of the UNIATTTYP, R-UNDG Arab States/MENA, 2015.

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Acronyms and abbreviations

AFS ALP ASRH AUB AUST

BDC

CBITS CBOs CEDPA CO CPHP CYEP CSOs

EDC ESA ESI ETVET ESCWA EU EU-Dap

FBO FHS

GDP GIZ

HCYS

ICT IDB IDP ILO IT IELTS IYF

JHCAIH JRF JUST

KAB KARHP

LAUSD LPHU LIBNOR

M&E MENA MFIs MGSCSS

Adolescent-friendly spaces Accelerated Learning Programmeadolescent sexual and reproductive healthAmerican University of BeirutAmerican University of Science and Technology

Business Development Centre (Jordan)

Cognitive Behaviour Intervention for Trauma in Schoolscommunity-based organizationsCentre for Development and Population Activities carbon monoxideCenter for Public Health Practice, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut Caribbean Youth Empowerment Program civil society organizations

Education Development Center (United States)Employment Service Agency (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)Economic and Social Inclusion programmeEmployment, Technical and Vocational Education Training Fund (Jordan)United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western AsiaEuropean UnionEuropean Drug Addiction Prevention trial

faith-based organizationFaculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut

gross domestic productGerman Agency for International Cooperation

Higher Council of Youth and Sports (State of Palestine)

information and communication technologyInter-American Development Bankinternally displaced personInternational Labour Organizationinformation technologyInternational English Language Testing SystemInternational Youth Foundation

Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health Jordan River FoundationJordan University of Science and Technology

Know about BusinessKenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Program

Los Angeles Unified School DistrictLebanese Physically Handicapped UnionLebanese Standards Institution monitoring and evaluationMiddle East and North Africa microfinance institutionsMinistry of Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services (Kenya)

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MIF Most Mohr MP MSM MSMEs

NCET NEO NEO NGO NTF

PAD PCBS PCC PETRI PTA PTS PTSD PWDs PYD

RCT REL R-UNDG

SALSA SAT SES SFD SFP SFPY SMS SRH SSET STEP STI

Triple A TAJ TOEFL ToT TSA for Schools TVET

UCLAULYPUNAIDSUNCT UNDPUNESCOUNFPA UN-HabitatUNIATTTYP UNICEF UNRWA

Multilateral Investment Fund Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (Kenya)Ministry of HealthMember of Parliamentmales having sex with males micro, small and medium enterprises

National Company for Employment Training (Jordan)National Employment Office (Lebanon)New Employment Opportunities (youth employment initiative in Latin America and the Caribbean) non-governmental organizationNational Task Force (State of Palestine)

Parent Action on DrugsPalestinian Central Bureau of StatisticsPalestinian Counselling Centerregional Peer Education Training and Research Institutes (part of Y-PEER)parent-teacher associationPassport to Success® post-traumatic stress disorderpersons with disabilities positive youth development

randomized controlled trial Right for an Equal LifeRegional United Nations Development Group (Arab States/MENA)

Students as Lifestyle ActivistsScholastic Aptitude Testsocioeconomic statusSocial Fund for Development (Yemen)Strengthening Families ProgramStrengthening Families for Parents and Youthshort message service (text message)sexual and reproductive healthSupport Students Exposed to TraumaScience and Technology Entrepreneurship Program sexually transmitted infection

Adolescent Asthma ActionTriple A in JordanTest of English as a Foreign Languagetraining of trainersTreatment and Services Adaptation Center for Resilience, Hope and Wellness in Schools technical and vocational education and training

University of California, Los Angeles Unite Lebanon Youth ProjectJoint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS United Nations country team United Nations Development ProgrammeUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural OrganizationUnited Nations Population FundUnited Nations Human Settlements ProgrammeUnited Nations Inter-Agency Technical Task Team on Young People United Nations Children's Fund United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

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UN-Women UPC USAID USC

VET WASH WHO WPCs

Y2Y YCI YEEP YEGP YEP YES Youth-SWAP Y-PEERYRPYSEP

United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Womenuniversity preparatory courseUnited States Agency for International DevelopmentUniversity of Southern California

vocational education and trainingwater, sanitation and hygiene World Health OrganizationWomen's Programme Centres (UNRWA)

Youth 2 Youth methodologyYouth Career InitiativeYouth Economic Empowerment ProgrammeYouth Employment Generation Programme Youth Empowerment Program Youth Employability Skills United Nations System-wide Action Plan on Youth Youth Peer Education NetworkYoung Researcher ProgrammeYouth Social Entrepreneurship Programme

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Executive Summary

In 2014, the United Nations Inter-Agency Technical Task Team on Young People (UNIATTTYP) of the Middle East and North Africa region commissioned the American University of Beirut, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Public Health Practice, the documentation of good practices in adolescent and youth programming, with the aim of recommending evidence proven ‘best buys’ that respond to the situation and priorities for adolescents and youth in the region.

Specifically, the project aimed to:

• Identify, rate and document global and regional good practices that have had positive outcomes on adolescent and youth development and well-being, and that respond to the critical needs and priorities of adolescents and youth in the region;

• Identify preliminary push factors that lead to successful programming of these good practices;

• Recognize the requirements for scaling up of adolescent and youth programming in MENA region, and identify partners to facilitate training and scaling up;

• Review these good practices in light of the UN Comparative Advantage and support the scaled roll out of the strategic good practices for our region.

The thematic areas of relevance to the region and in which the research focused were:

Civic engagement: meaningful and sustainable participation of adolescents and young people in local and national governance processes;

Skills development: Employability, workplace readiness, school-to-work transition, twenty-first century skills (such as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration);

Resilience development: comprehensive programming in humanitarian contexts;

Health;

Other: social learning, volunteering, adolescent-led initiatives, internships (public/private partnerships), entrepreneurship.

Potential good practices were identified through a multi-pronged approach including: a desk review; consultation with UN offices; an online survey in English and Arabic; and an advisory committee and a network of individuals with expertise in adolescent and youth programming in the region.

A total of 221 programmes were identified during this process, and 22 programmes were selected as good practices: 11 on skills development; 5 on health; 3 on civic engagement; 2 on resilience development; and one on other (entrepreneurship). Given the scarcity of findings in the areas of civic engagement and resilience development, six promising practices were selected and included in the good practices documentation.

SKILLSDEVELOPMENT

HEALTH

CIVICENGAGMENT

RESILIENCEDEVELOPMENT

OTHER1

2

3

5

11

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A series of overarching elements of success were identified across the selected 22 good practices:

• Skills development was an integralcomponent of effective programmes.Skills development included peereducation skills, parenting skills,work readiness to entrepreneurshipskills, community engagement skills,and skills such as communication,planning, collaboration and criticalthinking.

• Effective programmes linked skillsdevelopment, knowledge generationwith opportunities to practice theskills and access the servicesthrough community involvement,entrepreneurship, internships andfriendly health services.

• Expansion of positive optionsand choices for adolescents andyouth: creation of safe spaces;skills development; recreation; andopportunities for active engagementin the communities.

• Programmes were developed with theactive involvement of adolescents andyouth, and responsed to the needs inthe community.

• Planned for sustainability fromthe start. Key elements whichensured sustainability: flexibleand comprehensive programmes;diversified funding; involvement ofstakeholders; programme deliverythorugh existing institutions;and utilization of communityhuman resources in programmeimplementation.

• Robust documentation and

monitoring to measure and improve the quality of the programme.

• Clear and detailed implementationguides and manuals.

• Implementation of a pilot test.

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Key recommendations for programme implementers, decision makers and policy makers

Approach young people from an assets-based perspective, convinced of their promise and focusing on their strengths: Many of the elements of success echo the conceptual assets-based approach to youth positive development.

Ensure that skills-building and experiential learning form a key component of any intervention. The analysis suggested that all but one of the good practices includes skills-building and many include experiential learning. This is in line with the positive youth development approach. Programmes with skills-building components are much more likely to show impact.

Encourage and emphasize that the intervention is conducted with participatory engagement of the ‘community’: three of the most common overarching elements of success are related to participatory engagement: (a) use of available community human resources; (b) utilization of already existing facilitiesas sites for intervention; and (c) forgingpartnerships with community stakeholders.This participatory engagement strengthensand reinforces connectedness to caregivers, community members and mentors.

Require that the programme respond to the needs and priorities of youth: Almost all good practices were built on a solid identified need.

Flexible programming: The analysis suggested that the ability to be flexible and adapt programing to context, all the while

having key components, was a critical element of success.

Key recommendations in youth programming

Encourage innovation andexperimentation with programmes around civic engagement and resilience development: There were many fewer programmes in these areas despite the rhetoric around their importance in international literature. Innovative programmes in these areas should be supported with the caveat that they should include as many of the overarching elements of success as possible to enhance probability of success. The concept of resilience that we promote here is not one that focuses on individual traits and risks blaming the victim. Instead we focus on resilience theory that highlights social and environmental influences. Of note, we consider resilience programmes to be those that aim to develop ‘resilient communities’ rather than resilient individuals. Resilient communities are composed of “healthy individuals, families, and communities with access to health care and the knowledge and resources to know what to do and care for others in both routine and emergency situations.”

Encourage youth involvement at the highest level: Many of the programmes that were reviewed (including those that were promising or good) state that the extent of their involvement with youth is when they are programme participants,take part in the evaluation of activities (process evaluation) or are ‘subjects’ in the impact evaluation (pre- and post-intervention assessments).

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Youth involvement in identification of needs, designing the programmes and implementing and evaluating the programme should be encouraged, if not required.

Key recommendations in programme management

Two specific recommendations are made related to programme management, and are a direct result of the analysis of promising practices. Two of the main deficiencies that led to programme being categorized as promising rather than good were: (1) the reliance on external funding; and (2) a lack of data on effectiveness. With this in mind, we recommend:

Planning for sustainability from the start: Plans for programme continuity need to be developed while the programme is in the early stages of planning. Most of the programmes identified as good practices have diverse funding bases and have institutionalized their activities into existing governmental or community structures. The programmes grew into this through experiences and intent.

Improve the evidence: This can be accomplished by building capacity around monitoring and evaluation, committing to strengthening routine monitoring, and integrating outcome evaluations in the planning of programmes.

Funders should require that at least 20 per cent of every programme budget be devoted to monitoring and evaluation, based on a clear justification for the effects expected from each activity (a problem diagram and related objectives).

Key recommendations related to next steps in good practices documentation

The good practices should be highlighted, celebrated and disseminated: As evidenced by the number of programmes reviewed as compared to the number of good practices identified, good practice programming is rare. The 22 programmes that went through all phases of this project and emerged as ‘good’ should be celebrated. Mechanisms could include:

A. Hosting a conference/workshop on good practices programing and highlighting these by thematic area;

B. The production of reports on each good practice for sharing with decision makers, stakeholders and funders;

C. A scientific publication to inform and share with the academic community about the process and outcomes.

D. The engagement of youth in this process of dissemination should be ensured.

The process of documentation of good practices should continue: This process has been a learning process for all those involved. Many programmes identified as potentially good or promising or even those included in this overall assessment have been eager to provide data and engage in this process. All the organizations engaged in youth programming aim to enhance the well-being of youth and the feedback will serve as an incentive for them to continuously improve their programmes, and eventually will result in a larger basket of good practices for the region and globally.

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Identification of programmes led by grass-roots youth: Recommend an active search in countries and through in-person focus groups with youth to ensure a wider selection of lesser known and resourced programmes that have potential.

Partnerships with academia should be enhanced to continue the work of measurement and documentation: This current partnership between academia and the United Nations has been synergistic at its core. Partners were committed to the well-being of youth, to the region, to evidence and to ensuring a robust process of documentation.

Capacity-building workshops should be offered in gap areas that were evident in the rating of programmes. The matrix analysis of 221 programmes could guide targeted invitations to workshops.

A. Workshop on documentation: Mostprogrammes lacked sufficientdocumentation of their processesand intervention. This includes good,promising and other practices. Thetemplate utilized in this process forgood practice analysis and write-up canserve as a good tool for documentation.

B. Workshop on monitoring and evaluation:These can be offered per thematic areafor programmes that were deemedpromising (or a broader audience).Thematic group sub-workshops wouldbe important to help those working inthe same area to identify some commonevaluation indicators that they would allbe willing to use.

C. Workshop on youth involvement: Moreemphasis is needed on how to engageyouth most meaningfully in decision-

making. This workshop could be targeted at the good practice programmes as well as those designated as promising practices because overall this was a gap in all programmes.

D. Workshop on environmental issues:Although not directly relevant, there is abig gap in the MENA region with respectto environmental concerns. Almostnone of the programmes had anythingto say about how they are taking careof the environment. Given the criticalenvironmental situation in this region, itis critical to raise awareness around theissues of environmental sustainabilityso that it is a component of every goodpractice.

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Analytical Report on the Good Practices inAdolescent and Youth

Programming

14 1 Assaad & Roudi-Fahimi (2007); Chaaban (2009); Singerman & Ibrahim (2003); Rachik (2005); International Labor Organization (2010); ESCWA (2009). 2 U.S. Census Bureau International Database (July 2015). 3 ILO, Key Indicators of the Labour Market (KILM) 8th edition.4 UNFPA (2012) Marrying Too Young. Available at: http://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/MarryingTooYoung.pdf .5 UNICEF (2015) State of the World’s Children Report .6 Silatech Index (2010). Voices of Young Arabs.7 Ibid.

I. Rationale

Middle East and North Africa (MENA) /Arab States region has been documented in a variety of reports and publications.1 Suffice it to say there is a large population of adolescents (ages 10-19 years) and youth (ages 15-24 years) in the MENA region, one of the largest in the world, due to the combination of sharp declines in child mortality and belated declines in fertility in the region. Young people (10-24 years old) comprise an estimated 122.4 million people in the region, which constitutes 28 per cent of the total population.2 Several demographic and social trends are affecting young people. Greater exposure to the norms of global culture often creates rifts between generations, particularly as traditional social networks become more fragmented due to greater urbanization and rapid social change. The youth unemployment rate in the MENA region is the highest in the world, 29.5 per cent.3 This is partially a result of the lack of harmonization between the outputs of the educational system and the needs of the labour market. Youth are engaging in a variety of risky behaviours that influence their well-being. Many youth in the region are also exposed to conflict and violence. Gender disparities and other inequities remain significant barriers to the ability of all youth to grow and thrive. Child marriage continues to be practiced in some countries of the region, with 15 per cent of women aged 20-24 years married or in union by age 18.4 However, most of the countries have laws on the minimum age of marriage and significant progress has been made to curb the trend. A recent UNICEF report provides some hope, indicating that of all regions, the MENA region has “made the fastest progress in reducing child marriage” between 1985 and 2010, halving the percentage of women married

under the age of 18 years (from 34 to 18 per cent) in that time period.5

Many young people in the region feel marginalized politically, economically and socially, despite the investments of their governments. A powerful illustration is that one in three Arab youths desires to migrate.6 The primary reasons include lack of skills development and employment opportunities, low sense of citizenship, missing opportunities for participation and a feeling of not being respected citizens of their own countries.7 The social, political and economic marginalization felt by young people was reflected in the significant uprisings and social and political movements experienced in the region since 2010. Many of these uprisings and movements have been led by young people who, craving for their voices to be heard, sought more opportunities to participate in the political, social and economic processes of their countries, using both peaceful and non-peaceful means. Today the region continues to experience political transitions, conflicts and instability, including a massive crisis affecting Iraq, the Syrian Arab Republic, Yemen and the surrounding countries.

In line with the above, working with and for adolescents and young people is a key priority for the MENA/Arab States Regional United Nations Development Group (R-UNDG). In 2009, the R-UNDG established the regional United Nations Inter-Agency Technical Task Team on Young People (UNIATTTYP) to guide regional and country-level action by the United Nations system concerning young people, ensuring that the requisite leadership and teamwork exists to respond to the needs of young people throughout the Arab States

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/MENA region. UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) co-chair the UNIATTTYP.

Key aims of the Regional Strategic Action Plan on Young People developed by the UNIATTTYP to guide regional youth work:

• Scale up regional evidence-based responses in the Arab States/ MENA region through concerted efforts to assist countries in the region;

• Ensure harmonization and synergy of R-UNDG technical and financial cooperation to better support country efforts in programming for adolescents and young people;

• Launch an intensified and concerted action to strengthen national policies and programmes in favor of young people;

• Strengthen programming among the most at-risk and marginalized young people, guaranteeing special attention to vulnerable groups.

At the global level, the United Nations Secretary-General has made working with and for young people a priority of his five-year Action Agenda. In addition to the appointment of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth and the creation of a United Nations Youth Volunteer Programme, the Secretary-General has called for the development of a System-wide Action Plan on Youth (Youth-SWAP).8 The Youth-SWAP provides strategic guidance to the United Nations system as a whole in its work on youth within the framework of the World Programme of Action for Youth. In addition, it focuses on the following thematic areas: employment; entrepreneurship; political inclusion; civic engagement and protection of rights; education, including comprehensive

sexuality education; and health.

The R-UNDG agreed that for the MENA region, the United Nations team will not roll out the Youth-SWAP immediately but instead focus on identifying practices that work and respond to the situation/priorities for adolescents and young people in the region.

The overall purpose of this good pratices exercise is to recommend some ‘best buys’ in adolescent and youth programming. Specifically it aims to:

• Identify, rate and document global and regional good practices that have had positive outcomes on adolescent and youth development and well-being in priority areas specific to the MENA/Arab States region;

• Ensure that these strategic good practices respond to the critical needs of adolescents and young people in this region;

• Identify preliminary ‘push factors’ that lead to successful programming of these good practices;

• Recognize the requirements for scaling-up of adolescent and youth programming in the region;

• Review these good practices in the light of the comparative advantage of the United Nations system and support the scaled roll-out of the strategic good practices9 for this region.

This effort was led by UNICEF, on behalf of the UNIATTTYP, in partnership with the Center for Public Health Practice (CPHP) (Previously known as the Outreach and Practice Unit) of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the American University of Beirut (see annex 1).

8 http://www.undg.org/docs/13099/UN%20System-wide%20Action%20Plan%20on%20Youth%20(3).pdf . 9 The good practices were to be identified on thematic areas which respond to the critical needs of adolescents and young people in this

region.

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II. Approach

A variety of conceptual frameworks and approaches have been used to understand and analyse adolescent and youth development, resulting in multiple approaches to programming, including multisectoral youth development, rights-based and livelihoods among others.10 Traditionally, youth have been viewed as problems for society and as passive recipients of adult-directed interventions. Recent literature on young people has shifted from an emphasis on young people as problems and a focus on risky behaviours to seeing young people as assets, with a focus on protective factors. This paradigm – called positive youth development (PYD) or an assets approach11 – focuses on all young people, not only those ‘at risk’ 12 and advocates surrounding young persons with an environment that promotes their development, rather than focusing only on prevention of risky behaviours. The approach sees young people as contributing to community change by acting as resources and competent citizens in their communities.13 A youth development approach focuses on the strengths of youth rather than deficits.14 Although a PYD approach is interested in risk exposure, it is “focused on strengths rather than deficits, and on understanding health development in spite of risk exposure.”15 Strengths, assets and resources enhance the ability of young persons to resist and adapt to stressful events. These can be internal or external to the individual and the PYD approach confirms the importance of both for health and well-being. “The key hypothesis of the PYD perspective is that when the strengths of youth are aligned with the strengths of the context, positive and healthy development will occur.”16 A focus on PYD means that interventions target building life skills and enhancing protective factors, and

involve young people as active participants in the design, implementation and evaluation of a programme, not only as participants.

This good practices documentation project uses on a PYD /protective factors, asset-based approach to analysis.

For the documentation of good practices in adolescent and youth programming in the MENA region, the target age group considered is ages 12-24 years. Based on the situation assessment in the region and priorities identified by adolescents and young people, the key areas of interest for this project are:

• Civic engagement: meaningful and sustainable participation of adolescents and young people in local and national governance processes;

• Skills development: employability, workplace readiness, school-to-work transition, twenty-first century skills (such as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration);

• Health;

• Other: social learning, volunteering, adolescent-led initiatives, internships (public/private partnerships), entrepreneurship.

III. Methodology

i. Mapping and identification of programmes

A multipronged process, as elaborated in the figure below, was used to map and identify the different programmes; 221 programmes were identified through the different channels (table 1).

10 UNICEF (2006) Adolescent Development: Perspectives and Frameworks. Available at: http://www.unicef.org/adolescence/files/ADAP_series_1.pdf 11 Catalano RF, Hawkins JD, Berglund ML, Pollard JA & Arthur MW. (2002) Prevention science and positive youth development: Competitive or cooperative frameworks? Journal of Adolescent Health, 31:230-239. 12 Pittman K, Irby M, Tolman J, Yohalem N, Ferber T, (2003) Preventing Problems, Promoting Development, Encouraging Engagement: Competing Priorities or Inseparable Goals?, Based upon Pittman K & Irby M (1996) Preventing Problems or Promoting Development? Washington, DC: The Forum for Youth Investment, Impact Strategies, Inc. Available online at www.forumfyi.org. 13 Checkoway B, Richards-Schuster K R, Abdullah S, Aragon M, Facio E, Figueroa L, et al., (2003) Young people as competent citizens, Press and Community Development Journal, 38(4): 298-309. 14 Roth J, et al. (1998). Promoting health adolescents; Synthesis of youth development program evaluations. Journal of Research on Adolescence. 8(4): 423-459. 15 Fergus S, Zimmerman M. (2005). Adolescent resilience: A framework for understanding healthy development in the face of risk. Annual Reviews of Public Health. 26: 399-419, page 399. 16 Bowers EP, et al. (2010). The Five Cs Model of Positive Youth Development: A Longitudinal Analysis of Confirmatory Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance. Journal of Youth and Adolescence , 39 (7): 720-735.

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Figure 1. Process to identify/map potential good practices globally and regionally

Table 1. Number of programmes identified by channel (See annex 5 for full list of all identified programmes.)

Channel Number of responsesNumber of programmes

identifiedUnited Nations system 48 29Desk review - 160Youth survey

Adult survey (through networks)

437 17*

105

Advisory (refer to next section)

- 15

Total 221*This number includes the programmes identified from surveys completed by youth and individuals from the list of individuals and networks.

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The regional offices of United Nations agencies in MENA (through the UNIATTTYP) involved in adolescent and youth programming were contacted to identify and share good practices. These offices identified a total of 48 programmes which were either their own, or programmes operated bynon-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Governments that they judged to be worth investigating. Members of the UNIATTTYP that were contacted are listed in annex 2.

A desk review was conducted to identify global and regional good practices in adolescent and youth programming, using the following search engines: Medline; Proquest; Google Engine Search; and Google Scholar Search. The main keywords used in the search included the following:

• Youth*ng AND/OR adolescence*ts AND “region” AND best or promising practices*program*initiative AND/OR evaluation*impact

• Youth*ng AND/OR adolescence*ts AND “country name” AND best or promising practices*program*initiative AND/OR evaluation*impact

• Youth*ng AND/OR adolescence*ts AND “category” AND best or promising practices *program* initiative AND/OR evaluation*impactYouth*ng AND/OR adolescence*ts AND “sub-category” AND best or promising practices*program*initiative AND/OR evaluation* impact

In addition to the five main categories that were steering the search, the following sub-categories were also identified and included: the ‘4Cs’ (collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, communication); life skills; information and communication technology; media and technical skills; career skills; risk

reduction; employability; school-to-work transition; resilience building; comprehensive programming in the humanitarian context; skills-/competence-building; innovations; social protection; youth policy development; education; sexuality education; reproductive health; youth parliament; youth-friendly cities; youth municipalities; youth councils; most at risk; vulnerable.

The search resulted in the identification of 160 programmes with varying depths of information ranging from a basic description to full reports and publications of outcome evaluations or synthesis of best practices.

A youth forum (link: https://www.facebook.com/y2ymena), developed by creating a youth-friendly Facebook page, was launched on 13 June 2014. The Facebook page has reached 3,256 youths (as of 6 March 2015). Its ‘fans’ are comprised of 49 per cent women and 51 per cent men ranging from 18 to 24 years of age. In terms of nationality, fans come from (in descending order) Egypt, Tunisia, Iraq, State of Palestine, Lebanon, Morocco, Jordan, Yemen and Pakistan.

An online youth survey was developed to explore youth-oriented interventions which young people in the MENA region found to be effective and beneficial; to widen the search for available programs; and to obtain information about identified programmes and contact information of implementers. The survey encompassed 12 closed-ended questions and five open-ended questions (see annex 3). The survey was prepared in English and Arabic. The English language survey received 203 responses but only 32 survey forms were complete. The Arabic version received 234 surveys, of which only 25 were fully completed.

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In order to capture less visible grass-roots, small-scale programmes, 80 individuals from organizations, networks and institutions (annex 4) were targeted with an individual e-mail and asked to provide input into good practices that they have heard about or implemented by completing an adult survey was adapted from the youth survey. Some of these individuals forwarded the inquiry e-mail, yielding 105 responses. However, many were e-mail responses without a completed survey or surveys that were incomplete; only 23 complete adult surveys were received.

In summary, 542 responses to the online surveys were received, 80 of them complete. Of the suggested programmes, 17 were shortlisted as relevant programmes that met the basic requirements of target age group and theme, and were included for further evaluation. The incomplete responses either were not useful as they did not suggest names of programmes or the respondents were ineligible to answer (not in the appropriate age bracket or not living in one of the 22 countries of the MENA region).

ii. Reference groups to guide the process

Advisory group

An advisory group of 10 members was established to provide guidance to the project. The team consisted of experts in the areas of child and youth protection; children’s rights; child inclusion; youth policy; youth participation; youth empowerment; capacity-building of youths; youth skills training; child and youth participation in civil society; youth sexual and reproductive health; and human rights (annex 6). None of the advisory team members were affiliated with a United Nations

agency.

The role of the advisory committee members was to: (1) provide insight into good practices they knew of for adolescents and youth globally and in the region in their areas of expertise; and (2) provide their expert opinion on a set of indicators developed by the core team that would be used to prioritize the good practices.

The advisory group raised some concerns regarding the process (see annex 7). Their main concern pertained to capturing contextual, local, low-budget, grass-roots, informal/non-formal sector programmes and not only those designed and funded by international agencies such as the United Nations, donor government agencies and international NGOs. In order to focus on local programmes, the members stressed the importance of using the Arabic language for communication and forms. Using only English would marginalize many of these programmes from the region. Thus, the CPHP team agreed to resolicit programs using Arabic communication and the youth survey was translated into Arabic. In addition, the CPHP team asked the members of the advisory group to identify potential programmes that they judged to be effective, innovative or sustainable and identify the relevant focal persons who could be contacted to facilitate the process. They identified 15 such programmes.

UNIATTTYP

In addition to its contribution to identifying programmes, the UNIATTTYP provided guidance on the process for the project. In its meeting of 14 August 2014 UNIATTTYP endorsed the suggestions of the advisory group to try to identify informal grass-roots programmes,

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but suggested that programmes be classified as small-scale and large-scale initiatives since it is difficult to compare these two categories (see annex 8).

All parties involved in this project (UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office, UNIATTTYP, the advisory group and CPHP team) agreed that this documentation is an iterative process that cannot be a single activity which is limited in time. A periodic effort should be undertaken to update good practices in adolescent and youth programming.

iii. Tools developed for assessment and data collection

Rating scale

A rating scale to prioritize good practices was developed taking into consideration the MENA R-UNDG Youth Theme Group for Good Practice Documentation (March 2013), coordinated and led by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on behalf of UNIATTTYP. The rating scale includes eight criteria: (1) effectiveness; (2) sustainability (and/or); (3) replication, (4) equity analysis; (5) innovativeness; (6) evidence-based; (7) value orientation; and (8) youth involvement. (See annex 9.)

The CPHP and UNIATTTYP agreed that in order for a programme to be considered a potential ‘good practice’, at a minimum it must meet the criteria of effectiveness, sustainability or replication, equity and innovativeness. Criteria of evidence-based, values orientation and youth involvement were deemed as preferable but not necessary. The advisory group refuted this suggestion, stating that all criteria are equally important for a programme to qualify as a potential good practice. The UNIAAATYP concurred. Yet, it was agreed

that effectiveness has to be evidenced for a programme to be judged as potentially good. Therefore, upon discussion with the advisory group and UNIATTTYP, the following were the judgements defined for programmes:

• Potential good practice. Preferably meets all criteria; no programme qualifies for this category unless evidence of effectiveness and sustainability/replication is provided. Programmes that are weak on innovativeness, youth involvement or values orientation but with demonstrated effectiveness and sustainability or replication are judged as a potential good practice. Evaluation of process and outputs is not sufficient. Programmes that have been classified as ‘potential good practice’ are eligible for an in-depth interview with the implementers of the programme;

• Promising practice. Meets most criteria, mainly those for evidence-based, equity, values orientation, innovativeness and youth involvement, but no evaluation of outcomes has been conducted and thus there is no evidence of effectiveness. Programmes that have been classified as ‘promising’ are kept on file in order to follow their progress and encourage them to perform an evaluation;

• Dropped. Do not meet the criteria. The main reasons behind the judgment of ‘dropped’ were: the programme did not focus on the 10-24-year age group; the ‘programme’ was simply a one-day conference or workshop; there was no clear evidence of need and no effectiveness data; and the programme did not focus on or target those most at risk or in need. Dropped programmes were archived with did not focus on or target those most at risk or

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in need. Dropped programmes were archived with the justification of their removal from the process and kept on file in order to respond to any future inquiry about them.

• Continue to explore. Unable to make a judgment due to lack of information. These were followed up with e-mails to implementers to try to collect information but with no response. Copies of e-mails were archived for future follow-up.

Interview guide

An interview guide was developed in order to collect in-depth data on the programmes that were rated as potential good practices. Primary data collected from the implementers of the programme complemented the secondary analysis of the data retrieved from the available published documentation. This information was meant to provide the grounds for the analysis of the factors that lead to successful programming in each thematic and cross-cutting area and for the identification of key elements for scaling up each programme.

Thus, the interview guide focused mainly on: the evidence that informed the design and planning of the programme; the theoretical approach and conceptual framework adopted, if applicable; the human and financial resources allocated; the elements that allowed its sustainability or replication such as partnerships, involvement of local stakeholders or structures created; the evaluation methods and results; challenges; and lessons learned and recommendations.

iv. Process of data collection and review

The initial strategy adopted for collecting information and rating was as follows:

Phase 1. Rating programmes by conducting a secondary analysis of the documentation retrieved from the desk review or provided during the mapping exercise by members of the UNIATTTYP, advisory group or networks;

Phase 2. Conducting in-depth interviews with the implementers of the programmes that were classified as ‘potential good practices’ to collect more detailed data;

Phase 3. Revising rating of the programmes based on the data collected through the interviews to validate the ‘potential good practice’ judgment.

Phase 1. Rating

Phase 1 proved to be time-consuming and of little impact mainly because limited documentation was found on the programmes. For example, as of 14 August 2014, after one month of review, information sufficient to make a judgement was found for only 3 of 45 programmes reviewed.

In an attempt to remedy this situation, an additional step was introduced to Phase 1 and tested during the end of August 2014. The team decided to move forward with quick interviews inspired from the interview guide to gather the information needed to make a preliminary judgment. Rating based on documentation available would continue in parallel. Again, this task proved to be very time- and labour-intensive although effective in gathering data if an interview was conducted. A team of six persons was set up to support this process. Only seven interviews took place in one month because 22 programmes invited for an interview did not respond. Of the seven that were interviewed quickly, most were eliminated based on two of the main criteria: no outcome evaluations conducted; and no replication or sustainability.

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Thus, in order to move forward more efficiently, a letter inviting the programme implementers to share data on their programmes was prepared in both English and Arabic and sent by e-mail in August 2014 to the 178 programmes mapped through 1 August 2014. The rating of programmes based on available documentation continued in parallel.

A form (see annex 11) was attached that asked questions related to the minimum criteria to determine if a programme could be categorized as a good or promising practice. The implementers were asked to complete the form and/or send relevant documentation, and were informed that if the programme was judged to be a potential good practice, the team would follow up with an in-depth interview.

Again, this process had its challenges. In particular, finding the correct contact details of the programme’s implementers was time-consuming. Staff used two sources of information to find this information: (1) websites of the organizations or programmes; and (2) asking the UNIAAATYP members and to the UNICEF regional and country offices for the information.

Phase 2. In-depth interview

As mentioned earlier, an in-depth interview was conducted with programmes that were rated ‘potential good practices’. The purpose of this interview was to validate the rating of the programme and more importantly, to provide comprehensive documentation on the planning, implementation and evaluation phases of the programme in order to be able to scale it up. Each interview took around two hours to complete. A total of 32 interviews were conducted.

Phase 3. Re-rating

After the transcription of the interview, the technical lead of the project validated a ‘potential good practice’ to a final judgment of ‘good practice’ or moved it to the ‘promising practice’ or ‘dropped’ categories. All mapped and identified programmes were organized within a matrix including a summary of each programme and the justification of whether or not it met each of the eight criteria and the judgment.

v. Process for write-up of good practices

Prioritization of good practices

It was planned that once the three phases were complete; a prioritization exercise would occur with the participation of the advisory group, UNIAAATYP and selected youth. Unfortunately this phase did not take place because of the 221 programmes mapped, only 22 were validated as ‘good, so that the initial output of prioritizing 30 good practices from a larger total was not applicable.

Write-up of good practices

A standard template for the write-up was developed and shared with the UNIATTTYP team. The template was piloted with two programmes during the third and fourth weeks of October 2014. The technical lead provided extensive comments on the write-up of one programme to ensure the quality, relevant content and consistency of all subsequent write-ups. In addition, the pilot write-up informed the interview process that was still ongoing in parallel and interviewers were given specific instructions on questions and issues that should be probed further.

The write-up process for each programme underwent several iterations. A team of three research assistants drafted the first versions

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of 28 programmes in total (22 good and 6 promising, see below). A team of three senior technical staff reviewed the first versions of the write-ups to verify the significance, relevance, completeness and analytical depth of the information provided; the first drafts were returned to the writers to address the reviewers’ comments. Whenever additional information requested from the reviewers was missing, the questions were forwarded to the implementers for answers; the writers incorporated the additional information and sent back a second version of the write-up for review. The reviewer cleared the technical aspect of the second draft, which was sent to the implementers for validation. The writers incorporated the implementers’ comments, if any. The technical reviewers read the third drafts for final clearance of the content, structure and language and signed off on them. The 28 write-ups were sent to an editor to ensure consistency of language and style, and the final version was sent to the implementer for a final review and validation for publication.

Decision to include selected promising practices

As the process proceeded, a decision was made to include six ‘promising’ programme write-ups in this report, based on one of two justifications:

1. Because the analysis revealed a very limited number of potential good practices in the category of civic engagement and resilience development, we included the write-ups of promising programmes in this thematic area;

2. Several potential good practices went through over four iterations (write-up edits) as implementers responded tirelessly to our increasingly specific questions and comments about their programmes (e.g.

YEGP).Ultimately, these were judged as ‘promising’ but are included in this document to indicate a few programme that are truly on the cusp between ‘promising’ and ‘good’.

vi. Challenges

The scope of this project with five areas of interest and examining programmes both at the regional and global levels required a full year of work and a team of four full-time research assistants, three technical staff and an editor to yield 22 good practices out of 221 programmes identified (a ratio of 10 per cent). This section describes the challenges that should be taken into account when engaging in future similar exercises.

• The lack of written and/or published documentation on programmes has made the process of initial triage very time-consuming, and might have resulted in a failure to detect programmes that qualify as ‘good’ since 57 programmes remain unexplored.

• The lack of response from implementers that has resulted in 57 programmes being rated as ‘continue to explore’. The team assumed that this could be due to incorrect contacts or e-mail addresses and tried to remedy by mobilizing the country offices of the UNIATTTYP member agencies to inquire about the names of the focal points and addresses of the programme in their respective countries. This effort was also not very successful.

• Delays in responding from implementers at all stages of the process: responding to e-mails, sharing documents, scheduling interviews, reviewing write-ups, responding to questions.

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• A lack of experience on the part of some interviewers led to incomplete or superficial data. The interview necessitated additional probing on the questions in order to capture all the information needed, requiring the interviewers to have good critical and analytical skills.

• No youth involvement in the process except in the identification of programmes through the online youth survey. Three strategies were thought of but not implemented, mainly due to lack of time and difficulty in obtaining a representative group of young people to support the process.

• Limited access to Arabic-language programmes implemented; although the youth survey was translated into Arabic, the adult survey was in English only. In addition, the desk review was limited to English databases and search engines.

IV. Results

Table 2. Overview of identified programmes and their ratings

Programmes Number

Promising programmes 49

Dropped programmes 89

Programmes that need further exploration 57

Programmes that were not reviewed* 4

Programmes validated as good practices 22

Final total 221

* Reasons for not reviewing: (1) no response from the implementer; (2) implementers did not wish to report on two of the programmes; (3) no documentation available.

Table 3. Overview of United Nations and non-United Nations programmes based on region and category

Total by

ratingOtherHealthResilience

DevelopmentSkills

DevelopmentCivic

Engagement

GlobalMENAGlobalMENAGlobalMENAGlobalMENAGlobalMENA

22015020 3821Good practice

49126513016213Promising practice

57265241081307Continue to explore

128391677131137421

Subtotal by category

and region (programmes considered)

1281223204825Subtotal by

(programmes considered)

40001002001Programmes not reviewed (non-United Nations)

892516296916717Total by region category (United Nations and non-United Nations)

2215143210161922531139

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Table 4. The 22 validated good practices

MENA/GLOBALArea of interventionImplementerProgramme

MENA

Skills development

Ebtessama FoundationA Right for an Equal Life 1

Al Nayzak for Supportive

Education And Scientific

Innovation

Young Researcher Programme

2

Lebanese Physically Handi-capped Union (LPHU)

Economic and Social Inclusion Project3

Unite Lebanon Youth ProjectThe BRIDGE Programme4

INJAZSkills-Building for University Students5

Population CouncilIshraq6

United Nations Development

Programme Yemen

Youth Economic Empowerment Pro-

gramme (YEEP) II7

Jordan River Foundation Youth Career Initiative (YCI)8

International Labour Organi-zation (ILO)

Know about Business (KAB)17

9

GLOBAL

Education Development Center, Inc.

Youth Employability Skills Network Project (YES)10

International Youth Founda-tion

ENTRA 2111

International Youth Founda-tion

Passport to Success®12

MENA

Civic engagement

UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office

Adolescent-Friendly Spaces (AFS)13

GLOBAL

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Y-PEER14

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Uganda

U-Report15

GLOBALHealth

Parent Action on Drugs (PAD)Strengthening Families for Parents

and Youth (SFPY)16

European Union Addiction

Prevention Trail (EU-DAP)

Coordinating Centre

Unplugged

17

John Hopkins Center for American Indian Health

Family Spirit18

University of SydneyStudents as Lifestyle Activists

(SALSA)19

PATH and Population CouncilKenya Adolescent Reproductive

Health Program (KARHP)20

GLOBALResilience development

The Treatment and Services Adaptation Center for Resil-ience, Hope and Wellness in Schools

The Cognitive Behaviour Interven-

tion for Trauma in Schools (CBITS)21

War Child Canada - SudanBuilding the Resilience of Youth22

17 KAB was categorized and analyzed throughout the whole good practices documentation exercise under the category of “other” given its focus on raising awareness about entrepreneurship among young people. However, KAB is presented with the skills development programmes as it also shares elements with these programmes. In the analytical section of the report and all the analytical tables, KAB remains under “other”, and it is not included in the discussion of critical elements of “skills development programmes”.

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Table 4b. The six promising practices that were included in the selection

Programme Implementer Area of intervention MENA/GLOBAL

1Youth Employment Generation

Programme in Egypt (YEGP)

United Nations Develop-

ment ProgrammeSkills development MENA

2 Youth Empowerment ProgramPalestinian Counseling Center (PCC)

3Arab Youth Volunteering for a

Better Future

United NationsVolunteers Programme

Civic engagementMENA

4By Youth for Youth - Design Centre - Youth Advocacy Platform

Innovations Lab Kosovo 18

GLOBAL

5Adolescent Asthma Action Jordan University of Sci-

ence and TechnologyHealth

GLOBAL

6Golombiao United Nations Chil-

dren’s Fund Colombia and Young Colombia


In total, 22 good practices were documented: 11 in the area of skills-development; 5 in health; 3 in civic engagement; 2 in resilience development; and one in other (entrepreneurship).19

The number of beneficiaries ranged from 53 to 850,000 individuals, with seven programmes reaching over 100,000 beneficiaries. Eleven of the 22 good practices included young people under the age of 15 years. Funding for these practices came from a diverse range of organizations including embassies, ministries of health and national governments. (See annex 13, table 5 for more details.)

Thematic analysis was conducted by a thorough reading and rereading of all the good practices. This section will describe the overarching key elements of success, followed by specific elements of success within each theme. We describe these using qualitative narrative and quantitative data. In some thematic areas, as evident above, the number of good practices is limited, and therefore any suggested key element of success must be interpreted with caution. We

then present a comparison by thematic area between good and promising practices as well as an analysis of the promising practices in order to clarify the specific criteria that led to their being rated as ‘promising’ rather than ‘good’.

The background to this report highlighted the benefits and effectiveness of a positive youth development / assets-based approach to programming for young people, and further emphasized the importance of youth engagement / ‘participation’ in programmes. It is of note that the programmes identified as good practices herein wholly support this evidence. They by and large focus on positive development of youth and on enhancing both internal and external assets through skills- and resilience-building and through connecting youth to community support systems.

One final note: despite the number of countries in the MENA region currently experiencing upheaval / emergency situations, there were very few programmes with proven effectiveness in resilience-building.

18 In the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).19 The practice Know about Business by ILO was categorized and analyzed as “other (entrepreneurship”), but it is presented with the skills

development programmes.

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i. Overarching elements of success

The analysis identified 13 overarching elements of success across the 22 good practices. These are different than the criteria used to rate the programmes (see discussion of phases 1 and 3 above). The good practices described in this section have already met the criteria for inclusion. The elements of success identified in this section are those over and above the criteria that arose out of a qualitative analysis of the documentation. Each of the good practices has been characterized according to each of these elements (annex 14, table 6). Below is a list of these elements and several examples of each.

• Forging partnerships with the involvement of stakeholders: All 22 good practices forged partnerships with or involved stakeholders in the implementation of their programmes. For example, Ishraq stresses the need to forge partnerships with all key stakeholders and at all levels – governmental and non-governmental actors, the private sector, the community, parents and girls’ themselves – to ensure sustainability and the development of a generation of girls equipped with skills and knowledge to exercise their rights as active citizens and members of their communities. Al Nayzak is collaborating with the Palestinian Ministry of Education to adapt the curriculum to schools. This element is likely related to being a good practice as it is an indicator of potential for sustainability, as well as impact.

• The intervention is delivered through existing institutions (in already available spaces): 21 of the 22 practices were delivered through existing institutions such as schools, homes and NGO spaces. For

example, Cognitive Behaviour Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS), Know about Business (KAB) and (YES) are delivered through schools, Family Spirit in homes, and KAB, and YES through existing NGOs, and U-REPORT uses already established social media. This element is probably related to being a good practice in that in decreases the resources needed to ensure sustainability. It is likely also that it promotes an identity linked to the intervention programme, which also supports its institutionalization and replicability.

• Utilizing community human resources in programme implementation: 21 of the 22 programmes utilized community human resources during programme implementation. For example, CBITS and university students as facilitators; Ishraq engages female high school or university graduates as ‘promoters’ who served as teachers, role models and advocates for the girls; and INJAZ engages employees from its partner private sector companies as volunteers for technical expertise and mentorship. This is likely linked to being identified as a good practice as it suggests availability of human resources, cost savings as well as the seeds of sustainability.

• Utilizing community human resources in programme implementation: 21 of the 22 programmes utilized community human resources during programme implementation. For example, CBITS and university students as facilitators; Ishraq engages female high school or university graduates as ‘promoters’ who served as teachers, role models and advocates for

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he girls; and INJAZ engages employees from its partner private sector companies as volunteers for technical expertise and mentorship. This is likely linked to being identified as a good practice as it suggests availability of human resources, cost savings as well as the seeds of sustainability.

• Skills-building: 21 of 22 programmes included skills-building as part of their activities. The skills-building components were tailored to youth, parents and/or teachers. Skills-building curricula were developed and delivered in school-based settings in nine programmes. Depending on the thematic area, these skills-building covered life skills, peer education, parenting, work readiness and entrepreneurship. For example, ENTRA 21 focused on building three categories of skills – technical skills, life skills, job-seeking skills – and, in some cases, basic skills (literacy, mathematics). The technical skills were mostly around information technology (IT) and business. Some of the life skills commonly developed across the 59 projects of ENTRA 21 were creative thinking, working in groups, interpersonal communication, self-confidence, ethical behaviour and conflict management. Others included time management, citizenship skills and violence prevention. Additionally, all projects devoted part of the curriculum to developing youth’s job-seeking skills. This element of success is likely related to being a good practice in that it indicates an approach of positive youth development and empowerment of youth. Evidence also suggests that skills-building is much more likely to result in impact than transmission of knowledge alone. Hence these programmes were likely to be more

effective, another key component of being labeled a good practice.

• A documented need usually identified using robust research methods: Almost all ‘good practices’ (20 of 22) were developed and implemented as a result of a clearly documented local (or regional) need. For example, ENTRA 21 – after documenting the high rate of youth unemployment (compared to adult unemployment) conducted surveys of or interviews with businesses to determine what type of entry-level skills they were seeking and what, if any, issues they foresaw in hiring youth; reviewed labour market studies or databases to learn about employment trends, where jobs were being created and what type of occupational areas were in greatest demand; and created an advisory group of business people and/or others who understood labour trends. For CBITS – as a result of members of the crisis intervention teams in the Los Angeles Unified School District expressing concern about students’ exposure to violence – a survey of 28,000 sixth graders was conducted by the RAND Corporation and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The results were disturbing: over 90 per cent of the students reported exposure to at least one violent event within the past 12 months, and 40 per cent reported exposure involving a deadly weapon. The findings resulted in an intervention for traumatized students with the intention that it be soundly based in research and accepted into the school setting. As another example, the needs assessment for the Economic and Social Inclusion programme came from the experience of the Lebanese Physically Handicapped Union (LPHU) working with

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the target groups through outreach points around Lebanon, analysis of the legal framework, and a series of formal studies undertaken by LPHU examining the position of people with disabilities in the labour market.20 These studies revealed that many youth with disabilities never actually had jobs or if they did have jobs, did not receive proper salaries or national social security funds. More specifically, this analysis indicated certain challenges that persons with disabilities face when seeking employment: transportation, both public and private, that was inaccessible or costly; unsuitable infrastructure in terms of roads and services, making it difficult to operate independently; heavy reliance on parents for assistance ; lack of independence and autonomy; both public and private sector employers stating in their employment criteria that they need people without disabilities; and training centres never included or presented opportunities for the training of persons with disabilities. Documenting need is probably related to being a ‘good practice’ as it allowed the programme to be very clear in its objectives and the activities required to achieve those objectives, which made monitoring and evaluation more focused.

• Flexible programming: 20 of 22 programmes identified as good practices had flexible programming. For example, training cycles in ENTRA 21 vary in duration from 154 hours to a maximum of 1,920 hours, and are offered over a period of approximately 2-12 months. The length of training in terms of contact hours depended on a variety of factors such as the type of training provided; requirements imposed by employers

regarding minimum internship hours; certification requirements set by the executing agencies; and the youths’ level of education and ‘marginality’ (defined as the youth not possessing secondary education, having a disability, being a single mother, etc.). Flexible programming may be related to identification of a good practice – particularly in combination with clear and detailed implementation plans – as it allows for innovations where needed for replicability and scalabilit.

• Creating safe spaces for youth: 19 of 22 good practices in one way or another created safe spaces for youth to share their thoughts and feelings, have dialogues and learn. For example, the Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Program (KARHP) and Y-PEER created youth-friendly health centres to provide sexual and reproductive health education and services tailored to the need of the youth and delivered in a stigma- and taboo-free environment. Ishraq created village centres for young rural girls to learn and interact with each other in a pressure-free environment. This element is most likely related to being a good practice for adolescents in that it indicates clear commitment to listening to youth and acknowledging their value, assets and promise.

• Clear and detailed implementation guides for sessions: 17 of 22 good practices included this element of success. For example, Ishraq has standard teaching packages for all four of its components: (1) for literacy, the Caritas ‘Learn to be free’ curriculum; (2) for life skills, the Centre for Developed by PATH and the Population Council in collaboration with Kenya’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to offer adolescents relevant

20 ‘Disability and livelihoods in Lebanon’ (2003); ‘Disability and Employment’ (2004); ‘The employment situation of people with disabilities in the Bekaa region: Difficulties and Opportunities’ (2005); and ‘Survey of Companies in the Private Sector to Explore Available & Potential Employment Opportunities’ (2006).

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and appropriate information on sexual and reproductive health, HIV prevention and life skills. Each session had a clear learning objective that was addressed through a series of participatory learning activities. As the programme developed, a series of guides and manuals was included, and the ‘Tuko Pamoja’ series now includes the adolescent reproductive health and skills curriculum, a guide for talking with young people about their reproductive health and a manual for peer educators. This element is probably related to being a good practice as it allows for a clear identification of the content provided as well as the conceptual thinking behind the programme (and often provided guide to the pathways of success).

• Had thought about institutionalization or had a plan in place: 16 of 22 good practices exhibited this element of success. For example, ENTRA 21 engaged national organizations in each area to conduct a needs assessment and implement the programme. Thinking about institutionalization and putting plans in place early in the history of the project decreases the probability that factors such as reduced funding influence a programme’s continuity.

• Youth ‘presence and voice’: 16 of 22 programmes exhibited this successful element. Youth ‘presence and voice’ is a term intended to indicate that the programmes identified as good practices tended to be youthful either through the active and direct involvement of youth as programme implementers(Y-PEER) or as facilitators and mentors. This element of success overlaps with the element of using community resources where that resource was young people themselves

(e.g., programmes that engaged university students as facilitators). For example, former BRIDGE students volunteer as focal points at the schools of current BRIDGE students; there are seven fixed focal points in different areas to assist in following up and reaching out to high school students. In the Youth Employability Skills programme, representatives of youth NGOs were responsible for delivering the work readiness skills training to unemployed youth, and students from the vocational and educational training schools also acted as volunteers in the career centres. This element of success is likely related to being a good practice in that it indicates an approach of positive youth development and empowerment of youth. It also is likely linked to sustainability.

• Diversified funding: 14 of 22 programmes had diversified funding. For example, the Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (YEEP) received funds from the Embassies of Japan and Republic of Korea for its Phase 1, then from local governments and partners for other phases. Ishraq was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Embassy of the Netherlands in Cairo and the Population Council. More recently, it has received support from the local adult education agency. Diversified funding is likely linked to being a good practice by ensuring that the programme is not tied to one funding stream, thus enhancing sustainability. In addition, diversified funding often means some aspect of the programme is funded by local resources, enhancing ownership and sustainability.

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• A pilot test: 12 of 22 good practices started with a pilot phase. For example, U-Report, which now has 275,000 members in Uganda, started with a pilot phase in April 2011 during which 30 polls were conducted on a series of issues ranging from violence against women to best practices in nutrition. Over 5,000 reports were received from around 60 districts and 900 ‘U-Reporters’. Whenever KAB is introduced in a country, there is a pilot phase which lasts approximately one to two years during which the concerned national institution works closely with ILO on implementation of the programme. Information workshops are organized to sensitize the partner education institutions on the role of entrepreneurship education in national youth employment and the relevance of the KAB programme. During this pilot phase, the curriculum is reviewed and adapted to the national socioeconomic and cultural contexts, including translation of materials. The training of teachers/facilitators also takes place at this stage over a period of two weeks, at which point implementation begins. The evaluation of this pilot phase involves an assessment of students’ attitudinal changes and improved knowledge, as well as review of feedback from the implementing teachers and schools. Depending on the results from the pilot phase, the respective governments decide whether or not to introduce KAB into national education curricula as a regular academic subject and replicate the programme country-wide. The pilot phase is probably related to being a ‘good practice’ as it allows the testing of an intervention at a small scale, for glitches to be fixed, and for lessons learned and adjustments to be implemented prior to

scaling-up.

Overall, when analysed by the 13 overarching elements of success, the good practices had a range of scores between 7 (one programme) and 13 (three programmes). The distribution of programmes by total overarching elements of success found in annex 14, tables 7 and 8 indicates the distribution of the elements of success in United Nations programmes in the MENA region, United Nations global programmes, non-United Nations programmes in the MENA region and global non-United Nations programmes. Overall, all United Nations programmes had four of the elements of success: using community human resources; forging partnerships and involving stakeholders; interventions implemented in available spaces; and flexible programming. Four of the critical elements of success were also in over 80 per cent of United Nations programmes: a documentation of need; using skills-building techniques; creating safe spaces; and a ‘youth presence or voice.’ The least likely element of success in United Nations programmes was diversified funding. With respectto non-United Nations programmes, only one element of success – using skills-building techniques – was present in all programmes.

Four elements were found in over 90 per cent of the programmes: documentation of need; using community human resources; using available spaces to implement the intervention; and partnerships forged and stakeholders involved. The element least likely to be found in these programmes was having a pilot phase.

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ii. Key elements of success by theme

A thorough analysis of the good practices documentation in each thematic area also yielded elements of success within each. These sometimes overlap with the overarching elements, but sometimes are unique. Below, we described these key elements within thematic areas of skills development and health. Because only two resilience programmes and three civic engagement programmes were documented as good practices, no overall key elements of success were defined for these thematic areas.

Key elements of success in the area of skills development (Employability, workplace readiness, school-to-work transition, twenty-first century skills): an analysis of 11 good practices: six key elements of success were present in the good programmes within this thematic area:

• Secure the buy-in of parents (Ishraq, Right for an Equal Life, Bridge, Youth Career Initiative (YCI) and Economic and Social Inclusion Project): In 5 of the 11 practices, raising awareness and advocating with parents on the benefits of youth skills-building has been critical. This advocacy and awareness-raising focused on: (1) the importance of skills that enhance youth’s ability to reintegrate into schools or generate sustainable income; and (2) the positive consequences of these skills on family well-being. The result has been to provide a supportive environment for adolescents and youth that allows them to persevere in the programmes. This is particularly necessary to allow the participation of girls from rural areas and promote gender equity and the

participation of adolescents and youth with disability. Buy-in from parents is critical when working with adolescents aged 18-19 years and below.

• Advocate for community buy-in (Ishraq, Right for an Equal Life (REL), YEEP, ENTRA 21): 4 of the 11 practices integrate strong advocacy tools to create a social and political environment which supports the programmes. This contributes to changing ‘cultural mindsets’ that limit engagement in particular jobs such as painting, hospitality services, banking and sales, particularly for girls and young women as was the case for the YEEP programme. Village committees formed by parents, community and religious leaders (Ishraq) and parent-teacher committees in schools have demonstrated the ability to raise awareness, promote programmes and secure some resources.

• Secure buy-in from government and senior officials (Ishraq, ESI, YEEP, YES, Young Researcher Programme): Necessary for the institutionalization of programmes.

• Foster partnerships with the private sector (Injaz, ESI, REL, YES, YEEP, YCI, ENTRA 21): 7 of the 11 practices have created strong networks with the private sector. The impact of skills development and employability21 programmes can be achieved only through the creation of jobs. The public sector has proven limited in its ability to generate jobs; thus, the creation of jobs is dependent mostly on private sector engagement. Partnerships with the private sector has taken several forms including securing internship for adolescents and youth, involving the private sector in the

21 Employability programmes are those that prepare young people for employment. Employment programmes actually place youth in jobs.

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implementation of skills-building programmes and linking youth to business people in business partnerships. This strategy takes advantage of the growing trend in the business arena to develop corporate social responsibility policies. Some governments have also contributed to the success of such strategies by providing incentives to business (e.g., exemptions from taxes for branches established in rural areas.)

• Provide skills development programmes in areas of market need (ESI, YES, Passport to Success®, YEEP, ENTRA 21): 5 of the 11 practices conducted market assessment to identify the “type of economic activities, entrepreneurial activities and specific market sectors with the highest potential for sustainable enterprises/businesses, self-employment as well as wage employment”.22

Traditionally, skills-building programmes have focused on a few professions such as sewing and handicrafts for women and carpentry or car repair for men. This has led an oversupply in some sectors and consequently did not contribute significantly to reducing unemployment rates.

• Establish mentoring programmes (Ishraq, YEEP, YES and Bridge): 4 of the 11 practices ensure follow-up through coaching and counselling as an essential element of a successful comprehensive skills development programme. Sustainable advice, especially in the start-up phase of a small enterprise, contributes to the success of the initiative. It is unlikely that trainees can build profitable enterprises without hands-on mentorship.

Key elements of success in the area of health: an analysis of 5 good practices. Seven key elements of success were present in the ‘good’ programmes within this thematic area:

• Adopt a peer-led approach (KARHP, SALSA): Peer education was adopted in two of the five programmes as a tool for changing the knowledge and attitudes of adolescents and youth towards risky health behaviours. All programmes deliver peer education activities through school settings, thus facilitating the monitoring of results for the target group at large and not only for peer educators. In addition to activities planned in the community, KARHP peer educators also deliver peer education sessions in youth-friendly facilities, although an evaluation of KARHP showed that the reach of facility-based interventions was low compared to the other methods employed.

• Adopt a life-skills approach (KARHP, SALSA, SFPY, Unplugged): All programmes used a life-skills capacity-building approach with parents or youth. Social skills-building varies depending on the target group – parents or youth – and includes, for example, parent-youth communication, resisting peer pressure, problem-solving, critical thinking, effective decision-making, goal setting and negotiation.

• Creative interactive technique: All programmes used an interactive, activity-based practice approach to learning using tools including games, videos, quiz shows, art, music and theatre.

22 Interview with Ms. Caroline Lensing-Hebben and Ms. Bushra Al-Shirae of the YEEP programme, 12 November 2014.

34

• Training of trainers (KARHP, SALSA, Unplugged): Three of the five programmes use a training of trainers methodology – with minimal variances among programmes – to ‘cascade’ the education and produce a ripple effect from master educators or facilitators to peer leaders to peer educators to the target group. All four created national core groups of trainers that can sustain and replicate the trainings. Family Spirit uses a home-based training methodology delivered by paraprofessionals from the native community to adolescent Native American mothers that was evidenced to be effective.

• Clear and detailed implementation guides for sessions: In all programmes, training manuals with structured lessons plans, toolkits and additional resources have been developed and made available at no charge. This ensures the integrity of the programme and allows for careful process evaluation.

• Integrate programmes into school curricula (KARHP, SALSA, Unplugged): Three of the five programmes have succeeded in institutionalizing the school-based programmes by integrating them into the curricula. Trained teachers act as the educators in class and facilitators of youth-led activities. Buy-in from ministries of education seems to be a critical factor in integrating the programmes into the school curricula.

• Secure the buy-in of families and community (KARHP, Unplugged and SFPY): In three of the five programmes, raising awareness and advocacy was key to achieving programme objectives, especially for sensitive topics such as sexual and reproductive health and drug

addiction.

iii. Analysis of promising programmes

The analysis of promising programmes is intended to provide guidance on critical factors that may have hindered these programmes from achieving the status of a ‘good practice’. The analysis derives only from the review of the information available in the matrix of rating criteria. Although we did gather more in-depth information from some programmes which were at the cusp between being ‘good’ and ‘promising’, this additional information does not feature in this current analysis (as those followed up were limited in numbers). We do use that follow-up however to provide write-ups of some of the promising programmes as examples of the richness of these programmes (annex 16). A review of the matrix of promising programmes indicates specific gaps including:

• A focus on process evaluation: Most of the promising practices did include data on evaluation, although the indicators were process indicators rather than outcome or impact indicators. Few measures of effectiveness were found in promising programmes.

• Dependence on external funding: Several were rated as promising as they were not sustainable due to complete dependence on external funding with poor commitment from national government or local authorities. Programmes were likely to be ongoing when external funding was concurrent with integration in national programmes.

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• Limited youth involvement: Promising programmes tended to have very little active involvement of youth in their design and planning, with United Nations programmes having less youth involvement than other programmes. Youth involvement was limited even in the good practices but was even more striking in the promising practices.

• Lack of innovation: Innovation was defined as a programme that is new to a system (rather than new in general).23

Some of the promising programmes were not innovative in method, approach or design. There is some controversy over whether this ought to be a criterion to define good practices. In our analysis of good practices, it was not required but did provide a ‘tipping point’, meaning that if a practice was only missing innovation, it could be categorized as ‘good.

Comparing promising to good

To further our understanding of factors that tipped the balance between ‘promising’ and ‘good’, we analysed the number of programmes in each thematic category and by type (United Nations or not; global/MENA) for practices identified as promising or good. (See annex 15, tables 9, 10 and 11.) Several key findings emerged:

• For all thematic categories, there were more promising than good practices – confirming the gaps raised above.

• The category with the lowest percentage of ‘good’ practices was resilience development – perhaps suggesting the difficulty of measuring resilience, of measurements during emergency situations or of sustaining these programmes.

• Almost 40 per cent of the health programmes and 46 per cent of the skills development programmes were rated as ‘good’, perhaps suggesting the enhanced ease of finding measureable indicators for these programmes, and therefore the greater likelihood that they were evaluated for impact.

The above findings suggested the need for a further analysis of promising practices by criteria to untangle potential reasons for thematic categories being more likely to be ‘promising’ than ‘good’. Annex 15, table 12 provides this analysis. Skills development initiatives were most likely to be based on a documented need, have effectiveness data and be sustained or replicated. Health programmes that were promising were most likely to meet equity criteria, although skills development programmes were a close second place. Civic engagement and health programmes were most likely to be innovative. Almost all thematic categories were based on evidence of a problem/issue (over 80 per cent of all thematic areas). Youth involvement was lowest in skills development and health. Overall, promising practices were most likely to be based on a documented need or an evidence-based programme and least likely to have effectiveness indicators.

23 For the purposes of the documentation of good practices for this report, innovation was defined according to the definition by E Rogers (Diffusion of Innovation Theory) as “an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption”. This does not mean it has never been implemented anywhere; it is innovative if it is implemented for the first time in a particular social sys-tem. Innovative also can refer to a programme that has been implemented in a social system already, but new techniques, methods or approaches are being used to implement it.

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V. Recommendations

The findings and analysis presented in this report suggest a variety of recommendations, which cover two categories: (1) recommendations for programme implementers, decision makers and policymakers; and (2) recommendations related to the next steps in documentation of good practices. i. Recommendations to programme implementers, decision makers and policymakers

Best bet for success are those elements that were found in 90 per cent or more of the good practices. The key findings from the good practice documentation highlight the critical need to:

Approach young people from an assets-based perspective, convinced of their promise and focusing on their strengths: Many of the elements of success echo the conceptual assets-based approach to youth positive development.

Ensure that skills-building and experiential learning form a key component of any intervention. The analysis suggested that all but one of the good practices includes skills-building and many include experiential learning. This is in line with the positive youth development approach. Programmes with skills-building components are much more likely to show impact.

Encourage and emphasize that the intervention is conducted with participatory engagement of the ‘community’: three of the most common overarching elements of success are

related to participatory engagement: (a) use of available community human resources; (b) utilization of already existing facilities as sites for intervention; and (c) forging partnerships with community stakeholders. This participatory engagement strengthens and reinforces connectedness to caregivers, community members and mentors.

Require that the programme respond to the needs and priorities of youth: Almost all good practices were built on a solid identified need.

Flexible programming: The analysis suggested that the ability to be flexible and adapt programing to context, all the while having key components, was a critical element of success.

Go out on a limb: Several thematic areas and overarching elements need some bold risk taking.

Encourage innovation and experimentation with programmes around civic engagement and resilience development: There were many fewer programmes in these areas despite the rhetoric around their importance in international literature. Innovative programmes in these areas should be supported with the caveat that they should include as many of the overarching elements of success as possible to enhance probability of success. The concept of resilience that we promote here is not one that focuses on individual traits and risks blaming the victim. Instead we focus on resilience theory that highlights social and environmental influences.24 Of note, we consider resilience programmes to be those that aim to develop ‘resilient communities’ rather than resilient individuals. Resilient communities are

24 Fergus S, Zimmerman M. (2005). Adolescent resilience: A framework for understanding healthy development in the face of risk. Annual Reviews of Public Health. 26: 399-419.

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composed of “healthy individuals, families, and communities with access to health care and the knowledge and resources to know what to do and care for others in both routine and emergency situations.” 25

Encourage youth involvement at the highest level: Many of the programmes that were reviewed (including those that were promising or good) state that the extent of their involvement with youth is when they are programme participants, take part in the evaluation of activities (process evaluation) or are ‘subjects’ in the impact evaluation (pre- and post-intervention assessments). Youth involvement in identification of needs, designing the programmes and implementing and evaluating the programme should be encouraged, if not required.

ii. Recommendations for smart programme management

Two specific recommendations are made related to programme management, and are a direct result of the analysis of promising practices. Two of the main deficiencies that led to programme being categorized as promising rather than good were: (1) the reliance on external funding; and (2) a lack of data on effectiveness. With this in mind, we recommend:

Planning for sustainability from the start: Plans for programme continuity need to be developed while the programme is in the early stages of planning. Most of the programmes identified as good practices have diverse funding bases and have institutionalized their activities into existing governmental or community structures. The programmes grew into

this through experiences and intent.

Improve the evidence: This can be accomplished by building capacity around monitoring and evaluation, committing to strengthening routine monitoring, and integrating outcome evaluations in the planning of programmes.

Funders should require that at least 20 per cent of every programme budget be devoted to monitoring and evaluation, based on a clear justification for the effects expected from each activity (a problem diagram and related objectives)

iii. Recommendations related to next steps in good practices documentation

The good practices should be highlighted, celebrated and disseminated: As evidenced by the number of programmes reviewed as compared to the number of good practices identified, good practice programming is rare. The 22 programmes that went through all phases of this project and emerged as ‘good’ should be celebrated. They have asked about the process of dissemination and are keenly interested in it. Mechanisms couldinclude:

A. Hosting a conference/workshop on good practices programing and highlighting these by thematic area. The specific objectives and target audiences of the conference/workshop would need to be identified;

B. The production of reports on each good practice for sharing with decision makers, stakeholders and funders;

C. A scientific publication to inform and share with the academic community about the process and outcomes.

25 Morton MJ and Lurie N. (2013). Community resilience and public health practice. American Journal of Public Health. 103(7): 1158-1160.

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D. The engagement of youth in this process of dissemination should be ensured.

The process of documentation of good practices should continue: This process has been a learning process for all those involved. Many programmes identified as potentially good or promising or even those included in this overall assessment have been eager to provide data and engage in this process. Feedback to all 221 programmes included in the current review is needed to inform them of the decisions made, and the justification behind the decision regarding their programmes. All the organizations engaged in youth programming aim to enhance the well-being of youth and the feedback will serve as an incentive for them to continuously improve their programmes, and eventually will result in a larger basket of good practices for the region and globally.

A. One mechanism to share feedback is to upload the Excel spreadsheet of the 221 programmes to the Internet in some format that is accessible to all. This would ensure transparency and allow programmes to track their ratings and provide additional information that might have not been found;

B. If this process is to continue, it must be accompanied by a realistic time frame and budget.

C. The engagement of youth needs to be enhanced.

Identification of programmes led by grass-roots youth: The advisory committee had cautioned that the current process is likely to have identified programmes with particular characteristics and not others. Specifically, they were

concerned about language as most of the communication around the current process was in English, and with smaller grass-roots programmes run by young people themselves. They suggested that an active search in countries and through in-person focus groups with youth might lead to a wider selection of lesser known and resourced programmes that have potential. We concur with this recommendation. (This activity could be paired with other activities conducted in various countries; see recommendations below.)

Partnerships with academia should be enhanced to continue the work of measurement and documentation: This current partnership between academia and the United Nations has been synergistic at its core. Partners were committed to the well-being of youth, to the region, to evidence and to ensuring a robust process of documentation. Each partner had unique strengths and added value. Frequent and open communication was critical to the partnerships success.

Capacity-building workshops should be offered in gap areas that were evident in the rating of programmes. The matrix analysis of 221 programmes could guide targeted invitations to workshops.

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A. Workshop on documentation: Most programmes lacked sufficient documentation of their processes and intervention. This includes good, promising and other practices. The template utilized in this process for good practice analysis and write-up can serve as a good tool for documentation.

B. Workshop on monitoring and evaluation: These can be offered per thematic area for programmes that were deemed promising (or a broader audience). Thematic group sub-workshops would be important to help those working in the same area to identify some common evaluation indicators that they would all be willing to use. Programmes found to be good practices could be invited to share their evaluation designs and or improve them.

C. Workshop on youth involvement: More emphasis is needed on how to engage youth most meaningfully in decision-making. This workshop could be targeted at the good practice programmes as well as those designated as promising practices because overall this was a gap in all programmes.

D. Workshop on environmental issues: Although not directly relevant, there is a big gap in the MENA region with respect to environmental concerns. Almost none of the programmes had anything to say about how they are taking care of the environment. Given the critical environmental situation in this region, it is critical to raise awareness around the issues of environmental sustainability so that it is a component of every good practice.

SkillsDevelopment

SkillsDevelopment

A Right for an Equal Life (Empowerment & Employment of Young Adults with Intellectual

Disability)

Ebtessama Foundation

42

1. Background and description 2

In Egypt, until early adulthood, most young adults with mental disabilities are enrolled in either public or private specialized schools. Several NGOs target young adults with mental disabilities and provide them with basic training in life skills, some basic academic skills and vocational training, as well as many extracurricular activities like sports, music and art. However, none promote and facilitate the integration of young adults with mental disabilities in the labour market.

Existing rehabilitation programmes offer vocational training, focus on traditional crafts, create artificially closed welcoming environments and offer superficial jobs to some of their graduates in their vocational centres. Individuals with mental disabilities are often excluded from the work sphere because of employers’ misconceptions and rejection. Employers perceive individuals with mental disabilities as being difficult to deal with in terms of communicating and integrating with colleagues and unable to be productive and fulfil job requirements. They and therefore assume that they will not be able to fit into the work environment and interact with people.

This reality was confirmed in Egypt by a study conducted by the Ebtessama Foundation in early 2008, which covered 30 public schools for young persons with mental disabilities, 20 private schools and NGOs, and 20 hotels. The study revealed the social and cultural barriers that affect the employability of the young adults with mental disabilities. The main reason

MENA

Egypt

Ebtessama Foundation

A Right for An Equal Life (Empowerment & Employment of Young Adults with

Intellectual Disability)

Skills Development

2010

Ongoing

Social Fund for Development (Funder), Mobinil (funder) Ministry of Education (Partner), Ministry of Tourism (Partner)

UNICEF (Funder & Partner)

RegionCountryOrganization

Name

CategoryStart date

UN involvement

End datePartners

A Right for An Equal Life 1

(Empowerment & Employment of Young Adults with Intellectual Disability)

1 Desk Review (May-September 2014); Inquiry Form (5 September 2014); Interview (02 March 2015); Write up (04 March-26 May 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

2 Interview with Ms. Magda Samy, Chairperson of Ebtessama Foundation, 2 March 2015.

43

that individuals with mental disabilities are almost absent from the labour market is their poor education/rehabilitation, in addition to the negative attitudes of parents, businesses and society as a whole.

Before the programme was officially launched, a pilot phase was conducted between 2009 and 2010. Ms. Magda Samy personally trained 15 young adults with mental disabilities and secured jobs for them in the hotel where she works. Of the 15, 12 were able to complete the programme successfully, be employed and maintain their jobs for more than one year. Some have been promoted within their departments and others were moved to guest contact positions. Based on that experience and observation and on positive feedback from hotel managers, a full-fledged programme, the ‘A Right For An Equal Life’ initiative, was launched in 2011.

Organization profile 3

The Ebtessama Foundation was established in 2007 by Ms. Magda Samy with the aim of supporting people with disabilities and their families to acquire equal opportunities in life and tackle problems they face; raise the quality of needed services; and support their inclusion and integration in society.

Despite the multiplicity of organizations working in this field, most focus on the childhood stage and there is a lack of organizations working to develop the competencies and skills of young adults with a disability, preparing them to be ready for leading independent lives with dignity and pride. Based on the findings of a survey it conducted, which shed light on the social and cultural barriers that

affect the employability of young adults with mental disabilities, the mission of the Foundation is to advocate for the rights of young adults with mental disabilities to lead a decent and productive life, in addition to a secure future. Therefore, the Foundation developed a capacity-building intervention entitled, ‘A Right for an Equal Life’.

Name: Ahmed Moustafa

Department: Steward

Hotel: Moevenpick Al Sokhna

Disability: Intellectual

IQ: 40

3 www.ebtessama.com (Arabic).

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2. Goal and objectives 4

2.1. Goal

This intervention aims at empowering and employing young adults with mental disabilities, support their inclusion and integration in the work sphere, grant them decent jobs and help them to become productive members of society in order to secure their futures.

2.2. Objectives

The short-term objectives are to:

• Enhance the integration and acceptance of young adults with mental disabilities;

• Improve the employability of young adults with mental disabilities;

• Increase the income of young adults with mental disabilities;

• Change the perception of employers regarding the productive capacity and ability of young adults with mental disabilities to integrate smoothly into society.

The long-term objectives are to:

• Increase the nation’s productive labour force;

• Establish the independence and security of young adults with mental disabilities;

• Introduce a productive new social segment;

• Diminish social inequalities.

daughters employed far from their homes and prefer to have the social security pension granted to people with disability by the Ministry of Social Solidarity rather than having them be employed.

3.3. Ethnic / disability considerations 6

According to the Vancouver Declaration (1992) by Disabled Peoples International, people with disabilities are known to be the poorest of the poor. Work is the major means of generating income for the majority of humanity. When disabled individuals who are totally dependent on their families without chance to work in dignity are given the right to work and be employed, they are able to earn a living, become independent, receive social and health insurance and earn a government pension. They thus gain the right to lead a decent life, have a secure future and be responsible for themselves.

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

The target group was young adults with mental disabilities, aged 18 (the working age in Egypt) to 30 years.

3.2. Gender considerations 5

In the targeted schools, whoever is in the classes is enrolled in the intervention regardless of gender. No specific strategies were used to ensure equal numbers of males and females because the target group depends on who is available in the class. The number of males in a class usually exceeds the number of females as many parents prefer to have their daughters get married when possible regardless of the mental disability, rather than having them at school. Parents of those who do stay in school reject the idea of having their

4 Ibid.


6 Ibid.

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In terms of any restrictions, the participants should have an IQ of 40 or higher to be enrolled in the programme. However, implementers try to give everyone a fair chance to work, especially because many beneficiaries have exceeded their expectations. Beneficiaries with certain severe mental conditions or who take certain strong medications cannot be enrolled as they are unable to adapt to the routine of work.

3.4. Targeting the most marginalized / most at risk 7

Parents of children with mental disabilities do not perceive their children as being able to be productive in society or be employed. Usually, young adults with mental disabilities find themselves either sitting on the streets waiting for charity or working in supermarkets in mediocre jobs in exchange for pay.

The Egyptian labour law obliges employers to have at least 5 per cent of people with disability among the total number of employees, but this law is not always enforced. Employers circumvent it by: (1) hiring workers with minor work injuries or chronic diseases and registering them as people with disabilities, in order to comply with the aforementioned quota; and (2) hiring people with disabilities and paying them a very low salary, i.e., 300 Egyptian pounds, which is equivalent to around $50. Moreover, they do not require the actual presence of these workers on site, who only must put their names on the records for reporting purposes to indicate their compliance with the law.

This intervention aims at reducing the inequity facing young adults with mental disabilities and enabling them to acquire the ability to develop their own careers to ensure their financial security.

3.5. Human rights programming 8

When it comes to employment, there is discrimination between disabled and non-disabled people. ‘A Right for An Equal Life’ aims at equalizing opportunities and eliminating the social, cultural and physical barriers that may prevent people with a disability from having equal opportunities for employment.

According to a study conducted by the United Nations, although Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights acknowledges the right of the disabled to have an equal chance to work, have decent jobs and earn a living, “When persons with disabilities are employed, they are more likely to be in low paying jobs, at lower occupational levels and with poor promotional prospects and working conditions. More often than their peers, they are in part-time jobs or temporary positions, often with few possibilities for career development”. 9

3.6. Youth involvementYouth are involved in three main activities:

1. Youth with mental disabilities, together with students and recent graduates of the Department of Psychology (Faculty of Art), Cairo/Ein Shams Universities, take part in round-table discussions used to develop the physiological activities that are part of the ‘social incubator’ sessions (see below). They are selected based on several interviews, which most of the time result in their selection as future implementers of the programme. The round tables are used as a basis for tailoring activities for developing the ‘soft’ skills of programme participants.

2. Young adults with a disability who previously were enrolled and are now employed participate every three months

7 Ibid.


9 Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) (2012).

46

in awareness-raising sessions for parents and students of their schools to present their experiences. This allows students and parents to ask questions and raise any concerns they might have and encourage the young people to enrol in the programme.

3. The empowerment programme is implemented by social workers and ‘shadows’ / ‘best buddies’ who themselves must be young people so the candidates feel comfortable in sharing their thoughts and worries throughout the duration of the programme.

4. Strategy and implementation

4.1. Strategies / theoretical approaches / methodologies 10

The programme’s empowerment and training of young adults with mental disabilities is based on modern methods focusing on development of personalities; enhancing communication skills; increasing knowledge; improving soft (social) skills; developing mental abilities; and equipping them with work environment skills and job-related knowledge.

4.2. Activities 11

Based on this strategy, a mechanism was devised for the empowerment of these young adults through supporting their inclusion and offering them equal opportunities to be integrated in the work sphere. The programme encompasses six phases:

1. Raising the awareness of school management and parents about young adults with disabilities

A psychologist trained on each phase of the methodology, with support from the

chairperson of the Foundation, engages the management of schools and NGOs as well as parents of young adults with disabilities to seek their participation, support and enrolment of candidates. Specific activities include:

(i) A monthly meeting with the schools’ management to present the programme, change their perception of the competence of young adults with disabilities, seek their support and follow up on the progress of those in the programme.

(ii) A quarterly meeting with parents to change their perception of their children’s competence and seek their feedback on changes in their attitude and independence.

(iii) Select and enrol appropriate candidates.

(iv) Complete all documents required for enrolment (rehabilitation certificate, military documents, health certificate and insurance clarification). The Ebtessama Foundation provides staff (called ‘shadows’ or ‘best buddies’) to work hand in hand with parents to

Name: Hassan Farag

Department: House keeping


Disability: Intellectual / Speach

IQ: 45


11 Ibid.

47

complete the paperwork needed.

2. Social Incubator (6-months duration). Psychologists are responsible for this phase of the empowerment programme.

The social incubator programme entails capacity-building of young adults with disabilities to equip them with the skills needed to integrate smoothly in the work environment and be accepted by the non-disabled. It focuses on enhancing social and life skills such as: healthy habits; modifying behaviour and manners; personal hygiene; controlling temper and anti-social-behaviour; relating and dealing with others on an equal basis; punctuality and discipline; independence, self-reliance, competence and self-confidence; active listening and verbal communication; problem solving for day-to-day issues; accepting and coming to terms with reality; following instructions; team work; and public and personal safety. The target is to work with 30 schools and NGOs and 1,000 young adults with disabilities. The specific activities are:

(i) Individual psychological sessions (according to each case).

(ii) Group psychological sessions for two hours on weekly basis. Sessions will address all aspects of life and to help young adults with disabilities to be integrated in society and be accepted by the non-disabled.

3. Theoretical training and career guidance (1-month duration). Psychological workers and business partners deliver this phase.

This phase aims to introduce young adults with disability to the work environment and prospective jobs suitable to their capabilities, and to boost their morale.

Field trips are organized for participants to visit the work places of different organizations

participating in the programme. Activities include:

(i) Orientation sessions to introduce the work environment and jobs matching their capabilities in different departments.

(ii) Participants spend five working days in on-the-job training, after which they are evaluated in terms of their commitment to the training, ability to integrate easily in the work environment, compliance with job tasks, personal hygiene, general safety, ability to follow instructions and capacities relating to serious productive work.

4. Awareness and orientation for employers (hotels, fast food outlets, supermarket chains), in parallel with previous interventions. The Programme Manager delivers this phase.

The aim is to establish partnerships with hotels, fast food outlets and supermarkets to provide on-the-job training for young adults with disabilities, and to prepare their staff to deliver this training. The activities include:

(i) Meetings with owners, business managers and department heads to get their approval for the implementation of the programme at their premises.

(ii) Orientation sessions about the programme for the staff of departments where the young adults with disabilities will be trained.

(iii) Selection of supervisors and mentors who will train the participants.

5. On-the-job training (3-months duration). Business partners, with the presence of a psychological worker and shadows/best buddies.

48

The objective is to provide participants with the technical skills needed for enhancing their employability. Activities include:(i) Assessment of the candidate’s capability

to work in a particular job by human resources managers of the private sector partner and Ebtessama Foundation.

(ii) Placing participants in departments which respond to their capabilities and providing them three months on-the-job training.

An essential part of the programme is working hand in hand with employers to monitor, assess and rectify accordingly the performance of trainees, while simultaneously monitoring and assessing the working environment. Also crucial are the observations of the trainer, evaluation of the participants’ performance and the assessment of their adaptation to the work environment. It is important to highlight that most of the technical training will be on the job.

6. Placing young adults with disabilities at suitable jobs (simultaneously with the on-the-job training). The Programme Manager is responsible for this phase.

The aim here is to place young adults with disabilities in actual jobs that fit their skills through:

(i) Mapping and identifying job vacancies at companies and organizations which are suitable for the skills of the participants.

(ii) Introducing the young adults with disabilities to those companies and organizations.

(iii) Working closely with the companies employing participants to develop working conditions and environments that best serve the needs of the

disabled.

(iv) Monitoring the performance of the young adults with disabilities at the workplace for a period of one year.

4.3. Innovativeness 12

Most interventions designed for people with disabilities only teach arts and crafts, carpeting, etc., and eventually organize exhibitions to promote the work they have done. A Right for An Equal life is the first programme to focus on developing the characters and personalities of young adults with mental disabilities, and on enhancing their communication skills and equipping them with the soft and social skills needed for inclusion in the work environment and acceptance by the non-disabled.

Programme implementers have also engaged the tourism industry (hotels) where young adults with mental disabilities can develop the ability to work and be integrated in the work environment, performing the same tasks as anyone else. This programme allows them to build a strong character and be independent.

4.4. Cost and funding 13

The running cost of the programme is covered by funders. For every participant enrolled, there is an estimate cost of $1,500, including an allowance for the participant, an allowance for the parents to attend awareness sessions and personnel and miscellaneous expenditures. The programme currently is implemented in 22 schools, and a psychologist and a shadow/best buddy are needed for every two schools. The management team includes the Programme Manager, Training Manager, two coordinators and a financial officer.



49

4.5. Sustainability

The sustainability of the programme is based on the constant demand for productive and loyal workers due to the high turnover in job vacancies in certain areas. Employers are impressed by the quality of work done and keep asking to have more employees. Based on the success stories at some hotels, many other hotels want to host young adults with mental disabilities and allow them to become staff members, thus expanding the reach of the programme. The echo of the programme has reached other countries in the region and many are looking forward to have it implemented in their own countries.

4.6. Replicability

The programme has been replicated in Cairo, Giza, Menia, Asuit, Alexandria, Suez and Red Sea governorates. However, it was not replicated with other age groups.

5. Evaluation of effectiveness 14

The Ebtessama Foundation has been monitoring the progress and outcome of the programme on the beneficiaries. In 2011, ‘A Right for An Equal Life’ was selected by the International Labour Organization (ILO) as one of the top 10 programmes that target youth employment in the Middle East. Consequently, the Ebtessama Foundation was selected to be part of the Taqeem Fund (initiative which aims to provide grants and technical assistance to help selected programmes improve the impact and effectiveness of their youth employment and entrepreneurship programmes), and an adequate monitoring and Evaluation plan was developed by ILO Geneva. Initially, 1,000 young adults with mental disabilities were interested in the programme, of whom

500 continued in the programme. Of those 500, 100 were able to work sporadically and were not fully committed to one job; 250 were successfully employed and maintained their jobs; and 150 did not reach the employment phase for various reasons. In addition to monitoring the employment rate, the evaluation of the programme relies on a series of thorough observation forms that are completed before and after each phase of the programme as follows:

1. Pre-social incubator. Person

responsible: psychological worker

• Parents’ questionnaire

• Parents’ focus group

• Young adults’ observation forms

2. Post-social incubator. Person

responsible: psychological worker




3. Post-theoretical training and career guidance. Person responsible: monitoring and evaluation specialist

• Observation forms for young adults with disability

• Observation forms for partner organizations’ human resources managers

4. Post-on-the-job training observation forms. Person responsible: monitoring and evaluation specialist




• Human resources manager questionnaire


50

Additionally, feedback is received from employers who call and express their admiration for the young adults whom they consider to be the hard workers, very disciplined and committed to work for a long time.

6. Strengths and opportunities 15

This programme is first of its kind in Egypt as it builds the capacity of young adults with mental disabilities to become productive workers and overcome all the obstacles that they usually face. Instead of being locked at home or working on the streets or in mediocre jobs, these young adults are able to have and maintain decent jobs. Many of the young adults are themselves becoming employers and acquiring independence and are no longer bound to their parents.

7. Challenges 16

The implementation of this programme encountered certain challenges.

1. At the level of employers: it takes a long time to convince employers to host and afterwards employ young adults with mental disabilities. A lot of outreach work and advocacy was required to disseminate information about the programme and show its effectiveness, but this is necessary to expand the pool of stakeholders willing to participate.

2. At the level of parents: many parents resist the idea as they consider their children too fragile and unable to become productive. Many think their children can get more money by sitting on the streets without making much of an effort. Additionally, the stigma that comes with having a child with a disability results in

parents keeping their children locked at home and not even attending school. In addition, most parents prefer to keep the minimal social security allowance granted by the Ministry of Social Solidarity as it is guaranteed, rather than having their children work and be insured by the employers; they have little confidence that their children will continue being employed. Most of the parents do not value the idea of having decent jobs with contracts, social security, health insurance and a pension.

3. At the level of young adults with mental disabilities: most of these young adults are not used to the routine imposed by the programme as it requires discipline and following a time schedule similar to the work schedule. They prefer to generate income without being committed to such an effort, simply through sitting on the streets or working in simplistic jobs. Not all of the young adults value the idea of having decent jobs with contracts, social security, health insurance and a pension.

8. Next steps and the way forward 17

The implementers aspire to have an independent academy where they can operate the programme instead of working in schools. This academy will serve young adults with disabilities whether or not they are enrolled in school. Many young adults with disabilities are not enrolled either due to parental negligence or the unavailability of schools for students with a mental disability where they live. Unfortunately, despite the fact that several donors and funders support the empowerment programme, none of them have agreed to support the establishment of an academy. Many efforts


16 Interview with Ms. Magda Samy, Chairperson of Ebtessama Foundation, 2 March, 2015.

17 Ibid.

51

are being undertaken in collaboration with partners to establish this academy. Expanding to other countries in the region is also among the plans but this requires more funding, partners and a network to be established. In addition, engaging more young women in self-employment and entrepreneurship programmes is needed.

9. Lessons learned and recommendations

The main recommendations for future implementers of the programme would be to properly select the employers. Building a strong network with employers and partners would facilitate the implementation and expand work opportunities for beneficiaries. It is crucial to have both the passion and patience required for the programme to succeed, and to ensure the programme’s ability to reach the biggest possible number of mentally disabled young adults.

10. Resources

For the time being, there are no specific resources for this programme, but manuals are currently being prepared for people who wish to implement it.

11. References

Ebtessama website: www.ebtessama.com (Arabic)

Interview with Ms. Magda Samy, Chairperson of Ebtessama Foundation, 2 March 2015.

OHCHR (2012). Thematic study on the work and employment of persons with disabilities-Report of the Office of the

Group picture for the first 3 employees at Sheraton Dream Land Hotel

Waheed Nour – Steward

Ismail Abd Rabo – Lenien at the Staff locker room

Mahmoud El Saadani – House Keeping Department

With a member of the International Labour Organization

Sheraton Dream Land General Manager

Sheraton Dream Land Training Department Manager

Ebtessama Foundation Chairman of the Board

Photo credits: Ebtessama Foundation.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The Young Researcher Programme

Al Nayzak for Supportive Education

and Scientific Innovation

53

MENA

State of Palestine

Al Nayzak for Supportive Education and Scientific Innovation


Skills development

2007

Ongoing

UNICEF, Diakonia, Welfare Association, American Consulate General- Jerusalem, European Commission, Said Foundation, Middle East Partnership Initiative (United States), PalTel Group, Birzeit Pharmaceutical Company, Islamic Development Bank, Arab Monetary Fund, Palestine Islamic Bank, Palestine Investment Fund, Intel, Norwegian People’s Aid, UNDP, UNESCO, UNRWA, OPEC Fund for International Development, Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Higher Council for Youth and Sports, Higher Council for Innovation and Excellence, Future for Palestine, Ecsite,, National Air and Space Museum, La Cité des Sciences, Arab Youth Venture Foundation, Birzeit Municipality, PalVision, Palestinian Federation of Industries, Rozana Association, Faisal Husseini Foundation.

Supported by UNICEF State of Palestine

Aref Husseini, [email protected]

Region

Organization NameCategoryStart date

UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners

1. Background and description

In the State of Palestine, adolescents (10-19 years old) represent 25.1 per cent of the total population.2 The protracted occupation has resulted in an environment characterized by violence, destruction and conflict where adolescents have limited mobility, very few opportunities for constructively engaging with society and a deficient education system. The destruction of infrastructure, limited resources for employment and training of teachers, compounded by overcrowded schools, particularly in the Gaza Strip, affect the learning process of young people.

The Young Researcher Programme1

1 Desk Review (May-September 2014); Internal validation (17 December 2014-03 February 2015); Wirte up (03 February-09 April 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

2 ILO and PCBS (2014).

Country


54

The results of international exams to evaluate the learning skills of pupils at the basic education stage indicate that Palestinian3 schools ranked among the lowest in comparison to other countries. Overall, learning outcomes have plummeted in the State of Palestine. The 2007 Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) showed that Palestinian eighth graders scored 133 and 96 points below the global average in mathematics and science respectively, compared to 2003, when the scores were 38 and 76 points below the global average. The results of the Tawjihi national matriculation exam, which could be compared to the baccalaureate, reveal downward trends in both sciences and literature.

Aref Husseini, the founder of the NGO Al Nayzak for Supportive Education and Scientific Innovation, cites a traditional approach to education, based on memorization rather than understanding and critical thinking, as one of the factors hindering Palestinian students from achieving their full potential and growth as critical thinkers. Against this backdrop and given the limited opportunities for Palestinian adolescents, in 2007 Al Nayzak launched the Young Researcher programme. This three-year, extracurricular programme aims to develop adolescents’ skills in critical and creative thinking, problem-solving and scientific research, thus providing them with the tools to identify social and scientific issues which affect their communities and lives and to design initiatives which address these problems.

The programme has become a platform that allows Palestinian adolescents to explore and question their environment, search for information and create positive solutions that improve their daily lives and

the future of their community. In partnership with UNICEF, Al Nayzak is collaborating with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to adapt and integrate the methodology into schools, targeting 13,000 students.

Organization profile

Established in 2003 by Aref Husseini, Al Nayzak is a non-profit, non-partisan Palestinian organization that specializes in education, counseling and research in various fields of science, technology and engineering. The organization’s vision is to “develop a new culture of scientific education for providing economic opportunities and advancing the daily lives of Palestinians” with the mission to “develop mental capacity of Palestinian youth in logical, critical, and creative thinking for advancing scientific innovation”.4

Beyond the Young Researcher programme, Al Nayzak implements a series of annual programmes which include ‘Made in Palestine’, Talented Students Incubators, scientific summer camps and the Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Program (STEP). Al Nayzak also offers a number of projects and interactive educational programmes including: ‘I Know My Rights’: the Law, Rights and Duties; ‘How We Think’; ‘Behind Wires’ - Robotics; Science is the Fruit Of Life, Mathematics in Music, ‘I am Jerusalem’ and Palestinian Literature; and ‘Physics and Electricity in the Street’. The organization has also established the Science and Technology House in Birzeit, the first institution to host interactive educational activities in science and technology for children and youth. 5

3 UNICEF (2010).

4 Al Nayzak vision and mission: http://www.alnayzak.org/en/About_Us

5 For more information on the Science and Technology House: http://www.alnayzak.org/en/Science_House.

55

are an extremely vulnerable cohort, affected by continuous violence as reflected in the number of adolescents killed and injured every year and by adolescents’ levels of psychological distress.

3.5. Human rights programming

Al Nayzak promotes the right to quality education by offering programmes which contribute to both the development of skills and critical thinking and the right to participation through adolescent-led initiatives and voluntary work in the community.

3.6. Youth involvement

The programme is based on a participatory approach through which adolescents are trained to become action researchers, applying the acquired skills and knowledge to design, plan and implement initiatives addressing their needs and those of the community. These projects are led entirely by the adolescents.

2. Goal and objectives

2.1. Goal

The goal of the Young Researcher programme is to empower adolescents and encourage them to lead change by developing their skills in problem solving, creative and critical thinking and scientific research.

2.2. Objectives

• Build adolescents’ critical thinking and action research skills;

• Build adolescents’ lobbying and campaigning skills;

• Develop adolescent’s skills in leadership to lead social initiatives and participate in voluntary work in their community.6

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

The Young Researcher programme targets adolescents aged 13 to 16 years.

3.2. Gender considerations

The programme has successfully encouraged an equal and balanced participation of males and females, with girls accounting for 46.2 per cent of participants.7

3.3. Ethnic / disability considerations

No ethnic or disability considerations have been incorporated into this programme.

3.4. Targeting the most marginalized / most at risk

The Young Researcher programme is accessible to all students demonstrating the interest and motivation in joining the programme. By working with adolescents attending public schools across eight governorates in the State of Palestine, the programme pursues an inclusive approach. Overall, Palestinian adolescents, particularly in West Bank and Gaza Strip,

6 Al Nayzak - http://www.alnayzak.org/new/page.php?id=10b78y68472Y10b78 .

7 This figure is the average rate of girls’ participation between 2011 and 2014.

56

4. Strategy and Implementation

4.1. Strategies / theoretical approaches / methodologies

Rooted in scientific thinking and the scientific method, the programme develops the critical and creative thinking capacity of Palestinian adolescents, enabling them to become positive agents of change.

Thinking

Playing

The programme is open to all Palestinian adolescents within the target age group. The selection of candidates begins with an application process advertised on social media. Introductory workshops and sessions are conducted in parallel in schools and youth centres to promote and recruit adolescents. Interested candidates register and undertake an assessment exam testing their basic skills and competencies – analytical skills, logical

thinking, verbal thinking and mathematical reasoning. Potential candidates also undergo an interview which assesses their motivation. The results from the test and interview are used to select the final candidates. At the end of the selection process, two groups of adolescents are formed in each of the targeted cities. In the academic year 2013-2014, 18 groups were formed in nine cities and in 2012-2013, 16 groups were established in eight cities. Each group is composed of approximately 25 adolescents.8 The programme runs over three years and has three main phases: action research; advocacy through innovation; and a national task force of volunteers.

4.2. Activities

The focus in the first year is the development of the adolescents’ knowledge and skills. The young researchers attend an average of 15-20 training sessions,9 in addition to weekly follow-up sessions throughout the duration of the programme, in which they learn how to conduct action research using scientific research methods. Sessions cover the following topics:

8 Al Nayzak Final Progress Reports 2012-2013 and 2013-2014: 450 beneficiaries in 2013-2014 and 400 beneficiaries in 2012-2013.

9 Average between the training sessions conducted in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.

57

• Ice breaking;

• Working in groups;

• Critical and logical thinking skills;

• Science research methodologies (theoretical and hands-on training);

• Structuring a research paper;

• Writing literature reviews, documentation, referencing;

• Data collection tools;

• Developing a questionnaire;

• Conducting interviews and focus group discussions - principles;

• Analysing collected data (encoding and decoding);

• Technical training (Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word);

• How to write a scientific paper;

adolescent rights; human rights; the quality of drinking water; the pollution of water, air, and soil and its influence on adolescents’ health; chemical pesticides and their influence on agriculture and the quality of vegetables and fruits; health issues among adolescents; recycling; disposal of waste through burning or landfill and its impact on the surrounding environment; and bad nutritional habits among adolescents and how they affect their performance at school.13

Working in teams helps the adolescents to develop their teamwork and communication skills and fosters their engagement in a common project. By the end of this first phase, the group work and quality of research are evaluated as part of the Young Researcher Competition.

In the second year, the adolescents apply the acquired skills in an action research project in which they conduct community needs assessments to identify key issues affecting their communities and lives. The adolescents develop innovative initiatives that tackle the identified problems and start raising awareness. They receive training in lobbying, campaigning and advocacy, with sessions on videotaping and editing; lobbying and campaigning; principles of advocacy and social change; and social media and radio.14 In 2014, they launched the campaign ‘Human Rights – Adolescents’ Rights’ to mark Human Rights Day on 10 December. As part of the campaign, they created video and radio spots and used social and mass media to reach out to fellow adolescents and the community.15

In the third year, the young researchers move on to the final stage of the programme, which consists of advanced training, and engagement in community-based initiatives and volunteering through the National

10 Al Nayzak Final Progress Report 2013-2014. Pre and post-tests were conducted on the adolescents. See evaluation of effectiveness.

11 Al Nayzak Final Progress Reports 2013-2014 and 2012-2013.

12 Al Nayzak Final Progress Report 2013-2014.

13 UNICEF (December 2014).

14 Ibid.

15 Al Nayzak Final Progress Report 2013-2014.

• How to make a scientific poster;

• Presentation skills.10

Follow-up meetings are organized with the young researchers to help them carry out their research. After a period of six months, the adolescents present scientific research papers, based on a commonly selected main topic. In the academic year 2013-2014, the adolescents selected ‘Health and the Environment’.11 Usually, the adolescents organize themselves in small groups of two to three participants who work on the same research paper. The scientific research papers are entered into a competition and presented to a jury committee that includes young researchers from previous years.

The winning papers are featured on the Al Nayzak website.12 Topics covered in previous research papers include:

58

Task Force (NTF). Volunteer units are established in each of the targeted cities and the adolescents receive training in: communication skills; advocacy; preparing and planning an action plan; volunteerism and community work; budgeting; inspiring experiences and social innovation; social change and innovation; and leadership and teamwork management. The young researchers become part of the NTF of volunteers and implement small- and large-scale initiatives:

1. Small-scale activities and initiatives in local communities. These are planned and implemented by adolescents themselves, based on primary action research and the community needs assessments they have conducted. The adolescents brainstorm and collectively select the initiative they want to implement. The focus of these activities ranges from humanitarian to scientific, educational and social issues. Examples of previous initiatives are the organization of entertainment activities for orphans and cancer patients; assistance to poor families during the olive harvest season; and assistance to fishermen and farmers.16

In addition, two central meetings are held annually to bring together volunteers from different districts and provide them with the opportunity to share experiences.

2. One long-term and sustainable initiative in each city. The process for conducting this initiative is identical to the process for the small-scale ones, but the main purpose is to make a noticeable and visible change to the community. Adolescents brainstorm, devise a plan with the objectives to be achieved and outline the budget and a sustainability plan. In 2013-2004, six initiatives

emerged, five in West Bank and one in Gaza Strip, including the rehabilitation of an orphan centre; rehabilitation of an old house in Hebron; an awareness-raising initiative about recycling in Tulkarem; and the rehabilitation of a Roman theatre.

4.3. Innovativeness

The Young Researcher programme is the first of its kind in the State of Palestine. The programme proposes an innovative way of learning based on action and interaction, rather than on rote memorization and teacher-centred learning, which at present are the basis of the formal education system. Specifically, it develops adolescents’ skills in problem solving, creative and critical thinking and scientific research, equipping them with tangible know-how which lays the ground for their contributing to the development of their communities and Palestinian society at large.

4.4. Cost and funding

Funding for this programme has come partially through the partnership with UNICEF, but in view of ensuring its sustainability, the programme has expanded its donor base, increasing the number of partnerships and donors. Al Nayzak has also succeeded in generating funding through the Science and Technology House. In 2013-2014, the programme budget was around $250,000.

4.5. Sustainability

Established in 2007, the Young Researcher programme has been successfully implemented on an annual basis and work. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the programme was scaled up and institutionalized into the education system, training 13,000 young researchers as part

16 Ibid.

59

of classroom activities related to science education in 130 schools in the year 2014-2015.17

The programme has worked in parallel to achieve financial sustainability, diversifying its portfolio of donors by working with several United Nations agencies and receiving support from the private sector.

4.6. Replicability

The Young Researcher programme was adapted to a three-month time frame for its replication in the adolescent-friendly spaces developed in the State of Palestine and Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic as part of a UNICEF-led programme supporting the positive development and participation of Palestinian adolescents.18 The three-month version of the programme focused on developing basic action research skills and supporting adolescents in the design and implementation of initiatives.

FemalesMalesEstimated total number of adolescents 19

486502988July 2011 – March 2012

410396806June 2012 – May 2013317 516833June 2013 – May 20141,2131,4142,627Total

Research papersRadio spotsVideo spotsNumber of youth -led initiatives Implemented

---21July 2011 – March 2012

92921151June 2012 – May 2013

130130838June 2013 – May 2014

222819110Total

National Task Force (Volunteer Units)

Areas/communitiesVolunteer units2121July 2011 – March 201288June 2012 – May 201388June 2013 – May 2014

3737Total

17 Kartini Evaluation (2014).

18 The ‘Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change – Towards an Environment Promoting Peace and Reconciliation’ is a ten-year programme (2004-2013) implemented in four countries targeting Palestinian adolescents (10-18 years old) and promoting their right to participation. The programme was supported by the Government of Norway.

19 N.B. These numbers represent the total number of adolescents at the onset of the activities in action research (533), Advocacy through innovation (186) and in the National Task Force (115).

60

5. Evaluation of effectivenessThe programme employs pre- and post-tests to evaluate the acquisition of knowledge and skills by adolescents during the training sessions. Additionally, it was evaluated as part of the UNICEF programme for Palestinian adolescents.

The figures below indicate the number of adolescents and youth who participated in the Young Researcher programme in the State of Palestine between 2011 and 2014, as well as the aspects of the programme that they were involved in. The estimated target of 700 beneficiaries was achieved and exceeded. The programme also achieved equal participation of adolescent girls and boys, with an average participation of 53.8 per cent boys and 46.2 per cent girls.

Improved skills

The participants in the Young Researcher programme took pre- and post-programme tests to evaluate their overall skills development, general performance and acquisition of verbal, reading comprehension, mathematical problems, and visual and scientific methodology skills.

In terms of overall skills development for 2012-2013, the most significant changes were an increase in the percentage of adolescents judging their overall skills as ‘excellent’ and ‘very good’, against a decrease in adolescents judging their skills only ‘good’ or ‘weak’. Similarly, the results from 2013-2014 showed an increase in the number of adolescents judging their skills as ‘excellent’, ‘very good’ and ‘good’ rather than ‘weak’.20

Regarding the testing of verbal skills for 2012-2013, the most significant change was an increase in the number of participants judging their skills ‘good’, from 32 to 50

per cent, and a decrease in the number of students judging their skills ‘weak’, from 28 to 17 per cent.21 In 2013-2014, improvements were also reported, with the number of students deeming their skills ‘weak’ decreasing from 20 to 9 per cent.22

In reading comprehension, the improvements for both 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 were less significant than for the other skills, with the largest variation in the rating of skills as ‘excellent’, from 13 to 17 per cent.23

Regarding visual skills, the results present a similar trend for both years, with increased percentages of students deeming their skills ‘excellent’ and ‘very good’, and a decrease in those judging their skills as ‘weak’.24

The pre and post-tests for scientific methodology showed significant improvements. In both years, there was a steep decrease in the percentage of students deeming their skills as ‘weak’, from 40 to 8 per cent in 2013-2014, and similarly for 2012-2013, from 48 to 8 per cent. Conversely, 38 per cent of students judged their skills as ‘very good’ after the programme, against only 16 per cent in 2013-2014 and 41 per cent against only 12 per cent in 2012-2013.25

The participation of adolescents in the NTF was recorded through focus group discussions with direct beneficiaries, parents and teachers. Seventy-six per cent of adolescents in 2012-2013 and 60 per cent in 2013-2014 had never participated in adolescent-led initiatives; and 89 per cent of adolescents in 2012-2013 and 86.5 per cent in 2013-2014 reported that they would continue with leading initiatives and conducting voluntary work.26

Acquired action research skills

Over 90 per cent of the tested participants had never engaged in a programme similar to

20 See Annex 1, Figures 1 and 1a.21 Ibid.22 See Annex 1, Figures 2 and 2a.24 See Annex, Figures 3 and 3a.25 See Annex, Figures 5 and 5a. 26 See Annex, Figure 6 and 6a.

61

action research. The tests conducted prior to the action research training sessions revealed that 62 per cent of participants evaluated their knowledge of scientific methodology as ‘nothing at all’, 10 per cent estimated it ‘good’ and only 6 per cent ‘excellent’. After the training, 55 per cent estimated their knowledge as ‘good’ and 28 per cent as ‘excellent’. Naturally, the percentage of students rating their knowledge as ‘nothing at all’ dropped to 3 per cent.27

Engagement and positive change in the community

The evaluation found that by leading their own initiatives, the adolescents became important actors in the community, leading positive changes and improvement of their environment as demonstrated by the 37 volunteer units established and the 110 adolescent-led initiatives – small and large-scale – implemented between 2011 and 2014.

At the community level, the video spots created and presented by the adolescents were highly regarded, with 72 per cent of respondents judging them very good and 25 per cent as good.28 The video spots created by the adolescents in 2014 and 2013 are available on YouTube.29

Monitoring and evaluation

Al Nayzak has developed a set of monitoring and evaluation tools and an online system to track students’ performance in class is in progress. (http://badir.alnayzak.org/login/index.php)

The monitoring tools contain attendance sheets (which monitor the number, areas and gender of attendees), daily activity assessments, evaluation forms and surveys distributed after each training to measure

the effects of the programme and the progress of activities. In addition, periodic field monitoring visits are conducted by the programme’s management.

Adolescent participants take pre- and post-participation capacity exams to assess the development of their skills and knowledge.

The monitoring and evaluation framework of the Young Researcher programme is illustrated in the figure below.

6. Strengths and opportunities

• The Young Researcher programme allows Palestinian adolescents to develop their problem-solving, creative and critical thinking and scientific research skills, giving them the chance to question their environment, identify problems of relevance to them and their communities and find local and sustainable innovative solutions to these problems.

• The implementation of adolescent-led initiatives and the incorporation of adolescents into the NTF of volunteers allows the young people to become positive and leading agents of change. It also enhances the relationship between the adolescents and their communities, as well as their participation in the public sphere.

• The action research training fosters innovation and creativity by investing in the development of adolescents’ logical, critical and creative thinking.

• The methodology employed is participatory and interactive, and makes the beneficiary a partner rather than a passive recipient.

27 89 per cent (2013-14) and 84 per cent (2012-2013).

28 This figure is for 2013-2014. In 2012-2013, the figures were 59 and 21 per cent respectively.

29 2014: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyuGe-jCrDVHU2GMhmY0wvPE5BoPEu6CW;

2013: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyuGe-jCrDVGxQvAR5ne0CKk3nb_v6PQj

62

Teacher

Evaluate changein student's behavior

Evaluatetrainer\facilitator

Evaluatestudent's behavior

Student

Facilitator/ Trainer

Evaluatetrainer\facilitator

Record reactions

Recordlearning points

Pretest

Post test

Evaluatetraining material

Evaluate teachersheadmaster cooperation

M&E Officer

Facilitateteacher's interviews

Facilitateparent's focus group

Facilitatestudent focus group

Facilitatestaff interviews

AlNayzak Coordinator

Report progress

Facilitate team-building,critical thinking

& problem solving activity

Update project log file

Facilitate recorded team-building, critical thinking &

problem solving activity

RecurrentLegendsOne time

63

• Embedding and promotion of a culture of volunteerism and community engagement through the adolescent-led initiatives.

• The programme has made progress towards financial sustainability by expanding its donor base and establishing partnerships with the public and private sectors.

7. Challenges

• The comprehensive three-year Young Researcher programme limits the number of adolescents reached.30 However, it also offers thorough training which, as noted by the evaluation, has a more sustainable and profound impact on the participants. The adaptation of the model to three months and its implementation in adolescent-friendly spaces in Jordan, Lebanon, the State of Palestine and Syrian Arab Republic was successful in reaching out to a significantly larger number of adolescents, but overall had a more sporadic impact.31

• Increased pressure on adolescents, as they take part on the Young Researcher programme during the weekends (on Saturday), in parallel with their studies.

8. Next steps and the way forward

Al Nayzak is revising the programme structure to incorporate lessons learned from previous phases, increase the coverage of the most vulnerable and develop a sustainable model which is applicable at a national level and

replicable in other contexts.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the action research programme has been scaled up and institutionalized in schools. 13,000 adolescents (50 per cent females) aged 12-14 years from the most vulnerable public and UNRWA32 schools benefited from the programme. Adolescents received training and supervision from school teachers and former NTF adolescents. The aim was to introduce scientific research methodology, helping the young people to identify issues of concern to them, design and implement initiatives and entrepreneurial activities. The entrepreneurial initiatives were part of a competition at a national fair for social entrepreneurship.

9. Lessons learned and recommendations 33

• Scale up and expand the programme, with a focus on marginalized areas and the most vulnerable adolescents;

• Streamline the recruitment process by working through the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and UNRWA schools. This provides an entry point for identifying and reaching out to adolescents enrolled in schools in the most marginalized areas;

• Implementing the programme through

30 In a span of three years, an estimated 2,627 adolescents were reached.

31 Kartini International (2014).

32 United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

33 These set of lessons learned and recommendations were provided by Al Nayzak on 05 February 2015.

64

a governmental entity can strengthen its sustainability and contribute to the national development plans;

• Incorporate information and communication technology training into the programme;

• Maximize the capabilities of NTF adolescents to mentor new groups of beneficiaries;

• Form a steering committee to support and facilitate programme activities;

• Expand the target age group to reach young adolescents, who are largely excluded from extracurricular and entrepreneurial activities. Training of adolescents beginning at a younger age can increase their opportunities for accessing advanced training programmes offered by Al Nayzak (e.g., STEP).

10. Components to consider for scale-up in MENA

The action research training methodology and implementation of adolescent-led initiatives are useful and replicable approaches for building adolescents’ problem-solving, creative and critical thinking and scientific research skills. Through the adolescent-led initiatives, the model also encourages a positive role for adolescents and increases their sense of engagement with their communities.

11. Resources

Training manuals for:

• Action research training;

• Advocacy and lobbying;

• Adolescent-led initiatives;

• Monitoring and evaluation manuals.

12. References

Kartini International (2014). Final Report: Evaluation of Phases III & IV of the Program Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change – Towards An Environment Promoting Peace and Reconciliation (Jordan, Lebanon, State of Palestine and Syria).

Kartini International (2014a). Good Practices and Lessons Learned Related to Adolescent Development and Participation from the Evaluation of Phases III & IV of the Program Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change – Towards An Environment Promoting Peace and Reconciliation (Jordan, Lebanon, State of Palestine and Syria). [Unpublished]

UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office (2014). Final Donor report.

UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office (2011). The Situation of Palestinian Children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon: an assessment based on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office (2012). Evaluation of Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change Programme 2005-2011: Phase One and Two. Evaluation Report.

UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office (2012a) The Right to Participation: Adolescents – Agents of Positive Change’, Progress Report for 2011, Submitted to SIDA Sweden.

Al Nayzak Final Progress Report (May 2014). Reporting period: June 2013-May 2014.

Al Nayzak Final Progress Report (May 2013). Reporting period: June 2012-May 2013.

Photo credits: Al Nayzak for Supportive Education and

Scientific Innovation.

65

50%

16%

25%21%

35%41%

28%22%

12%

40%

30%

20%

10%

00%

Excellent Very Good Good Weak

60%

19% 23% 21%

10%

32%

50%

28%

17%

40%

20%

00%


40%

30%

20%

10%

00%


13% 14%

20%

33%35%

25%

32%28%

Annex

Pre- and post-testing for the academic year 2012-2013

Figure 1: General information

Figure 2: Verbal skills

Figure 3: Reading comprehension

66

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Figure 4: Mathematical problems

Figure 5: Visual skills

Figure 6: Scientific methodology

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Figure 7: General performance

Figure 1a: General informationPre- and post-testing for the academic year 2013-2014

Figure 2a: Verbal skills

68

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Figure 3a: Reading comprehension

Figure 4a: Mathematics Problems

Figure 5a: Visual skills

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Figure 6a: Scientific methodology

Figure 7a: General performance

Figure 8: Evaluation of knowledge about scientific methodology (2013-2014)

Figure 8a: Evaluation of knowledge about scientific methodology (2012-2013)

70

Economic and Social Inclusion of People with

Disabilities Lebanese Physically Handicapped Union

MENA

Lebanon

Four areas in Lebanon: Beirut, Bekaa, South and Mount Lebanon.

Lebanese Physically Handicapped Union (LPHU)

Economic and Social Inclusion of People with Disabilities

Skills Development

2005 OngoingChristian Aid UK, YMCA

Non-UN

Sylvana Lakkis, President of LPHU

Doha Yahfoufi, National Program Coordinator, Social and Economic

Inclusion Program, LPHU

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

+961 1307365 / +961 1307366 / +961 3249737

RegionCountry


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Economic and Social Inclusion of People with Disabilities1

A 2013 World Bank study found that one third of 15-24 year olds in Lebanon were unemployed, and that young workers face long spells of unemployment – typically 16 months – before they find a job.2 For many workers, working conditions are difficult. A 2012 World Bank study found that 10.5 percent of Lebanese workers are unpaid, 20.4 percent are self-employed, and 56.2 percent have no access to social security.3 For young people with disabilities, unemployment rates are much higher, and pay and working conditions are often worse. Studies conducted by the Lebanese Physically Handicapped Union (LPHU) found that XX percent of working-age people with disabilities are unemployed. Wages were low and few workers were enrolled in the National Social Security Fund. Workers with disabilities exemplify the problems that many workers in Lebanon face. They also face barriers and forms of discrimination that are unique to people with disability. These include

711 Desk Review (May-September 2014); Inquiry form (18 July 2014); Interview (8 October 2014); Write up (26 November 2014); Internal

Validation (16 December 2014-4 February 2015 ); Implementer Validation(22 November 2015)2 David Robalino and Haneed Sayed (2012) Republic of Lebanon: Good Jobs Needed, World Bank: Washington DC, Report No. 76008-LB 3 Diego F. Angel-Urdinola and Kimie Tanabe (2012) Micro-Determinants of Informal Employment in the Middle East and North Africa Re-

gion, World Bank SP Discussion Paper No. 1201, World Bank: Washington DC, page 8

72

- Inaccessible transport systems andbarriers in everyday infrastructure

- Economic dependence on families andlack of personal autonomy

- Deliberate discrimination in recruitmentprocesses

- Exclusion from training centres

Lebanon has a law that addresses all these barriers and forms of discrimination

Law 220/2000 on the Rights of Disabled Persons marked a significant change in the government’s relationship to and understanding of people with disability. The law was one of the ways that the government reflected changing international understandings of disability. For most of the twentieth century, disability had been seen as a medical problem. Disabled people were given treatment – and the process of ‘giving’ and ‘receiving’ treatment kept people with disabilities dependent and subordinated to the charity of others.

When Lebanon’s law was being drafted many groups – from ordinary disability activists to the United Nations – began to emphasize instead the social and political factors that lie at the heart of disability. They argued that inaccessible physical environments, unequal access to power, and negative cultural and social attitudes resulted in the systematic exclusion of people with disabilities. That exclusion needed to be addressed through laws and social policies that brought people with disabilities into the mainstream.

Law 220/2000 was part of this process. It

recognizes the rights of Lebanese citizens with disabilities to employment and an accessible environment (along with other rights). The law set up employment quotas and unemployment benefits for workers with disabilities, and fines and tax incentives for employers and transport providers. But fifteen years later, these provisions of the law have not been implemented. The law envisaged that the National Council for Disabled Persons, a partly-elected body chaired by the Minister of Social Affairs, would coordinate the work of all the ministries which needed to take actions to bring the law into effect. But many ministries have failed to implement the law. The employment quota, tax incentives and unemployment allowances required by the law have not yet been set up.

LPHU’s studies have identified other problems hampering the implementation of the law within the public sector.

• Public sector staff lack the knowledgeand mechanisms to deal with peoplewith disabilities;

• Absence of a strategic vision regardingthe physical accessibility of schools,institutes and public workplaces, whichincreases unemployment among peoplewith disabilities;

• Lack of statistics and studies onemployment of people with disabilities,job modifications, the benefits ofemploying people with disabilities andother related issues.

734 Interview with Doha Yahfoufi, ESI national programme coordinator, 2014.

The private sector also has many barriers to the inclusion of people with disabilities. These include

• Widespread stereotypes and misconceptions regarding the capacities of people with disabilities;

• Absence of inclusive work systems andpolicies that take into consideration theneeds of all people, including peoplewith disabilities;

• Inaccessible workplaces;

• Absence of training programmes foremployees on how to deal with peoplewith disabilities.

In addition, social, psychological and cultural factors can represent important barriers:

• Some people with disabilities have lowself-confidence and high dependencybred by persistent marginalization;

• Families of people with disabilitiessometimes lack awareness of thepotential of

• people with disabilities among theirfamilies;

Non-governmental organizations – particularly those representing people with disabilities – have an important role to play in getting rid of those barriers. But in the Middle East region, they have some limitations

• There is a lack of coordination andsharing of experience between NGOs;

• There are few national and regional

campaigns that advocate and lobby for the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;

• Many non-governmental organizationscontinue to promote the medical,charitable models of disability, which often keep people with disabilities dependentand excluded from mainstream life.

LPHU’s research findings highlighted the importance of establishing an employment programme that focuses on inclusion and respecting diversity. In response, LPHU has implemented an intervention programme that works to empower people with disabilities by developing their employment skills and by working with employers to raise awareness of the many contributions that workers with disabilities can bring to the workplace.4

LPHU’s programme is called the Economic and Social Inclusion for People with Disabilities (ESI).


Founded in 1981, LPHU is a national, non-sectarian, non-profit organization that is run by and for people with disabilities. LPHU is a grassroots organization with six community branches in Lebanon (Beirut, Byblos, Bar Elias, Mashgara, Nabatieh and Saida). LPHU promotes the rights set out in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities came into force.

74

The convention represents the culmination of decades of efforts to improve the protection of the human rights of persons with disabilities, so that they can enjoy their human rights on an equal basis with others. Lebanon has signed the convention, but has not ratified it. In 2000, Lebanon ratified convention 159 of the International Labour Organization, which requires states to respect equality of opportunity and treatment for disabled men and women workers Name: Ahmed Moustafa

Department: Steward


Disability: Intellectual

IQ: 40


2.1. Goal

The ESI programme aims to achieve sustainable improvements in the livelihoods and the social and economic inclusion of disabled people and their families in Lebanon. It does so by:

• Facilitating access of people with disabilities to the labour market;

• Spreading the culture of diversity within the work environment and among stakeholders;

• Tracking the enforcement of Law 220/2000:8 Rights and Access for Persons with Disabilities.

2.2. Objectives

The ESI programme’s main areas of focus are

• Advocacy and awareness-raising on the rights of people with disabilities to ensure their integration into society

• Community-based training, rehabilitation and job coaching to support people with disabilities so that they can participate in the labour market.

• Training and coordination with employers, so that they make jobs and training internships accessible to people with disabilities

75

The first phase of the programme, which lasted for four years from 2008 to 2011, engaged with 3,000 people with disabilities and their families as recipients of training or other support services. In addition, the programme targeted the state and private sectors which include about 600 companies. A second phase began in 2012. Over 500 people with disabilities underwent a full course of training and job coaching, and over 100 of them got into jobs or training after their participation in the programme. Over a hundred companies participated directly in the programme too, attending trainings, signing protocols on inclusion, and offering training and work contracts to qualified people with disabilities.

3.1. Age group

The ESI programme targets people with disabilities aged 18 to 24 years.


Females and males participated and benefited equally from the programme. Families that resisted the participation of their children in the programme, usually parents of young women, were visited by programme social workers to negotiate their acceptance; these efforts were generally successful. Participants were reached through community outreach, working through the Social Development Centres of the Ministry of Social Affairs, local municipalities, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and other similar agencies. The outreach was conducted by the social workers of the above-mentioned institutions who were familiar with the communities and

the families of youth with disabilities.

3.3. Ethnic/disability considerations

The programme specifically targeted the needs of disabled individuals. Participants were reached through community outreach, relying on the Social Development Centres operated by the Ministry of Social Affairs and the cooperation of local municipalities, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and other similar agencies. The outreach was conducted by the social workers of the above-mentioned institutions who were familiar with the communities and the families of youth with disabilities.

3.4. Targeting the most marginalized/ most at risk

Individuals with disabilities are a vulnerable and marginalized group in society. The intervention focused on empowering youth with disabilities; bolstering their self-confidence and supporting them in working through some of their own personal or family issues; and building their capacities to prove that they are able to perform well at a regular job and in an inclusive manner.6


The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities sets out some important human rights principles – respect for personal dignity and autonomy; non-discrimination; participation and inclusion; respect for difference and diversity; equality of opportunity; accessibility; equality between men and women; and respect for children’s evolving capacities and identities. The ESI programme is rooted in these human rights principles. Human rights programming

3. Target group

6 Ibid.

76

means using a programme needs, which should be addressed in the second phase, were able to be identified. The youth also contributed to the development of the objectives and the goals of the programme

accessibility; equality between men and women; and respect for children’s evolving capacities and identities. The ESI programme is rooted in these human rights principles. Human rights programming means using a programme to address discrimination and inequality and to promote participation and respect for dignity, autonomy and difference, and the ESI tries to make these principles into a reality. It tackles discrimination and exclusion head-on, and it involves people with disabilities, and other stakeholders, in all stages of the programme.

Another important component of human rights programming is advocacy. Human rights programmes are intended to bring about wider change, and the ESI programme does this by working with the government to promote the rights of people with disabilities and to implement Law 220/2000, linking its advocacy to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ILO commitments to promoting social justice and achieving decent work for people with disabilities. The ILO and UN human rights bodies are partners in the programme.


Youth with disabilities were involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the programme. This was done through:

(1) focus groups with people with disabilities to discuss their needs and appropriate methods of intervention to address these

needs;

(2) consultative meetings with target groups and partners from the private sector, municipalities and associations; and

(3) annual meetings with members of the Union for Disabled Persons to plan the annual agenda.

With the involvement youth with disabilities, additional training and employment needs, which should be addressed in the second phase, were able to be identified. The youth also contributed to the development of the objectives and the goals of the programme and set the employment criteria.

4.1. Strategies / theoretical approaches/methodologies

The ESI programme’s theoretical approach is drawn from the social model of disability. The ‘social model of disability’ arose in the late twentieth century as a critique of medical and charity-based models of disability, and it shifted understandings of disability away from individual impairments to the systematic oppression and discrimination against people with disabilities, negative social attitudes, and excluding systems and infrastructures. The social model helped to move understandings of disability away from pity and philanthropy, and towards rights. So the ESI programme addresses the challenges and obstacles in the work place that are preventing youth with disabilities from finding work. By addressing these obstacles, the programme is able to better train youth with disabilities and prepares them to qualify for jobs. As such, the programme’s implementers engaged all actors


77

and stakeholders from the start and involved them in all levels of programme development and implementation, drawing a network of complementarity between the social sector, civil society, the private sector and government agencies. Thus the programme built on systems that were in place or that were outlined by Law 220, and supported their proper functioning by engaging people in these sectors in the programme and advocating for them to fulfil their roles.

The LPHU undertook a series of studies that examined the position of people with disabilities in the labour market and analysed the legal framework that informed the formulation of the programme. These studies helped to further refine the ESI programme. The studies include:

• Disability and Livelihoods in Lebanon (2003): This studied the situations of a sample group of people with disabilities, looking at their education and employment status and the constraints they face when seeking to improve their livelihoods;

• Disability and Employment (2004): This paper analysed the legislative framework

• and the roles of different stakeholders (NGOs and government bodies);

• The Employment Situation of People with Disabilities in the Bekaa Region:

• Difficulties and Opportunities (2005): This study examined education and employment status in depth with specific regard to Bekaa, providing further analysis by gender and age;

• Survey of Companies in the Private Sector to Explore Available & Potential

• Employment Opportunities (2006): This study supports the approach to be taken in the programme.

4.2. Activities 7

The programme’s activities are multifaceted and address challenges at four different

levels of the system:

1. National legislation and policy, and employment in government institutions;

2. Private sector employers;

3. People with disabilities themselves;

4. Networks of NGOs and agencies working with people with disabilities.

1. National legislation and policy

Aiming to activate the implementation of Law 220/2000, the LPHU team advocates with relevant decision makers to issue implementation decrees for the law. The advocacy efforts target five groups:

• Group 1: Relevant ministries;

• Group 2: All institutions which deal with employment and fall under the supervision of the ministries;

• Group 3: All Social Development Centres of the Ministry of Social Affairs across the different regions;

• Group 4: Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, and economic organizations;

• Group 5: Labour syndicates.

7 Information document about economic and social inclusion shared by Doha Yahfoufi.

78

Work with Group 1

This group includes the Ministries of Labour, Education, Industry, and Social Affairs.Successful lobbying by LPHU resulted in the issuance of the Accessibility Decree, which clearly states the necessity of fulfilling the ‹accessibility criteria› in all public buildings which will be built and for it to be mandatory in order to receive the building license.LPHU was able to create a support network including the Syndicate of Engineers, the Lebanese Standards Institution (LIBNOR), the APAVE Company and representatives from urban planning companies which allowed the lobbying efforts to succeed.LPHU is working with the ministries to remedy the issue of implementation of Law 220/2000. This is especially critical because people with disabilities face many obstacles in their daily lives and there is a crucial need to have a proper mechanism to ensure implementation of the law and related decrees (i.e., the Accessibility Decree).

At the legislative level, the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee invited LPHU to review the national human rights plan for 2011-2015, specifically regarding social and economic rights. The LPHU team added recommendations regarding the rights of people with disabilities in employment, education, health and social security to be included in the plan.

Work with Group 2

LPHU succeeded in designing a successful partnership with LIBNOR through which it formed a committee of experts, including one person from LPHU, and drafted the accessibility criteria that were endorsed in the Accessibility Decree. The partnership with LIBNOR allows LPHU to exchange experiences and information in the field of accessibility and social responsibility standards. It was also agreed that LIBNOR employees will be given training on diversity and inclusion.

79

LPHU also cooperated with the National Employment Office (NEO). A partnership contract with NEO was originally planned, but the latter’s limited funding allowedonly three vocational training sessions for people with disabilities organized by LPHU in Baalback and Mount Lebanon.

Work with Group 3

The LPHU team continued to implement interventions in all Social DevelopmentCentres in South Lebanon, Bekaa, Beirut and Mount Lebanon, and conducted numerous field visits to build a network with the centres. Building the capacity of workers in these centres was necessaryto increase their awareness of disability and Law 220/2000 and to expose them to the mechanisms for including people with disabilities in the workplace. LPHU organized and delivered seminars and training sessions for the municipalities and NGOs collaborating with the centres. In addition, LPHU conducted eight workshops in South Lebanon as part of ILO training for the Social Development Centres and NGOs. The workshops, which had a total of 17 participants, tackled issues related to diversity; inclusion; kinds of disability; the needs of people with disabilities and supportive tools for them; Law 220/2000 and international conventions on the right to employment of people with disabilities; and the situation of people with disabilities in Lebanon, including their unemployment rate. The workshops used a participatory technique that included brainstorming, voting and group work.

Work with Group 4

The stakeholders in this group include all the Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Beirut, Bekaa, Zahle and Tyr.

LPHU collaborates with these chambers to organize roundtables and invite companies to participate in training delivered by LPHU. For example, the Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture in Zahle was very cooperative and provided LPHU with information about local companies and their contact information, as well as a venue to organize and arrange meetings.This chamber dedicates 15 minutes at the beginning of any seminar or workshop held in its facility to introducing the EIP programme and to promote the concept of inclusion.

Work with Group 5

This group includes all labour and workers› syndicates. Acknowledging the important role that these syndicates play in monitoring the work of companies and supporting workers’ rights, LPHU has found that this group can play a significant role in increasing awareness of inclusion of people with disabilities at the workplace and encouraging companies to hire them.

(2) Private sector employers

The ESI programme builds the capacities of the private sector and support them to adopt the concept of economic inclusion. LPHU has developed a large database and built a network of relations with various private sector companies (e.g., industries, services, banks, tourism and commerce).

80

It has provided awareness-raising sessions for employees in hundreds of private sector companies companies in four regions of Lebanon, through organizing roundtables, in collaboration with the Chambers of Commerce and different economic bodies and employer syndicates, that tackled issues related to diversity, inclusion, Law 220/2000, the benefits of employing people with disabilities, accessibility criteria and workplace adaptation. Other sessions addressed the basic steps to take adopt inclusion and respect diversity.The goal of these awareness-raising sessions is to change the attitudes of employers towards people with disabilities and modify any misconceptions they may have. Training on accessibility The ESI programme also provides training and consultancies to companies to support their adaptation of internal work policies and systems to be inclusiveDuring 2012-2015, LHPU worked with 105 companies from different sectors to develop their internal work policies, train their human resources departments and meet the necessary accessibility criteria. The activities included primary field visits to review company policies, understand the organization and operations of the human resources department and observe the work environment (3-4 visits for each company). Evaluation reports were developed after every visit in which the team would recommend a work plan to build the capacity of the company, including:

• Training sessions for human resources employees on the inclusion criteria, the rights of people with disabilities and how to amend internal policies, recruitment policies, interview mechanisms and the policy for following up with employees (management of diversity). Each training

cycle include three sessions each lasting 1.5-2 hours;

• Training sessions for the employees on how to communicate with and treat people with disabilities in the workplace;

• Preparing recommendations for making the company’s internal policy inclusive, taking into consideration the diversity criteria, Law 220 and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. These suggestions are discussed with the company’s management prior to implementation;

• Following up on the amendments to the internal work system (through field visits when needed);

• Providing technical, financial and architectural consultancies to make the changes needed to make the company physically accessible (with the minimum standards) to people with disabilities, including the entrance, lobbies, toilets, offices and elevators.

Human resources training

The ESI programme also provides human resources training. The training provided information on:

• The discrimination that people with disabilities face and the stereotypical beliefs surrounding their capabilities. Four models – medical, charity-based, social and human rights-based – were used to clarify the most significant facts and false beliefs concerning people with disabilities and the means of approaching disabilities;

81

• The lack of inclusiveness in the cultural, social, economic, and physical environment of the society;

• The explanation of Law 220/2000 and the Convention through the use of videos and PowerPoint presentations;

• Methods to conduct assessments and to set a plan to enable the company to become inclusive; the trainers supported the employees in developing methods and plans for their companies;

• The benefits of employing people with disabilities and the employment strategy which is executed through the implementation of the ‘three As’: Attitude: based on equality and respect for human rights; Accessibility: the requirements of accessibility criteria to make a company accessible to everyone, not only people with disabilities; Accommodations: the importance of job amendments and modification of job descriptions (modifying responsibilities, time and tools) to achieve inclusion;

• Training of human resources staff on how to advertise job vacancies, conduct job interviews, deal with people with disabilities, conduct periodic training for employees on the topic of inclusion and diversity, and monitor and evaluate the performance of employees with disabilities.

The Diversity Support Committee in the Workplace

In 2006, LPHU founded the Diversity Support Committee in the Workplace, which includes companies that employ and support the employment of people with disabilities and adopt diversity criteria. The

committee currently includes 39 companies from Bekaa, Beirut, Mount Lebanon and the South. The committee works on the following issues:

• Adopting inclusion and diversity policies;

• Supporting the employment of people with disabilities through career and skills development;

• Promoting diversity in the workplace and updating information about diversity criteria;

• Providing consultation to the programme on some economic issues; • Funding and sponsoring awarenessraising activities on diversity and inclusion.

(3) People with disabilities

Training for job seekers During 2012-2015, the ESI programme carried out 36 training sessions for job seekers which trained 360 people with disabilities in the basic skills needed to enter the workplace. These sessions include a psychosocial intervention programme, training on Law 220/2000, leadership skills, planning and career guidance in addition to general information on types of disability, assistance devices and adaptation techniques. The training takes place in eight sessions over a period of two months (one session per week for 3.5 hours). The team divided the beneficiaries into 36 groups in 36 training workshops during the three years (12 workshops per year and 10 persons per workshop). The criteria considered in building the groups were age group, gender equality, education level and employment experience. The beneficiaries are divided into four groups:

82

• First group: persons with education with work experience;

• Second group: persons with education without work experience;

• Third group: persons with work experience without education;

• Fourth group: no education and no work experience.

Before starting the training sessions, a team of social workers from LPHU conducts an assessment of the needs of the beneficiaries by filling out a questionnaire. This information helps to define the appropriate training programme for each individual. Provide training and job opportunities for people with disabilities LPHU strives to provide training opportunities for people with disabilities within the programme›s target companies. This is achieved through the following activities:

• Supporting beneficiaries to apply for job vacancies within the targeted companies by preparing a CV, submitting an application and holding a test interview with them in coordination with the employers;

• Training periods of 1-6 months are determined in coordination with the employer who in turn monitors and evaluates the trainees;

• Following up with the beneficiaries and providing them with consultation and guidance when needed.

The employment process is as follows:

• The teams at the three job centres in LPHU branches receive the CVs of people with disabilities and make a comprehensive

evaluation of each one;

• The professional team visits the companies with job vacancies;

• The team assesses the work place and conducts a detailed description of the employment environment;

• The team chooses the appropriate person for the job opportunity;

• The team follows up with the employer and people with disabilities after employment;

• The team suggests any needed modification and adaptation.

Working with parents

The ESI programme holds awareness-raising sessions for the parents of people with disabilities which include information on disability and its different types, the rights of people with disabilities and how to support their children when they are entering the job market. This activity aims at helping the parents, especially mothers, to accept their children›s disabilities and to believe in their capacity to learn and work like others.In three years, the ESI programme conducted 12 awareness-raising workshops targeting the parents of the beneficiaries (four workshops per year). Each workshop was implemented over three days (three hours per day) and included theoretical information and different practical activities undertaken through working groups.

Working with parents

The ESI programme holds awareness-raising sessions for the parents of people with disabilities which include information on disability and its different types

83

the rights of people with disabilities and how to support their children when they are entering the job market. This activity aims at helping the parents, especially mothers, to accept their children›s disabilities and to believe in their capacity to learn and work like others. In three years, the ESI programme conducted 12 awareness-raising workshops targeting the parents of the beneficiaries (four workshops per year). Each workshop was implemented over three days (three hours per day) and included theoretical information and different practical activities undertaken through working groups.

Vocational training provision

The ESI programme team organized two trainingof- trainers sessions for the trainers of all partner institutions that provide vocational training to people with disabilities. These sessions are intended to raise the awareness of vocational trainers regarding disability and the special needs of people with disabilities. In particular, they focus on introducing vocational trainers to the different kinds of disability, enabling them to make their classes more adaptable to the needs of people with disabilities while achieving the academic goals of the vocational training. As a result of these trainings, vocational trainers report an improved ability to deal with people with disabilities who attend their own training sessions. In parallel, LPHU follows up with people with disabilities and encourages them to attend the vocational training offered, including the following courses:

• professional computer training;

• literacy;

• English language;

• CorelDraw (graphic design);

• AutoCAD (computer aided design).

(4) Networks of NGOs and agencies working with people with disabilities.

The ESI programme developed resources for civil society organizations supporting people with disabilities. The key publications developed in 2012- 2015 are:

1. Diversity at Workplace (guide);

2. How to Become an Inclusive Company (booklet);

3. Waw (newsletter);

4. Programme brochure;

5. Reference guide for media about terms related to disability.

4.3. Innovativeness

Similar programmes have been implemented in the United Kingdom and other countries in Europe, but the programme is innovative in that there are no others in the MENA region. In addition, the design was adapted to respond to the contextual specificities of youth with disabilities in Lebanon and of Lebanese services and employment markets in general. It is also innovative in its approach of engaging all stakeholders and actors as partners in programme implementation. Prior to this programme, interventions in Lebanon to address the employment of youth with disabilities remained rooted in the medical model of, disability focusing only on segregated sheltered workshops or charitable purchases of handicrafts and art pieces. Those short-term interventions do not challenge the job market or the overall status quo of discrimination.

84

The programme has been ongoing since 2004 and has been executed in three phases. During the second and third phases, the team had an average of 15-20 employees, in addition to a number of volunteers, located in the central administration or the geographic areas. No additional structures were developed for implementing this programme; it was implemented through the existing structures of LPHU in terms of offices and logistical support and drawing on the available facilities of partners in the private and public sectors. The programme is working towards sustainability

by diversifying its funding base and has already started forging partnerships with the Chambers of Commerce and the private sector, which have covered the costs of specific activities in the current phase of the programme. LPHU also sought to institutionalize the programme›s process and integrate it into the services of the Ministry of Social Affairs, thus guaranteeing its sustainability. This model has not fully taken off, but has been officially endorsed by the Ministry.9

4.5. Sustainability

The programme has been ongoing since 2004 and has been executed in three phases. During the second and third phases, the team had an average of 15-20 employees, in addition to a number of volunteers, located in the central administration or the geographic areas.No additional structures were developed for implementing this programme; it was implemented through the existing structures of LPHU in terms of offices and logistical support and drawing on the available facilities of partners in the private and public sectors. The programme is working towards sustainability by diversifying its funding base and has already started forging partnerships with the Chambers of Commerce and the private sector, which have covered the costs of specific activities in the current phase of the programme. LPHU also sought to institutionalize the programme’s process and integrate it into the services of the Ministry of Social Affairs, thus guaranteeing its sustainability. This model has not fully taken off, but has been officially endorsed by the Ministry.

Breakdown of costs (approximate)

In euros

Staff 100,000 Transportation and

consumable (internet+ mobile+ office supplies+

stationary)

30,000

Administrative costs 15,000 Publications and

Research 20,000

Job seekers training and roundtables for the private

sector45,000

Vocational Training 30,000


The history of the programme starts with the establishment of the job centre by LPHU in the Bekaa region and of a job centre in Beirut in 2004 funded by Oxfam and Christian Aid. Three years later, the Economic and Social Inclusion programme was designed and launched with funding from the European Union (EU) and Christian Aid, and ran for four years (2008-2011). The programme slowed down in 2011-2012 due to funding problems but resumed in 2012 in its third phase with a higher budget, set to run until end-2015. The budget increased due to external funding, mainly from the EU and Christian Aid, with an estimated annual budget of 250,000 euros 8 (see table below).

8 Interview with Doha Yahfoufi, ESI national program coordinator, 2014.

9 Ibid

85

4.6. Replicability

In the current phase, 2012-2015, LPHU will collaborate with an NGO in the State of Palestine to share the good practices of the programme and assist the NGO in replicating it. This collaboration has been funded within a framework of joint funding between Christian Aid and the EU. 10

LPHU commissioned an evaluation of the ESI programme in June 2011 which included a desk review of the programme documents (the programme proposal, annual reports and monitoring and evaluation documents) and collection of primary data through interviews and/or focus groups with the following stakeholders:

• Programme team and decision makers;

• people with disabilities who obtained employment as a result of the programme;

• people with disabilities who did not obtain employment as a result of the programme;

• Human resources representatives from the private sector;

• Trainers and vocational training centre staff;

• Civil society partners;

• A sample of municipalities, NGOs and other network partners in the programme.

The data were analysed to draw out specific incidents and themes that best described pivotal achievements, tangible gaps or needs and lessons learned for improved planning. The parameters explored in this analysis fell along the lines of the main

stakeholders and the beneficiaries, who formed the real structure of the programme and felt its impact. The parameters are illustrated in the figure below. 11

Evaluation results

The programme was mostly successful in meeting its objectives; in the light of the programme’s success, implementers developed new objectives to be met by end-2014, primarily to formulate more developed strategies and to attain a higher rate of involvement.

The first phase of the ESI programme succeeded in finding employment for 25 per cent of its participants in the formal sector, of whom 50 per cent were women. The programme provided more than 217 job opportunities and 70 people with disabilities were employed in 2013-2014 alone. This compares favourably with the only comparable initiative in Lebanon,

5. Evaluation of effectiveness

10 Ibid.

11 Lessons Learned and Future Directions evaluation.

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implemented by the NEO in 2001-2003, which hired six people with disabilities (1 per cent success rate) out of 600 employment requests. The ESI programme succeeded in making ministries aware of the political necessity of carrying out their obligations to promote employment for people with disabilities. Outcomes All people with disabilities interviewed expressed a drastic change in their lives due to the programme. These changes include:

• A ‹humanizing› experience as their lives were altered after being removed from their customary restrictive circumstances, for training and then for work.

• People with disabilities said they had a ‘small scope of life’ before inclusion.

• A tremendous boost to self-esteem was noted in all interviews.

• The resourcefulness and productivity introduced into their lives changed their relationships with their families and more notably with their communities. They no longer feared the world outside their homes and believed that the focus was no longer on their impairment or illness but on their work.

• The programme allowed people with disabilities to enjoy a better quality of life: better use of their time, changed behaviour and treatment, meeting people outside of their usual circles, moving around on their own and discovering that learning new skills was not difficult.The results are summarized in the time frames below:

2005 – 2008: 300 people with disabilities who had received career advisory services were matched with jobs, of whom 150 were employed in different sectors.

2008 – 2009: 46 job opportunities were offered in addition to the 200 such opportunities offered by the job centres. On the other hand, 40 CVs were received, 35 candidates were interviewed and 21 were employed, in addition to the 16 individuals who participated in the National Employment Council exams.

2009 – 2010: on the employment side, the programme provided more than 130 job opportunities as a result of continuous follow-up and visits with the companies in Beirut, Bekaa and Tyr/Sour. On the other hand, 258 CVs were chosen and were sent to the companies; 55 beneficiaries were interviewed and 40 were hired.

2010 – 2011: on the employment side, the programme provided more than 59 job opportunities as a result of continuous follow-up and visits with the companies in Beirut and Bekaa. 173 CVs were chosen and sent to the companies; 48 beneficiaries were interviewed and 29 were hired.

2012 – 2014: the programme provided more than 217 job opportunities and 70 people with disabilities were employed. LPHU succeeded in making ministries aware of the political necessity of carrying out their legal obligations to promote employment for people with disabilities. As a result, the Accessibility Decree was issued, mandating the application of the accessibility criteria in all public buildings.

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• The programme responded well to the challenges of the Lebanese context such as social practices of overprotection and isolation, the lack of facilities and infrastructure and practices in the public and private sectors that were rooted in the medical model of disability.

• Programme implementers engaged all stakeholders and actors in the design, implementation and evaluation of the programme, making it much more effective in achieving its goals.

• The programme responded well to the challenges of the Lebanese context such as social practices of overprotection and isolation, the lack of facilities and infrastructure and practices in the public and private sectors that were rooted in the medical model of disability.

• Programme implementers engaged all stakeholders and actors in the design, implementation and evaluation of the programme, making it much more effective in achieving its goals.

• Some parents were not convinced that their children could be involved in this programme and feared their children might fail. This led people with disabilities to drop out of the programme at earlier or later stages without giving valid reasons.

• Transportation continued to be a challenge, due to the lack of availability and cost.

• The security situation in Lebanon, especially in Bekaa, which interrupted

the work of the Bekaa team.

• Changes in the Government and the corresponding change in ministers posed a challenge for the programme because it had been working so closely with the offices of former ministers.

• Funding was also a problem.

• Reaching the target group was one of the most difficult parts of the programme.

However, implementers overcame this challenge by working through the system of public and private social services. The programme was also announced in the newspapers to encourage persons with disabilities to join.

Based on the evaluation of the ESI programme, the implementers identified activities that still need to be undertaken at different levels:

• Provide additional social support and followup to individuals with disabilities (counselling and social support, forging connections in favour of inclusive employment);

• Expand/continue some courses to allow for higher technical skills (such as English language and specialized computer courses);

• Find space/facilities for learners to practice during the training process;

• Improve transportation options for people with disabilities;

• Responsive companies require more follow-up after meetings and roundtables, especially those offering jobs and awaiting candidates;


7. Challenges


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• Broaden marketing and public awareness efforts to spread the word further within the private sector;

• Advocate for interregional coordination and networking. This could include producing a directory of inclusive companies, schools, NGOs, etc. and assisting municipalities, Social Development Centres and civil society partners in referring requests to the appropriate parties;

• Increase the ability of vocational training centres to accommodate people with disabilities and become more inclusive;

• Increase the engagement of the NEO;

• Further compilation and reproduction of programme documents, success stories, case studies and guidelines into tools to market the programme and outline its procedures and reignite government interest and commitment to its goals;

• Enrich the training programmes by linking trainers and potential employers to the job placement and training processes respectively.

Working with the local stakeholders (the public/private sectors, people with disabilities, parents) has proven to be greatly rewarding for the ESI programme. If the programme were to be effectively implemented in another regional context, it would be prudent for the team to consider and build strong networks with local stakeholders. This, as demonstrated in its implementation in Lebanon, can aid in the sustainability of the project by providing

the team with facilities and valuable information about the situation of people with disabilities in that region. Every context has its own idiosyncrasies that need to be addressed and considered in implementing the programme. The situation of people with disabilities differs from one country to another and these factors need to be taken into account.

• Strong network and collaborative techniques with private and public sectors;

• Including companies and their human resource departments in the training intervention;

• Assisting work places to become accessible;

• Targeting the legislative level and not merely the PWDs and direct stakeholders.

1. Diversity at Workplace guide

2. How to Become an Inclusive Company booklet

3. Waw newsletter

4. Programme brochure

5. Reference guide for media about disability terms



11. Resources

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http://www.lphu.com

http://www.lphu.com/AN/index.asp

http://www.lphu.com/Ar/

http://www.saradar.com/Library/Images/Saradar/Timeline/Law220-2000.pdf

Lemerle, C. (2009). First Monitoring Report MR-115652.01; 10/08/2009, EU.

Mathy, N. (2010).Second Monitoring Report MR-115652.02; 08/11/2010, EU.

LPHU (2009). Christian Aid and Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union (LPHU) People with Disabilities –Economic and Social Inclusion Program, ONG-PVD/2007/134-783; Interim Report: 1 April 2008 to 31 March2009.

LPHU (2010). Christian Aid and Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union (LPHU) People with Disabilities –Economic and Social Inclusion Program, ONG-PVD/2007/134-783; Interim Report: 1 April 2009 to 31 March2010.

LPHU (2008-2011). Lessons Learned and Future Directions Evaluating the Economic & Social Inclusion Project at LPHU.

Reports of suggested programs\Economic and social inclusion program.docx

UNESCO(2013). Report on Social Inclusion of Young Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

Photo credits: LPHU.

12. References

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Annex- Data Collection Sources

Interviews

Name Organization Capacity Data

Doha Yahfoufi & Nada Ozeir LPHU Project team 20 June

Nuha Ghuousseini Head Of Baakline Municipality Civil Society Partner 20 June

Michelle Abdallah Sabre Travel Corp. Private Sector Partner 20 June

Hoda Slim MUBS (university) Private Sector Partner 21 June

Persons with disabilities who didn’t attain employment LPHU Beneficiaries 21 June

Persons with disabilities who did attain employment LPHU Beneficiaries 22 June

Mirelle Ajaka SOS Auto Private Sector Partner 22 June

Civil Socity Partners

MOSA SDCs:- Chiah

-Bhamdoun-Baakline-Kafrhim

-Jeb JennineUNRWANOGs:

-Arc en Ciel-Shu’aa Al Amal

Civil Society Partner 23 June

Trainers LPHU Project Team 23 June

Youssef Geha Chamber of Commerce- Zahle Private Sector Partner 24 June

Hind & Suzanne LPHU Project Team 24 June

Toufic Obari Obari Manufacturing Co. Private Sector Partner 24 June

Joumana Husheimi Husheimi Co. Private Sector Partner 24 June

Naji Imeys Head of Barr Elias Municipality Civil Society Partner 24 June

Rasmieh Hindi LPHU Project Team 24 June

Mirna Araji Decoglass Private Sector Partner 24 June

Mohammad Hashem L’Origin Private Sector Partner 24 June

Bashar Mohieddine Ta’alabaya Municipality Civil Society Partner 24 June

Sylvana Lakkis LPHU General Manager 27 June

Viviane Saade National Employment Office Government counterpart

Bruna Challita Four points Sheraton Private Sector Partner

Raymond Semaan Furn el Chebbak Municipality Civil Society Partner

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The BRIDGE Programme

Unite Lebanon Youth Project

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Region


UN involvementContact

Partners


Palestinian refugees in Lebanon make up approximately 8 per cent of the country’s total population, i.e. 436,000.2 For more than 40 years, these Palestinians have maintained a distinct status as ‘refugees’, with no right to Lebanese citizenship (even for those born in Lebanon and/or born to a Lebanese mother), no state to return to and a very limited right to work. This limbo has made these Palestinians a vulnerable and marginalized population subjected to poor living conditions, lack of access to basic needs and limited access to educational opportunities, with the majority of Palestinians having access only to schools operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The situation is exacerbated by the lack of opportunities for university education, which leads to low employment rates or employment at low-level jobs with limited income which in turn leads to poverty.3 Addressing the Palestinians’ educational status is one step forward in the improvement of their living conditions.

The BRIDGE Programme1

MENALebanonUnite Lebanon Youth Project (ULYP)The BRIDGE ProgrammeSkills development2010OngoingLeeds University and the Welfare Association Non-UNMs. Melek El Nimer, Founder and Director of ULYP [email protected] Ms. Ester van den Berg, Program Coordinator [email protected] +961 1 346 422 | +961 1 745657

1 Desk Review (May-September 2014); Inquiry form (23 July 2014); Interview (13 November 2014);Write up (22 December 2014); Internal Validation (22 December 2104-4 February 2015); Implementer Validation (11 February 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

2 Hammond (2013).

3 Interview with Melek El Nimer and Ester van Der Berg on 13 November 2014.

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achievements and also offer them career advice – where and which jobs to apply to – as well as academic advice if they wishto continue with their graduate studies.


ULYP is a non-profit organization founded in 2010 with the goal of aiding marginalized populations – underprivileged children, youth and women – by providing them with better access to educational and recreational programmes.6 The aim of the organization is “to end the marginalization of underprivileged children and youth in Lebanon and promote unity, respect, and mutual understanding.” 7

UNRWA, a United Nations agency dedicated to aiding Palestinian refugees, has a total of 69 schools that are exclusively for Palestinian students.4 UNRWA does not provide higher education. In Lebanon, the public education system is often reserved for Lebanese nationals and private education comes with a high cost that refugees cannot afford.

The Unite Lebanon Youth Project (ULYP), through its informal assessments and communications with UNRWA, as well as with other organizations that provide scholarships to marginalized youth in Lebanon, has found that many promising and motivated students do not receive adequate opportunities that allow them to reach their full potential.5 One of the contributing factors is that these students are not adequately informed about the diversity and availability of universities and scholarships or the proper application process. In response, the ULYP formed an intensive two-year university preparatory programme, the BRIDGE. The BRIDGE offers underprivileged Palestinian adolescents in Lebanon ages 16–18 years a university preparatory programme consisting of two major components: (1) a university preparatory course (UPC), in which students are taught the skills needed to pass university entrance tests; and (2) counselling sessions (workshops as well as individual sessions) during which students, and occasionally their parents, learn about the importance of attending a good university and the majors and scholarships available.

The programme also engages in follow-up with the students. ULYP follows up with the students’ grades and academic

4 From the UNRWA website: http://www.unrwa.org/where-we-work/lebanon.


6 ULYP, 2014.


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2.1. Goal

The main goal of the BRIDGE programme is to bring together and empower promising and motivated underprivileged youth in Lebanon through a university preparatory programme that introduces them to and informs them about opportunities for pursuing higher education in universities in Lebanon and abroad, supporting them to reach their full potential.

2.2. Objectives

• Provide the underprivileged high school students with all necessary universitypreparation courses, including preparation for university entrance exams.

• Advise and prepare the underprivileged high school students about universityprogrammes and career paths.

• Guide underprivileged high school students in their university applications.

• Aid underprivileged high school students in their search for university funding andmatch them with potential donors.


Both genders have an equal chance of being selected for the programme. The recruitment of girls residing in rural areas has faced challenges due to parents’ fear of allowing their daughters to study far from their home or parents’ dismissive attitude towards the importance of education for their daughters. 3.3. Ethnic / disability considerations

BRIDGE has no formal inclusion policy but does not discriminate against ethnicities and disabilities. One 12th grader with a disability participated in the UPC.


Participants are chosen mostly from adolescents residing in Palestinian camps so that the organization can ensure it is reaching the most marginalized. The programme also assists Lebanese students from public schools in smaller numbers.

3.Target group

3.1. Age group

Participants of the BRIDGE programme are 16-18 year-old Palestinians boys and girls enrolled in 11th and 12th grades. The programme focuses on this age group as this is the time for preparation for and application to higher education. Although there are no restriction criteria, priority is given to students who have good grades and based on the student’s choice of study.

Selection criteria for participants: marginalized background; top of class; proper level of English (students who are proficient can study on their own, students who have a poor level of English are given English language courses to be able to take the SAT exam). The students are interviewed by the ULYP selection committee.

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ULYP programmes are grounded on the universal right to education for all children, regardless of race, gender or religion. BRIDGE reflects this principle by facilitating access to higher education for marginalized adolescents in Lebanon.


Former BRIDGE students volunteer to serve as focal points at the schools of current BRIDGE students. There are seven fixed focal points in different areas to assist in following up with and reaching out to high school students.

BRIDGE university students also act as tutors and mentors for other university students facing difficulties with a specific course. They also connect older students with first year students who experience issues during the academic year at university. The BRIDGE team at ULYP has established a system to mentor university students as much as possible.

A roster is kept for all the ULYP students who volunteer. Volunteer work can consist of different tasks, ranging from administrative work to helping out at events or assisting teachers in one of the other ULYP programmes. For fall semester (academic year 2014-2015), there were approximately 12 volunteers helping out in the office alone. Each summer, a number of volunteers (Lebanese and international) assist with the counselling. This number ranges from 10 to 30 depending on the year. Most of the volunteers are ULYP university students. The volunteers who help students with their essays are native English speakers (i.e., non-ULYP students).



Selected participants start the BRIDGE programme as soon as they enter the 11th grade. The programme is two years long. During their first year of enrolment, students attend the UPC, which consists of English language courses, mathematics and test-taking training (SAT I/II and TOEFL), and counselling workshops introducing them to different universities and majors. Depending on the amount of funding received, at the end of this first year ULYP provides the students with the registration fees for one SAT exam.

In the second year, students participate in counselling workshops that teach them how to write personal statements, manage the application process and communicate test scores to the schools they want to attend. Moreover, during individual counselling sessions the BRIDGE team assists second-year participants with university, scholarship and visa applications.

The students acquire the following skills during the UPC:

1. Writing and reading skills – Before the students start the programme course, an assessment test is administered to determine their English level. During and after the course, students take several tests. During the programme, the students also learn how to write a professional essay and how to write a good and coherent CV.

2. Professional communication skills – how to set up a professional e-mail account, email etiquette, corresponding with universities, respecting deadlines. BRIDGE also offers to prepare students

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for a professional interview (live or via Skype) in case they are shortlisted for an interview by a university.

3. Social skills – In counselling sessions, the BRIDGE team shows students how they are similar to other students (regardless of their background) and tries to engage them with each other in a respectful manner. They utilize several conflict-resolution methods to sensitize students on the importance of equality and human rights.

4.2. Activities

The UPC sessions are given by trained professional teachers. The classes are usually given in the summer, over a period of 4-6 weeks, depending on the level of the students. In the summer of 2014, BRIDGE had several locations for the SAT training sessions: American University of Beirut (AUB), American University of Science and Technology (AUST), AUST Local Centres (Tyre, North, and Beqaa) and in Dibbiyeh campus.

The university counselling sessions are used to enable the students to explore their affinities and be aware of what skills they are good at, through a series of activities and questionnaires. The students are also introduced to a wide range of majors at universities, and the practicality of each (courses taken and employability options). This section is mainly executed by BRIDGE staff, often simultaneous with the SAT sessions. The team provides any kind of assistance to students when they are applying to universities. The team oversees the entire application process and guides the students.

First-year university students face an especially difficult time during their first

semester. BRIDGE tries to guide them through and keep encouraging them to study hard and express any issues they might have.

BRIDGE recently set up a ULYP graduates workforce for recent graduates or students who will soon graduate. This team searches for available Master degree scholarships and helps students with the scholarship application process.

4.3. Innovativeness

BRIDGE is one of the few programmes that focuses on increasing the chances of disadvantaged youth to attend private upscale universities by building their skills at the school level. This is an advanced approach that is crucial to the improvement of the conditions of Palestinian refugees.

BRIDGE has been particularly innovative in creating a strong, stable network of partners through donor liaison (primarily done by the ULYP founder), thus securing scholarships and entry to universities. BRIDGE works with the Palestinian Welfare Association, UNRWA, Amideast, several international foundations, private donors and many universities (AUB, AUST, Lebanese American University (LAU), Beirut Arab University (BAU) and universities abroad).

The contributions given are on three levels: financial; supportive; and networking. The current networks maintained by ULYP provide the opportunity to spread the message to help marginalized youth in Lebanon. This is done through various outreach activities such as going to the schools and meeting with students, teachers and parents. This network also contributes to improving and establishing new partnerships with universities worldwide.

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While some donors wish to aid in the operational costs of BRIDGE, other donors provide scholarship funds. Funding specifically for the BRIDGE programme comes from various donors including the Hani Kaddoumi foundation and the Welfare Association. They sustain the UPC and the counselling and outreach activities. Funding for the scholarships comes from a diverse pool of donors, fundraising activities and institutional funding.

Some universities abroad (Eastern Mediterranean University and Near East University in Cyprus, American University of Sharjah in United Arab Emirates, Texas A&M in Qatar, and Bilkent, Bilgi, Koç and Yeditepe Universities in Turkey) offer to pay tuition and dormitory costs, so that ULYP is responsible only for travel and living expenses.

The actual yearly cost of the programme ranges from $1.2 million to $3 million. The actual cost is always much lower than the estimated budget due to the financial aid discounts that BRIDGE is able to negotiate with the partner universities. As an example, in 2014, the budget was estimated at $7.5 million but BRIDGE was able to manage with only $3 million. BRIDGE shares these savings with its donors in all transparency.

4.5. Sustainability

The BRIDGE programme has operated for five years. The success in sustaining the programme can be credited to ULYP’s success in securing a diverse network of donations from various funders (e.g., the Hani Kaddoumi Foundation and the Welfare Association), fundraising efforts and an impressive partnership with various

universities in Lebanon and abroad. These universities, e.g., Leeds University and Duke University, provide the programme with volunteers, further solidifying Its sustainability. Volunteers from Duke University present the UPC to the students in the summer at the Dibbiyeh campus.

In addition to partnerships with donors, the BRIDGE programme maintains financial aid discount agreements with academic institutions to ensure that the programme continues to grow and expand.

4.6. Replicability

Currently the BRIDGE programme is being implemented with Palestinian students and some Lebanese public schools; it has not been replicated to any other setting or context. However it would be greatly beneficial if the BRIDGE programme were adopted more actively by the Lebanese public schools as their conditions are similar to those of the UNRWA schools. BRIDGE is currently trying to find funding for this expansion.


In 2010, the BRIDGE programme successfully helped 431 students, out of the 1,000 who participated in the programme, to gain acceptance into different reputable universities in and outside Lebanon. Follow-up with these students has shown that many of them pursue their studies and become employed because of their degrees.

In 2014, BRIDGE assisted a total of 981 students (380 university students, 51 graduates, 264 applicants for scholarships and 286 UPC students).

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The evaluation of the BRIDGE programme was done through pre- and post-tests with students during their UPC attendance via evaluation forms and discussions with teachers. The impact of the counselling sessions was only evaluated once the students had started applying to universities. The outcome evaluation was documented at the midterm and at the end of the programme in the form of assessment reports.

Results of evaluation

1. Youth in 11th grade are better prepared and equipped to take college admission tests (SAT, TOEFL and IELTS).

At the conclusion of the most recent module of UPC, 80 per cent of the 150 participating students passed the midterm as well as the final test of the previous preparatory course and were deemed eligible to continue to the next level. Moreover, there has been an improvement in the students’ English language skills, which is crucial for the students to be able to qualify for both scholarships and for university acceptance.

2. University attendance of marginalized youth increased

By 2014, 350 BRIDGE students were enrolled in universities in Lebanon (AUB, LAU and BAU). The first 40 students to join the programme have already graduated. Before BRIDGE started, AUB counted zero Palestinian students from refugee camps among its student body. This achievement is strongly attributed to the fact that the BRIDGE programme begins to reach out to promising students two years before they graduate from high school. This provides them with ample time to learn the importance of attending university, decide on a university and major and acquire the support of their parents.

Finally, these successes can be confirmed by the popularity of BRIDGE within marginalized communities in Lebanon. The programme is very well known and the BRIDGE team is contacted every day by new students who want to participate.

Current university data (Academic year 2014-2015):

• 158 students at AUB;

• 87 students at LAU;

• 57 students at BAU ;

• 2 students in other universities in Lebanon (AUST and LU);

• 43 students in Cyprus ;

• 12 students in Turkey;

• 10 students in Qatar;

• 5 students at AUS;

• 1 at University College London (UCL) (United Kingdom);

• 5 in the United States (through Hope Fund).

Total: 380 currently in universities (ranging from full scholarship or some sort of financial assistance). (BRIDGE team follow-up with all the current students)

Graduate data:

• 8 graduates from AUB;

• 15 graduates from LAU;

• 14 graduates from BAU;

• 3 graduates from other universities in Lebanon;

• 9 graduates from Cyprus;

• 2 graduates from Hult International Business School, Dubai.

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Total: 51 graduates

In 2015, the BRIDGE team expects 94 students to graduate, in addition to some 25 non-ULYP students whom they are helping find Master degree scholarships.

Data on scholarship applicants:

Intake 2013: 143 applicants

Intake 2014: 264 applicants

Intake 2015 (current intake): + 200 (December 2014)

University Preparation Course: (entrance exam training and counselling)

2013: 150 students

2014: 286 students


The strength of the BRIDGE programme lies in its impressive network of universities and funders, which has opened doors to many opportunities that other organizations might not have. Thanks to the various partnerships and donations which cover a large part of the students’ tuition and expenses, BRIDGE does not incur any heavy costs. Furthermore, the BRIDGE programme has succeeded in attracting many volunteers, some of them from the programme’s partner universities which; this, along with the funds it receives, has helped solidify the programme’s sustainability.

Through the results of its evaluation, the BRIDGE programme can be regarded a success. It has established a reputation as a respectable and effective programme which further aids in securing the programme’s longevity.

7. Challenges

The main challenge facing the BRIDGE programme concerned the enrolment of girls, especially those in rural areas. Parents of the girls were fearful and uncomfortable with letting their daughters attend universities far away from their homes. It was also evident that some parents do not value higher education and find it unnecessary, especially for girls.

This has been somewhat resolved as parents now are more welcoming to the idea of sending their daughters to study in Beirut or in different regions, and the programme has witnessed an increase in the enrolment of girls. This shift in mentality could be attributed to the success of BRIDGE, which has built a certain reputation which made the parents trust the programme and ULYP more. The ULYP open door policy gives the parents the chance to talk to ULYP about their concerns. They also see more examples of parents sending their daughters to Beirut and abroad.

Although parents usually wish the best for their children and encourage them to obtain a degree, dealing with parents can be sometimes difficult. When parents are reluctant, the BRIDGE team tries to talk with the student and his/her parents to convince the parents that education is extremely beneficial for their child. If they see high potential in their students, they try to motivate them to apply for a study programme abroad. This may be hard for the parents. However, if a student wants to go abroad, the BRIDGE team tries to meet with the parents and explain why it is a great opportunity.

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The ULYP BRIDGE programme is in the process of developing a pilot project to reach out to the parents of Palestinian youth in Lebanon. Through information sessions, the BRIDGE team would like to inform parents about employability opportunities for their children and the steps their children need to take in order to register for university. Parents will also be informed about the university options. Because it is very important that the parents support the students in their choices, the BRIDGE team members always urge their students to discuss their plans and ideas with them.


The success of the BRIDGE programme has verified the importance and necessity of a strong network and ties with partners and donors. Without the impressive public relations and relationships that BRIDGE has been able to build and secure, it would have been tremendously difficult, if not impossible, for the programme to accomplish and sustain its activities for five years.


(1) The system of outreach to schools;

(2) The public relations and networking system the programme has established;

(3) The programme’s follow-up system.

11. Resources

• The BRIDGE team has developed a manual on how to teach SAT preparation skills to marginalized students in Lebanon, and the teachers they work with provide them with their expertise and with hand-outs for the students.

• Trial tests that are administered half way through and at the end of the sessions.

• ULYP lends official SAT books to the students and helps them get free access to books to prepare for IELTS/TOEFL.

• The BRIDGE team has developed its own counselling manual which includes several questionnaires (to assess skills, interests, values and abilities) and activities embedded with conflict resolution methods.

• Forms that reveal what the students plan on studying in university and the reasons behind their choice.

12. References

Hammond, N. (2013). Examining and Contextualizing Human Right Violations against Palestine Refugees Living in Lebanon. Featuring: An interview with Marc Lynch on the ramifications of revolution in the Middle East, (44), p 47- 95.

ULYP (2014) Who we are. [Online] Available from: http://www.unitelebanonyouth.org/web/whoweare.php [Accessed: 27th November 2014]

UNRWA (2014) Where we work. [Online] Available from: http://www.unrwa.org/where-we-work/lebanon [Accessed: 27th November 2014]

ULYP (2013). Annual Report.

Photo credits: ULYP.

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Skills-Building for University Students

INJAZ

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MENA

Jordan

INJAZ


Skills development

1999OngoingMinistry of Education, Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Ministry of Social Development, Vocational Training Centre, King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD), United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV), Central Bank of Jordan, over 300 private sector companies and a range of local and international civil society organizations including Mosaic, Al Faisal Without Borders, All Jordan Youth Commission and the Jordan Hashemite Fund for Development.

Non-UN

Mr. Muhannad Al-Jarrah, Executive Director, Partnership Unit

[email protected]

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


The population of Jordan is marked by a large youth cohort (70 per cent under 30 years of age), which faces high unemployment:2 33.7 per cent of Jordanians aged 15-24 years are unemployed.3 A mismatch between educational outcomes and the needs of the market has been cited as one of the key factors affecting the unemployment rate. In addition, it has been reported that 70 per cent of recent university graduates are unemployed for up to two years after graduation.4 The dire employment situation not only affects the economic prospects of this youth but also takes its toll on their positive development and well-being. The notion of ‘waithood’5 has been coined to refer to youth who are stalled in long periods of unemployment, inactivity and uncertainty, leading to extended dependency on the family and the inability to transit fully into adulthood, which in turn create feelings of frustration and helplessness.6 Aiming to build the skills of young people in Jordan and to inspire and prepare them to become productive members of society, the non-profit organization INJAZ develops and delivers a series of curricular and extracurricular programmes and activities for adolescents and youth through a network of partnerships with the private sector, civil society organizations and governmental institutions. The premise guiding the work of INJAZ is that the development

Skills-Building for University Students1

1 Desk Review (17 July 2014); Interview (9 October 2014); Internal validation (19 November 2014-11 January 2015); Implementer validation (14 January 2015-03 February 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

2 ILO (2013).3 Ibid.4 PKF Study INJAZ (2012).5 Ibid..6 RAND (2014); Dhillon, N. (2008).

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Established in 1999, INJAZ became an independent non-profit Jordanian organization in 2001 with the mission to “inspire and prepare youth to become productive members of their society and accelerate the development of the national economy”.8 The organization operates with 75 full-time paid staff and a network of volunteers who implement the programme and activities. In the academic year 2011-2012, 80 per cent of the volunteer base of INJAZ were corporate volunteers.9

and integration of youth into the job market are a shared responsibility among all actors in society. It is through coordinated efforts, with the guidance of the government and educational institutions and the financial support and knowledge brought by the private sector, that more prepared generations of Jordanians can access the job market and contribute to the national economy.

INJAZ offers a variety of programmes,7 but this good practice document will focus on the university programme, which has been evaluated for effectiveness.


2.1. Goal

The overall goal of INJAZ is to build the skills of Jordanian youth, help them find jobs and prepare them to be competent and productive members of society.

2.2. Objectives

The main objectives of all INJAZ programmes are to:

• Build the skills of youth through curricular and extracurricular programmes and activities focusing on financial education, business and entrepreneurship, ethical leadership and career guidance;

• Facilitate access to jobs for the youth through social and company programmes as well as employment and entrepreneurship training;

• Support the institutionalization of all volunteerism efforts in Jordan by building a network of partnerships with the private sector, schools, civil society organizations, governmental institutions and universities;

• Engage a greater number of Jordanians, particularly youth, in volunteering and improve their awareness and appreciation of the personal, professional and societal benefits of volunteerism.10

As mentioned above, this good practice documentation focuses on the INJAZ university programme.

7 For the full list of programmes, please see Annex 1.

8 INJAZ – About us: http://www.injaz.org.jo/SubDefault.aspx?PageId=186&MenuId=45

9 INJAZ Programme Form.

10 Jarrah, M. (2014).

3.Target group promotes students’ dignity and improved self-esteem and confidence through programmes and activities that build their skills and encourage an active role in the community through volunteer activities.


Focus group discussions are conducted prior to programme implementation to assess the needs and expectations of beneficiaries, and again after implementation to gather feedback on the participants’ benefits, concerns and suggestions for improvement. The curricular development and implementation teams use this feedback to adjust the design and execution of future programming. Specific data collection methods and targets vary between programmes, but they all utilize a variety of pre-, mid- and post-implementation surveys and questionnaires with the beneficiaries.



INJAZ relies on a consultative partnership model involving the public, private sector and civil society with the aim to build the capacity of youth. It mobilizes the public sector, notably the Ministry of Education, to maximize the use of educational facilities and human resources. It engages the private sector by promoting volunteerism and corporate social responsibility, encouraging not only financial support but also the use of their technical expertise and mentorship. INJAZ students receive training from corporate volunteers who deliver the skills-building programmes and act as mentors, sharing their professional

3.1. Age group

INJAZ university programmes and activities target youth enrolled in university.


There is no gender-sensitive strategy, but the equal participation of boys and girls is encouraged and planned. Currently, female beneficiaries account for 61.2 per cent of the participants in INJAZ university programmes who participated in an evaluation of the programme in 2012.11


INJAZ developed ‘My Team’, an adapted version of the company programme which provides work experience to students who have mild to medium special needs (education, mental and physical). Guided by teachers and volunteer advisers, students establish companies and secure funding. The programme aims to develop their communication skills, boost their confidence and introduce new working opportunities.12


Since INJAZ began, the network of colleges/universities and governorates where its programmes have been introduced has grown, allowing it to reach vulnerable youth in some of the most deprived areas of Jordan. Currently, INJAZ operates in public and private universities across all 12 governorates.


The initiative promotes equal access to education through the curricular and extracurricular programmes. It also

10411 Evaluation report in Arabic 2012 (S )

12 INJAZ Prezi Presentation (May 2014).

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expertise and guiding students in how to apply their skills in a business environment.

The partner private sector companies provide a pool of corporate volunteers who participate in the design and implementation of programmes. Beyond corporate volunteers, INJAZ also recruits civil society sector volunteers to participate as teachers and mentors for the programmes.

Almost 3,000 (2,818) volunteers were registered in the 2013-2014 academic year, of whom 50 per cent were corporate volunteers. An average of 60 per cent of volunteers are returnees and 40 per cent are first-time volunteers. The high retention rate of volunteers allows INJAZ to quickly mobilize experienced individuals and reduces the number of volunteers requiring training on an annual basis. The volunteers are selected through an interview process that assesses their knowledge, experience and fit with the INJAZ programmes. The nature and content of the programme, the age and educational level of beneficiaries and the qualifications and interest of volunteers are some of the criteria used to select and allocate volunteers to INJAZ programmes.

Training sessions are organized to build the capacity of the volunteers in working with adolescents and delivering the programmes. Returning volunteers are retrained only if they are implementing a new programme. In 2011-2012, INJAZ launched ‘i-Volunteer’, a committee composed of 24 members which aims to enhance knowledge-sharing between recruited corporate volunteers.

The delivery of INJAZ programmes is based on experiential learning or the ‘learn by doing’ methodology. In this process,

participants acquire skills and knowledge by engaging in a concrete experience.

4.2. Activities

Employment and entrepreneurship

The employment and entrepreneurship programmes are both curricular and extracurricular programmes for youth aged 15-25 years attending colleges and universities. Curricular programmes are grouped into three main tracks:

• Business Entrepreneurship: The Company Start-Up Programme;

• Social Entrepreneurship: We Are Social Leaders;

• Employment: My Path to Employment; Communication Skills; Work Ethics; Skills of Success.

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Extracurricular programmes include:

• Business Entrepreneurship: Enterprise Development Programme, the business incubation programme which provides ongoing support to outstanding student company teams as they navigate the challenges of developing their early-stage ventures;

• Social Entrepreneurship: We Are Social Leaders.

• Employment: Generations Dialogue (7iwar Al Ajyal); Link2Job.

For the majority of these programmes, enrolment is done through INJAZ. A partnership agreement with the Ministry of Education allows students to receive university credit for the Company Start-Up Programme. Since 2011, this programme has been mainstreamed and accredited within the German Jordanian University. In 2013, Mu’tah University piloted a model that embeds INJAZ soft skills workshops/programmes within accredited university programmes. The university is also considering offering the INJAZ soft skills programmes as modules for university credit.

The flagship Company Start-Up Programme seeks to build the entrepreneurial capacity of young Jordanians university students and promote self-employment. Launched in 2011, the programme operates in 38 institutions of higher education, both public and private. It comprises three dimensions: theory; practicality; and sustainability.13 Corporate volunteers deliver a course on the tools to build and sustain a business, providing students with the skills to take their business plans forward. Under the supervision of the volunteers, students

organize and register their own ‘student company’. They conduct market research and investment appraisal studies, and define market needs. At the end of the project, students liquidate the company and divide profits among the stakeholders. During the programme, students enter a nationwide competition where they gain practical experience. During the competition, a judging committee evaluates the students’ projects. In the second stage, participants are expected to gain problem-solving and presentation skills and demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit. Winners of the nationwide competition are supported in the process of sustaining and growing their companies.

In the 2012-2013 academic year, 1,815 students graduated from the Company Start-Up Programme. Under the mentorship of 77 volunteers, the same number of individual student start-up projects were formed and developed, of which seven were legally registered with the Government as businesses at the conclusion of the programme. Through a partnership with the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation as well as a strengthened pool of private sector partners, the programme expects to create over 200 youth projects in 2014-2015.14

4.3. Innovativeness

The model developed by INJAZ – which is based on a collaborative network engaging government officials and institutions, the private sector, educators, volunteers and students – is an innovative method for building the skills of Jordanian youth and preparing them to meet the demands of the job market and private sector. Each of the stakeholders has an active role in the design

13 Center for Education Innovations (2014a).

14 Ibid.

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and implementation of programmes, and the programme introduces a dynamic exchange between corporate volunteers and the youth. The Government of Jordan provides vital access to the target group by allowing INJAZ to work in and alongside public educational institutions. It also set forth the National Employment Strategy, which guides the strategic priorities and approach of INJAZ. Private sector partners, meanwhile, provide critical insight into employer perspectives, which guides the demand-driven design of INJAZ programmes and supply the bulk of the pool of volunteers who act as mentors to youth.


INJAZ started operating with funding from the United States Agency for International Development. After becoming an independent non-profit organization, it established a donor base with significant contributions from the Jordanian private sector. Today, the operating budget for all its programmes (not only the university programme) is $2.7 million, of which $1.57 million constitutes programme costs and $1.12 million administrative costs.

4.5. Sustainability

INJAZ was registered as a private, non-profit shareholding company in 2005 and currently operates with 75 full-time staff. It created a Board of Trustees and a Board of Directors to steer the organization. The latter is a committee of 11 members elected from the Board of Trustees who work with INJAZ executive management.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is integral to the sustainability of INJAZ programmes and activities. The Board is composed of top

business leaders who commit both to contributing financially to INJAZ programmes and to offering their expertise. Members serve on different committees such as fundraising and growth, brand effectiveness, operations, programme development and finance. Each year, the Board elects 11 members to serve on the Board of Directors, who are more closely engaged and advise INJAZ operations.

Engagement with the public and private sector

The network of engaged private sector companies, which see the benefit of participating in the development of Jordanian youth, ensures the commitment and sustainability of programmes and activities through their financial and technical support, directly engaging with the youth and creating a dynamic exchange.

Every year, INJAZ works to increase the pool of partner companies and network of volunteers, strengthening its resources and ability to reach out to more youth. It runs awareness campaigns to promote corporate social responsibility and a culture of volunteerism. An example of this is the School Adoption Programme, through which companies commit to support one or more schools in improving their grounds, providing equipment and supporting delivery of INJAZ programmes.

Inclusion of curricular programmes in the public educational system

INJAZ curricular programmes have been introduced in the public educational system, thus ensuring their continuity. With the aim of building the capacity of teachers, educators and corporate volunteers, INJAZ conducts training sessions in partnership with the Ministry of Education.15

15 Bibi, D. (2012).

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4.6. Replicability

INJAZ has exchanged knowledge of its model and programmes with over 12 countries in the Arab region as well as Uganda and Serbia.16 INJAZ Al-Arab, the product of this exchange, currently operates in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, State of Palestine, Pakistan, Qatar, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and United Arab Emirates.


Between 1999 and 2015, INJAZ programmes have reached one million beneficiaries in all 12 governorates of Jordan, working in 223 schools, 40 universities and colleges and over 100 centres and social institutions, including vocational training institutes, community and youth centres, centres for youth with disabilities and orphanages. This has been achieved through the network of volunteers and partners from the private and public sectors, and in full coordination with the Ministry of Education and King Abdullah II Fund for Development.

In total, INJAZ mobilized 4,000 volunteers annually and has involved a total of 27,000 qualified volunteers from the outset. INJAZ is working to institutionalize volunteerism through the corporate social responsibility programmes of its over 300 private and public sector partners.

Improved access to jobs for university graduates

An external study conducted in 2012 by PKF Accountants and Business Advisors surveyed 373 young people who had completed one or more INJAZ university programmes between 2008 and 2012. The study found that 87 per cent of INJAZ alumni

were successfully employed within one year after their graduation, in comparison to the national figure of 30 per cent of graduates finding employment within one year. That means that 70 per cent of Jordanian graduates remain in ‘waithood’ for more than 12 months before finding employment. In comparison, only 13 per cent of the INJAZ cohort experienced a ‘waithood’ of more than one year before becoming employed.

The two courses that were most attended were ‘how to be a leader’ and ‘skills for success’ (over 60 per cent attended at least one of these courses).

Most students (~52 per cent) had taken two to three INJAZ courses while at university. Overall, finding a job after graduation was associated with the number of INJAZ courses taken, with those who have taken more than five INJAZ courses having an 78.3 per cent rate of job placement, as opposed to 60.7 per cent of those having taken only one INJAZ course. Although women had lower employment rates than men, the employment rate for women who had taken INJAZ programmes was higher than the national average for women’s employment.17

Unfortunately, the evaluation did not assess success in finding jobs according to the specific courses attended.

Increased knowledge, skills and confidence

INJAZ also conducted an impact assessment study for the Company Start-Up Programme by comparing treatment and control groups through surveys which tested the knowledge, confidence and skills gained as well as increased willingness and trust in starting their own company. Two thirds (66 per cent) rated increased

16 INJAZ Programme Form.

17 PKF Jordan (November 2012).

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confidence in their knowledge of functional and practical aspects for companies and how to start up a business, and 68 per cent registered improved behavioural skills and work-related skills (ability to solve problems and think critically).18


INJAZ monitoring and evaluation plans are developed according to programme objectives, activity outputs and programme milestones. Programme objectives and targets are broken down into key performance indicators with targets and baselines.19 The specific data collection methods vary between the programmes, but they all employ pre-, mid- and post-implementation surveys and questionnaires distributed to participants, volunteers, partners and parents.

Throughout the programme, regular communication with the volunteers and visits to the programme sessions are conducted by the INJAZ programme unit staff and volunteer officers. Based on the outcomes of these processes, improvements and adjustments are made to the programme implementation, volunteer training practices and volunteer retention.


• Mobilization and engagement of the private sector in youth development.

• Positive impact of INJAZ curricular and extracurricular programmes on youth’s skills and knowledge as demonstrated by the impact analysis and beneficiary satisfaction measurements gathered through the INJAZ certified quality management system20 and external analyses such as the PKF study of INJAZ and non-INJAZ graduates.21

• Mobilization of the public and private sectors with the aim of instilling a culture of volunteerism.

• Strengthened social responsibility through the programmes implemented in schools, universities and social institutions, and increased engagement of the private sector as measured by the number of growing partners.

7. Challenges

The most important and significant challenge at the outset was establishing a pool of private sector volunteers and promoting the concept of volunteerism. Over time and with the expansion of partnerships and companies joining INJAZ, the challenge resides in scaling up the programme to a national initiative without losing the quality and consistency of work. Attracting and maintaining qualified volunteers has been addressed by establishing an interview process and by stressing the collective benefit of volunteerism.22

Certain cultural issues were also encountered when working with the young people, but implementers were trained

18 Bibi, D. (2012).

19 INJAZ – QMS.

20 INJAZ is ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System (QMS) certified.

21 PKF Study (November 2012).

22 INJAZ - Programme Form submitted electronically to the American University of Beirut team for this good practices documentation.

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on how to address them. In some target communities, particularly outside of major cities, conservative social norms must be accounted for and addressed when recruiting participants to mixed-gender projects and programmes. Implementing staff and volunteers are also trained in how to navigate community perceptions with regard to sensitive cultural issues related to gender roles, employment and education.

Ensuring sustained support from the private sector can pose a challenge, particularly if the relationship is based solely on a financial exchange. INJAZ has addressed this by establishing collaborative partnerships in which the private sector counterpart takes an active role in the development of youth with the aim of contributing to the sustainable development of the community and economy.

A persistent challenge has been the recruitment of qualified volunteers for the hardest-to-reach areas. The INJAZ Volunteer Campaign was launched in 2011 to mitigate this.

INJAZ is planning the introduction of new programmes and the scale-up of existing ones with demonstrated high impact. Furthermore, it will scale up the sharing of institutional knowledge through consultancies and trainings. The organization seeks to become a regional hub of expertise in youth engagement, volunteerism and workforce development.

INJAZ will also intensify its volunteer recruitment and training strategies to secure a pool of qualified volunteers. In partnership with United Business Applications, INJAZ will

pilot and launch a volunteer management system, which will allow INJAZ volunteer officers to electronically manage volunteers throughout the ‘volunteer life cycle’. The implementation of the electronic volunteer management system will centralize and streamline all INJAZ volunteer management activities and enhance the capacity of INJAZ to: communicate with volunteers and contact persons in partner institutions; track volunteer activities, trainings and hours; evaluate volunteer quality; and collect feedback.

The Tatawa (‘Volunteer Jordan’) initiative was officially launched in July under the patronage of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah and various business and social leaders. The Tatawa initiative addresses all ages and is a national-scale programme. Currently under development, the initiative seeks to create a culture of volunteerism in Jordan by engaging key stakeholders, the public, private sector and civil society. The King Abdullah II Fund for Development is developing an online portal to facilitate the connection between volunteers and opportunities, while INJAZ and the United Nations Volunteers Programme are developing capacity-building and educational programmes fostering volunteerism, social responsibility and social entrepreneurship. The portal will contain a bank of volunteers and volunteering opportunities, and will implement volunteerism programmes in schools, universities and colleges.

Finally, through the growth of its endowment fund, INJAZ will continue to progress towards sustainable financial independence by 2020.


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• Maintain a comprehensive and staged intervention platform.

Because it takes years to form or change life and soft skills, positive attitudes and effective habits, INJAZ has adopted a comprehensive intervention approach that targets three main groups: adolescents in grades 7-11; university and college students; and youth enrolled in vocational training and community centres. The programmes for university and college students help them to develop entrepreneurial acumen and offer internships and job placement initiatives to facilitate their access to the job market. Youth in vocational training and community centres build their workplace skills and also benefit from job placement programmes. To date, only the university programmes have shown to be effective.

• Build the entrepreneurial acumen and ambitions of youth.

INJAZ has a series of programmes which foster an entrepreneurial spirit and support youth in developing functional social and business enterprises. Most of these programmes conclude with a local or national competition, and link youth with business and social leaders, incentivizing the youth and strengthening their future connections with the leaders. Entrepreneurial skills are highly transferable assets and will greatly improve participants’ employability in many different professions.

• Build the soft skills of youth through interactive learning.

INJAZ programmes systematically employ a methodology of applied knowledge and practical skills-building through

an interactive and experiential learning environment. Regardless of the focus of the programme, the employed methodology is ‘learn by doing’. The methodology develops students’ skills in the areas of leadership, communication, accountability, organization, teamwork and critical thinking, and provides realistic workplace scenarios, enhancing the employability of the students.

• Support the development of Jordanian education providers.

Teachers and educators who volunteer to help deliver INJAZ programmes gain exposure to the interactive teaching methodology employed by the programmes and receive training by INJAZ. Indirectly, they can also benefit from the content of the soft skills and entrepreneurship programmes.

• Training must cover the programme material and methodology.

All INJAZ volunteers participate in content- based occupational training. They are trained on the programme material and activities as well as INJAZ best practices on programme implementation, volunteer recruitment and teaching methodologies in an interactive and participatory teaching method. The aim is to increase the number of trained volunteers and develop a more rigorous training.

• Engagement with the private sector.

A close collaborative relationship was established with the private sector since the outset, which has allowed the programme to leverage the expertise and networks of these partners. The private sector has been involved at various stages, from strategic planning to programme delivery, partnership outreach and development.

• Hands-on volunteer management is instrumental to successful programme implementation.

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Standardized volunteer follow-up protocols and monitoring and evaluation systems are being put in place to obtain feedback from volunteers and assess their performance on a regular basis. INJAZ will launch an electronic volunteer management platform.

• Recognition and added value for volunteers is key to retention.

Retention of volunteers hinges on appreciation and recognition of their contributions, as well as provision of added value to dedicated volunteers through trainings and consultations to build their own skills and give them a voice in the design and improvement of INJAZ programmes. INJAZ organizes several appreciation and volunteer retention activities, e.g., the annual INJAZ Volunteer Appreciation Event, which provides certificates of completion.


• Engagement with the private sector through the creation of networks of corporate volunteers.

• Delivery of INJAZ programmes and activities through the network of corporate volunteers and support from staff who also participate on a voluntary basis.

• Enrichment of the national educational system through the development of high-impact, participatory curricula and subsequent transfer of ownership to the Ministry of Education.

11. Resources

Selected coverage of INJAZ programmes and impact:• Company Start-Up Program Success

Stories

• “Aster Company”

• “JAWAB Company”

• Tabeetna Company”

12. References

Bibi, D. (2012). INJAZ Annual Report 2011/12. INJAZ, unpublished.

Interview with Mr. Muhannad Al-Jarrah, Executive Director, Partnership Unit (9 October 2014).

Brown, R.A.; Constant, L.; Glick, P.; Grant A.K. (2014). Youth in Jordan: Transitions from Education to Employment. RAND Corporation. Available at: http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR500/RR556/RAND_RR556.pdf

Center for Education Innovations (2014). INJAZ Young Volunteers Day [Online]. Accessible at: http://www.educationinnovations.org/program/injaz-young-volunteers-day

Center for Education Innovations (2014a). INJAZ Business Leaders Campaign [Online]. Accessible at: http://www.educationinnovations.org/program/injaz-business-leaders-campaign-blc

Center for Education Innovations (2014b). INJAZ Company Start-Up Program [Online] Accessible at: http://www.educationinnovations.org/program/injaz-company-start-program

Dhillon, N. (2008). Middle East Youth Bulge: Challenge or Opportunity? [Online] Accessible at: http://www.brookings.edu/research/speeches/2008/05/22-middle-east-youth-dhillon

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ILO (2013). Global Employment Trends for Youth: A generation at risk. Geneva: International Labour Organization.

INJAZ. Quality Management System (QMS) - Monitoring and Evaluation at INJAZ. Unpublished.

Jarrah, M. (August 2014). Fostering a National Culture of Volunteerism: Tatawa Initiative. PowerPoint presentation at the UNICEF MENA Adolescent Development Regional Network Meeting, 18-21 August 2014.

Jarrah, M. (May 2014). INJAZ Prezi Presentation. Unpublished.

PKF Jordan (November 2012). INJAZ Impact Assessment Study.

INJAZ Programme Form.

Silatech (December 2013). Volunteerism Linked to Entrepreneurship Among Young Arabs.

Telephone interview with Mr Muhannad Jarrah, Executive Director, Partnership Unit, INJAZ (9 October 2014).

Websites

• http://www.injaz.org.jo/

Photo credits: INJAZ.

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IshraqPopulation Council

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MENA

Egypt

Population Council

Ishraq

Skills development

20012013Population Council, Caritas Egypt, Teaming for Development, Save the Children, Ministry of Youth, National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, six umbrella NGOs and 30 local youth centres in 30 villages.

Non-UN

Dr. Nahla Abdel-Tawab, Country Director, Population Council

[email protected]

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Adolescent girls, particularly in rural areas, continue to face entrenched gender gaps in school attendance. While significant progress has been made in Egypt in terms of schooling, with 87.9 per cent of young people attending schools, the level and type of schooling varies greatly, exacerbated by an urban/rural and a gender divide. Among the young people aged 10-29 years who have never attended school, the percentage of females, 11 per cent, is strikingly four times higher than that of males, 3 per cent. This gender disparity is further compounded in regions such as rural Upper Egypt, where the ratio of girls who have never attended schools is five times higher than that of males.2

This marginalization has effects on adolescent girls beyond their educational level. Indeed, studies have shown that girls who have never enrolled or have dropped out of school face higher risks of early marriage, childbearing, poor health outcomes and poverty.3 At the social level, these girls become isolated and are often confined to the family sphere, with limited opportunities for interaction and learning.

Despite the multiplicity of programmes targeting children and adolescents in the areas of education and health, very few development projects focused on the vulnerable group which rural adolescent girls represent in Egypt.

Ishraq1

1 Desk review, interview (23 September 2014); internal validation (18-25 November 2014); implementer validation (25 November-18 De-cember 2014); Final validation (October 2015).

2 Population Council (2010).

3 Brady et al. (2007).

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governmental actors, the private sector, the community, parents and girls’ themselves – to ensure sustainability and most of all, the development of a generation of girls equipped with skills and knowledge to exercise their rights as active citizens and members of their communities.


The Population Council’s mission is to “improve the well-being and reproductive health of current and future generations around the world and to help achieve a humane, equitable, and sustainable balance between people and resources”.5

In 2001, the Population Council, in collaboration with the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), Save the Children, Caritas and local NGOs, launched Ishraq (Sunrise), a multidimensional programme for girls aged 12-to-15 years who are out of school. The programme sought to transform girls’ lives by working with them at the individual level, providing them with safe spaces, functional literacy, life and cognitive skills and overall increased knowledge of their rights. At the community level, it worked with parents and community leaders to change gender norms and perceptions about the programme and about girls’ roles in society, bringing them into the public sphere and raising awareness of issues that affect them. It also created an enabling environment for girls to join education and play an active role in society. At the institutional level, the programme sought to increase local and national policymakers’ support for girl-friendly measures and policies.

Implemented in three phases – pilot, expansion and scale up – between 2001 and 2012, the programme reached 30 villages in Upper Egypt and over 3,000 direct beneficiaries.

An evaluation of the programme showed positive effects on the participants and the community at large, demonstrated by the girls’ increased levels of literacy, improved self-confidence, acquisition of skills and changes in attitudes and behaviours at the community level.4 The experience of Ishraq and its successful focus on out-of-school adolescent girls brought to the forefront the need to scale up to a national level these type of programmes. Among key lessons learned were the need to forge partnerships with all key stakeholders and at all levels – governmental and non-

4 Selim et al. (2013).

5 Population Council: Mission (www.populationcouncil.org).

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2.1. Goal

The overall goal of the programme was to transform girls’ lives by working with girls themselves, communities and the Government. By working with adolescent girls, it aimed to foster their self-awareness and build their self-confidence.

2.2. Objectives

The objectives of Ishraq were to:6

• Create safe spaces for girls where they can gather, network with other girls and learn;

• Improve girls’ functional literacy, recreational opportunities, life skills, health knowledge and attitudes, mobility and civic participation;

• Influence social norms related to their abilities and life opportunities at the community level, changing gender norms and community perceptions about girls’ role in society while safely bringing them to the public sphere;

• Improve local and national policymakers’ support for girl-friendly measures and policies.


The programme was conceived especially to target out-of-school adolescent girls, a group identified as critically underserved by existing development programmes. The pilot phase targeted only adolescent girls, but the subsequent two phases included a component for brothers and relatives of the Ishraq girls, introducing them to life skills and gender equity. The age range of the boys was 12-18 years and the topics covered included communication skills, development and volunteer work, gender, feelings, values, personal relations, marriage and family, health and life skills, with classes meeting two days a week for six months.


The programme did not have any specific ethnic-sensitive criteria nor did it target adolescents with disabilities.

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

Out-of-school adolescent girls aged 12-15 years were eligible to join Ishraq.7 The girls were selected through orientation meetings with the community and on a first-come, first-served basis. The information for village selection emerged from the national census, indicating the percentages of out-of-school girls and enrolment and illiteracy rates. In each village, the programme was announced in religious settings – mosques and churches – and through community leaders. A committee was formed and the programme was explained to the village members, with information trickling down to the community. Registered girls had to present birth certificates or register under their parent’s name. The final list of selected girls was based on two criteria: age (12-15 years); and girls who had dropped out of school or had never been to school.

6 Brady et al., 2007.

7 Girls aged 11 years were accepted due to the issue of not finding a sufficient target group and the fact that these girls turned 12 during the life of the programme. Challenges faced by the programme were difficulties in finding sufficient number of girls. The problem is often compounded by lack of birth certificates for these people.

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Adolescent girls who were out of school, illiterate and of low socio-economic status were identified as a particularly vulnerable group with specific needs.8 Although a multiplicity of programmes targeting children and adolescents have been implemented in Egypt, adolescent girls had been largely overlooked.


The programme inscribes itself in a human-rights based approach, but no specific strategy was put in place. The programme promotes girls’ empowerment, eradication of illiteracy and education of girls about their rights.9

3.6. Adolescent and youth involvement

No specific strategy for the involvement of adolescent girls in the planning, implementation or evaluation of the programme was registered. However, one of key components of the programme was the concept of ‘promoters’, Egyptian female high school or university students from the local community who led the classes and mentored the enrolled girls.



The programme was implemented in three phases between 2001 and 2012. The recruitment of female promoters and the involvement of communities, parents and families through regular community seminars were fundamental to the programme’s implementation.

The Ishraq model is based on a partnership coordinated and technically assisted by Population Council, which involved six local NGOs – two for each governorate – and the Government. The NGOs were responsible for the daily implementation and supervision of promoters.

Pilot phase: 2001-2003

The pilot phase was launched in four villages of the Minya Governorate and was initially set to last 30 months. The selection of villages followed a series of criteria: the availability of a youth centre that could accommodate two classrooms; a minimum of 70 out-of-school girls between 12 and 15 years of age; and buy-in from the community. Additionally, 10 villages had to be clustered in two districts within each governorate to facilitate daily management.10 Field visits were carried out to the selected villages and meetings were planned with community leaders to introduce the programme and its objectives. Some of the communities refused Ishraq due to a number of factors: unease with the curriculum; concerns about the safety of girls attending the youth centres and traveling long distances; and previous bad experiences with literacy programmes. Once the final selection was made and commitment from the village received, the recruitment campaign was put in place. Strategies included public announcements, banners at the youth centres and public spaces, home visits and public meetings in NGOs and health units.11 Registration of the girls took place in the youth centres.

In this phase, class schedules were decided in consultation with the girls to ensure they accommodated their other

8 Interview with Mr Khaled El Sayed, Former Programme Manager, Population Council Egypt (23 September 2014).

9 Ibíd.

10 El Baddawy, A. (2013).

11 Ibíd.

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responsibilities. Classes were generally held in the mornings, four times a week. The community youth centres were used for this purpose. The girls’ attendance was monitored by promoters and reported to the monitoring and evaluation field officers at the NGO level, who in turn reported to the monitoring and evaluation officer in Cairo. To mitigate dropouts, promoters conducted visits to the homes of girls who registered frequent absenteeism.

Expansion phase: 2004-2007

In the expansion phase, Ishraq was implemented in 10 new villages, five in Minya and five in Beni-Suef. While the structure remained the same, several adjustments were made to better address the participants’ needs. The programme was shortened to 24 months to accommodate the rising demand. For this phase, the villages selected had a minimum of 120 out-of-school girls. A new component was a programme for boys aged 13-17 years, which sought to introduce life skills and gender-related topics.

Scale-up phase: 2008-2013

In the final phase, Ishraq was implemented in 30 new villages in Fayoum, Qena and Sohag as part of the efforts to institutionalize the programme. Core targets for this phase were the sustainability of safe spaces, building technical and managerial capacity of youth centres and local NGOs, and allowing youth directorates to replicate the programme for rural girls. In terms of curriculum, two components were added: financial education; and nutrition.

Promoters’ recruitment

Female high school graduates and sometimes university graduates from the

community were recruited as promoters to lead the classes. Before the start of the programme, promoters were trained in teaching methods and facilitation skills. These skills were reinforced throughout the programme by attendance at regular workshops and meetings. Each village had four female promoters, two for literacy classes and two for life skills, sports and financial education classes. Coming from the same community as the girls and having faced similar issues, the promoters served as mentors, coaches and role models for the Ishraq girls. They were also a critical link between the girls, their parents and the programme as they followed the girls’ progress and conducted household visits whenever there was absenteeism or an issue arising with one of the girls. Throughout the training, girls’ attendance was monitored by promoters and reported monthly to the monitoring and evaluation field officers. Promoters worked under the immediate supervision of partner NGO coordinators.12

Community involvement

In order to strengthen the buy-in from the community and ensure girls’ enrolment in the programme, staff organized community seminars with parents, siblings and leaders to inform them about the programme, its benefits and progress. When necessary, home visits were also organized.

4.2. Activities

The programme was structured around four mandatory components.13 A standard teaching package for all four components was produced, and classes ran for a period of 24 months at the youth centres. In the classes, girls received training in literacy, life skills and financial education and played sports.


13 Selim et al. (2013).

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Literacy: Caritas ‘Learn to be free’

curriculum

Based on Freire’s pedagogy, the Ishraq curriculum was participatory and involved active discussions between promoters and girls. The imparted lessons focused on grammar, vocabulary and mathematics, and active learning techniques were part of the learning process This component was made possible through the partnership with Caritas.14

Life skills: CEDPA’s New Horizons

The curriculum was the first one in Egypt to present reproductive health information and basic life skills to young women. It included communication, team building, volunteering, negotiation, decision-making and critical thinking.

Sports and physical activity

The introduction of a sports component, an innovation in a context where girls traditionally do not play sports and are invisible in the public sphere, helped them to develop healthy values and attitudes. Prior to the launch of sports, Ishraq girls were given a free-of-charge medical check up to ensure they were able to play sports and link them to health services.15 Activities ran twice a week for 13 months, with each session lasting 90 minutes. This component focused not only on the physical aspect, but also on mental well-being, self-confidence and social interaction. Excursions were also organized for girls to visit touristic sites within their governorates.

Girls’ Club for Ishraq Graduates

During the first two phases, implementing staff noticed the obstacles Ishraq graduates faced after graduation, which included girls

no longer having access to the youth centres. In response, girls’ clubs were established in 2008 and provided with financial support for private tutoring to support the transition into formal schooling. The Ishraq graduates who attended these clubs were between 18 and 28 years of age. They received an eight-day training on legal rights and a four-day training on financial education and business skills with the aim of broadening their livelihood opportunities. The legal rights training addressed issues such as marriage, divorce and child laws and increased their understanding of basic official documentation and procedures. The financial and business skills training provided the girls with basic knowledge on how to start a new business and open individual savings accounts.

Preparation for formal schooling

The programme supported Ishraq graduates in taking the Adult Education Agency exam. Tutoring classes were held four times a week, four hours per day at the youth centres. Teachers who provided the tutoring agreed to receive only half of their fees as support to the girls. Information and awareness-raising sessions were held with parents and the communities as there was reluctance on the part of some parents to have the girls join formal schooling. For those girls who could not join formal schooling, promoters convened a weekly gathering at the youth centre to discuss issues of relevance to them.16

4.3. Innovativeness

The most innovative component of Ishraq was the creation of safe spaces for adolescent girls. While the concept in itself is not an innovation, its adaptation to out-of-school girls and implementation in the rural Egyptian context was an innovative




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approach. The adaptation included the introduction of promoters, trained prior to the start of the programme to become mentors and teachers for the girls. Beyond teaching, they provided coaching and moral support. Belonging to the same community created an important linkage with the girls, their families and the community. Because the promoters were seen as role models, their connection with the girls had the potential to have an impact beyond the programme.

A related innovative element of the programme was the introduction of Ishraq classes and the girls’ clubs for Ishraq graduates in youth centre spaces which although intended for both, had become a boys-only zone.

To ensure a sustainable change, the programme worked with families and communities, fostering a supportive environment for girls. Parents, brothers and community leaders participated in awareness-raising activities which introduced them to gender issues and other matters of relevance to adolescents. The availability and content were based on the particular needs of the community.

Another innovative element of the programme was the introduction of sports and physical activities, which was a first in this context.


Financial support for Ishraq was provided by the Embassy of Kingdom of Netherlands, DFID (UKAID), Dickler Family Foundation, Egyptian Food Bank, Empower, Exxon Mobil, Ford Foundation, Gates Foundation and UK Sport and Population Councill. In efforts to reduce costs, communities were encouraged to launch Ishraq classes using local resources and linking them with the

Adult Education Agency, the government entity in charge of literacy. As a result, 50 new classes were opened.

4.5. Sustainability

Ishraq had an institutionalization plan, the main goal of which was to transfer ownership of the programme to a government entity, which would include Ishraq in its roster of replicable programmes and potentially introduce it to new communities, benefiting a larger number of out-of-school girls. While this did not take place and only the 50 additional Ishraq classes were created by local communities with local resources, the use of existing youth centres ensured that the spaces would be available to the girls after completion of Ishraq. Furthermore, committees were formed at the village, governorate and national levels to create an environment that accepts girls’ education, enabling active participation in the public sphere.

The village committees were comprised of parents and community and religious leaders who raised awareness of issues of importance to girls. The governorate committees met on a quarterly basis to support the Ishraq programme with administrative processes, i.e., birth certificates and medical check-ups. At the national level, memoranda of understanding were signed with the Ministry of Youth and former Ministry of Family and Population to align Ishraq with existing programmes and activities to prepare for a major scale-up. The Ministry of Youth provided support by facilitating the use of youth centres and helping to solve any problems arising with the youth centres’ officials.

At the community level, and to ensure the maintenance of youth centres as safe spaces for girls and boys beyond the

17 Brady et al. (2007).

12218 Selim et al. (2013).

19 Ibíd.

20 Population Council: Biruh Tesfa: http://www.popcouncil.org/research/biruh-tesfa-safe-spaces-for-out-of-school-girls-in-urban-slum-areas-of-ethi.

21 Ibíd.

22 Selim et al. (2013).

programme, promoters were encouraged to join the boards of the youth centres in order to advocate for spaces for girls in the centres. As a result, two promoters in Fayoum were elected to their youth centres’ boards.18 One hundred twenty promoters joined the youth centres as teachers for the Ishraq girls. Some youth centres were able to maintain the promoters and pay for them; however, the majority were not able to sustain this.

While the efforts to institutionalize Ishraq were put in place, the experience demonstrated that the replication and institutionalization of this type of programme requires close collaboration with local communities and the Government in particular, as well as the development of a holistic approach which can accompany the development of girls beyond programmes like Ishraq.19 Buy-in from the Government and the active engagement of governors and national-level ministry officials proved to be critical for effective implementation and support from other relevant governorates. For instance, the Governor of Sohag was the head of the community committee and participated actively in the meetings, resulting in stronger support for the programme’s activities.

4.6. Replicability

The Population Council implements a programme for out-of-school adolescent girls in urban slums in Ethiopia, which uses the components of safe spaces and mentors. Known as Biruh Tesfa, it trains adult female mentors, who in turn reach out to girls aged 7-24 years by going house to house and inviting them to participate in a non-formal education programme linked to health services. Girls and mentors meet in safe, public but ‘girl-only’ locations where they receive basic literacy, life skills, financial

and reproductive health education. The programme has been scaled up to 18 cities and has reached more than 55,000 girls.20

In line with the scale-up strategy, the programme aimed to build the capacity of ministries, NGOs and youth centres. Ishraq worked with 225 project staff in 30 youth centres, six NGOs and a group of cadres from ministries.21 The result was the development of a ‘how to’ Ishraq toolkit, workshops, a procedural manual and 15 ‘how to’ manuals on the technical aspects, challenges and lessons learned.

As a prerequisite for the graduation of the participants, the project worked with NGO, youth centre and government staff to replicate Ishraq in one community in each governorate using community resources. Permission was granted by the Minister of Youth to include Ishraq in the series of projects with the potential for replicability. As a result, 50 new Ishraq classes were opened, four in non-Ishraq villages.22 The mobilization of local support required heavy investments in advocacy, awareness-raising events and meetings with village committees and local government. As a result, the General Authority for Literacy and Adult Education funded the activities by paying the salaries of the promoters for nine months in three of the governorates.


Results

Throughout the different phases, Ishraq directly reached 3,321 girls and 1,775 boys in 54 villages across five governorates. It also reached over 5,000 parents and community leaders.

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Ishraq underwent an impact evaluation23 with the aim of examining the extent to which the programme actually changes participants’ knowledge, skills and attitudes, as well as the attitudes of those around them. The assessment looked at the achieved outcomes in five areas: functional literacy; mobility and access to safe spaces; acquisition of life skills; empowerment, knowledge and attitudes; and community attitudes, including parents and brothers’ attitudes towards girls. Overall, the programme was found to have had a positive impacts on outcomes for girls,24 with the most significant changes in literacy skills, access to youth centres, participation and attitudes towards sports, plans for continuing education and participation in decision-making.

Improved functional literacy and educational outcomes

In terms of literacy, the results revealed that 81 per cent of Ishraq girls passed the national literacy exam and over 50 per cent were enrolled in formal schooling. The reading and comprehension of Ishraq girls were significantly higher25 than for the control group. When tested on reading and comprehension, Ishraq girls scored higher than girls in the comparison group. The test on multiplication demonstrated that over 50 per cent of Ishraq participants were able to correctly answer a multiplication question versus 30 per cent of non-Ishraq girls.26

It was noted that Ishraq girls had a much more positive outlook for continuing education: about one third of them planned to continue their education, while only 5 per cent of the non-Ishraq girls declared the intention to do so.27

Acquisition of life skills

The life-skills training the Ishraq girls received demonstrated positive results in financial literacy, the ability to plan for the future and health-seeking behaviours. Ishraq girls were more likely to save money for an emergency (17 per cent compared to 10 per cent) and more confident about starting their own business. In fact, over 50 per cent of non-participants deemed they would not be able to start their own business, compared to 24 per cent of Ishraq girls.28 Participants were also more likely to seek professional advice when sick, know where a health unit was and were more likely to have a health card.29

Creation of safe spaces and increased mobility

Organizing classes at the youth centres, which traditionally were attended by males only, created safe spaces for out-of-school girls where they gained the possibility to meet, learn and socialize. The simple yet very symbolic act of expanding girls’ mobility and visibility enabled them to carve a place in the public space and create social networks beyond their relatives. Quantitatively, it was noted that nearly 50 per cent of Ishraq girls perceived the youth centres as safe spaces to play sports, whereas that perception was only shared by 2 per cent of the control group. Twenty-two per cent of Ishraq girls declared themselves to be ‘pro-sports’ against only 5 per cent of non-participants, and 15 per cent were practicing a sport at the time of end-line data collection.30

In terms of peer networks, 71 per cent of Ishraq girls reported having a friend who was not a relative, compared to 44 per cent of girls in the control group.31

23 Initial plan was a pre- and post-programme randomized design, but this did not work as it was not feasible to randomly select control villages. Instead, a propensity score matching method was employed.

24 Ibid.25 An average exceeding one compared to an average close to zero, El Baddawy, A. (2013).26 Population Council (2013)..Ibid 31 و29 و28 و2730 El Baddawy, A. (2013).

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Greater ‘girl-empowering’ knowledge and attitudes

When comparing the knowledge and attitudes towards certain social norms of Ishraq and non-Ishraq girls, a number of positive changes were registered. When requested to identify at least one contraceptive method, Ishraq girls were significantly more informed – 66 per cent versus 38 per cent of non-participants.32 With regards to female genital mutilation, Ishraq mothers were twice as likely not to have the intention to submit their daughters to this practice. Ishraq girls were also more likely to delay marriage and limit childbearing.

Eighty-five per cent estimated that the appropriate age for marriage was 18 years or older, versus 63 per cent of non-Ishraq girls.33

As a result of the acquisition of life skills, Ishraq girls reported higher levels of self-confidence than non-participants: 65 per cent said they felt “strong and able to face any problem”;34 and 15 per cent of girls had already started or had intentions of starting their own projects, versus only 5 per cent of non-Ishraq girls.

Changing attitudes and norms at the community level

At the community level, it was reported that parents felt more at ease with their daughters using the youth centres and had become more accepting of them pursuing an education and participating in the public sphere. The girls’ improved literacy also meant that they were able to become a stronger support for their families and gain access to increased mobility in the community. Demand and community buy-in for the programme appeared to be high as demonstrated by some of the recorded activities in some governorates:

mobilization to build additional classes for Ishraq at the youth centres; in-kind and cash contributions; and decreased transportation fees for the girls.


Qualitative and quantitative data were routinely collected for monitoring purposes. The analysis of the data helped track the programme implementation status and indicate any potential problems. For instance, if attendance rates were low in one of the locations, intensive home visits and awareness-raising for the parents took place to discuss the issue. The programme underwent a midterm review and an impact evaluation. The midterm review took place in the second year of the programme in six of the rural communities, including focus group discussions with girls and consultations with promoters, parents, youth centre directors, NGO representatives and government officials.35 An impact evaluation of the programme took place using a propensity score matching method and control groups. The qualitative evaluation covered the impact of Ishraq on girls, including their aspirations, empowerment, self-confidence and mobility.36


• Targeting of the vulnerable group of out-of-school adolescent girls and bringingto the forefront the critical need forenhanced and holistic programming.

• Creation of safe spaces for girls andenabling their presence in the life of thecommunity and public sphere.

• Demonstrated positive difference forparticipants in terms of increasedliteracy rates, improved self-confidenceand acquisition of life skills.

32 Population Council (2013).33 El Baddawy, A. (2013).34 Brady et al. (2007).35 Population Council (2013).36 Interview with Mr. Khaled El Sayed, Neqdar Programme Manager, Population Council Egypt (23 September 2014).

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7. Challenges

At the individual level: irregular attendance and dropouts were observed, particularly as girls provide important financial support for families. Other registered challenges were early marriage and reluctance on the part of several parents to keep the girls in the programme.

At the community level: acceptance of the programme in the initial phases required significant work and information sessions with the community. Resistance from parents and brothers was one of the greatest challenges. Ensuring the maintenance of safe spaces for girls after concluding the programme was also a challenge.

At the institutional level: Beyond difficulties with adapting to the curriculum and in following up the new subjects, bureaucratic bottlenecks and lack of standardized systems for mainstreaming out-of-school girls into formal schooling were encountered. In the governorate of Fayoum, the girls were allowed to join as regular students while in Sohag or Qena they were only admitted as auditors.37

At the programmatic level: Ishraq is a relatively costly programme. Adjustments and different schemes could be tried to reduce the costs, as well as shortening the duration of the programme.


Continued support to Ishraq graduates, particularly during the first year of transition to formal schooling, is critical. Ishraq graduates may drop out of school during the first year as a result of a lack of academic, financial and social support. They may

also resent and express frustration with the introduction and level of new subjects such as English, science and geography, and often cannot afford to take private lessons. In some cases, the girls may enter an unwelcoming environment where students and school administrators may perceive them as ‘second class’ students. While, the Ishraq programme has devised strategies to mitigate these challenges, such as providing tutoring and outreach sessions with school administrators and parents, more standard and coordinated efforts are needed to facilitate the girls’ entry into mainstream educational programmes.38

Broader dissemination and advocacy efforts are necessary to raise policymakers’ awareness of the challenges of implementing programmes for out-of-school girls and to solicit their support in addressing those challenges.

In addition to continuing to expand Ishraq, for which community demand remains high, a new generation of programmes for girls, building on the lessons learned from Ishraq, also needs to be developed to support graduates in exercising their rights and becoming active members of the community.

The experience of Ishraq since 2001


38 Email feedback from Mr Khaled El Sayed, Neqdar Programme Manager, Population Council Egypt.

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has shown the need to adopt a life-cycle approach to effectively address out-of-school adolescent girls’ needs. As Ishraq girls become young women, they need greater life and livelihood opportunities.

Programmes, governments and communities need to make long-term investments to see significant change at the village level. Over the past decade, Ishraq has sought to build the human capacity, programme infrastructure (systems and mechanisms) and institutions to promote its sustainability for past, present and future cohorts of adolescent girls and young women as they transition into adulthood.

Coupled with efforts to improve the technical capacity to implement Ishraq, NGO and CEDPA staff also need to be trained in advocacy, networking and fundraising to ensure that the programme can be scaled up by leveraging local and national resources. One promising source of support for Ishraq could be major corporations, through their corporate social responsibility activities.

Baseline data were collected from Ishraq girls before they opened their savings accounts to explore their understanding of the value of saving and their saving practices. The Population Council is seeking funding to conduct a post-test survey to understand the impact of opening saving accounts on girls’ financial practices.


The Ishraq experience highlighted several key issues to consider during the replication, scale-up and institutionalization of programmes:39

• Work with local communities and have

components which target stakeholders and ‘gatekeepers’. In the case of Ishraq, committees were organized and met regularly;

• Programme flexibility to extend to new settings and adjust the scheduling of activities according to emerging needs. This proved essential for avoiding absenteeism and dropout;

• Foster partnerships between the communities, the Government, NGOs and the private sector to ensure sustainability of both the programme and resources;

• Create an enabling environment through community mobilization, particularly in settings where adolescent girls do not have a voice in the public sphere;40

• Integrate strong advocacy tools to enable a social and political environment which supports these type of programmes;

• Secure the buy-in of government and senior officials for the institutionalization of programmes;

• Follow up programmes for those graduating from the initial project – plan for support both for girls entering formal schooling and those who do not;

• Organize rigorous evaluation systems from the onset to provide the basis for correction and adjustment of the programme throughout the process and also provide the evidence for scale-up;

• Sustainability requires a multipronged strategy which calls for close collaboration with communities, government, civil society organizations and the beneficiaries.

39 Brady et al. (2007); Selim et al. (2013); Abdel-Tawab (2014).


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• Creation of safe spaces for out-of-school adolescent girls, combined with the use of promoters.

• Evidence-proven curriculum content and package for rural adolescent girls addressing functional literacy, attitudes, knowledge and skills.

• Community sessions and training for ‘gatekeepers’, parents, brothers and families to secure a favourable environment for adolescent girls’ development.

11. Resources

Ishraq ‘how to’ toolkit

16 Ishraq manuals on the technical aspects of the implementation of the programme. The resources come in a CD which covers: implementation procedures; literacy; life skills; monitoring and evaluation; basic skills for promoters; new visions; organization at the youth centre level; effective partnership; resource mobilization; technical support and capacity-building for the resource mobilization staff; governance; organizational assessment; planning; youth centre selection; required skills of Ishraq employees at the youth centre; community needs assessment.Ishraq monitoring and evaluation tools

12. References

Brady, M., Assad, R., Ibrahim, B., Salem, A., Salem, R. (2007). Providing new opportunities to adolescent girls in socially conservative settings: the Ishraq programme in rural Upper Egypt. Population Council. Available at: http://www.popcouncil.org/uploads/pdfs/IshraqFullReport.pdf

El Baddawy A. (2013). Evaluating the Impact of Ishraq: A Second Change Program for Out-of-School Rural Adolescent Girls in Upper Egypt. Final Report. Population Council

El Kalaawy, H. (2013). Ishraq: Qualitative Assessment, Preliminary Results. Annex (unpublished).

Population Council (2010). Survey of Young People in Egypt. Final Report. Available at: http://www.popcouncil.org/uploads/pdfs/2010PGY_SYPEFinalReport.pdf

Population Council (2013). Scaling Up Sustainable Services for Rural Adolescent Girls in Upper Egypt: The Ishraq Program. November 2008-June 2013. Final Report: November 2013.

Population Council (2014). Ishraq program: safe spaces for girls to learn, play and grow. PowerPoint presentation by Nahla Abdel Tawab during UNICEF MENA Adolescent Development regional network meeting, 19 August 2014.

Selim, M., Abdel-Tawab, N., Elsayed K., El Badawy A., El Kalaawy, H. (2013). The Ishraq Program four Out-of-School Girls: From Pilot to Scale-up. Cairo: Population Council.

Telephone interview with Mr. Khaled El Sayed, Neqdar Programme Manager, Population Council Egypt, 23 September 2014.

Photo credits: Population Council.

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ENTRA 21International Youth Foundation

129

Global

Argentina, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia,

Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras,

Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, Uruguay,

Venezuela

International Youth Foundation (IYF)

Entra 21

Skills development

20012011Agencia para el Desarrollo Económico de Córdoba, Asociación Chilena pro Naciones Unidas, Centro Asesor para el Desarrollo de los Recursos Humanos de Honduras, Centro de Servicios para la Capacitacion Laboral y el Desarrollo CAPLAB, Centro del Información y Recursos para el Desarrollo, Comfenalco Antioquia, Consejo del Sector Privado para la Asistencia Educacional, Fundación Chile, Fundación E-dúcate, Fundación Grupo Esquel, Fundación Indufrial, Fundacion Leon 2000, Fundación Luker, Fundación Para la Infancia y la Juventud - Opportúnitas, Fundación Pescar Argentina, Fundación Sur Futuro, Fundación Sustentabilidad, Educacion, Solidaridad, Instituto Aliança com o Adolescente, Servicio de Promoción Integral Comunitario Juvenil, Tecsup

Non-UN

Susan Pezzullo; Regional, Director Latin America and the Caribbean

[email protected]; +1 410 951 1500

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners

1. Background and description2

From 2001 until 2011, the International Youth Foundation (IYF) implemented ‘Entra 21’, a programme which emerged in response to the increased rates of unemployed and underemployed youth in Latin America. More than half the population of Latin America and the Caribbean is under age 24 years and youth unemployment rates are on the rise in most countries in the region. On average, young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults. This statistic, however, masks the even larger problem of low-wage

Entra 211

1 Desk Review (May-September 2014); Inquiry Form (3 November 2014); Interview (19 November 2014); Write up (3 December 2014); Internal Validation (16 December-19 December 2014); Implementer validation (29 December 2014); Final validation (October 2015).

2 Interview with Clara Ines Restrepo, 28 June 2014.

Country

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The IYF was founded in 1990 “to prepare young people to be healthy, productive, and engaged citizens”. IYF operates by building, from the ground up, an international network of organizations all working to ensure that youth anywhere on the globe can receive a quality education, learn the skills needed to get a job and ultimately become engaged in their communities.3 Based on the IYF mission and vision, hundreds of programmes have been funded to serve youth development-related organizations worldwide.4 Since 1990, IYF has mobilized over $200 million to expand opportunities for the world’s youth by helping to fund programmes and partnerships with 472 youth-serving organizations worldwide.

work performed by youth in the informal economy, a problem that is especially prevalent among the region’s poorest families. Existing educational systems are failing to provide youth with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in a fast-changing marketplace. Businesses, on the other hand, have a growing need for workers equipped with the technical skills to contribute to the region’s growing economy. Growing social issues such as HIV/AIDS and the increasing prevalence of drug use and crime only add to the challenges facing the region’s youth.

Consequently, Entra 21 provided disadvantaged youth aged 16-29 years with employment training and job placement services to increase their employability. The programme was launched in 2001 with support from the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The Entra 21 model features: comprehensive training in life and technical skills as dictated by the needs of the labour market; internships for youth entrepreneurs (lasting from 80 to 357 hours, mainly in IT and business); job placement services and access to business advice and financing for entrepreneurs; and the active involvement of employers in the programme’s design and execution. After a successful first phase (2001-2006), the programme was implemented in a second phase (2007-2011) and expanded to operate on a larger scale. This second phase included more vulnerable at-risk youth and youth from rural areas. The youth received training over a period of five to nine months in an IT-related technical area, life- and job-seeking skills, followed by an internship. Some youth received remedial training in basic skills and management of their own micro-enterprises.

3 IYF Website: http://www.iyfnet.org/iyf-history

4 IYF Website: http://www.iyfnet.org/iyf-programs

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2.1. Goal5

To combat the growing youth unemployment rates in the region by ensuring that more youth have access to the skills and knowledge necessary to find productive jobs and succeed in the workplace.

2.2. Objectives6

The programme had several phases, each with its own specific objectives:

Phase I:

• To provide 12,000 disadvantaged youth (16-29 years) in Latin America and the Caribbean with employment training and job placement services so that at least 40 per cent secure decent jobs and increase their employability.

Phase II:

• To train 50,000 youth and place 50 per cent of them in high-quality jobs in the formal sector by scaling up proven programmes.

• Adapt the Entra 21 model to reach highly vulnerable groups such as rural youth, potential gang members and displaced persons, and place at least 40 per cent of them in formal sector jobs or in rural enterprises.

• Carry out a rigorous learning agenda and evaluation of all programme activities in order to demonstrate impact, share learning, engage policymakers and disseminate results to business and government leaders.

3. Target group

3.1. Age group7

The programme benefited youth aged 16 to 29 years who were unemployed, underemployed, lacked the skills to participate in the increasingly service-oriented economy or were unable to successfully initiate and sustain small business enterprises.

3.2. Gender considerations8

The programme aimed to address males and females equally, although in the Caribbean, special attention was given to male youth because they were very hard to reach. Males in the Caribbean had much

higher rates of not completing secondary school, incarceration and other ‘harder to hire’ factors. One project in Saint Lucia worked directly with the Government to target incarcerated youths or those on remand. Others went directly to the neighbourhoods where the young men were hanging out to try to convince them to become involved in the project.

Overall, the programme succeeded in enrolling nearly equal percentages of males (46 per cent) and females (54 per cent).


Although persons with disabilities were included in the programme, they received no special consideration. However, a project that

5 International Youth Foundation, 2014.

6 Interview with Clara Ines Restrepo, 28 June 2014.

7 Ibid.

8 Ibid.

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specifically targeted youth with disabilities (CIRD in Paraguay) did tailor the training to the individual needs of the youth and the disability. Ethnic considerations were considered in certain contexts.

3.4. Targeting the most marginalized / most at risk 9

The programme was unique in having worked with disadvantaged youth in a wide range of organizational and economic contexts. In addition to addressing youth from low-income households, the programme targeted youth with additional risk factors that typically barred them from quality employment, such as having a disability, gang involvement, being single mothers or living in rural areas. In Saint Lucia, for example, the project included youth who were incarcerated and on probation.


Through Entra 21, IYF promoted human rights and the dignity of adolescents and young adults by providing youth with quality and comprehensive services, ensuring that these services were youth-friendly (by allowing the youth to take part in the design) and by working with the most marginalized.10


Youth were at the centre of all the initiatives. During the proposal development process, youth were involved in identifying their needs and designing the programme as one group of key stakeholders. During implementation, they were involved in different activities including skills expos, where youth showcase their skills (through internships) to the communities, and

volunteer activities. The projects used social media to build peer-to-peer support and connections.

Youth were consulted but were not responsible for carrying out the needs assessments. No specific evaluation was conducted regarding youth participation on the regional level, although certain project evaluations touched on this issue.



In order to prepare for the intervention, IYF undertook the following:

• Surveys of or interviews with businesses to determine what type of entry-level skills they were seeking and what, if any, issues they foresaw in hiring youth;

• Review of labour market studies or databases to learn about employment trends, where jobs were being created and what type of occupational areas were in greatest demand;

• Creation of an advisory group of business people and/or others who understood labour trends, to guide the executing agencies on how to research the market and use the data to plan programmes and stay current. Entra 21 worked with several executing agencies comprised of civil society organizations founded in their respective countries for a social or economic purpose. Of the 32 executing agencies, 30 were private, not-for-profit organizations and two were formal educational institutions, the University of Belize and the Institute of Agricultural Training in the Dominican Republic;

9 International Youth Foundation, 2014

10 International Youth Foundation, 2014

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• Use of existing institutional capacity as training certification entities to design the training content to fit the requirements of the target population.

The strategies used to recruit the youth were:

• Selective channels: outreach to leaders of local community associations, churches, schools and civic organizations in a specific geographic area targeted by the project; tapping networks of schools and organizations known to the executing agency;

• Broader channels: use of mass media such as radio and TV spots and announcements in print media; posters or other materials at government employment offices; use of executing agency websites and others linked to job training; outreach to schools, NGO networks, etc..

The following is an example of a selection process used by COSPAE in Panama:• Stage 1: Written application reviewed by

COSPAE followed by a short orientation session for preselected applicants. Youth who expressed interest in the programme are invited to stage 2;

• Stage 2: Aptitude and personality tests administered (10 per cent and 40 per cent of total score respectively);

• Stage 3: Individual interviews with youth who passed stage 2 (50 per cent of total score);

• Stage 4: Youth with score of 70 or higher invited to enroll in the project. (Those who scored lower than 70 could re-apply for another training cycle or another course (other than Entra 21) with COSPAE.)

Preceding the recruitment, IYF would conduct the needs assessment in each

region and then collaborate with the national organizations (executing agencies) in each community to begin the stages of recruitment, implementation and evaluation. It is important to note that each executing agency customized the curriculum according to the community’s market need and also tailored it to the beneficiaries’ needs.

4.2. Activities

The training covered technical skills (generally IT/business skills), life skills, job-seeking skills and, in some cases, basic skills (literacy, mathematics), in addition to an internship which was part of the training.

Across Entra 21 projects, training cycles varied in duration from 154 hours to a maximum of 1,920 hours and were offered over a period of approximately 2-12 months. Internship hours are included in the calculation, as it is considered part of training. The length of training in terms of contact hours depended on a variety of factors, such as:

• The type of training provided, particularly for development of ICT skills, and the time needed to integrate life skills with technical training;

• Requirements imposed by employers regarding minimum internship hours;

• Certification requirements as set by the executing agencies;

• The youths’ levels of education and marginality, the latter to be determined by looking at the additional risk factors that contributed to their not being able to successfully finish school and find a job, such as no secondary education, a disability, being a single mother, etc.

Phases I and II of Entra 21 and the Caribbean Youth Empowerment Program

13411 Final Report of the Entra 21 Program Phase I: 2001-2007, 2009

(CYEP) (refer to replicability section) were implemented in 22 countries (59 projects).

In Phase I (2001-2011), ‘hard skills’ (technical skills) constituted 46 per cent of total hours and ‘softer’ skills (job-seeking, life and basic skills) another 26 per cent, with internships accounting for 28 per cent of the time.

Because this programme concentrated mostly on improving IT and business skills, all students took a basic IT course after which they specialized according to their interests. However, the executing agencies had the right to redirect the youth to other courses or specializations if the youth were not suited for the specialization they preferred.11

The following is an example of specializations in five different projects of Entra 21 :

The life skills most commonly developed across the 59 projects were:

• Creative thinking;

• Working in groups;

• Interpersonal communications;

• Self-confidence;

• Taking responsibility;

• Ethical behaviour;

• Personal hygiene/appearance for work;

• Conflict management.

Others included time management, personal health, gender awareness, workers’ rights, citizenship skills and violence prevention. Additionally, all projects devoted part of the curriculum to developing youths’ job-seeking skills (e.g., how to research job vacancies on the Internet, in newspapers and through job listings in government

offices; how to write a CV; and how to conduct themselves during an interview). Entra 21 offered the youth enrolled in classes job placement services which included:

• Setting up interviews, coaching youth on the interviews;

• Maintaining or linking with a database(s) on job listings and employers, assessing existing job banks;

• Providing youth with career counselling and individualized assistance in their job search, CV formatting, etc.;

• Conducting follow-up calls or instant messaging to see how their job searches were progressing;

• Providing a venue for job seekers to discuss problems, share experiences and gain

support from other youth;

• Creating an online roster of youths’ CVs.

4.3. Innovativeness

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In tackling youth employability, Entra 21 uses a dual approach by taking into account the opinion of both the market and the youth regarding their employability.


Overall, IYF received $20 million from the MIF. IFY received an additional $69 million from multiple corporations, foundations, and bi-laterals.

4.5. Sustainability

All executing agencies were required to contribute 25 per cent of the cost of the programme so they were not totally dependent on IYF, making institutionalization easier when the funding ended.

The countries (or more accurately projects) were selected due to their ability to respond to the call for proposal and where funding was available (donor interests).

At the conclusion of the programme (i.e., when funding ended), not all executing agencies were able to sustain the exact same projects. However, elements or methodologies learned during Entra 21 persist and a sustainable network of private and public sector stakeholders was created.

4.6. Replicability

The Caribbean Youth Empowerment Programme (CYEP)12 was developed as an extension/replication of the Entra 21 programme from 2008 to 2013. The CYEP targets vulnerable youth (i.e., youth who have been subjected to poverty, low levels of education, teen parenthood and those with criminal records) aged 17-25 years, paying special attention to young males who are unemployed, underemployed and who lack the training, skills and experiences

desired by employers. CYEP offered these vulnerable youth opportunities to change the course of their lives by training them in a specific vocation develop entrepreneurial skills or receive in-depth career guidance. Participants received job training and placement services and were supported in serving as positive agents of change in their communities. Youth had an opportunity to choose from a different array of tracks:

• Vocational track: training for entry-level jobs in specific vocations, e.g., computer maintenance and networking, beekeeping, fiberglass (boat) repair, construction, culinary arts and tourism;

• Entrepreneurial track: exploring self-employment by equipping youth with the skills to initiate and manage their own successful micro-enterprises. As their peers undertook internships and sought formal employment, entrepreneurial youth learned how to develop successful business plans and identify resources for financing, and received business support to operate and grow their enterprises.

In addition to the above, youth who enrolled in the vocational or entrepreneurial tracks received remedial education to ensure that they had sufficient proficiency in language and math skills. Because computer use is part of nearly every job, CYEP youth also received computer literacy training, including in Microsoft Office applications. Other support services, such as assistance with child care and transportation, aimed to remove barriers to completing the programme.

• Career guidance: Youth who enrolled in this track were encouraged to pursue

12 Second Chances for Youth at Risk: The Caribbean Youth Empowerment Program, 2013.

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their interests, talents and dreams. They received clear information about local job markets and viable opportunities to earn their livelihoods through vocational or entrepreneurial activities. Youth in this track learned how to plan for the future: they developed a career plan, including any education or training needed to qualify for their chosen careers, and they were assisted in taking their next steps.

5. Evaluation of effectiveness13

An evaluation plan was decided upon before the start of the intervention and was conducted by locally based, independent evaluators who used an evaluation guide and standardized questionnaire developed by IYF for the programme. Project evaluations were based on one cohort or graduating class and not all of the youth who went through a project, due to cost and time constraints. The evaluators used baseline and exit data, captured by each project through standardized questionnaires, and compared changes in employment status, job quality and educational outcomes. Overall, employment rates were 14 points higher than expected. More detailed results can be found below.

As mentioned above, Entra 21 took place into two phases, with Phase 1 acting as a pilot phase to assess and evaluate the effectiveness and outcomes and see what could be improved or amended for Phase 2.

During Phase I (2001-2007), the programme exceeded all target objectives:

• More than 19,600 youth benefited from the comprehensive training and job placement services;

• Job placement rates averaged 54 per

cent across 35 projects, with the number of youth who re-enrolled in formal education nearly doubling;

• The majority of employers surveyed rated the graduates they hired as having better than average competencies in a variety of areas. Such areas could be their technical skills, IT skills, how they worked with others in the workplace, etc..

• Follow-up studies were completed for the 24 projects supported under Phase II, of which three included control groups to assess impact. Most of these studies were results-based follow-up evaluations, conducted six to nine months after youth graduated from the programme. A random sample of youth was interviewed by an external evaluator hired locally to collect and analyse the data. A few projects had impact evaluations, although due to the very specific target populations, this was not always feasible.

During Phase II (2008-2011), the programme met the following objectives:

• Over 116,000 disadvantaged youth enrolled in the programme in 18 countries; of those, 95 per cent completed their training cycle, which included classroom instruction and an internship;

• Job placement rates averaged 42 per cent, and projects specifically working with the harder-to-hire youth exceeded their targets, with 48 per cent employed six months after graduation;

• Projects that worked at a greater scale, in terms of objectives to be met, increased activities and the inclusion of rural and at-risk youth, faced increased challenges in placing youth in quality jobs due to the

13 IYF, 2009.

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economic crisis, changes in government and natural disasters; the average rate of employment was 41 per cent.

• The continuation programme, CYEP (2008-2013), also underwent a process evaluation:

• The programme exceeded its target of 2,200 by reaching 2,644 young men and women through technical, vocational/entrepreneurship and life-skills training needed to build their marketable assets and secure livelihoods;

• External follow-up studies conducted six to nine months after graduation showed that, on average, 49 per cent of CYEP youth were working or studying;

• With a baseline of 20 per cent, an average of 35 per cent of graduates were employed at the time of the evaluations (across all countries and through two phases), with some countries showing employment rates as high as 60 per cent. These numbers were dependent on a number of factors including the seasonal nature of many of the jobs in the Caribbean, the economic crisis, etc.;

• The seasonal nature of employment in the tourism/hospitality sector, one of the main areas to offer employment opportunities, affected employment results for the vocational training graduates surveyed during the low season. Among those working, 84 per cent were in wage jobs and 16 per cent were self-employed.

The evaluation data were disaggregated by sex, age, geographic region and socioeconomic status. With this disaggregation, the results showed that there were differences across the projects in how well females and males did with

regard to job placement. For example, in Phase I of Entra 21 , none of the youth in Panama were working at baseline but by the time they were surveyed, 70.6 per cent of the males were working, compared to only 39.4 per cent of the females. In the Dominican Republic, on the other hand, females did slightly better than males. Explanations about why males and females fared differently were, in general, very project-specific. Therefore it is not feasible to provide an accurate explanation for why this occurred overall.


• The utilization of the market data in order to customize the curricula according to the needs of the market;

• Maximization of the number of national entities involved in the implementation and design of the project;

• The ability of the programme to control dropout rates by:

• Careful selection processes that gauged youth’s motivation and aptitudes;

• Provision of stipends to defray the costs of transportation, food and other expenses;

• Personalized attention for youth who showed signs of problems (missing classes, not completing work, family issues);

• Course content that matched youths’ interests.

13814 http://iyfnet.org/neo

15 Restrepo (2014).

7. Challenges

Implementation:

• Translating the information from English into Spanish. IYF worked with the executing agencies in their native languages, primarily Spanish, although Portuguese and English were used for particular projects.

Evaluation:

• Most of the partners did not implement any monitoring and evaluation techniques prior to participating in Entra 21.

• Electronic systems were challenging as all the forms were online. Executing agency staff interviewed the youth using paper forms and uploaded the data.


New Employment Opportunities (NEO), a 10-year initiative launched in 2012, as well as other donors, leverage the unique knowledge and experience from the Entra 21 programme and collaborates with the MIF and IDB to generate knowledge and influence practice and policy in 10 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The NEO operates in 10 countries in the region. Learning from Entra 21 has already been shared outside of the region.


• Improve the capacity and quality of the service providers prior to the implementation of the programme;

• Have public alliances instead of a single implementing partner to deliver the services, to work at greater scale and have more impact;

• An internship is the key to job placement. Youth have a better chance to get a job at the same site where they do the internship. However, not all working youth were employed by their internship providers. Of the youth who were working at follow-up, 36 per cent were employed by the same firms in which they had served their internships;

• Assess the economy and needs of the market, in order to place the youth at risk in a job that would be suitable for them.15


• The model as it addresses employability is relevant to the MENA context: scaling up through the transfer of a model from one city to another is possible; however, it took much longer than anticipated to create the systems, capacity and relationships for a successful transfer.

With regard to these systems, executing agencies needed to work closely with other stakeholders such as the government to work at scale. In order to do so effectively and ensure cooperation, systems needed to be put into place. Capacity refers to the resources available which allowed the programme to work with 500 to 5,000 youth;

• Aspect of the Entra 21 model are already in place in MENA, e.g., the Youth for the Future in Jordan.

• The creation of a network comprised of civil society organizations, training centres, private sector entities and businesses facilitating the training and transfer of the model.

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11. Resources

• Final Report of the Entra 21 programme Phase I: 2001-2007, 2009;

• Market survey and youth assessment tools;

• Aptitude and personality tests administered;

• Executing agencies’ curricula

All public information is available in the IYF library (iyfnet.org).

12. References

Inquiry form received by IYF on 3 November 2014

International Youth Foundation (2014).

Good practices documentation in adolescent and youth programming.

Iyfnet.org (2014). International Youth Foundation. [online] Available at: http://www.iyfnet.org/ [Accessed 4 Dec. 2014].

Report of the Entra 21 Program Phase I:

2001-2007. (2009). [online] Available at: http://idbdocs.iadb.org/wsdocs/getDocument.aspx?DOCNUM=2191107 [Accessed 4 Dec. 2014].

Second Chances for Youth at Risk: The Caribbean Youth Empowerment Program, 2013.

Photo credits: IYF.

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Passport to Success

International Youth Foundation

141

MENA

In 33 countries, including eight in the Middle East and North Africa: Algeria,

Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, State of Palestine (West

Bank) and Tunisia

International Youth Foundation (IYF)

Passport to Success

Skills development

2003Ongoing175 partner organizations: NGOs, multinational companies, schools and universities

Non-UN

Sarabecka Mullen, Director, Life Skills Programs and Senior Trainer

[email protected]

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Developing countries face economic and social challenges that affect their societies in general and opportunities for youth in particular. Around 125 million children worldwide are not enrolled in school2 and the overall unemployment rate in developing countries is estimated3 to surpass 12 per cent and reach 45 per cent in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The MENA region is considered to have the highest youth unemployment rates, particularly for young women.4

Employability is associated with education, staying in school and appropriate training and skills.5 Life skills have been identified as another important factor for positive youth development6 which can contribute to successful employment. Thus, the International Youth Foundation (IYF) developed a comprehensive life-skills curriculum model to support youth in finding jobs and succeeding both within and beyond the workplace.7

Passport to Success1

1 Programme Inquiry Form (21 August 2014), Internal validation (6-10 February 2015), Implementer validation (24 February 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

2 IYF Website: http://www.iyfnet.org/center/Learning3 International Labour Organization, World of Work Report 2014: Developing with jobs, Geneva, 2014.4 World of Work Report (2014). Developing with Jobs. ILO 2014.Retreived from: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/documents/

publication/wcms_243961.pdf / 5 http://ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---ifp_skills/documents/publication/wcms_234467.pdf6 http://www.who.int/mental_health/media/en/30.pdf7 Passport to Success: Preparing Young People to the World of Work. PTS brochure. Retrieved from: http://library.iyfnet.org/sites/default/files/library/IYF-PTS-brochure.pdf

Country

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sector from Latin America, the Middle East and Asia; community members, teachers and facilitators; and of course the target youth populations themselves. These consultation sessions allow IYF to continue identifying common topics that the life-skills programme needs to address and at the same time to discuss realistic expectations for the programme with stakeholders.

Passport to Success® has been adopted and delivered in more than 33 countries and is available in 19 languages. Passport to Success® was introduced to the MENA region in 2006, and to date has provided training to over 40,000 youth from about 60 youth-serving organizations, businesses or government training programmes in the region. Countries in the MENA region which have implemented the curriculum include Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, State of Palestine (West Bank) and Tunisia.9

Countries beyond the MENA region which have implemented Passport to Success® include Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bhutan, China, Colombia, Grenada, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Mexico, Mozambique, Namibia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa and the United Republic of Tanzania.

More than 110,000 young people worldwide and over 4,000 youth educators and teachers have been trained using this curriculum, which has allowed them to incorporate interactive teaching methodologies into classrooms that were traditionally lecture-based.10

Passport to Success® is a programme that equips vulnerable youth aged 14 to 29 years with a set of skills that will help them stay in school and enhance their education and readiness for employment. The programme consists of an 80-module curriculum delivered to young people who are out of school, out of work or in school but at risk of dropping out. The curriculum develops six essential categories of life skill: personal development; problem solving; healthy lifestyles; workplace success; entrepreneurship/skills for professional growth; and service learning. As part of the training, participants gain cross-cutting core life- and work-readiness skills such as cooperation/teamwork, communication/interpersonal skills and decision-making.8

The programme emerged in 2003 as a result of a partnership between IYF and the GE Foundation, and was introduced in India and Mexico in 2004. The objective was to create a standardized life- skills curriculum which could be adapted and replicated in different social and cultural settings. Over the course of one year, experts in education and life skills from the United States, India and Mexico developed the curriculum and core lessons, ensuring that the content could easily be adapted to any cultural or country context.

In the years since, IYF has consulted with a variety of stakeholders at the local and international levels who helped to inform content questions and also served as champions for the programme during the implementation phase. Key stakeholders have included: life-skills and education experts; large global employers such as at the GE Foundation and Hilton Worldwide; key members of the public

8 Passport to Success: http://www.iyfnet.org/passport-to-success.

9 PTS MENA Organizations document(Passport to Success: Monitoring and Evaluation / Passport to Success in the Middle East and North Africa).

10 IYF Website: http://www.iyfnet.org/passport-to-success.

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The IYF was founded in 1990 “to prepare young people to be healthy, productive, and engaged citizens”. IYF operates by building, from the ground up, an international network of organizations all working to ensure that youth anywhere on the globe could receive a quality education, learn the skills needed to get a job and ultimately become engaged in their communities.11 Based on the IYF mission and vision, hundreds of programmes have been funded to serve youth development-related organizations worldwide. Since 1990, IYF has mobilized over $200 million to expand opportunities for the world’s youth by helping to fund programmes and partnerships with 472 youth-serving organizations worldwide.12


2.1. Goal

The primary goal of Passport to Success® is to equip youth with a range of skills to help them “stay in school and acquire the education, professional skills, employment readiness and confidence they need to succeed in life and in the workplace”.11

2.2. Objectives

In order to achieve its primary goal as stated above, the goals of the Passport to Success® curriculum are:13

• Encompass key or ‘core’ life skills;

• Emphasize skills and behaviours for workplace readiness;

• Provide demand-driven skills and real-life practice situations which employers regard as paramount for hiring and job success;

• Able to be adapted to any cultural or institutional setting and be flexible in design to incorporate additional life skills identified through consultation with key stakeholders.

11 IYF Website: http://www.iyfnet.org/iyf-history

12 IYF Website: http://www.iyfnet.org/iyf-programs

13 Inquiry form received from Ms. Sarabecka Mullen, Director, Life Skills Programs and Senior Trainer.

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3. Target group

3.1. Age group

The programme targets vulnerable youth

aged 14-29 years.


The programme is available to males and females with no particular gender strategy.


The programme does not present any specific ethnic/disability focus and aims to reach out to all vulnerable youth.

3.4. Targeting the most \ marginalized / most at risk

The programme was created especially to equip vulnerable and marginalized youth with skills. As such, the curriculum is delivered to youth who are at risk of dropping out, are out of school or work in dangerous environments. Children living or working on the street in India, school dropouts in Jordan and Egypt and former gang members in Mexico have participated in the programme.14


The mission of IYF is anchored in human rights. It aims “to prepare young people to be healthy, productive and engaged citizens”. Passport to Success® offers youth “a chance to build personal skills and reflect on their goals”. Moreover, “it encourages them to value not just who they are, but what they have yet to contribute, so that they can take positive steps towards building the future that they have hoped for”.15


Youth have been involved in the development of the programme by providing feedback through focus groups, administrative surveys and assessments, which have contributed greatly to the development of the curriculum, especially in new geographical areas or populations. As part of the curriculum adaptation team, youth were able to identify topics which consequently increased the programme’s impact.16

4. Strategy and Implementation17


Much of the content and instructional methodologies for Passport to Success® were based on research and tested experience by IYF in the life-skills and health promotion fields, based on the Lions Quest’s Skills for Adolescence,18 a programme associated with the Lions Clubs International Foundation, and the Nokia Make a Connection programme.19 Based on experience in training youth in a variety of educational settings, IYF was committed to developing a curriculum which used rich, experiential pedagogical methods to enhance not only youth learning gains, but also to improve the teaching styles of the trainers involved in the programme. Experiential learning pioneer Carl Rogers believed that all individuals have the ability to learn, especially when that learning is applied to something meaningful and relevant in the learner’s life.20 For this reason, the scenarios, practice sessions and case studies included in the Passport to Success® curriculum have been carefully


15. 16 Ibid.

17 Passport to Success® overview document.

18 Lion’s Quest, Skills for Adolescence: Goals and Objectives, http://www.lions-quest.org/pdfs/SFA_GoalsObjectives.pdf

19 IYF (2010), YOUthMagazine: In Good Company, Sheila Kinkade, http://library.iyfnet.org/sites/default/files/library/YOUth10_InGoodCompany.pdf

20 IYF (2014) Effective Teaching: experiential methods to promote learning for vulnerable youth, p. 2, Francis Portillo.

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primary learning styles –auditory, visual, and kinaesthetic – that exist in any classroom. The lessons incorporate a variety of learning techniques, from paired practice to individual drawing to large group educational games, which will appeal to all different types of learners.

The core elements of the Passport to Success® model include:

• An 80-module curriculum available in 19 languages focused on: personal development; problem solving; healthy lifestyles; workplace success; entrepreneurship/skills for professional growth; and service learning. Two tailored curriculum ‘tracks’ – employability and entrepreneurship – allow for customization of the Passport to Success® experience for groups of youth with different career goals;

• A trainer’s guide to serve as a resource for trainers on how to deliver the Passport to Success® lessons in a consistent and high-quality manner;

• A trainee handbook that supports students as they progress through the course;

• A comprehensive training-of-trainers and master trainers’ programme which equips trainers, through multi-day interactive workshops, with the skills and confidence necessary to successfully deliver the experiential, student-centred methodology;

• Coaching by qualified education professionals offering guidance and support to the trainers virtually and in person;

• Tracking and performance measurement tools including pre- and post- curriculum tests measuring skills and behaviour

crafted to be relevant for a youth audience. Additionally, the curriculum encourages trainers to adjust these elements so that they are culturally and developmentally appropriate for their youth through clear guidelines and instructions.

The Passport to Success® pedagogy focuses on providing learners with both an individual and group learning experience through a blend of small-group activities and space for individual reflection. Each lesson is designed as a type of interactive ‘laboratory’ where every participant plays an active role, rather than as a lecture, which typically revolves around the instructor. This ‘laboratory’ also allow learners to tap into their own knowledge and experience as the basis of their learning, in accordance with constructivist learning theory. Youth benefit most from instruction involving peer learning, practical application of the skills they are taught and self-reflection. In addition, youth participants are more likely to change their own behaviour if they see a role model – in this case the trainer – modeling each life skill in his/her interactions with youth during the lesson, making the active role of the facilitator critical to success.

The in-class life-skills instruction is complemented by opportunities for youth to practice their skills outside of class through assignments at the end of each lesson and in real-life situations through service learning projects. Youth are encouraged to take charge of their own learning process and to fit new information into their pre-existing knowledge, thereby increasing relevance and retention.21

Finally, to be highly effective, the Passport to Success® curriculum is also based on the belief that life-skills training methodologies need to be flexible enough to adapt to the

21 IYF (2014) Effective Teaching: experiential methods to promote learning for vulnerable youth, p. 3, Francis Portillo.

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change, teacher and student focus groups and mechanisms to track employment and educational outcomes.

The programme’s flexible approach allows it to be implemented as a stand-alone training through a local organization (NGO or a community-based organization); through formal schooling (public and private secondary schools or university); as a component of vocational training (at public employment centres, vocational technical institutes, colleges); or as part of a private employers’ on-the-job training.22

4.2. Activities23

For participants

The curriculum includes skills in 10 key areas: self-confidence; conflict management; anger management; career planning; responsibility; job preparation; respect; workplace readiness; cooperation and teamwork; and project planning.

• On the job: IYF works with businesses to include life skills as part of their orientation and on-boarding of new employees. Lessons are selected to meet specific needs of employers. This model encourages retention of entry-level employees as they adjust to their new workplaces.

• Post-secondary education: IYF works with universities, technical schools and vocational training providers to tailor a life-skills training schedule for their students. Trainees receive two to three lessons each week, spread over a semester, giving them the chance to practice their skills as a complement to their regular classes.

• Secondary schools: IYF works with middle schools and high schools to provide a

selection of life- skills lessons. IYF trains teachers to complement their regular classes with the life-skills modules, either staggered over the academic year (2-3 lessons every week over a semester) or after school.

• Stand-alone: IYF works with community-based organizations to offer a minimum of 30 life-skills lessons over a period of six to eight weeks. On average, partners typically select about 40-50 lessons. As stated above, the organization determines the number of hours available. For example, for the hospitality sector adaptation, Hilton selected 30-40 hours depending on the location. This most intensive application complements basic education, technical or entrepreneurship training.

Organizations select the number of content hours appropriate for their training needs and IYF works with them to select the most appropriate lessons depending on the profile and needs of the youth. IYF requires a minimum of 30 lessons (equivalent to 30 hours) per programme. The curriculum is delivered using a participatory and engaging approach and students are encouraged to work in groups and share opinions with each other.

For trainers and coaches

High-quality training of trainers and coaches is a key element of the success of the Passport to Success® programme. The IYF training ensures that participants understand how to implement the experiential teaching methodologies that are at the core of programme’s success. As part of the Passport to Success® model, IYF master trainers lead four-day interactive training workshops for all


23 Ibid.

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trainers and coaches who will implement the programme. Participants in these training workshops include the staff, administrators and/or consultants supported by the institution, all of whom are nominated by the host institution and interviewed by IYF during the design phase.

During the training workshop, participants learn about the following:

• The background of the Passport to Success® programme;

• Passport to Success® training goals for youth;

• Passport to Success® programme units and lesson topics;

• How to effectively use Passport to Success® lessons;

• The role of Passport to Success® trainers and coaches;

• Skills and strategies to implement the programme with a variety of beneficiaries.

During the training, participants will also have the opportunity to see life-skills lessons modelled by master trainers. They then prepare and deliver a sample lesson with a small group of peers in a practicum setting and receive feedback on the delivery of their training approach. The training workshop is extremely ‘hands-on’ and allows participants to experience and practice the training and coaching techniques employed by the Passport to Success® programme. During the training of trainers, each participant also receives and begins using the Passport to Success® Trainer’s Guide, which has been tested by IYF and will guide them through future use of the curriculum and methodology.

In order to ensure quality instruction within the classroom and to retain programme trainers, it is important for newly trained trainers to receive coaching support following their training. This coaching can be provided either by coaches from IYF or from the partner institution. These coaches visit trainers as they commence training activities and undertake the following:

• Observe the delivery of Passport to Success® lessons to youth;

• Provide specific and constructive feedback to help improve training skills;

• Assist trainers in learning to prepare adequately for lessons;

• Support trainers in addressing unexpected questions or other challenges;

• Ensure effective delivery and adherence to Passport to Success® standards.

New Passport to Success® trainers and coaches are eligible for the IYF Global Life Skills Trainer Certification. This certification requires successful completion of the training-of- trainers’ workshop and practicum requirements. Certification serves several purposes including demonstrating the professional qualification of trainers and coaches and allowing them to continually improve their skills through participation in continuing education courses. It also entitles the trainers and coaches to receive standard Passport to Success® content upgrades and access to the online IYF portal which connects them to the global community of life-skills trainers and provides a platform for continued mentorship, coaching and quality assurance.

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4.3. Innovativeness

Beyond the curriculum, the intensive training and coaching model has two primary objectives: (1) to encourage trainers and teachers to use the interactive teaching methodologies they learn through Passport to Success® in all classroom settings; and (2) to certify all qualified candidates to ensure that they meet IYF standards. This innovative and comprehensive approach to mentoring and certification of trainers is uncommon in the MENA region.24


Various donors to IYF fund implementation of the Passport to Success® programme. The cost is determined based on several factors, including the type and scale of programme implementation. Interested parties may contact IYF directly for more information on costs.

4.5. Sustainability

For institutions wishing to build their own internal capacity to expand and regularly replenish their supply of certified trainers, IYF is able to provide a Training of Master Trainers workshop for certified trainers and coaches who meet eligibility requirements. This training allows institutions to fully execute Passport to Success® in a continuous and fully sustainable manner, enabling them to certify individual trainers, coaches and youth trainees within their institution’s Passport to Success® programme, subject to annual quality assurance checks by IYF.

The Training of Master Trainers certification requires participation at a five-day workshop conducted by IYF senior trainers. This workshop is followed by coaching of new

master trainer candidates through their co-facilitation of a training-of-trainers workshop with an IYF master trainer, or by a master trainer’s observation of the candidate leading the workshop with another master trainer candidate. Upon fulfilling these requirements, new master trainers are then eligible to conduct training of trainers, provide coaching, certify new trainers and otherwise support the design and implementation of Passport to Success® for the institution. When an institution has developed master training capabilities within its own training system, IYF will also undertake quality assurance checks to ensure that master trainers and the trainers whom they have trained are adhering to global training standards.

4.6. Replicability

The Passport to Success® programme has been used in 33 countries and translated into 19 languages, facilitating its implementation in different social and cultural contexts. A country can start working with the programme on a small scale and expand to a larger scale through partnerships with other organizations via IYF master training. In the MENA region, for example, after refining the programme to fit its cultural background, Jordan scaled the programme nationally to reach youth in multiple regions throughout the country. This was achieved through collaboration with public and private sector partners to integrate the model into national-level educational and training systems. The IYF worked in partnership with Jordanian associations such as the Jordan Federation for Tourism Association and Jordan Hospitality and Tourism Education Company to target unemployed youth aged 18-30 years.25

24 Preparing Youth for Success: An Analysis of Life Skills Training in the MENA Region, April 2013 http://library.iyfnet.org/sites/default/files/library/GPYE_LifeSkillsMap.pdf.

25 Passport to Success- Equipping Jordanian Youth with Essential Life Skills report Retrieved from http://library.iyfnet.org/library/passport-success-equipping-jordanian-youth-essential-life-skills.

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The evaluation of Passport to Success® has been ongoing since the programme’s early stages. Focus group discussions and feedback forms for trainers, employer surveys and pre- and post-curriculum assessment surveys of the youth participants have been used to evaluate the programme’s effectiveness and relevance.

A key measure of success is the extent to which young people are either in school, employed or doing better on the job six months after participating in the programme.

Examples of programme results after implementation include:

• In Morocco, a 44 per cent decrease in students dropping out of school;

• In Mexico, a 50 per cent decrease in the dropout rate of secondary schools using Passport to Success®;25

• In Poland, 86 per cent of the youth view their future more optimistically after having completed the programme;17

• Eighty-six per cent of youth in India and 97 per cent of youth in Mexico were employed six-nine months after completing Passport to Success®;17

• More than 110,000 young people have successfully completed Passport to Success®;27


The IYF developed a rigorous monitoring and evaluation protocol to measure the performance of the programme. Indicators are set for objectives and tools are developed to measure progress.28

Data available to IYF show that many institutions are still implementing Passport to

Success® past the involvement of IYF; some have maintained contact with IYF by reporting on beneficiary data and some have scaled it up to additional implementation sites using new funding sources. However, specific data are not available on the percentage of institutions that have maintained the programme against the total number of institutions trained.

Programme outcomes were observed through the following statistics:29

Employers can expect improvement in key life skills from young employees including team work, listening skills and cooperation.

• 91 per cent of young Hilton Team members who received Passport to Success® training in South Africa reported being more thoughtful listeners; 75 per cent indicated improvement in conflict management and cooperation skills.

• 80 per cent of employers surveyed in Jordan report that programme graduates meet their company’s needs and 90 per cent said they would hire more graduates in the future.

• 90 per cent of employers in the Caribbean who hired programme graduates said they would do so again.

• 75 per cent of the employers interviewed in Egypt stated that there is a remarkable and noticeable difference between the Passport to Success® graduates and other young employees.

26 Passport to Success: Preparing Young People to the World of Work. PTS brochure. Retrieved from: http://library.iyfnet.org/sites/default/files/library/IYF-PTS-brochure.pdf.

27 IYF Website: http://www.iyfnet.org/passport-to-success.

28 Passport to Success Performance Measurement Overview document.

29 Passport to Success® Monitoring and Evaluation document.

150

School programmes create well-rounded students who are more likely to stay in school and to make positive choices, and benefit teachers through interactive teaching methodologies.

• Middle schools in Morocco using Passport to Success® saw a 44 per cent decrease in dropout rates and students who participated in life-skills clubs tripled their life-skills scores.

• 96 per cent of Polish teachers using Passport to Success® indicated that the programme had been helpful for their students.

• More than half of Egyptian trainers using the programme said they would use the methods in other training after seeing how well the youth responded to the interactivity.

• 94 per cent of youth receiving Passport to Success® in Mexican schools were still enrolled six months later.

• Indian participants showed statistically significant improvements in 10 of 12 life-skill areas; 86 per cent were enrolled in school, training or work six months later.

Community organizations will see young people with purpose and hope.

• 72 per cent of Zimbabwe youth receiving Passport to Success® demonstrated increased resiliency post training, a key measure of an individual’s ability to adapt within a context of significant adversity.

• 82 per cent of Polish youth participants with the lowest average life skills at programme entry improved their life skills by a statistically significant margin after completing the programme.

• 79 per cent of Indian participants indicated

that their ideas about what they will do or how they will act in the future “have changed a lot.”


Passport to Success® adheres to ‘best practice’ standards which address all key components of an effective life-skills model. Through review with key life-skills experts, IYF developed 10 core standards, with a focus on the content, teaching methodology, facilitator training and evaluation requirements, for effective life-skills programming, all of which are the core elements of the Passport to Success® model. Adhering to these standards has allowed IYF to take Passport to Success® to scale, in terms of both geographic reach and depth and the variety of implementation settings in a given country.

7. Challenges

The primary challenge for Passport to Success® is to ensure the continued high quality of training as the scale of the programme increases. IYF responds to this challenge through its coaching programme and standardized feedback forms for all trainers, so that weaker facilitators can be identified easily and given more support to bring them up to certification standards.


In order to improve cost-effectiveness, IYF has developed a ‘blended learning’ training of trainers workshop, which involves 2.5 days of in-person training and five online training modules taken before and after the workshop. This blended

151

content format ensures that trainers enter the in-person workshop at the same level in terms of their background understanding of life skills, and also improves their long-term retention through follow-up activities and assessments. IYF is currently piloting this format in Africa and plans to roll it out globally in late 2015.

In addition, IYF recently has worked with corporate donors to create some online Passport to Success® content that can complement the in-person sessions. IYF will continue to test blended learning formats to maximize scale while also retaining quality.


Depending on the focus of the programme, life skills have been shown to help youth do better in school, make healthier decisions and be more prepared for work and to engage in civic life. In order to encourage changes in behaviour, an effective life-skills programme should have a balance of knowledge and skills. As participants gain knowledge and practice skills, they will increase their confidence in their abilities to act in a healthy and effective manner. More specifically, and as demonstrated by Passport to Success®, life-skills programmes should:

• Build knowledge of the topics included in the programme;

• Increase skills that participants can use as they apply their knowledge;

• Increase participants’ confidence in their abilities to use their knowledge and skills.

The IYF also encourages inclusion of a wide variety of stakeholders in the curriculum design process and throughout all stages of

implementation, as this promotes sustainability and local ownership. For example, engaging local employers has proven to be particularly effective as future Passport to Success® graduates are often offered jobs or internships at these organizations and constant contact with these companies ensures that the content of the training remains relevant to labour market needs.

One of the major components that is considered essential to scale up of any life-skills programme in the MENA region is collaboration and partnership with both public and private sector organizations to maximize outreach. The IYF is currently focusing its partnerships with government ministries on integrating Passport to Success® into school systems, and those with corporations on introducing the programme into employee training programmes. As the scale of the training for either intervention increases, it is critical to ensure the quality of training and mentoring of all facilitators involved, which may need to be done virtually or through certified local coaches.

11. Resources

The resources cited below, which can be accessed from the IYF online library, are country-specific case studies:

Passport to Success® Hilton Worldwide Fact Sheet;

Passport to Success®: Equipping Jordanian Youth with Essential Life Skills;

Passport to Success® In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Fact Sheet;

Preparing Youth for Success: An Analysis of


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default/files/library/GPYE_LifeSkillsMap.pdf

World of Work Report (2013). Repairing the Economic and Social Fabric. ILO 2013.Retrieved from: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgrepor ts/--dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_214476.pdf

World of Work Report (2014). Developing with Jobs. ILO 2014.Retreived from: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_243961.pdf

Photo credits: IYF.

Life Skills Training in the MENA Region.

12. References

An inquiry form received from Ms. Sarabecka Mullen, Director, Life Skills Programs and Senior Trainer on 21 August, 2014.

IYF Website: http://www.iyfnet.org/center/Learning

IYF Website: http://www.iyfnet.org/iyf-history

IYF Website: http://www.iyfnet.org/iyf-programs

Passport to Success: Preparing Young People to the World of Work. PTS brochure. Retrieved from: http://library.iyfnet.org/sites/default/files/library/IYF-PTS-brochure.pdf

Passport to Success: http://www.iyfnet.org/passport-to-success

PTS MENA Organizations document (Passport to Success: Monitoring and Evaluation / Passport to Success in the Middle East and North Africa)

Passport to Success- Equipping Jordanian Youth with Essential Life Skills report Retrieved from http://library.iyfnet.org/library/passport-success-equipping-jordanian-youth-essential-life-skills

Passport to Success Performance Measurement Overview document

Passport to Success® Monitoring and Evaluation document

Preparing Youth for Success: An Analysis of Life Skills Training in the MENA Region, April 2013 http://library.iyfnet.org/sites/

Know About Business International Labour Organization

154

MENA

In over 50 countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran,

Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, State of Palestine,

Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia and Yemen.

International Labour Organization (ILO)

Know About Business (KAB)

Other: entrepreneurship

1996OngoingGovernment and relevant ministries

ILO

Rania Bikhazi, Enterprise Development Specialist

[email protected]

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has the highest youth unemployment rates in the world, reaching 27.2 per cent in the Middle East and more than 29 per cent in North Africa.2 The alarming unemployment rates are coupled with an absence of an entrepreneurship culture and the lack of an enterprise-enabling environment. At the same time, the region is experiencing an unprecedented ‘youth bulge’ which, if addressed with relevant and efficient social and economic initiatives, could support the social and economic development of individuals and communities at large.

Know About Business (KAB) is a classroom-based entrepreneurship education programme developed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and implemented in partnership with national counterparts – ministries of education and labour and relevant education institutions. The overall goal of the programme is to contribute to the creation of a culture of enterprise by strengthening the capacities of Governments and tripartite constituents to provide entrepreneurship education to youth, raise their awareness about the opportunities and challenges of entrepreneurship and promote self-employment as a potential career option. The KAB training package, which is designed to be delivered in 80-120 hours, comprises eight modules, each representing a key lesson in entrepreneurship, accompanied by support materials for the learner and instructors.

Know About Business1

1 Desk Review (15 September 2014); Programme Inquiry Form (15 September 2014); Interview (21 October 2014); Write up ( 18 November, 2014); Internal validation (18-26 November 2014); Implementer validation (26 November-2 December 2014); Final validation (October 2015).

2 ILO (2013).

Country

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2.1. Goal

The overall goal of the KAB training programme is to “contribute towards the creation of entrepreneurial cultures in ILO member states”.5

2.2. Objectives

As stated by the ILO, the specific objectives of the KAB programme are to:

• Develop positive attitudes towards enterprise and self-employment among youth;

• Create awareness about working in enterprises and self-employment as a career option for young people;

• Provide knowledge and practice of the required attributes and challenges for starting and operating a successful and sustainable enterprise that provides a decent work environment for workers;

• Develop entrepreneurial skills and traits among youth and prepare them to become better employees and work productively in small and medium enterprises.6

Introduced in the early 1990s in Kenya, KAB currently exists in over 50 countries around the globe. In the MENA region, KAB operates in 13 countries: Algeria, Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, State of Palestine, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia and Yemen. The degree to which KAB has been incorporated ranges from awareness-raising workshops to the pilot phase, as in Morocco, Jordan and Lebanon, and roll-out, i.e., incorporation into the national curriculum as in Oman, State of Palestine, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia (in process) and Yemen.

Beyond the MENA region, KAB has been implemented in South and East Asia and the Pacific (Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic

Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Timor Leste, Viet Nam); Latin America and the Caribbean (Bolivia, Costa Rica, Haiti, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago); and sub-Saharan Africa (Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda).3


Founded in 1919, the ILO is “devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights, pursuing its founding mission that labour peace is essential to prosperity”. Its main aims are to “promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues”.4

3 For a full list of countries, see Asad, S., Rose-Losada, V. (2013).

4 ILO mission statement. www.ilo.org

5 Rezende, T.L.; Christensen J.D. (2009).

6 Ibid.

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3. Target group

The KAB package has two main targets group: (1) teachers and instructors in general secondary education, higher education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, who are trained to deliver KAB and can be certified as KAB national facilitators; and (2) young women and men enrolled in the educational institutions who will be taught the KAB material.

3.1. Age group

The core target are young people aged 15-25 years, regardless of socioeconomic background or education/occupation. KAB is designed for students who do not have business or enterprise experience but who have been enrolled in formal education. They generally possess or are on their way to possess a minimum of 12 years of formal education.


The KAB package is conceived to address men and women on equal terms, with no discrimination against religion, nationality or socioeconomic group. In some countries, the curriculum has required some level of adaptation to cultural norms. For instance, in Saudi Arabia, KAB taught in non-mixed classrooms where women teachers taught young girls.

In the curriculum, gender was mainstreamed in the latest version of the KAB package dated 2015.


KAB is implemented through secondary educational institutions and as such,

reaches out to youth with minimal disabilities. The programme does not target those with particular needs as they would require special teaching staff and follow-up. As part of the latest version of the curriculum, disability is mainstreamed throughout the content.


The curriculum was built on the concept of reaching out to all young men and women through its implementation in schools and vocational training centres. There is no particular focus on the most marginalized or vulnerable; thus, the programme’s ability to reach the most marginalized or most at risk is dependent on the implementation modality agreed with the national counterpart. The programme has been conceived as a methodology which can be implemented in remote/rural areas and in some unstable countries, provided that basic school infrastructures are available.

In certain contexts, KAB has been introduced to particular marginalized groups. For instance, it was introduced in Jordan through a collaboration with the Business Development Centre (BDC), targeting unemployed school dropouts enrolled in the National Company for Employment Training (NCET) who were undergoing training to enter the labour market.10 Upon completion of the KAB pilot, some of the enrolled youth established start-ups in their respective sectors, and the NCET requested the inclusion of KAB in its curricula targeting all technical specialties. The successful results of this pilot led the way for other entrepreneurship education projects under the Ministry of Education,

10 Dewees, A. (2010); Entrepreneurship Education – Know About Business in Jordan.

157

the Ministry of Higher Education as well as the Development and Employment Fund in collaboration with the Vocational Training Corporation, targeting vocational training centres in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.


The programme is anchored in a human rights-based approach including the right to work, which is the core mandate of the ILO. KAB promotes the human rights and dignity of Arab youth by building their skills and knowledge to choose career options and earn a living. It also builds capacity and empowers them to take initiatives and when appropriate, develop their own enterprise and create decent work opportunities.


Youth are the core of the KAB programme. The latter has participatory teaching techniques that revolve around the students and ensure their undivided attention and commitment. Regular evaluations are conducted at classroom level to receive feedback from students on potential adjustments to the programme.

3.8. Values orientation

The KAB programme promotes decent work throughout its topics. It stresses on workers’ rights, social protection, safeguarding the environment and providing equal opportunities for young women, men and youth with disability to consider self-employment as a potential career option.



The underlying principle of KAB is its integration into the education systems for young people, particularly TVET, general secondary education and higher education. The introduction of KAB within a new country is grounded on a needs assessment which includes an analysis of the country’s unemployment rate and the mismatch between the skills of graduates and the needs of the labour market. It can also come as a result of school to work transition surveys if undertaken. Implemented through the education systems, KAB requires at the onset the approval by the Government and relevant ministries, in most cases, the ministries of education and/or labour to initiate a pilot phase. During that phase, ILO collaborates with national implementing partners and involves all relevant stakeholders in order to establish a country-specific KAB programme action plan, thus ensuring ownership and commitment to the programme.11

The implementation of KAB ideally takes place in three phases: awareness-raising workshops; a pilot phase; and a roll-out. The modalities and timeframe vary from country to country. KAB can be delivered as an elective or mandatory course and as a graded or non-graded course. At the successful completion of the pilot phase, the ministries of education/labour are expected to incorporate KAB into the national education curriculum. Alternatively, private and/or public education and training institutions can also deliver KAB separately to their beneficiaries, with or without a fee depending on their mandate. Currently none

11 Rezende, T.L.; Christensen J.D. (2009); ILO (2011).

158

of the ILO implementing partners charge a fee for delivering the KAB programme, but remain free to do so if it enables them to sustain the programme and increase outreach. In many cases, governmental and non-governmental institutions carry out the implementation jointly.

The awareness-raising workshops target policymakers and education representatives and introduce them to the KAB programme and implementation requirements. Following these workshops, a decision is taken by the Government on whether to engage with the ILO in the pilot testing of KAB. Consequently, resources are mobilized for the pilot phase.

During the pilot phase, which lasts approximately one to two years, the concerned national institution works closely with the ILO on the implementation of KAB. Information workshops are organized to sensitize the partner education institutions on the role of entrepreneurship education in national youth employment and the relevance of the KAB programme. During this pilot phase, the curriculum is reviewed and adapted to national socioeconomic and cultural specificities, including translation as appropriate. The training of teachers/facilitators also takes place at this stage over a period of two weeks where technical content of the programme and its participatory teaching techniques and games are covered. Once the above has been completed, the ground is set and KAB is ready for the pilot test in the classrooms, usually over one to two school years in grades 11 and 12 (exceptionally, some interventions have been made targeting grade 10 students). The evaluation of this pilot phase involves an assessment of attitudinal changes and improved knowledge of students, as well as review of

feedback from the implementing teachers and schools. Depending on the results from the pilot phase, the Government decides whether or not to introduce KAB into its national education curricula as a regular academic subject and replicate the programme countrywide. Depending on the availability of funding, ILO can undertake impact assessment tracer studies to capture the influence of KAB programmes in graduates’ choices of careers and enterprise set-up.12

4.2. Activities

The promotion and dissemination of KAB relies on a network of trained and ILO-accredited key facilitators. Through 2013, KAB had trained approximately 13,161 teachers across the world.13 They are trained through annual international KAB training-of-trainers workshops at the ILO International Training Centre in Turin or in regional or national workshops. The teachers/facilitators, selected based on already established criteria, come from ministries of labour/education; local governments; TVET, general secondary education, higher education; and not-for-profit organizations and NGOs working on youth employment.14 The workshops last for two weeks, and accreditation is based on demonstrated teaching/training competencies and acquisition of roles and responsibilities as a facilitator.

Four evels of facilitators have been put in place:

• International key facilitators, whose main role is to promote KAB as an entrepreneurship training programme in TVET and similar education settings. They are involved in all stages, from the promotion of KAB to revision of materials,

13 Rezende, T.L.; Christensen J.D. (2009); ILO (2011).

14 Participants refer to: teachers, teacher educators and entrepreneurship education promoters (key facilitators) Rezende, T.L.; Christensen J.D. (2009); ILO (2011).

159

training of facilitators and coordination of impact assessments in more than one language and region;

• Regional key facilitators or teacher educators have similar roles, but they operate in a limited number of countries within one region;

• National key facilitators conduct teacher training within their own countries.

• National key facilitators who teach students in the classrooms.

The criteria for selection of teachers include the person’s dynamism, willingness to adopt innovative teaching techniques and good teaching skills. Generally, teachers who are at the beginning of their career are prioritized, as this ensures the sustainability of the programme throughout their career. Teachers who are trained and run the KAB curriculum do so on a voluntary basis and belong to the national educational system; they deliver the KAB programme within their pre-established teaching hours/workload. The teachers and key facilitators who have delivered the KAB programme to students and teachers respectively, have the opportunity to participate in refresher training workshops where they share lessons learned, reinforce their teaching skills and familiarize themselves with updates to the KAB curriculum.

Programme content

The latest version of the KAB package is in Arabic and includes new topics such as ‘green enterprises’, social protection, gender, people with disabilities, social entrepreneurship and social dialogue. The eight modules of the KAB package and support materials are:15

1. What is enterprise?

2. Why entrepreneurship?

3. Who are entrepreneurs?

4. How do I become an entrepreneur?

5. How do I find a good business idea?

6. How do I organize an enterprise?

7. How do I operate an enterprise?

8. What are the next steps to become an entrepreneur?

The support materials include:

• A business game, which simulates transactions in a business environment where enterprises produce, sell and compete thus raising the awareness about students’ own ability and readiness to operate in a business world where various products are demanded, competition is fierce and calculated risk-taking needs to be applied.

• A business plan template;

• Learner’s workbook (optional): the compilation of the student’s worksheets and additional readings throughout the modules;

• Promotional video which explains the concept of entrepreneurship and what the students will learn from the KAB programme;

• Facilitator’s handbook: an introduction to entrepreneurship education and KAB, an overview of the course structure, duration of modules and training methodology;

• Key facilitator’s guide, which describes step by step the duties and responsibilities for training of trainers and follow-up activities;

• Games guide, which outlines the instructions and materials required for

15 Ibid.

160

each game, in addition to its relevance to the topics and the lessons learned.

KAB can be provided as an elective or required course depending on a national decision taken after the pilot phase. The time required for the delivery of the programme ranges between 80 and 120 hours, with the course given weekly over a scholastic year.

4.3. Innovativeness

The programme applies and introduces innovative teaching/training techniques in an interactive method in which both facilitators and learners have participatory roles. KAB is not a top-down approach, but rather seeks interaction with and constant feedback from learners in order to adapt and improve the methodology.


Cost and funding are country-specific, and the budget for the adaptation and implementation of the programme may entail the mobilization of national budgets or external funding. In the case of the State of Palestine, the programme was evaluated to be relatively cost-effective.16 The implementation materials have a low cost, require little use of technology and no new infrastructures, as KAB is delivered through existing educational institutions: a) the teachers are not paid any fees in addition to their salaries; b) the programme materials are printed locally in the implementing country; c) the technical content is already available thus minimal curriculum development funds are needed to contextualize/adapt the material if needed. Funds are raised at national/international levels for implementation of the pilot phase and potentially for initiation of the roll-out phase.

4.5. Sustainability

KAB does not create any new structures and is delivered through existing educational centres and institutions. The modules remain the same, although they are adapted to the national context. The incorporation of KAB in the national curricula of either the ministry of education or labour is at the core of the programme’s sustainability as it needs government buy-in for national roll-out.

In the State of Palestine for example, following the successful pilot testing of KAB, the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education incorporated the programme into their national training curricula, thus ensuring its sustainability. The training of national key facilitators is another important component for the sustainability of the programme, as the aim is to have a national task force of teacher educators who can train additional teachers, if and when needed, who in turn teach students.

4.6. Replicability

In the MENA region, the package has been introduced in 13 countries. It has been rolled out, i.e., integrated into the national curricula in Egypt, Iraq, Oman, State of Palestine, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia (in process) and Yemen. The pilot phase is underway in Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Algeria.

Prior to replication, the content and means for implementing KAB are adapted to

16 ILO (2012).

161

the local socioeconomic and cultural contexts. To date, KAB has been translated into 22 languages.

The outreach of KAB in the MENA region includes implementation in 498 schools, 1,930 teachers certified and 184,330 students trained.17 It is worth noting that after an implementing country undertakes the nationalization of KAB, it no longer reports to the ILO regarding the number of sessions performed and students reached. However, it can still seek support and assistance from the ILO when necessary.

Key figures by country:18

Country Launch of KAB

Level of implementation

Education sector* Institutions

Facilitators, key

facilitators, promoters

Number of students trained

Algeria 2008 Awareness TVET, GESE, HE 0 0 0

Egypt 2008 Roll-out TVET, HE 105 427 54,400Iran,

Islamic Rep. of

2008 Pilot TVET 2 66 22

Iraq 2008 Pilot TVET, HE 5 25 394

Jordan 2011 Pilot TVET, HE, GE 29 132 857

Lebanon 2010 Pilot GESE, TVET - 66 669

Morocco 2008 Pilot HE, TVET 19 107 73,229

Oman 2007 Pilot TVET, GESE 7 64 N/A

Saudi Arabia 2011 Roll-out TVET 70 180 ---

State of Palestine 2009 Roll-out

GESE, GESE, TVET

102 192 6,244

Syrian Arab Rep.

2006 Roll-out TVET, GESE, HE 90+ 520 33,839

Tunisia 2008 Pilot/Roll-out HE 24 48 5,147Yemen 2008 Roll-out TVET 205 283 9,529Total 498 1,930 184,330

* TVET- technical and vocational education and training; HE- higher education; GESE - general secondary education.

The long-term impact of KAB, i.e., its effect on unemployment levels and enterprise

17 Figures from ILO Outreach Report (2013) are 366 institutions, 1,148 facilitators and 149,612 students trained as it only covers the period 2009-2012, excluding Syrian Arab Republic, Oman, Algeria and Islamic Republic of Iran.

18 Figures for Syrian Arab Republic, Oman, Algeria and Islamic Republic of Iran were retrieved from the 2009 report - Rezende, T.L.; Chris-tensen J.D. (2009). Figures for Egypt, Morocco, State of Palestine, Tunisia, Yemen, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon were retrieved from the 2013 global outreach report - Asad, S., Rose-Losada, V. (2013).


162

development among the youth, cannot be directly measured, as this requires time and the attribution effect remains a challenge due to the influence of external factors, among which the county’s enterprise-enabling environment and stability. However, several independent country assessments have measured the impact of KAB on students’ attitudes and behaviours.

Evidence from State of Palestine and Syrian Arab Republic

Against the backdrop of severe unemployment rates among young people, 62.2 per cent for females and 34.5 per cent for males, the State of Palestine launched the KAB pilot project in 2009 with the training of 25 key facilitators from the vocational training centres of the Ministry of Labour and the technical and industrial schools under the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. The results of the impact assessment conducted in 2010 confirmed the readiness for nationalization of the package.

Key positive results were the training of 192 teachers or KAB facilitators and the eventual certification of 11 national key facilitators, the largest number in the region. Some 6,244 Palestinians were trained through 2013 and the ILO delivered the distribution and printing licence to both ministries, reinforcing national ownership and the sustainability of the KAB programme.20

The results of an independent evaluation of the KAB programme21 in February 2012 showed that KAB students tended to develop more positive attitudes about the role of entrepreneurs and small business in society and entrepreneurship as a career (impact on males more positive than females),23 and students reported an increase in knowledge of

19 Asad, S., Rose-Losada, V. (2013).20 Ibid.21 ILO (2012).22 This was an independent evaluation and the causes for this finding were not further explored.23 Interview with Rania Bikhazi, Enterprise Development Specialist (21 October 2014).24, 25, 26 ILO (2012).

business (higher impact among females). The evaluation also concluded that the introduction of KAB was very relevant and appropriate, and had benefited from the close collaboration and inclusion of government stakeholders from the onset of the project. However, it also highlighted the challenges in implementation related to instability, restrictions on movement and the limited number of experts with Arabic language skills available to travel to the State of Palestine. Indeed, one of the recommendations from the evaluation was the strengthening of a regional pool of KAB facilitators who could create a community of practice.24 In turn, the evaluation also highlighted the good practice of engaging native Arabic speakers in key staffing positions, facilitating the delivery of the programme and reducing costs related to translation.

This evaluation highlights a fundamental issue with regard to the impact of future KAB implementation. It concluded that “the likelihood that KAB alone will generate significant youth employment impact is not very high. In fact, the likelihood that any type of stand-alone activity will significantly enhance youth employment. Bearing this in mind, future KAB programmes (or other entrepreneurship education programmes) could more actively anticipate linking entrepreneurship education interventions with other enterprise development activities such as business start-up funding, coaching and business clinics. Cross-impact analysis would also be useful to analyse more systematically any given setting (country, region, etc.) with regard to youth unemployment, and identify the most influential factors, instruments and methods that could be

163

used to trigger employment initiatives in the given setting.”25 In this type of analysis, the factors that are assessed include the labour market’s supply and demand features, business cycles and structure of the economy, and the extent to which there is an enabling business environment and space for entrepreneurship.26

The Syrian Arab Republic implemented KAB in 2006 and integrated it into the national curriculum between 2007 and 2008, becoming the national champion of the programme in the region. Even during the ongoing conflict, KAB is still being taught in vocational schools and a request was formulated by the University of Damascus to include it (after adaptation for higher education) among its courses. In 2009, the country was selected to assess the medium-term impact of KAB on post-secondary vocational intermediate institutions. As of 2010, KAB in the Syrian Arab Republic had trained nearly 1,000 people and reached a total of 66,000 young people.27 During the impact assessment, quantitative and qualitative data28 were collected, revealing that KAB had “a positive impact on participants’ knowledge, skills and attitudes towards starting a business 18 months after completing the programme”29

The quantitative results showed higher levels of awareness of the type of skills and knowledge KAB graduates needed to develop when compared to non-KAB graduates. KAB graduates also registered higher knowledge scores about the functions and operations of sustainable enterprises.30 In terms of preferred sectors, KAB graduates were more likely to point to the private sector.

KAB graduates were more likely than non-KAB students to start a new business within the next three years – 61 versus 50 per cent – and were also more likely than the non-KAB group to consider establishing their own business – 46 versus 37 per cent.31

Some 89 per cent of interviewed KAB graduates found the programme to be very useful for preparing their own business and 80 per cent found it a useful preparation to enter the labour market. It is worth nothing that participants also found that the biggest obstacle to starting their own business was lack of funding, and that the major challenge in finding a job was lack of equal opportunities and lack of knowledge about available jobs.32

However, it is worth mentioning that at the level of impact, the evaluation found that there was no significant difference in labour force outcomes. This is due to several factors, namely that 18 months is a relatively short time and that the KAB programme objectives were not aligned towards this end.

The evaluation in the Syrian Arab Republic concluded that “the effectiveness of KAB projects in supporting national policies for employment, vocational training and small business creation have been limited to the extent that existing policies have allowed for the adoption of KAB, and KAB itself has not led to the formulation of specific policies”.33

The qualitative evaluation of the Syrian experience also highlighted that the KAB programme helped students to increase their knowledge of career options. They reported themselves to be more confident in establishing their own business instead of waiting for a public

26 ILO (2012).

27 Bikhazi R., Kabbani, N. (2010). N.B. These figures are from 2010. The Syrian Arab Republic had an independent, fast scale-up of the programme in those years.

28 A survey of 138 questions was distributed to a sample of 1,009 students, followed by face-to-face interviews.

29 Bikhazi R., Kabbani, N., ILO PowerPoint presentation.

30 Haddad (2011).

31 Ibid.

32 Haddad (2011).

33 Ibid.

164

or private sector job. While participants demonstrated awareness of the fact that KAB by itself would not lead them to a job, they also reported that the programme had “changed their way of thinking and promoted teamwork skills and respect for others people’s opinions”.34 The interactive nature of KAB was appreciated by students as well as the sense of being part of and working in teams.


The programme should not be assessed on the basis of number of enterprises and jobs created taking into account that the attribution effect remains a challenge. KAB is only an education and awareness raising programme encouraging students to consider self-employment as a potential career option. The qualitative analysis of the programme remains core and focuses on the changes of attitudes and behaviours among students vis-a-vis the business world, enterprise development and self-employment.

Consequently, the programme uses extensive qualitative evaluations, such as the pre- and post-KAB questionnaires used to assess the students’ changes in attitude.

The KAB package includes monitoring and evaluation tools, and as part of the programme, facilitators are trained to conduct the monitoring and evaluation themselves.

• Interactive, learner-centred and participatory methodology of teaching;

• Simple and straightforward content;

• Complete set of programme material and requirements available to teachers;

• Step-by-step training for teachers/trainers/

professors;

• Flexibility and adaptability to the requirements of national curricula;

• Can quickly achieve scale and sustainability, given its implementation through national educational structures and the availability of national key facilitators who train other teachers at the national level;

• KAB methodology updated every two years.35

7. Challenges

Overall, one of the fundamental challenges KAB has faced is the complexity of integrating the curriculum into national frameworks. Some of the reasons include: (1) absence of a strong commitment from the concerned ministries to integrate the material and sustain its implementation; (2) availability of time (hours) within national curricula for inclusion of new programmes; (3) maintenance costs of the programme, i.e. printing materials and games and maintaining the training rooms; and (4) teachers’ readiness and willingness to

34 Haddad (2011).

35 ILO (2011).

165

80%

60%

40%

00%

All Male FemaleThinking of starting a business Expecting to start a business

KAB increased thinking/ expectations about starting a businessThere are gender difference in programme impact

All Male Female

20%

Treatment Main Findings Comparison

Main Findings 2 – Bikhazi and Kabbani – Differences in labour force outcomes

Voluntary Paid job Ownbusiness

Don't work &seeking job

Don't work &don't

seeking job

100%

60%

40%

00%

80%

20%

No significant difference in labor force outcomes: employment, taking steps to start a business (not shown), private sector work. Note 1: 18 months not much time. Note 2: these were not programme objectives. KAB should be combined with access to finance; mentorship, etc.

Treatment Main Findings Comparison

166

change their teaching techniques and learn new technical content.

Some institutions where KAB was implemented encountered reluctance on the part of school managers who initially opposed the innovative approach of KAB. Information and awareness-raising sessions were held to explain the different way of delivering training and the rationale behind the curriculum.


• Increase outreach to include countries where the programme is not implemented;

• Potential delivery of KAB in a blended approach to increase outreach and decrease costs (distance learning combined with classroom teaching);

• Strengthen and activate a knowledge-sharing platform for practitioners and promoters;36

• Increase the number of KAB key facilitators in the MENA region;

• Development of a ‘Know your Cooperative’ module37 to incorporate in the KAB.


Documented key lessons learned that have emerged from previous experiences include:

• The need to work closely with the relevant ministries and involve them from the onset of the project to ensure their ownership and commitment;

• The collaboration with a national implementing partner (including

ministries) ensures continuous monitoring and follow-up and decreases the cost of direct implementation by an international organization;

• The importance of conducting awareness-raising workshops to project partners to ensure their understanding and lead to a smooth implementation.

A key recommendation is the need to work on promoting entrepreneurship education in all Arab countries to decrease the dependency on public sector employment and economically empower Arab youth. One of the key recommendations of the evaluation of the KAB programme in the State of Palestine38 was to combine the programme with other enterprise development support interventions to maximize the likelihood of impact.


• Transfer of training potential to national constituents through building core groups of KAB key facilitators inside the education system;

• Ownership of KAB by the national Government from the pilot stages and integration of the package into the national curricula;

• Raising awareness of the benefit of KAB among all stakeholders – school administration, teachers, parents and beneficiaries themselves;

• Working directly in Arabic with the target group as was the case in State of Palestine, Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen.

36 Ibid.

37 The Know your Cooperative module will introduce students to the principles of establishing and running a cooperative, i.e., a group of people operating a business through a jointly owned organization.

38 ILO (2012).

167

11. Resources

• KAB training package;

• Evaluation tools and materials.

12. References

Asad, S., Rose-Losada, V. (2013). Know About Business 2013: An outreach report on the ILO’s Entrepreneurship Education Programme. Geneva: International Labour Office.

Bikhazi, R. and Kabbani N. (2010). Assessing the Impact of the ILO Know About Business (KAB) Entrepreneurship Education Programme: Lessons Learned from the Middle East.

Power point presentation, ILO [Online] Available at: http://aye2013.org/docs/sp/Day%201/Session%202/TS2_Case%203_Rania%20Bikhazi%20&%20Nader%20Kabbani.pdf

Dewees A. Synthesis review of ILO experience in youth and women employment in the MENA region, ILO (unpublished).

Haddad M. and Kabbani N. (2011) The Medium-term impact of Know about Business on intermediate institute students in Syria. The Syria Trust for Development.

ILO (2011). Rural-relevant tools. Know About Business-KAB [Online] Available at: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed_emp/documents/publication/wcms_159163.pdf

ILO Evaluation Unit (2012). Evaluation Summary - Entrepreneurship Education: Introduction of “Know About Business” in Vocational and Technical Trainings in Palestine. ILO

ILO (2013). Global Employment Trends for Youth: A generation at risk. Geneva: International Labour Organization.

ILO (2014) Factsheet: Entrepreneurship Education – Know About Business in Jordan. Geneva: International Labour Organization, Partnerships and Field Support Department. [Online]

Available at: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---exrel/documents/publication/wcms_238656.pdf

Rezende, T.L.; Christensen J.D. (2009). Supporting Entrepreneurship Education: A report on the global outreach of the ILO’s Know About Business programme. Geneva: International Labour Office, Job Creation and Enterprise Development Department.

Telephone interview with Rania Bikhazi, Enterprise Development Specialist, ILO (21 October 2014).

Photo credits: ILO.

168

Youth Economic Empowerment

Programme United Nations Development

Programme Yemen

169

Youth Economic Empowerment

Programme United Nations Development

Programme Yemen

MENA

Yemen

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Yemen

Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (YEEP)

Skills development

2012Ongoing (Phase II – scale-up of the programme) Government: Social Fund for Development, Ministry of Youth, Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Cleaning and Improvement Fund, Secretariat Capital, Environment Office AdenNGOs: For All Foundation, Vision Hope, Youth Leadership Foundation, Education for Employment, Millennium Development Foundation, 21 Century Forum, Rowad Foundation, Capable Youth Foundation, ZOA, SPARKMFIs: Al-Kuraimi and Al-Amal BanksPrivate sector: Yemeni Business Club, Chamber of Commerce, Arab Diaspora Association Singapore, Business Women Branch of the Federation of Chamber of Commerce.

UNDP

Bushra Al-Shirae, Programme Officer

[email protected]

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Yemen is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the Middle East and North Africa region and faces multiple political and economic challenges.2 The economy is highly dependent on oil (27 per cent of GDP and 70 per cent of export revenues), yet this major source of revenue is rapidly depleting.3 Water scarcity has increased and the limited arable land has been affected by drought and flooding. The country’s population growth of 3 per cent is outpacing its economic growth and, worryingly, is increasing food insecurity; the World Food Programme estimates that 41 per cent of the population is food insecure.4

Youth Economic Empowerment Programme1

1 Desk review (May-September 2014); Interview (12 November 2014); Internal validation (27 November-16 December 2014); Implementer validation (16 December-4 January 2014); Final validation (October 2015). N.B. All information collected and validated as of March 2015 is subject to change as UNDP’s portfolio in Yemen adapts to a volatile political, economic and security context. Please visit www.ye.undp.org for the latest updates.

2 Yemen ranks 154 out of 187 in the Human Development Index (2013).

3 UNDP (2011).

4 World Food Programme – Yemen overview: http://www.wfp.org/countries/yemen/overview .

Country

170

employment. Implemented in three phases – inclusiveness, ownership, sustainability – the method creates emergency, temporary employment for populations affected by conflict and in transition, while building the basis for sustainable and long-term employment. The project begins with temporary cash-for-work activities coupled with business and skills training, creation of saving accounts and business planning. Beneficiaries are supported in their business development with mentoring and grants, with the aim of developing sustainable businesses that can improve their livelihoods and generate further employment.

The 3x6 approach was adapted to the youth cohort and tested in three governorates of Yemen – Sana’a, Taiz and Aden – as part of the pilot phase (2012-2013). The midterm evaluation concluded that “the project is highly relevant and timely in meeting the needs of a growing body of vulnerable youth in Yemen”7 and that the 3x6 approach had been recognized by youth beneficiaries as “life changing”.5 Phase II of YEEP was launched in April 2014 and seeks to scale up the activities to nine governorates. The project has also contributed to the Youth Employment Action Plan developed by the Government in 2013, and has been adopted by the national plan, which recommends the immediate implementation and upscaling of the 3x6 approach.9

The State has been affected by prolonged armed conflict, high levels of corruption and weak governance. The participation of civil society, particularly youth and women, in public affairs is extremely low, but during the current political transition and structural changes to the Government, several initiatives have emerged with the goal of strengthening the engagement of all segments and groups in society, particularly youth and women. These groups are equally affected by the country’s endemic poverty and face high levels of unemployment (52.9 per cent).5 The economic frustrations facing the youth materialized in the 2011 uprising which swept President Ali Abdullah Saleh out of office after 33 years of rule.

Against the backdrop of a rapidly growing population, endemic poverty, slow economic growth and rising levels of unemployment, there is an acute need to reignite economic growth and foster economic diversification by using the untapped force of unemployed youth and women.

Noting the sporadic investment in youth and livelihoods,6 in 2012 the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Yemen launched the Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (YEEP) to support the Government in employment generation for youth during the transition period, providing improved livelihoods for people and contributing to conflict prevention by addressing the high unemployment rates that fuelled young people taking to the streets.

The project adopted and adapted the ‘3x6 approach’, a methodology used in post-conflict Burundi for rapid, temporary employment generation while at the same time laying the ground for long-term

5 Level of unemployment in Yemen is 29.2 per cent (ILO, 2013).

6 Interview with Ms. Caroline Lensing-Hebben and Ms. Bushra Al-Shirae (12 November 2014).

7 Bahnassi K. A. (2013).

8 Ibid. The midterm evaluation conducted focus group sessions with youth beneficiaries (n=73) as well as desk review and interviews with stakeholders (n=36).

9 UNDP (2014).

171


UNDP “partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone”.10

In Yemen, UNDP focuses on decentralization and local governance, elections, public administration reform, rule of law and employment for youth and women. 11


2.1. Goal

The overall goal of YEEP is to “socially and economically empower disadvantaged youth and women in market-oriented technical, entrepreneurial and managerial skills, confidence-building and empowering skills necessary to improve their access to productive resources and sustainable earning potential”.12

2.2. Objectives

• Produce immediate and short-term income generation activities for youth;

• Lay the foundations of long-term employment through skills and business training and entrepreneurship.

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

The project targets youth, defined as males and females ages 18 to 30 years.


Women in Yemen continue to face economic exclusion and experience high levels of gender-based violence. The country ranks 82 of 86 countries in the Global Gender Index, and women account for just 0.6 per cent of the labour force.13 The project integrated a gender-sensitive strategy; however, no

guidelines on minimal representation of female youth beneficiaries were stated in the pilot phase, and the average female participation rate was 30 per cent.14 For Phase II, the gender component has been mainstreamed to increase labour participation and a gender focal point appointed.15 The project is deploying efforts to support female entrepreneurship by identifying suitable micro-business activities and enhancing women’s inclusion in the cash-for-work scheme. The midterm evaluation concluded that the programme had been successful in breaking stereotype barriers and introducing women into male-only professions such as painting.16

10 UNDP – About us: http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/operations/about_us.html 11 UNDP Yemen – What we do: http://www.ye.undp.org/content/yemen/en/home.html 12 UNDP (2014).13 ILO (2013).14 Bahnassi K. A. (2013).15 Interview with Ms. Caroline Lensing-Hebben and Ms. Bushra Al-Shirae (12 November 2014).16 Bahnassi K.A. (2013).

172


The project does not outline any particular strategy for targeting ethnic groups or youth and women with disabilities.


YEEP targets disadvantaged young men and women. During the first phase, the implementing partner NGO, For All Foundation, conducted community-based targeting based on the criteria of ‘jobless’, ‘poorest’, ‘vulnerable’ and having ‘entrepreneurial spirit’. The midterm evaluation strongly recommended a more refined selection mechanism. YEEP partnered with the Social Fund for Development (SFD), which uses a deprivation index based on seven proxy poverty-related indicators to identify the number of deprived people by governorate. The procedure is complemented by participatory rapid appraisals.

Because the SFD measurement targets communities and not individuals, and for budgetary reasons not all SFD beneficiaries can be enrolled in the programme, UNDP introduced additional steps to hone the number of participants selected in the first round:

• Presentation of the 3x6 approach in the selected communities and establishment of an enrolment process through which interested youth signed up;

• Youth were tested and interviewed to assess their potential and interest for entrepreneurship: (1) a Tamheed test (http://www.tamheed.org/) was developed for the Arab world by Silatech, a UNDP partner, to assess the entrepreneurial potential of individuals; (2) the interviews involved a multi-stakeholder panel comprising representatives of UNDP, local

authorities, governorates or ministries, and an entrepreneurship expert. Criteria for ranking the participants were developed by a technical committee.17

Phase II has thus refined the targeting of youth in order to reach the groups most at risk and internally displaced persons in Aden and Abyan. The preparatory stages of the 3x6 implementation have been rolled out successfully in these two cities and the methods employed have included partnerships with SFD and the Social Welfare Fund; contracting ACTED18 and the For All Foundation for the assessments; and conducting regular field visits, community outreach and district targeting. In September 2014, the first round of beneficiary selection took place, including interview panels and identification of women-specific cash-for-work opportunities to effectively encourage women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship.


As part of the mission of UNDP, the project is grounded on human rights principles and focuses on the promotion of equity and women’s empowerment.19


Phase II systematically incorporates past youth beneficiaries to support the recruitment of new beneficiaries. This is done by training them as monitors and mentors to future participants.20


17 Targeting mechanism (unpublished).

18 ACTED is a non-governmental organization with headquarters in Paris, founded in 1993. The programs implemented by ACTED (more than 390 per year) in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean aim at addressing the needs of populations affected by wars, natural disasters and/or economic and social crises. www.acted.org

19 UNDP (2014).


173

4.1. Strategies / theoretical approaches /methodologies

The project adopts a market-driven, gender-responsive and community-based strategy. It involves multiple stakeholders and establishes strategic partnerships involving the private sector and NGOs, local authorities and community and religious leaders.

YEEP has been implemented in two phases. Phase I (the pilot phase) served as the stage for building the capacity of partners, kick-starting activities on the ground and consolidating the scale-up strategy with the Government, the private sector and the NGO partners. The lessons learned from the pilot phase were systematically integrated in Phase II,21 which was launched in April 2014 and is making a significant leap towards scale-up and national ownership.

Key stakeholders of the project are:

• Government representatives from the governorate and national levels;

• Local council members and community leaders;

• NGOs and microfinance institutions (MFIs), for strengthening of capacities and support for delivery of project activities;

• Youth and women;

• The private sector, which potentially will benefit from the participants’ new business skills – a stronger and more skilled labour force – and development of linkages with new entrepreneurs and producers.

21 Al-Shirae, B., Program Officer, UNDP Yemen.


174

YEEP Network, UNDP Yemen 2014

The 3x6 approach uses the skills of individuals, local resources and expertise to provide immediate economic opportunities to individuals affected by conflict and poverty, coupled with the creation of conditions that enable long-term employment opportunities.

175

total).22 National trainers were selected to deliver the training based on a curriculum (‘My Chance’) developed by the For All Foundation, a local NGO. For the second phase of YEEP and upon recommendation of the midterm evaluation, a new and more comprehensive curriculum has been introduced, developed in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO). The current curriculum of 44 hours23 includes life- and business-skills training and is tailored to the educational level of the vulnerable youth. Additional feedback from the business advisers recommended a more interactive and ‘hands on’ manual with case studies, visual aids and ideas for generating business .

(b) Income generation: At the end of the training, youth present a business plan and connect with a business adviser who assesses the feasibility of the plan and determines whether the participant can receive the grant. If the project does not meet the criteria, the adviser provides one-to-one counselling to improve the

Communication and advocacy have been strong components of the project from the outset, and have focused on raising awareness about the importance of youth economic empowerment in Yemen and an entrepreneurship culture.

Knowledge transfer is underway with the preparation of a global toolkit on the 3x6 approach which provides operational guidance and is based on the lessons learned from the pilot phase in Yemen and the subsequent adaptions to refine the project. The toolkit is foreseen to be released in mid-2015.

4.2. Activities

The 3x6 approach activities

1. Inclusiveness: (a) engaging and (b) income generation.

(a) Engaging: The aim is to generate immediate income and build the capacity of youth through employment. In parallel to the cash-for-work activities, participants receive life-skills and business training twice a week for two months (16 days in

22 3x6 toolkit. UNDP (2014).

23 The authors of the curriculum are Samih Jaber and Rania Bikhazi, ILO.

UNDP 3x6 approach

176

business plan. The income-generation activities include community works and rehabilitation of socioeconomic infrastructures (such as water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)) and are aligned with the needs of communities.

2. Ownership: (a) savings; and (b) joint ventures.

(a) Savings: two thirds of the money generated through the cash-for-work program are placed in a savings account, preparing participants for the second phase;

(b) Joint ventures: The savings accumulated during the first phase are utilized to invest in the business plans proposed by the youth, either individually or as part of a group. The business plans are reviewed and the businesses with the potential for self-management and economic viability are established as either individual or joint ventures, so the investment is multiplied. The aim is to provide more start-up capital and increase the potential for success.24 The type of ownership depends on the type of economic activity being pursued, the match between the participants’ skills and interests and the needs of the community, identified through a market assessment using the REACH methodology.25

3. Sustainability: (a) investing; and (b) accessing markets.

In the third and final phase, the individuals or groups are given access to loans from MFIs. Projects are supported in their expansion, specialization or diversification stages.26 The sustainability is grounded on the nurturing of

individuals and groups with the capacity and interest to develop both entrepreneurial skills and sustained economic activities, which in turn support sustainable employment and community economic growth. In this phase, the project provides investment support to the small- and medium-sized enterprises and access to the local market economy, and facilitates market expansion.27

The 3x6 self-employment approach is complemented by: participatory market needs assessments, which inform demand-driven training; partnerships with the private sector for the implementation of the job placement scheme and business development centres; and activities related to the promotion of youth entrepreneurship.

Participatory market needs assessments

Three market needs assessments were conducted in the governorates and participatory workshops organized to discuss the findings.28 The reports are meant to inform market opportunities and training needs. Results from the assessments were disseminated to ‘My First Business’ certified trainers in order to transfer the knowledge to the beneficiaries and orient their business creation.

Partnerships with the private sector: job placement scheme and business development centres

The job placement scheme has been established in partnership with the private sector, thus aiming to match supply and demand. The youth receive demand-driven training using, among others, the International Financial Corporation ‘Business Edge’ tools and the curriculum of the Capable Youth Foundation. UNDP facilitates job placement with either an internship or paid employment (see figure below).

24 3x6 toolkit.25 REACH was “born in 2010 as a joint initiative of two INGOs (IMPACT Initiatives and ACTED) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

Operational Satellite Applications Programme UNOSAT). REACH’s purpose is to promote and facilitate the development of information products that enhance the humanitarian community’s decision making and planning capacity for emergency, reconstruction and development contexts, supporting and working within the framework of the humanitarian reform process”. www.reach-initiative.org

26 3x6 toolkit.27 Ibid.28 UNDP (2014).

177YEEP Job Placement Scheme, UNDP Yemen

178

The project has also introduced the concept of business development centres, which provide free advisory and mentorship support to the start-ups emerging from the project. The Yemeni Business Club – a group of leading Yemeni entrepreneurs and businessmen – is leading this component. YEEP is seeking to expand its private sector strategy to include the Yemeni diaspora, in particular in Saudi Arabia and Southeast Asia. To that end, UNDP management and the Arab Diaspora Association in Singapore held two meetings in Singapore, in November and December 2014.

Promotion of entrepreneurship

Youth Innovation and Creativity Award

Entrepreneurship was promoted through the Youth Innovation and Creativity Award (‘Afkar’, Arabic for ‘idea’), which aimed to mobilize young Yemenis to submit innovative business ideas. The winners received business development training in marketing and sales, human resources, accounting and personal production and were assigned private sector mentors. The award was promoted through:

• 13 awareness sessions in universities, technical colleges and institutes;

• Launch of the website www.yemenyouthaward.com (Afkar first edition);

• Launch of Afkar second edition – www.afkaryemen.com – with over 2,500 submissions to date and a focus on solar energy projects, and which was declared a national priority by the Minister of Industry and Trade;

• Distribution of 9,000 flyers by 34 volunteers;

• Media campaign: broadcast of a video on public TV, two radio ads, radio interventions, a Facebook page, Twitter and a newspaper add published in three main national newspapers;

• 1,000 outdoor ads.

Business radio programme, ‘Turning Point’

In Phase II, YEEP has launched the first youth-run radio programme in Yemen dedicated to youth economic empowerment.29 Running since October 2013, the programme is on every Sunday for one hour. So far, it has interacted with 250 youth and reached 10,000 people on social media. The broadcast is available to residents in the area of Sana’a, but the programme has now begun a live online broadcast to expand its outreach.30 YEEP supported the opening of a Yemen Times Radio branch in Aden, and ‘adenized’ the business radio programme, which has been broadcasting since December 2014.

Sensitization and information campaigns – increased engagement of the public and private sectors.

As part of the activities to strengthen the linkage with the private sector, YEEP Phase II organized a sensitization and information campaign. A conference in Washington D.C. brought together 24 Yemeni key stakeholders from the public and private sectors to discuss the role and opportunities for the private sector. Beyond the participation approaches of social corporate responsibility and mentoring, the project is exploring specific entry points

29 UNDP (2014).

30 Ibid.

179

for youth in the private sector value chain. Recently, a training needs assessment conducted with 34 private companies led to the placement of 600 youth.

4.3. Innovativeness

The 3x6 approach and the elements it introduced in the Yemeni context were innovative. For instance, in the ownership phase, youth are introduced to savings and the creation of a financial identity. The project has been particularly innovative in the introduction of women to the cash-for-work component and into male-only professions.31 As part of this approach, an entrepreneurship culture is being promoted as an opportunity for economic recovery and diversification for youth.


Phase I of YEEP was co-financed with $2.5 million from UNDP, the Embassy of Japan, the Embassy of South Korea.32 The positive results from Phase I enabled the mobilization of additional funds for Phase II, which has a budget of $10.5 million.

The project’s running costs are less than 30 per cent as mandated by UNDP principles. The strategy for minimizing costs has been to cost share some of the project activities with national partners (no cost sharing agreement signed with natioanl partners per say, but in kind contributions, like in the case of Taiz).

The significant increase in the budget from Phase I to Phase II is due to the scaling up of the programme – the expanded geographic scope, increased number of beneficiaries and institutional framework – as well as a larger pool of donors.

4.5. Sustainability

Capacity-building of national partners

The project has focused on building the capacity of national NGO partners in view of building ownership and preparing the way for scaling-up. The partners have been trained on: delivery of entrepreneurship training; compulsory saving modalities; selection of target groups; and preparation of reports and orientation of youth on the 3x6 approach.33 The programme has been working closely with the Government in preparing a gradual transfer or responsibilities, accompanied by capacity-building. A former implementing partner, the national NGO Youth Leadership Foundation, delivered the initial capacity development training which contained a mix of project management and items specific to the 3x6 approach to empower NGOs for rolling out the approach with or without the involvement of UNDP, thus supporting greater national ownership. Further trainings are planned for 2015 and will be extended to national institutions such as the SFD so they may fully embrace the implementing role for all phases.

Building ownership of businesses and

mentorship for youth

The project introduces risk-sharing and thorough mentorship as part of the efforts to build ownership of the micro-businesses and contribute to their sustainability. Risk-sharing refers to the investment of the youth’s own savings into the project and mentorship occurs as the youth are linked with national businessmen and advisers. During the pilot, mentorship was set to last for six months but Phase II has extended the period to a full year.34 During the pilot phase, paid consultants provided mentorship to youth. However, because this is not sustainable, a business development centre was established in Sana’a to provide guidance to the youth and create a relationship with the businessmen which goes beyond the


32 Bahnassi, K.A. (2012)

33 UNDP (2014).


180

project.

National ownership

The project has developed strong linkages with the Government as part of its exit strategy. It has partnered with the SFD, the government agency that is main source of funds for the cash-for-work activities. The SFD annually targets 50,000 households with its cash-for-work scheme, and the project is investing in building the capacity of SFD with the aim of its adapting and implementing the 3x6 approach as its methodology.

The 3x6 approach has also been adopted as part of the national Youth Employment Action Plan and has been recommended for scale-up.35

4.6. Replicability

The 3x6 approach adopted in Yemen is a replication of the model first implemented in Burundi with the purpose of reintegrating ex-combatants into the socioeconomic life of the country. In Burundi, the 3x6 approach had a strong social cohesion component, while in Yemen, it was adapted to meet the economic demands of the youth.

YEEP is currently scaling up activities implemented during the pilot (Phase I) of the project. The aim is not only to expand to other governorates and reach more beneficiaries, but also to strengthen both the strategies and capacities of government and partners and the work conducted at the policy level. The ultimate goal is to incorporate the 3x6 approach as a national tool for addressing youth unemployment, improving livelihoods and building the resilience of communities through self-employment mechanisms which boost the economic life of the community and of

individuals.36

In Lebanon and Jordan, the 3x6 approach is being analysed to assess its potential for application in the context of the Syrian crisis and resulting unemployment.


An independent, external midterm evaluation conducted in August 2013 concluded that the employment-generation strategies implemented by UNDP and partners had been “life changing for the youth beneficiaries”.37

The pilot phase yielded the following key results:38 521 youth were enrolled in immediate income-generation activities coupled with life-skills and business training. The activities in which the youth have been involved are based on community needs and include:

• Creation of agricultural terraces in Taiz rural areas;

• Rehabilitation of 13 schools in Sana’a;

• Installation of 1,870 water filters to address water scarcity issues in Aden.39

The midterm evaluation concluded that the training had been judged by the participants as “very beneficial” and youth reported to have been greatly engaged with the business world. The youth also reported increased knowledge and skills in business development, highlighting field trips which allowed them to understand the market and interact with business owners.40

The activities in which the youth participated have contributed to building of community assets and to a change of mindset which now views youth as active economic actors.41 The impact on indirect beneficiaries has not been

35 UNDP (2014)36 UNDP Yemen Quarterly Progress Report – Economic Empowerment Project Phase II, 2nd Quarter 2014.37 Ibid.38 Figures were retrieved from the final project report, UNDP (2014), but the findings on impact were summarized from the midterm evaluation report, Bahn-

assi K. A. (2013). 39 UNDP (2014).40 Bahnassi K.A. (2013). 41 Ibid; UNDP (2014).

181

thoroughly measured, but in the case of the rehabilitated cisterns in Arhab, for example, an estimated 4,200 individuals and 600 families have benefited from improved access to water.42

The midterm evaluation highlighted that the training received by the youth had caused a “change in their enterprise and individual behaviour, as well as providing access to credit to a smaller group but growing cohort of training beneficiaries”.43 It is also noted that the youth engaged in the income-generation activities and trained in parallel had registered increased business revenues or expansion of operations.44

Through the savings component, these youth acquired for the first time a financial identity, accumulating 34,434,400 Yemeni rials. In Yemen, disadvantaged youth are not familiar with saving accounts and access to finance is limited or even non-existent. The matching grant from the project provided these youth with seed capital and laid the foundation for longer-term income. As a result of Phase I, 283 micro-businesses were established (individual and joint ventures) resulting in 448 employment opportunities for vulnerable youth. The youth-driven businesses are linked to community needs, particularly in rural areas. The businesses created included carpentry, grocery shops, beekeeping, animal breeding, internet cafes, bakeries, lending libraries and dressmakers.45

As part of the business development services that have been established, youth are linked to a business adviser. The midterm evaluation noted that youth expressed “immense satisfaction about this service as it provides essential help in operating and managing their business”.46

The job placement initiative enrolled 703 youth, trained 641 beneficiaries, 43 per

cent of them females, and placed 459 in internships and 98 in jobs.

As part of Phase II, 106 youth received a 16 hours of financial literacy training through a partnership with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).47 This new component is planned to be delivered to all youth beneficiaries in the scale-up process. To measure the skills gained, a partnership was established with ILO, which designed the evaluation tool for the training that has been incorporated into the monitoring and evaluation of the project.

Some 10,000 youth were reached through awareness-raising sessions and traditional and social media as part of the entrepreneurship award. Overall, 2,300 youth registered, 767 submitted innovative business ideas and 28 winners were selected and are now receiving the support they won as part of the award.48

The midterm evaluation concluded that the pilot phase was successful in introducing a new paradigm for the significance and role of youth, making them active economic players. The project has also been able to introduce a culture of saving among participants and raise their awareness of entrepreneurship.

While the introduction of cash-for-work for women has not radically changed gender relations – this is indeed a long-term process – the component has demonstrated good potential for gender equality. It has introduced women into male-only sectors and enabled them to engage for the first time in paid work. New areas for income generation and employment have opened up.49


42 UNDP (2014). 43 Bahnassi K.A. (2013). 44 Ibid. 45 UNDP (2014). 46 Ibid.

47 Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit.

48 UNDP (2014).

49 Bahnassi K.A. (2013); UNDP (2014).

50 UNDP (2014).

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Phase I of YEEP was evaluated by an independent external evaluator in August 2013. The ongoing Phase II, which comes to an end in December 2015, has been selected by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a candidate for a randomized evaluation by the MIT Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab. Evaluating the project’s quantitative impact on beneficiaries will be part of this study.

As part of efforts to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of Phase II, an M&E officer was recruited, baseline data were collected in all targeted governorates, an M&E framework was finalized and training was delivered to partners. Monitoring reviews are circulated on a quarterly basis to donors and the Government, and a qualitative survey was conducted to assess the economic impact of the 3x6 approach. In view of the scaling- up of the project, an integrated M&E framework has been developed in partnership with ILO.50


The 3x6 approach creates the bridge between emergency employment and long-term sustainable income activities. The saving of income stimulates individual ownership of projects, thus contributing to the sustainability of projects. As the business activities are grounded in community needs, it also supports the resilience of communities.

In the case of Yemen, the linkage with the private sector has been accentuated in view of constructing a model that can be transferred to and sustained by national stakeholders.

An entrepreneurship culture is nearly non-

existent in Yemen, yet it is a source of opportunities for unemployed youth and has the potential to drive the recovery and diversification of the economy.

7. Challenges

The midterm evaluation of the pilot phase highlighted a series of challenges which were addressed during the planning and implementation of Phase II. Key obstacles observed in Phase I included limited participation of youth in the design of project activities; a curriculum which was difficult to understand by some beneficiaries; the criteria for selecting the youth; and delays between the end of the training and the grant disbursement, which caused disengagement among some youth.

A core challenge which has continued to affect the programme is the political instability in Yemen. For instance, activities had to be halted in Arhab due to the armed conflict.


The scaling-up of the programme began in October 2014. Preparation for implementing the programme have been initiated in Taiz with the establishment of a working relationship with SFD and the implementing partners. In Hadramout, a multi-agency effort – involving UNDP, the International Organization for Migration and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations – is being undertaken to finalize operational roll-out as part the activities of the Peacebuilding Fund. Focusing on WASH, the 3x6 implementation in Hajjah has begun with the preparatory stages, which include multiple UNDP field visits, the establishment of partnerships and the

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selection of the NGO implementing partner.

In the area of policy interventions, YEEP continues to support both upstream and downstream interventions to ensure effective linkages and the mainstreaming of youth employment within policy initiatives and debates. It has supported the institutional implementation of the Youth Employment Action Plan and provided advice on the establishment of a functional secretariat, in addition to a feasibility study on the introduction of a National Employment Guarantee Scheme.


The lessons learned from the pilot phase were integrated in the second phase and addressed to the extent possible to enhance the project’s effectiveness.

An M&E system has been created with the support of ILO, as well as a baseline survey and constitution of control groups.

The project is now involving youth as mentors and training them in M&E.

A new curriculum was developed with ILO as a response to the limitations of the one used during the pilot phase. To date, 50 Yemeni trainers have received training-of- trainers instruction.51

A gender focal point has been established and identification of cash-for-work opportunities for women is underway to increase the gender equality of the programme.

The project partnered with SFD and adopted a poverty index indicator, coupled with additional criteria to test the potential and willingness of the youth in entrepreneurship.

Youth will receive financial literary training

in partnership with GIZ and Silatech, and mentorship with the business advisers has been extended to one year in order to provide follow up support to the beneficiaries.

Recommendations which have emerged from the previous and current phase are to:52

• Build strategic alliances to strengthen programming and achieve cost-effectiveness;

• Work with the formal and informal sectors at the community level, particularly in rural areas;

• Increase and enhance awareness-raising and orientation sessions with community leaders to explain what the programme is about;

• Involve the Government from the outset and ensure its buy-in of the project; projects like 3x6 have the potential to be institutionalized through existing government structures. At the same time, develop the capacity of the Government to sustain, scale and replicate the model;

• Work at the upstream and downstream policy levels (in progress).


• Demand-driven training and adaptation of skills curriculum to this training.

• Support and follow-up with participants on skills development and entrepreneurship programmes after completion.

• Building of strategic alliances with all key stakeholders and engagement with the private sector in the scaling-up process. Scale-up cannot take place without joint efforts.

• Risk-sharing through cost-sharing and

51 UNDP (2014).


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partnerships.

11. Resources

• 3x6 toolkit.

• 3x6 training curriculum.

12. References

Bahnassi, K. A. (2013) Mid-term Evaluation Report of Youth Economic Empowerment Project, UNDP-Yemen. Mid-term evaluation Report.

The World Food Programme – Yemen overview (2014). [Online] Available at: http://www.wfp.org/countr ies/yemen/overview

UNDP Yemen (2014). Final Project Review Report: The Youth Economic Empowerment Project (unpublished).

UNDP Yemen (2014a). 2nd Quarter progress report (unpublished).

UNDP Yemen (2014b) 3x6 toolkit (unpublished).

UNDP (2013). Human Development Report 2013 - The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World. Available at: http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/reports/14/hdr2013_en_complete.pdf

UNDP Yemen (2013a). Communication and Advocacy Annual Review: Phase I (unpublished).

UNDP Burundi. 3x6 approach (unpublished).

UNDP Yemen (2011). Project Document for the Government of the Republic of Yemen.

Interview with Ms. Caroline Lensing-Hebben and Ms. Bushra Al-Shirae (12 November 2014).

UNDP Yemen (2011). Project Document for the Government of the Republic of Yemen.

Interview with Ms. Caroline Lensing-Hebben and Ms. Bushra Al-Shirae (12 November 2014).

Email feedback from Ms Caroline-Lensing Hebben and Ms Bushra Al-Shirae (5 January 2015).

Websites:

• UNDP: www.undp.org

• Social Fund for Development: http://www.sfd-yemen.org/

• For All Foundation: http://forall-yemen.org/en/

• Yemeni Business Club: www.ybc-yemen.com

Photo credits: UNDP.

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Youth Employability Skills Network ProjectEducation Development Center, Inc.

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Global

The former Yugloslav Republic of Macedonia

Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC)

Youth Employability Skills (YES) Network Project

Skills development

September 2010Ongoing (End date: September 2015)USAID and national Government

Non-UN

Gjorgji Kusevski, Chief of Party, YES Network Project

[email protected]

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has always struggled with unemployment, which in 2005 reached an astonishing 50 per cent.2 By 2013, the unemployment rate had decreased to 29 per cent,3 but despite this improvement, unemployment is still at a damaging and critical level. High unemployment rates are not only detrimental to social development but at the individual level can negatively affect a person’s self-esteem and physical and psychological well-being.4 A major factor contributing to the high unemployment rate is the discrepancy between the skills acquired by youth through the education system and those required by employers and the labour market. Despite the introduction of new courses in the school curriculum on subjects such as ‘Business and Entrepreneurship’, according to a needs assessment conducted by the Youth Employability Skills (YES) Network, potential employers find that youth applying for jobs lack the skills and attitudes required by employers.5 These criticisms apply to all levels of education, including universities, but especially to secondary-level vocational and technical schools, which they say are outmoded and prepare students for obsolete jobs.

The major reason for this problem is the weak link between the skills supplied through the education system and those demanded by employers in the modem workforce. Vocational education and training (VET) secondary schools and other systems that prepare students and the unemployed for work lack a system of career counselling and workforce preparation.

Youth Employability Skills1

1 Programme Inquiry Form (16 September 2014); Interview (31 October 2014); Internal validation ( 12-19 December 2014); Implementer validation (20 January 2015); Final validation (October 2015). For the latest news about YES, visit the YES website: http://www.yestnetwork.mk/

2 World Bank (2005).

3 Republic of Macedonia: State Statistical Office (2014).http://www.stat.gov.mk/pdf/2014/2.1.14.34.pdf

4 McKee-Ryan, F.; Song, Z.; Wanberg, C. R.; Kinicki, A. J. (2005). YES Network is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents expressed in this case study are the responsibility of Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

5 Interview with Gjorgje Kusevski, Chief of Party on 31 October 2014.

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EDC works on designing, implementing and evaluating programmes that aid in enhancing education, health and economic opportunities around the world. EDC “strive(s) for a world where all people are empowered to live healthy, productive lives”.4

The Employment Service Agency (ESA) offices are designated to serve as a labour exchange, but they lack resources and skills to offer relevant job-related services to unemployed youth. Little or no career counselling takes place, and there is no system of assessment of the aptitude, interests and affinities of job seekers.

Both schools and ESA offices were not able to provide services and respond flexibly to changing labour market needs and to improve the ‘supply’ of future workers.

Against this backdrop, the United States-based Education Development Center (EDC), with assistance and funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), initiated the YES Network in 2010. EDC also partners with municipal governments as it believes this partnership to be crucial in tackling youth unemployment. The programme is a five-year project which aims to enhance the employability and skills of Macedonian youth and to strengthen the vital connection between labour market needs and the skills developed through the educational system.

To overcome this issue, the project interventions focused mainly on:

• Building the capacity of ESA local branch offices and secondary schools to deliver training to improve skills and work readiness and provide work-based learning opportunities and career counselling services to youth;

• Supporting dialogue between the public and private sectors under the leadership of municipal governments, through local economic and social councils, which are advisory bodies to municipal councils.

6 EDC www.edc.org .

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2.1. Goal

The primary goal of the YES programme is to enhance the employability skills of Macedonian youth.

2.2. Objectives 7

• To facilitate public-private dialogue that will enhance the demand-supply labour exchange at the local level;

• To develop venues for meeting immediate skills/training needs of the labour market and for career development opportunities;

• To strengthen the job services capacity of ESA and its ability to match youth with jobs in the private sector, to ensure that trained youth are provided with better services, i.e., training in work readiness skills, access to structured work-based learning opportunities and up-to-date information on job openings and career development opportunities;

• To provide continuing professional development opportunities for teachers in secondary schools;

• To create innovative mechanisms to make VET schools and centres more responsive and relevant;

• To integrate productive connections with current and planned workforce-related activities of USAID and other donors;

• To strengthen the capacities of NGOs and disabled persons organizations to develop the employability skills of youth;

• To provide career exploration and career counselling services for youth and furnish them with resources related to preparedness for work and information on the current status and demands of the local labour market.

due to funding reasons, the programme is geographically limited to seven municipalities in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.


The participants are a blend of both genders and different nationalities, with no preference or priority given on the basis of either gender or nationality.


3. Target group

3.1. Age group

The YES Network project targets young people aged 15-27 years who are students in their final year of secondary school, VET school and gymnasium; unemployed registrants with the ESA; and out-of-school, unregistered and unemployed.

Although there are no exclusion criteria for eligibility to participate in the programme,

7 Interview with Gjorgje Kusevski, Chief of Party on 31 October 2014.

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In accordance with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, YES has recently expanded the programme to include youth with disabilities. This was made possible due to a grant awarded through a competitive process organized by USAID worldwide. The YES Network project will now be able to help youth with disabilities to attain a job.

YES has developed tailor-made curricula for improving the employability skills of Macedonian students and youth. Two of these curricula – work readiness skills and work-based learning – have already been upgraded with guidelines on working with disabled youth for secondary school teachers and ESA staff, youth-serving non-profit organizations and disabled people’s organizations. The guidelines are specific to the activities of the above-mentioned YES programmes and are designed specifically for students and youth with physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities. YES is currently upgrading its career counselling programme and manual with the same type of guidelines and tips for teachers and facilitators.

The YES Network project equipped 37 secondary schools and seven ESA centres with assistive technology devices and software (big-button keyboard, joystick, trackball and switch, as well as NVDA screen reader for youth with visual impairments). Students and youth with various disabilities are now able to enjoy the benefits of assistive technology in the training venues. The project will install access ramps and make some of these schools fully accessible to persons with physical disabilities.

It is expected that about 15 per cent of all youth participating in YES workshops will have a disability.

Furthermore, youth with disabilities are participating in local economic and social councils, i.e., venues for public-private dialogue around youth employability.


The YES programme targets unemployed and marginalized youth as well as vulnerable populations. In addition to the national consequences, unemployment can have a significantly negative impact on a person’s self-esteem and physical and psychological health.3 These damaging effects can increase people’s vulnerability.


The YES programme aims to empower youth, irrespective of ethnic background or any disability. The programme is in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in that it builds the capacity of the educational and employment support systems to provide employment services to youth with disabilities. YES also acts in accordance with the general principles of the Convention on non-discrimination, full and effective participation, inclusion in society, equality of opportunity and accessibility for persons with disabilities.


Youth participated in focus group discussions to define the objectives of the programme. Youth are also actively involved in the implementation of some of the programme’s activities. For example, representatives of youth NGOs were responsible for delivering the work readiness skills training to unemployed youth. Students from VET schools who volunteer in the career centres are responsible for promoting the centres’ services to students in the schools and helping fellow students to prepare their curriculum vitae (c.v.).

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YES implementers conducted a needs assessment with business representatives and youth to understand the situation and challenges of youth employment.

YES works directly with secondary and vocational school teachers, staff from local ESA centres and NGOs that work with unemployed youth. YES conducts training-of-trainers workshops for staff and teachers from these agencies to equip them to deliver the work readiness skills and work-based learning programmes.

4.2. Activities

In order to achieve the project objectives the following activities have been implemented:

• The work readiness skills programme is implemented in partnership with the VET schools and ESA centres. The trained teachers and facilitators from both ESA and VET help students and unemployed youth to develop their ‘soft’ skills (communication skills, teamwork, workplace behaviour, job searching etc.). A programme for elective classes has been approved by the VET centre and is implemented with third-year VET students.

• The work-based learning programme structures the students’ practical training and also suggests a variety of forms and techniques that students can apply in their work-based learning. A programme for elective classes that elaborates these techniques has been approved by a VET Centre and is implemented with fourth-year VET students. Alternatively, certain

techniques are integrated in existing technical subjects and classes.

• The career counselling programme provides the teachers and ESA facilitators with the basic competences necessary to offer career counselling to students and unemployed youth. It also helps them to initiate and organize services in the school career centres and job clubs in ESA centres. An elective programme for career planning classes has been approved by a VET centre and is implemented with second-year VET students. Certain contents of the programme can also be integrated in regular teaching and learning subjects.

• Establishment of career centres and job clubs. The YES Network invested in the establishment of 48 career centres in secondary schools and seven job clubs in ESA centres. The career centres and job clubs were equipped with furniture, IT equipment and relevant reading materials.

• The ‘mentor in companies’ programme is for representatives of the business sector, who are trained to cooperate more effectively with schools and work with students during their work-based learning experiences. These trainings are delivered by VET Centre advisors, business consultants for safety at the work place and YES Network staff.

• Local economic and social councils. The YES Network was established to initiate and maintain the public-private dialogue on youth employment and the labour market, and to serve as a platform to better match the skills required by the labour market with those developed in schools. Through the formation and

1918 YES Annual Evaluation Report (2013).

operation of local economic and social councils, the project contributes to the development of knowledge, skills and opportunities within the local community to improve the social dialogue. To date, local economic and social councils have been established in all seven partner municipalities.

The following is a summary of some of the activities conducted in 2013: 8

• Partner NGOs implemented five workshops on work readiness skills in which 97 unemployed, unregistered out-of-school youth participated.

• The ESA established a plan for these workshops that will be implemented every six months.

• The YES Network renovated and fully re-equipped three job centres in the ESA centres in three different areas of the country.

• Additional ESA staff was trained in the work readiness skills programme.

• 16 ESA staff representatives were trained in facilitation skills.

• A workshop on ‘online career portfolio’ was developed and 88 registered unemployed youth attended the workshop and received the training.

• The ESA developed the internship handbook and respective workshops.

• ESA centres organized 35 workshop cycles which trained 585 unemployed registrants in the work readiness skills curriculum.

• Career centres were opened in secondary schools in three areas of the country.

• 67 VET teachers and school principals participated in work-based learning workshops.

• 441 VET students participated in the work-based learning programme.

4.3. Innovativeness

YES works to equip youth with tools and skills that meet employers’ standards and expectations. YES does not focus on one activity or aspect of work training, but rather provides the youth with a package to prepare them to face the realities of the workforce.

YES has included persons with disabilities in the programme, which is crucial since unemployment is especially high among disabled youth and few agencies cater to their specific needs.


The YES programme has received $7 million from USAID for the five years required for its implementation. The funding from USAID is a major factor in the programme’s success. Without this funding, the YES programme would not have been able sustain itself throughout the five-year implementation period, especially given the programme’s large scale which involved ESA, NGOs and secondary schools in seven different municipalities.

Most of the funding goes to on-the-ground activities, supporting training activities and grants to local partners.

4.5. Sustainability

The funds from USAID helped substantially to sustain the programme for the past four years and will continue to do so until the end of its final year. The fact that the YES programme has been institutionalized in the curriculum of the vocational schools considerably helped the programme’s sustainability as this secures the venue, staff and other crucial logistics required for implementation.

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Since the very beginning of the project’s activities with schools, the YES programme has been working closely with national educational institutions to include YES training programmes in the regular school curriculum and to train more teachers per school to ensure that the schools have the capacity to meet the needs of more student groups interested in the programmes.

The work readiness skills programme is nationally approved and adopted by the VET centres as an elective course through which the modules are delivered to third-year vocational school students. Likewise, an adapted work-based learning programme has been approved and adopted at the national level as an elective course for fourth-year students. A career counseling/planning programme aimed at VET school students in their second year followed the same pattern.

The YES Network project has already achieved sustainable results in the introduction of new training courses at ESA centres. Originally, selected staff members from seven ESA offices were trained to deliver the work readiness skills and work-based learning to unemployed youth. The trainings have been delivered continuously as part of regular ESA job club activities. In partnership with the ESA centres, YES continues to support internship activities for unemployed youth and to encourage them to use the services offered by the job clubs.

This institutionalization of the YES programme further cements its sustainability.

4.6. Replicability

The programme has not been replicated beyond the seven target municipalities.


The Education Development Centre produces an annual monitoring and evaluation report which details the successes and lessons learned from each year. The monitoring and evaluation are conducted through quantitative (questionnaires and observation check lists) and qualitative (focus groups and interviews) data collection methods.

5. Evaluation of effectiveness• By establishing a local economic and

social council in six municipalities, the programme was able to facilitate public-private dialogue to improve the supply and demand of labour exchange;

• The local ESA was able to improve to improve its services due to the YES programme’s development and implementation of the work readiness skills, work-based learning and career counselling training programmes;

• ESA was able to deliver 81 work readiness skills workshops to 1,400 unemployed youth, of whom 201 youth were able to find employment and are currently employed;

• 373 secondary school teachers were trained in and delivered the work readiness skills curriculum to their students;

• 4,476 students participated in the programme; 83 per cent of the youth who received the training have reported that they have significantly improved their employability skills;

• 1,444 students have completed the work-based learning training programme and 565 students have completed the career planning programme;

• 38 career centres and seven job clubs

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were established.

• The work readiness skills and work-based learning programmes have been adopted and integrated in the VET centres as elective courses and as part of the national curriculum for vocational schools.


The integration of the program into VET and secondary schools is the main strength in that it furthers both the sustainability and reach of the programme.

The creation of a pool of trained teachers in each of the partner schools ensures that capacities have been built in the schools for delivering the contents of the programmes after the project’s closure. As all programmes have been adopted as elective subjects at a national level, there is a basis for further expansion of these programmes beyond the municipalities involved in the YES Network. The integration of the contents of the YES training programmes into existing subjects also contributes to extending the programme’s reach.

7. Challenges

Three major challenges were encountered in the implementation of the YES programme:

• Since the programme included unemployed youth who were not registered with the state ESA, reaching them proved to be difficult. YES partnered with local NGOs serving youth, training representatives from the NGOs to deliver the YES training programmes. YES also provided grants to at least one NGO in each partner municipality to deliver work

readiness skills workshops to unemployed youth who are not registered with ESA. The YES Network constantly encourages them to register with ESA so they can use all the services that ESA centres provide to unemployed youth;

• Schools did not always have enough rooms to conduct the programme activities. (Because of the large number of students, some schools lacked space even for regular school activities.) As an alternative, the career centres equipped by YES were used as venues for delivering the YES programmes, which was a partial solution to the problem.

• Teachers sometimes felt overloaded by their responsibilities. This issue was addressed by including more teachers from partner schools in YES activities and integrating the YES programme as part of school curricula.


Considering the gradual involvement of municipalities and the consecutive development of the programmes, in the remaining year of the project the YES Network will focus on completing the training cycles so that all involved partners receive the necessary capacity-building. Simultaneously, YES Network will work on strengthening the structure necessary for sustaining these programmes in close cooperation with the partner institutions.

It will cooperate with VET centres on creating a pool of teachers who will be able to disseminate work readiness skills training to other teachers in their schools and also in schools that were not involved in the YES Network, because this programme gives immediate results in strengthening students’

194

skills and increasing their self-confidence.

Because the cooperation with the businesses regarding students’ work-based learning experiences proved to be a significant part of the process of acquiring experience at the work place, YES Network will cooperate closely with the business associations and chambers of commerce to intensify training of mentors in participating companies.

The career counselling programme proved to be a necessity in schools. Students expressed their need to receive this type of orientation and guidance in making career decisions. However, it was unanimously concluded that the career counselling should begin at an earlier age. The Ministry of Education supports the idea of strengthening career counselling prior to secondary school enrolment. The YES Network can support this initiative by developing necessary materials and strengthening teachers’ capacities for providing career counselling at earlier stages.Providing opportunities for public-private dialogue through the local economic and social councils is one of the main priorities of the project. Although the dialogue has begun, it is in an early phase and needs to be supported in order to reach a productive level.


After four years of implementation, a number of recommendations could be useful to consider if the YES programme is to be implemented again.

• Including the business sector in defining needed work skills and training facilitates and enhances the relevance of the programme.

• Working with state institutions and

involving youth from the beginning and in all stages of the programme proved to be an asset to the programme’s success and effectiveness.

• It is important to recruit more teachers, staff and volunteers in the training of trainers programme to avoid overloading only a few.


• Training materials and handbooks developed in one of the programme

• The strategy for institutionalization of the YES programme in VET schools

• The strategy for inclusion of disabled youth

• The company mentoring programme

• Improved Employment Service Agency for unemployed youth

• The strategy for the creation of local economic and social councils

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11. Resources

• Training of trainers modules;

• Work readiness skills modules;

• Work-based learning modules;

• Elective courses material

• Company mentoring modules;

• Disabled-specific modules;

• EQUIP 3 Lessons Learned.

12. References

EDC (2012). [Online] Available at: http://www.edc.org/about

EDC (2013). Annual Evaluation Report: Education Development Center, Youth Employment Skills Network.

Interview with Gjorgje Kusevski, Chief of Party on 31 October 2014

McKee-Ryan, F., Song, Z., Wanberg, C. R., & Kinicki, A. J. (2005). Psychological and physical well-being during unemployment: a meta-analytic study. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(1), 53-76.

Micevska, M. (2008). The labour market in Macedonia: A labour demand analysis. Labour, 22(2), 345-368.

Naami, A., Hayashi, R., & Liese, H. (2012). The unemployment of women with physical disabilities in Ghana: issues and recommendations, Disability & Society, 27(2), 191-204.

Republic of Macedonia: State Statistical Office (2014). http://www.stat.gov.mk/pdf/2014/2.1.14.34.pdf

World Bank. (2005) Enhancing Job Opportunities: Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union. Washington DC: World Bank.

Photo credits: EDC.

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Youth Career Initiative Jordan River Foundation

197

MENA

Jordan

Jordan River Foundation

Youth Career Initiative (YCI)

Skills development 2007Ongoing

Businesses in the community and the international tourism sector

World Tourism Organization funded the programme through cycles 6 and 7

in 2012-2013

Laila Gharaibeh, Project Coordinator

[email protected]; +962 (6) 5933211

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Between 2003 and 2014, the overall unemployment rate in Jordan fluctuated between 11 and 14 per cent.2 Current statistics for the fourth quarter of 2014 reveal that the highest rate of unemployment was recorded in the age groups 15-19 (35.4 per cent) and 20-24 years (29.3 per cent).3

Given that Jordan has limited natural resources, the tourism sector remains one of the key potential contributors to the country’s economy. This sector has 1,500 potential new jobs available annually in hotels and restaurants alone. Although this sector offers various opportunities, Jordanian youth lack the skills needed for this industry and there is a social stigma related to working in hotels and restaurants. As a result, Jordan employs foreigners from countries such as Egypt4 to work in its tourism industry.

There are thus opportunities to encourage Jordanian youth to work in the tourism industry5 and for investment in providing them the skills needed to work in this sector.6 A programme that provides the necessary training and skills, creates awareness and changes both mind-sets and the status quo associated with working in the tourism industry is very much needed.

Youth Career Initiative1

1 Desk Review (May-September 2014); Inquiry form (21 August 2014); Interview (11 November 2014 and 28 December 2014); Write up (21 January 2015); Internal Validation (21 January-6 February 2015); Implementer Validation (12 February 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

2 Quarterly report on Unemployment Rate in 2014-Department of Statistics-The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.3 Ibid.4 Interview with Laila Gharaibeh, Project coordinator, 11 November 2014.5 Ibid.6 Ibid.

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programme proved to be a success in Jordan and the region. JRF is recognized nationally, regionally and internationally and has gained a number of local, regional and international awards. Some of its programmes have been replicated regionally and internationally, a testament to its growing recognition and implementation of programmes perceived to be relevant and effective.

The Youth Career Initiative (YCI) programme8

YCI was created to empower disadvantaged and vulnerable youth from households facing economic challenges that hinder their academic advancement and may prevent them from enrolling in higher education. Many of the youth who joined the programme are from areas identified by Jordan’s Department of Statistics as ‘poverty pockets’. YCI opens the door for these youth to join the work force by equipping them, through a six-month training programme, with relevant life and work skills and exposing them to a successful business environment and successful professionals, enabling them to make informed career choices and become employable. The JRF implements YCI in coordination with local businesses in the community and the Jordan Tourism Board and in partnership with five-star hotels.

Pilot programme9

The pilot programme conducted in 2007 indicated that 7 per cent of participants dropped out of the programme. Only three five-star hotels in Amman participated in the pilot phase, and 13 students graduated from the programme. JRF applied a number of adjustments in the following years to increase and sustain the participation of youth and expand the number of partnering hotels. These adjustments included conducting orientation meetings with families to highlight


The Jordan River Foundation (JRF) is a non-governmental and non-profit organization, established in 1995 and chaired by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah. The Foundation’s mission is to “engage Jordanians to realize their full economic potential and overcome social challenges especially child abuse”. Since its inception, the Foundation has initiated numerous socioeconomic projects for women which aim to provide employment opportunities that in turn enhance their livelihoods. In essence, these projects work towards enhancing women’s knowledge and skills in the production of traditional handicrafts and in entrepreneurial skills. Such initiatives have benefited thousands of individuals, directly and indirectly, and today continue to generate income for vulnerable communities and families across the Kingdom.

As JRF grew and the concept of ‘development’ in Jordan evolved, JRF widened its approach to include sustainable community investments for women and communities, through implementing income-generating businesses with different community-based organizations across the Kingdom. The organization channels grants to community-based organizations which in turn provide loans to community members either to establish or develop an existing micro-business to give them a livelihood. In addition, for the infrastructure component, JRF introduces and implements interventions that support and improve accessibility to better transportation, health and education services. For example, in 1997, on the level of social investments, JRF launched the first programme in Jordan to address protection of children from all kinds of abuse. The

7 Ibid.

8 Inquiry Form completed on 21 August 2014.

9 Ibid.

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the programme’s impact on their children and how it could increase their employability. This was considered necessary given the stigma associated with hotel and tourism work in Jordan. Additionally, JRF introduced preparatory training for youth which included an in-depth orientation to the programme and its objectives, introducing information on work ethics and the hotel sector work environment. These two specific adjustments contributed substantially to the increase in youth enrolment in the programme, which required inviting more hotels to become partners, so that currently the partnership includes 10 five-star hotels in Aqaba and Amman. Today the programme is in its eighth cycle and since its inception has graduated 174 youth in Amman and Aqaba, 39 during the seventh cycle alone.


2.1. Goal

The aim of the programme is to empower youth to make informed career choices and to be aware of the options available to them, allowing them to improve their employability and their long-term social and economic opportunities.10

2.2. Objectives

Short-term objectives:11

1. Increase the qualifications and employability skills of youth;

2. Increase employability of the participants in the hotel sector;

3. Motivate youth to reach their goals and equip them to make their own decisions about matters that influence their future.

Long-term objectives:12

1. Supply the tourism sector with skilled workers;

2. Increase family incomes’

3. Allow youth to take on responsibilities and become more committed to their society.

10 http://www.youthcareerinitiative.org/about-us/

11 Interview with Laila Gharaibeh, Project coordinator, 11 November 2014.

12 Ibid.

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

A summary of the selection criteria is as follows:

• A minimum of 18 years of age and a maximum of 22 years of age;

• Coming from a low-income community;

• Recently completed high school; passing secondary school final exam is not a must;

• Commit full time for the six-month duration of the programme;

• The youth have no other opportunities to improve their employability;

• Jordanian nationality;

• Pass the interview and programme requirements;

• Have no university degree;

• Unemployed.

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The programme targets both males and females. Implementers noted that they are trying to enhance equity between males and females by attempting to increase the number of female participants every year by adjusting activities accordingly. Generally, the orientation sessions target families of both females and males since there is a culture of shame about working at a hotel or in the tourism sector. However, JRF has started to organize specific orientation meetings for families of females which include presentations by female graduates about their experiences in the programme.

In previous years, only 3 per cent of participants were female, but the seventh cycle showed a 20 per cent increase in the graduation rate for females, reflecting that female participation is increasing. The JRF aims to continue increasing the participation and graduation of young women.


The programme does not discriminate against any ethnicity or people with a disability. As long as the participant is a high school graduate (or equivalent) and between the ages of 18 and 22 years, there is no reason to exclude him/her. On the contrary, the programme encourages inclusiveness and focuses on vulnerable populations.


The programme targets young people aged 18-22 years who have completed high school and are unable to continue to a university education. The members of this group are vulnerable and at risk, and are unable to compete in the labour market.


YCI promotes human rights by enhancing opportunities for youth employment. The programme treats all participants professionally and equally and provides opportunities for them to express themselves. These principles are discussed in the training process and are followed up during the on-the-job training. Empowering youth, developing their skills and building their capacities in different contexts ensures the promotion of the participants’ dignity.

YCI employs a human-rights based approach whenever there may be any one issue arising with the youth participants.


Youth are involved by being asked to complete three questionnaires at the beginning, midterm and end of the programme. The results are used to evaluate and develop the programme further. JRF organizes focus group discussions with the participants to extract lessons learned and identify challenges, benefits and opportunities which can lead to corrective actions and/or activities in later cycles. Youth are sometimes involved in guiding the activities of the sessions implemented in the hotels.

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4.1. Strategies/theoretical approaches/ methodologies

The programme responds effectively to the JRF strategic objective of creating employable youth, i.e., youth who are able to function in the work environment. In addition, the programme responds nationally to the Jordanian employment strategy through increasing employment and capacity-building. By raising the capacities of the target group and allowing them to accept new ideas and new job sectors, the programme contributes to the development of Jordanian society.13

The programme’s strategy focuses on raising awareness about available employment opportunities for youth in the hotel industry, and encouraging them and their parents to consider work in hotels. The programme combines both theoretical and practical instruction including personal finance, interpersonal skills and personal health and well-being. It also exposes participants to a successful business environment and a wide variety of workplace situations14 by placing them in different departments of the hotel, e.g., the kitchen, front office, laundry room, room service, etc..

The programme strategy also includes partnering with the five-star hotels as programme stakeholders. They are actively involved in suggesting adjustments to the programme. Hotels participate or have a say about the design of each cycle since they are in contact with the youth on a daily basis and contribute many lessons learned and adjustments for the design of the subsequent cycles. The hotels also participate through meetings with the JRF

team held throughout the programme cycle and through council meetings at the beginning and end of each cycle.

Because the training takes place at the hotels, the programme implementers have to adhere to the hotels’ agendas. The hotels work with the JRF implementers in setting the agenda for the six months of the cycle and on any adjustments to the training material. They also develop the criteria for recruitment by developing an interview form and asking questions that measure the youths’ willingness to join the programme. Although these criteria and the interview guide are generally standard from cycle to cycle, specific additions (for example a question in the interview) might be added in a particular cycle based on lessons learned in previous cycles. In addition, they develop on-the-job-training which last for six months in each hotel and has the youth rotating between different departments. This process of engagement by the hotels in each step (interviewing, recruitment, on-the-job training, etc.) occurs in each cycle.

4.2. Activities

The programme’s activities are implemented in collaboration with all potential partners. The programme usually starts in July of every year, when JRF announce the programme in every governorate through orientation meetings with community-based organizations and youth centres, as well as through advertisements in newspapers and through television ads and different TV shows. Social media are also utilized: a Facebook page has been created and announcements are sent on Twitter. These spread the word about the introductory community meetings held in the governorate to announce the programme and recruit participants. JRF particularly encourages

13 ibid.

14 Ibid.

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females to join by having a female graduate of the programme present her story at every introductory meeting. JRF also organizes meetings with the parents of females to create awareness about the programme and the importance of their daughters’ participation. The involvement of parents was evident during the seventh cycle as they participated in the preparation camp, although for the current eighth cycle, they did not participate in the preparatory training but did attend the introductory meetings at the beginning of the cycle.

Implementers also hold council meetings with their partners (partnering hotels and the YCI global team) where they share their success stories and speak about implementation procedures and future steps.15

The applications received are screened at three different levels. The first screening is done by the programme staff (the coordinator and the manager) and focuses on the main criteria as mentioned earlier (age, employment status, educational background etc.). During the second stage, the selected youth are interviewed and asked about their interest in the programme. At this stage, a committee comprising the YCI coordinator and human resources representatives from JRF and the hotels, is formed to interview the youth to assess their willingness, reasons for joining, family conditions, ability to work under pressure, etc.. The youth who demonstrate a real need and interest and the ability to learn and work under pressure will be selected. The third level of screening is done by the hotels, which conduct another interview and ask more detailed questions about the candidates’ future plans, willingness to work in different departments, etc.. This

process aims to ensure that the selected youth are committed to the programme. Participants then join the partner five-star hotels, beginning in November until May. The youth will be trained based on a specific plan provided by the hotels to experience different departments.

The programme consists of two levels of training. The first training begins after the second round of screening for youth who have been selected by the committee but prior to the hotel interviews. This preparatory training includes an introduction to the programme and its objectives and provides an opportunity to develop interview skills for the hotel interviews. The second training is conducted at the hotels and includes the technical, on-the-job training in different departments of the hotels, which lasts for six months. This training equips the youth with the needed skills to make them eligible to enter the labour market and also boosts their confidence and self-esteem by helping them to change their attitudes and mind-sets. Youth receive both theoretical and practical training by working in different departments of the hotel (laundry, kitchen, etc.) so they will have experience in almost all of the hotel’s facilities.16 At the same time, they attend training sessions conducted by JRF and expert volunteers on ‘soft skills’, ICT and English language. These training sessions last for the six months of the youths’ placement in the hotels. During the soft skills training sessions, issues such as self-esteem, self-confidence, communication with the community and behavioural change are addressed in order to enhance participants’ awareness. This experience in itself provides these young individuals with dignity and the feeling of being heard and valued.

15 Ibid.

16 Ibid.

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The implementers recruits specialized staff who follow up closely with the hotels, particularly if there are any dropouts.

Phases of YCI

Youth can contact JRF at any point during their on-the-job training to discuss any issue they may face at the hotels. JRF either coaches them and explores solutions with them, or communicates with the management on their behalf if need be. JRF has a full-time dedicated coordinator for this work so that youth feel they have one person whom they can trust. Staff members who work on YCI should have voluntary work experience and must have worked at JRF for at least for six months.

1. This stage is conducted through TV and newspaper advertisements, TV programmes and social media.

2. Conduct introductory meetings with youth centres, youth clubs and community-based organizations in the 12 governorates of Jordan.

3. Receive applications from youth.

MOBLIZATION AND LAUNCHING PHASE

Applicants undergo three levels of screening:

1. Application screening according to the programme›s main criteria.

2. Applicants who pass the first stage undergo an interview with a committee that includes the technical programme staff and human resources representative from RJF and hotels.

3. Youth who are selected from this phase undergo preparatory training which equips them with skills related to job interviews in preparation for the final selection interview with the hotels.

4. Hotels interviews will define which youth who are selected for placement.

SCREENING AND RECRUITMENT

Selected youth will be placed in the different hotels, where the technical on-the-job training starts in the different departments of the hotel, accompanied by sessions on life-skills, English language and ICT. This period last for six months

HOTEL PLACEMENT

Upon completion of the hotel placement phase, youth graduate from the programme.

GRADUATION

During the programme cycle, two council meetings are conducted, one at the beginning of the programme and the second after the graduation ceremony. These meetings include top management of hotels, the YCI global team and JRF and highlight success stories, achievements and challenges, and identify asset measures and actions for correction.

In addition, youth who participate in the training provide feedback about their experiences which also feeds into success stories, lessons learned and corrective actions.

COUNCIL MEETINGS and YOUTH INPUT

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4.3. Innovativeness

The intervention is innovative in that it targets a sector that Jordanians have long avoided. The programme acts as a bridge between vulnerable youth and their communities.17


The total cost per youth in this programme is 2,091 Jordanian dollars (approximately $2,950) including training, incentives, transportation, etc. for each young person. The intervention adheres to a budget plan, but there is a different budget every year, depending on the available funds.

The task of identifying funding resources is not easy and JRF continuously seeks funding from donors. Funds have been obtained from different organizations and after finishing each cycle, implementers search for new sponsors. The programme received funds from the World Tourism Organization in 2012-2013 and from the King Abdallah II Fund for Development in 2014. In 2015, partial funding was received from the Employment, Technical and Vocational Education Training Fund (ETVET), a governmental entity that supports such programmes. The programme funded itself once.18

4.5. Sustainability

The programme is ongoing, having been sustained since its inception in 2007 and replicated seven times.20 The eighth cycle is currently under way.21

Means of sustainability 22

Sustainability has been made possible by the programme’s engagement with stakeholders such as the five-star hotels that employ the youth.

17 Ibid.18 Ibid.19 Interview with Laila Gharaibeh, Project coordinator, 28 December 2014.20 Interview with Laila Gharaibeh, Project coordinator, 11 November 2014.21 Ibid.22 Interview with Laila Gharaibeh, Project coordinator, 28 December 2014.23 Interview with Laila Gharaibeh, Project coordinator, 11 November 2014.

4.6. Replicability

After the programme was implemented in Amman, the capital, for five years, JRF expanded the programme to include the hotels in Aqaba, in the south of Jordan. JRF is now implementing the second cycle of YCI in Aqaba. It is worth mentioning however, that the participants in both cities are recruited from all Jordanian governorates.23

The programme has also been implemented in other countries including Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Mexico and Poland.



The programme is evaluated monthly and annually by the JRF monitoring and evaluation department. Implementers have internal monthly and quarterly (technical and financial) reports that clarify the objectives and outcomes from each cycle. On an institutional level, the programme adheres to the same unchanged objectives, but occasionally, depending on particular funding agencies and their requests, there are changes to specific indicators and figures. The implementers also have documentation and data available on all participants, including those who have secured a job and those who have not.

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Briefly, until the end of the seventh cycle, the programme achieved 60 per cent employment (not necessarily in the tourism sector) for the participants and 11 per cent of the youth participants went back to university24 (19 out of the 174 who graduated).

Implementation evaluation25

YCI evaluation data are disaggregated by sex, age and geographic region. The evaluation process for the programme is continuous and tracks the following indicators:26

• Percentage increase in the number of applications received from year to year:

o 80 applications were received in 2012 compared to 190 in 2013, an increase of 42 per cent, and 406 in 2014, an increase of 47 per cent;

• The number of youth graduated: over the past seven years, 174 of 203 enrolled youth graduated, representing a graduation rate of 86 per cent;

• The number of youth employed in the hospitality and other sectors in the seventh cycle: 22 were employed (18 in hospitality and four in other sectors) out of 49 enrolled; 39 graduated out of 49 enrolled, a graduation rate of 80 per cent;

• Percentage of youth returning to educational system over the past seven years: 11 per cent;

• Number of partnerships forged with the private sector:

o Memorandum of understanding signed between JRF, Global Communities (an NGO) and the private sector, i.e., hotels and restaurants, during the seventh cycle;

o One new hotel joined the programme in the fifth cycle and two in the sixth cycle;

• Percentage increase in female participation: two females joined in the fifth and sixth cycles respectively and eight for the seventh cycle.

Objectives achieved:

The programme has achieved its objectives since its inception in 2007:27

1. 174 youth participants graduated (42-50 youth each year, with a total graduation rate of 86 per cent); 82 per cent of females and 86 per cent of males successfully graduated from the training with improved employment skills to actively participate in the Jordanian workforce;28

2. 105 youth participants, five of whom were females, were successfully employed in the hotel industry and tourism sector. The smaller percentage of females was due to family commitments;

3. 105 families are benefiting from the supplemental and regular income of their now employed youth;

4. 19 of 174 YCI graduates have resumed their education;29

5. Although not an indicator, it has been noticed through word of mouth among the youth that the YCI graduates become role models for other young people in their families, peer groups and communities;

6. The participation of the five-star hotels was critical in increasing and qualifying young Jordanians to join the tourism sector. The hotels encourage the youth and build their capabilities through technical training;

24 Ibid.

25 Interview with Laila Gharaibeh, Project coordinator, 28 December 2014.

26, 27, 28, 29 Ibid.

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7. Positive cultural change reflected in the increase of youth participation mainly females;

8. Although there is no specific indicator yet, there seems to be a positive cultural change among communities in accepting that their children work in the tourism sector.

Following up

JRF contacts former YCI graduates to follow up on their progress. Records are kept regarding the positions they occupy which allows implementers to monitor the success of the programme.30


This intervention empowers the target group not only by working with the youth themselves, but also with their families through their involvement in some programme activities. Parents are made aware that their children are going through new experiences and exposure to new situations, which enables families to support them through this process. The intervention works at the level of both the youth and their parents, which further empowers the youth.31 The parents are involved in the introductory meetings held by JRF. In the seventh year of implementation, parents were involved in the preparatory camps.

JFR has established a partnership with the International Business Leaders Forum, which expanded the programme to other countries (e.g., Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Egypt, Ethiopia, Hungary, India, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Senegal, Thailand and Viet Nam). JRF works continuously international business leaders to adapt the programme to fit the standards of the various countries.32

According to the implementers of YCI, the opinions and perspectives of stakeholders are continuously taken into consideration through the major activities of the programme, the council meetings and the daily correspondences and meetings with the human resources management at the hotels.33

7. Challenges

YCI faces challenges related to:

• Commitment of youth who have been selected and recruited by the hotels. Attendance is taken by the hotels daily during the training. This is a major challenge as some donors restrict YCI to certain number of youth, and when a participant drops out, he/she cannot be replaced;

• The availability of programmes by other institutions which serve to provide employment.34 For example, in Jordan, there are other programmes which provide on-the-job job training in the hotel sector. This affects the number of youth placed in hotels since they need to recruit youth from these other programmes as well;

• Female participation, which is opposed by their parents.


Currently, since this model has proven its effectiveness in providing and networking youth with employment opportunities in the hotel sector, JRF is considering having two YCI cycles per year. Additionally, JRF is considering replicating this model in other sectors such as car maintenance, restaurants and hospitals, in order to create an empowered group of youth in these areas.

30 Ibid.

31 Interview with Laila Gharaibeh, Project coordinator, 11 November 2014.

32 Ibid..

33 Interview with Laila Gharaibeh, Project coordinator, 28 December 2014.

34 Ibid.

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A number of factors that contributed to the success of YCI would be valuable to include when implementing the programme.

• The involvement of and collaboration with the hotels was very important, not only for the sustainability of the programme but also for ensuring its proper implementation.

• Recruitment strategies and the selection process must be professional in order to avoid high dropout rates.

• A strong funding network proved to be very beneficial to the programme’s sustainability.

• Evaluation and monitoring procedures are pivotal to the programme’s success. YCI evaluated the programme with the youth at three levels of the programme (beginning, middle and end), conducting focus group discussions with them. The results of these evaluations are important for improving the programme.

• A pilot study: (1) allows the implementing organization to amend or improve the programme; and (2) provides a clearer image of the target audience.


• The partnership established by JRF with the International Business Leaders Forum and the programme can be expanded to programme to other countries.

11. Resources

Operational and training manual for the programme. Interested parties are to contact implementers as there is a fee for this manual, which provides step-by-step details of how such a programme is run.

12. References

Inquiry Form about the programme completed on 21 August 2014.

Interviews with Laila Gharaibeh, Project coordinator, 11 November and 28 December 2014.

Quarterly report on Unemployment Rate in 2014-Department of Statistics-The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

http://www.youthcareerinitiative.org/about-us/

Photo credits: Jordan River Foundation.

Civic Engagement

Civic Engagement

Adolescent-Friendly Spaces

United Nations Children's Fund Middle East and North Africa Regional Office

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MENA

Jordan, Lebanon, State of Palestine and Syrian Arab Republic

United Nations Children’s Fund Middle East and North Africa Regional Office

Adolescent-Friendly Spaces2

Civic engagement20042013

State of Palestine: UNRWA; NGOs – Tamer Institute for Community Education,

Ma’an Development Center, Al Nayzak; CBOs; Higher Council for Youth and

Sports (HCYS).

Jordan: UNRWA and Women’s Programme Centres (WPC).

Lebanon: UNRWA; Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS); Ministry

of Health.

Syrian Arab Republic: UNRWA and the General Authority for Palestinian Arab

Refugees (Syrian government agency).

UNICEF

Liv Elin Indreiten, Adolescent and Youth Specialist, UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional [email protected] Maysoon Obeidi, Youth and Adolescent Office, UNICEF State of [email protected]

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Of the estimated population of 4.42 million in the State of Palestine, one third are youth aged 15-29 years3 and 25.1 per cent are adolescents aged 10-19 years.4 A large number of these young people do not benefit from the education system; 55.2 per cent are out of school, while those who are able to pursue university education face very high unemployment rates.5 School dropouts and a persistently deficient unemployment structure are only two of the many factors limiting young people’s social and economic development. Violence, conflict and destruction, lack of freedom of movement and participation, limited basic services and systematic violation of human rights characterize the environment in which adolescents and youth develop. Palestinian adolescents in neighbouring countries – Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic – are

Adolescent-Friendly Spaces1

1 Desk review (9 October 2014); Internal validation (15 December 2014-2 February 2015); Implementer validation (June 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

2 Adolescent-friendly spaces were a core component of the four-country programme, ‘Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change – Towards an Environment Promoting Peace and Reconciliation’, implemented by UNICEF and its partners between 2004 and 2013 with support from the Government of Norway.

3 ILO and PCBS (2014).

4 UNICEF Info by country: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/oPt_statistics.html

5 The youth unemployment rate of a university graduate is 1.5 times that of a person with no education, 47 per cent and 31.2 per cent respectively. (ILO and PCBS, 2014).

Country

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to varying degrees excluded from decision-making processes affecting their lives and are also systematically exposed to the political, social and economic constraints of their environment. In Lebanon, Palestinians are denied citizenship and thus deprived of basic rights including work and education.6 Palestinians in refugee camps in Lebanon face poverty, deplorable living conditions and a restrictive legal, economic and social system. In the Syrian Arab Republic, the ongoing conflict has dramatically worsened the daily lives of these young people. By November 2014, 44,000 Palestinian refugees from that country had sought refuge in Lebanon and 15,000 had registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Jordan. In Jordan,7 most Palestinians have full Jordanian citizenship; however, nearly 370,000 Palestinian refugees8 live in the 10 recognized refugee camps, facing economic hardship and discrimination in the provision of public services. The common threads for these adolescents are economic, social and political marginalization, and the lack of symbolic and physical spaces for interaction and development.

In 2004, the UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office started coordinating a four-country programme with the overall goal to fulfil the rights to self-development, education, protection and participation of Palestinian adolescents (age 10-18 years) living in the State of Palestine and in refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic. Grounded in the concept of positive adolescent development, the programme, ‘Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change – Towards an Environment Promoting Peace and Reconciliation’ (2004-2013),9

sought to develop the skills of young people and create opportunities and spaces for their meaningful participation in their communities and beyond the more traditional and often constraining environments of home and school.

One of the four pillars of the four-country Palestinian programme implemented by UNICEF and its partners was the development and establishment of adolescent-friendly spaces (AFS). Grounded in an approach based on positive adolescent development and participation, the AFS are housed in/by youth centres, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), sports clubs and centres run by community-based organizations (CBOs), where adolescents have the opportunity to meet in a space where they can feel safe to network and socialize with their peers. These spaces offered adolescents a diverse range of skills- building programmes and activities, including life-skills training and action research. The AFS also offered adolescents recreational sports, drama, theatre and arts, and the opportunity to engage with the community, identifying issues of concern and implementing solutions through their adolescent-led activities. The different programmes offered in the AFS aimed to build adolescents’ skills in critical thinking, creativity and collaboration, supporting them to become more resilient.

The AFS proved to be particularly successful in increasing the participation of adolescent girls by offering a space where they could meet, hiring more female facilitators and holding activities of greater interest to them. In the countries/areas where AFS were developed, girls are often confined to school, home and family networks as a result of social pressures and practices that limit their participation in the public sphere.

6 Basic education is provided to Palestinian refugees by UNRWA.

7 United Nations (November 2014).

8 UNRWA: http://www.unrwa.org/where-we-work/jordan .

9 This 10-year programme was implemented in four phases. Phase I (2004) focused on: (i) Providing safe spaces; promoting skills development; (ii) Providing life skills for adolescents; (iii) Undertak-ing action research to support adolescent-led initiatives; and (iv) Developing leaders who could mobilize other adolescents for community action. This model served as the basis for the program’s subsequent three phases. Phase II (2005-2007) added a focus on enabling adolescents to participate in the management of safe spaces; supported networking among adolescents; and coor-dination with other organisations working with adolescents. Phase III (2008-2010) placed a stronger emphasis on mainstreaming and institutionalizing adolescent programming within the overall programme priorities of UNICEF starting in 2009 by strengthening cooperation with UNRWA and other United Nations agencies as well as strengthening links between and with NGOs. Phase IV (2011-2013) expanded its scope and integrated rights-based and gender equality perspectives, and adopted an assets-based and life-cycle approach. (Kartini International, 2015).

10 Kartini International, 2015.

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The development of minimum standards for the AFS in the State of Palestine was a core achievement of the programme.11 These standards serve as guiding principles for establishing and sustaining spaces that are adolescent-friendly in terms of programming, facilities and management of the centres. The standards ensure the quality of services and are addressed to various stakeholders including governmental and non-governmental organizations, youth centres and young people themselves.12 The standards were developed through numerous consultations and discussions with the Higher Council of Youth and Sports (HCYS), NGO partners, UNICEF staff and young people. An assessment survey was also conducted in a sample of existing youth centres. The AFS minimum standards were endorsed by the authorities in the State of Palestine in 2014,13 and Jordan has shown significant progress towards appropriate implementation of an adaptation of the model.

This good practice document focuses on the successful experience of the establishment

and implementation of AFS in the State of Palestine. However, the AFS model is part of the larger four-country Palestinian programme for adolescents and as such, was also implemented in Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic. Each country adapted the model according to its particular context, needs of the young people and available resources.


The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) “is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential”.14 UNICEF works with decision makers and partners at the global and grass-roots levels to prevent child mortality and improve children’s lives by providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education and emergency relief.15

11 See Annex.

12 Kartini International, 2015.

13 Media coverage of the announcement: http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/523737.

14 UNICEF Mission Statement: http://www.unicef.org/about/who/index_mission.html.

15 UNICEF Innovation: http://www.unicef.org/innovation/.

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2.1. Goal

The overall goal of this programme was:

“To fulfil the rights to self-development, education, protection and participation of Palestinian adolescents (age 10-18 years) living in the State of Palestine and in refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic, in collaboration with government authorities and other key actors in society, including young people themselves.16

As part of the multi-country programme, the overall goal of the AFS component was to fulfil the rights to self-development, education, protection and different forms of participation of Palestinian adolescents (ages 10-18 years) living in the State of Palestine and in refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic.”17

2.2. Objectives

The objectives of the AFS are to:

• Facilitate networking among Palestinian adolescents;

• Build the creative and critical thinking skills of adolescent boys and girls through life-skills training and recreational activities;

• Promote adolescent participation at the community level through the implementation of adolescent-led initiatives.

in the programme activities, for example by facilitating equal access to boys and girls.

The other advocacy strategy included setting up programme activities tailored to the needs of adolescent girls that were separate from adolescent boys. This included involving community leaders, outreach sessions to parents, especially fathers, holding activities for girls at separate times or days and hiring female facilitators in some locations. The latter had a positive impact on the participation of adolescent girls, as it allowed them to take part in public activities in the context of a safe space and to interact with peers beyond the traditional networks of home, family and school.

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

The age group reached through the AFS is adolescents and youth aged 10-24 years, but the primary beneficiary group comprises adolescents aged 10-18 years. Parents and community members represent secondary beneficiaries.


AFS adopted a gender-sensitive strategy, seeking the increased participation of adolescent girls in public spaces.

The external evaluation found that the programme employed two major advocacy strategies to achieve this. It actively promoted the inclusion of adolescent girls

16 Proposal Phase IV, Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change – Towards an Environment Promoting Peace and Reconciliation’ (2011-2013), 29-12-2010.

17 UNICEF (December 2014) Final Donor Report: Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change – Towards an Environment Promot-ing Peace and Reconciliation. UNICEF MENARO.

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The external evaluation of the Palestinian adolescent programme implemented in four countries, of which AFS were a core component, revealed that the combination of the strategies employed increased the rate of participation by adolescent girls from 10 to 20 per cent in Phase I (2004), to 40 to 65 per cent in Phase IV (2011-2013).13

The feedback from focus group discussions that were part of the evaluation revealed ‘an increase in adolescent girls’ confidence in public settings and in themselves and in their willingness to take on leadership roles’. For instance, during a focus group discussion conducted in the West Bank,19 parents noted that the AFS was the only place where adolescent girls could participate safely in out-of-school activities.20

The evaluation also noted, however, that the inclusive programme approaches were more effective with the younger girls aged 10 -14 years than with the older girls aged 15-19 years. This cohort faced additional challenges as their parents and family members became more concerned about their safety, contact with the opposite sex and pressures to stay at home or get married.


No specific ethnic or disability considerations were systematically applied as part of the programme. However, implementing countries worked to different extents in outreach to and integrating adolescents with disabilities. The evaluation found some level of systematic efforts in the Syrian Arab Republic to integrate these adolescents into the activities. While the other UNICEF offices involved also mentioned activities conducted for adolescents with disabilities, there was no consistent tracking of the type and number of beneficiaries.


The AFS targeted adolescents in the State of Palestine (the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip). Within the prevailing limitations imposed on the population, several areas in the West Bank and Gaza are particularly vulnerable due to the occupation. Lack of freedom of movement and restricted areas, including multiple check points for movement across the different areas, compounded by forced displacement and systematic socioeconomic marginalization, result in very limited opportunities for civic engagement and interaction for adolescents. The AFS were created to address the needs of adolescents in these areas. The model has moreover proven to contribute to building the skills of this cohort in the context of humanitarian crises and emergencies. The evaluation revealed that in some areas of the State of Palestine,21 efforts were made to reach out to the most disadvantaged Palestinian adolescents living in rural or remote areas by providing transportation to join the AFS.22 The evaluation found that no consistent system was devised for quantitatively registering the number and type of vulnerable adolescents23 reached. It was thus difficult to fully assess the extent to which each country was able to reach the most vulnerable adolescents. The evaluation concluded that some of the groups which were not comprehensively reached were Bedouins, youth, married adolescents and the extremly poor.24


The AFS model is built on a human rights-based approach, encouraging the exercise of the right to participation (Convention on the Rights of the Child, article 12). As stated in the minimum standards, young people

18 Kartini International (2015).19 Focus group discussion conducted 18 June 2014 as part of the Palestinian programme evaluation by Kartini International (2015).20 Kartini Evaluation (2015).21 Yabad and Bardala.22 Kartini International (2015).23 Ibid.24 Kartini International (2015).

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should be “perceived, valued and respected as rights holders, agents of change, vital resources and strategic participants in their own as well as national development”.25


Adolescents and youth were involved in the AFS in a variety of ways. With the programme grounded in a participatory approach, the young people acted as facilitators of the activities that were implemented and as practitioners developing and implementing their own adolescent-led initiatives. The latter focused on improving the surrounding environment and on raising awareness about their rights and issues of concern.



The programme is grounded in a positive approach to adolescent development and participation which defines young people as assets and as persons with resources who can contribute positively to the community, as opposed to being a liability. Programmes based on this premise adopt a holistic approach that takes into account not only the needs and interests of adolescents but also their role and meaningful participation in the community. Adolescents take part in the decision-making processes in the AFS and at the levels of the community, home and school, and in the development and implementation of adolescent-led initiatives that address issues of concern to them and their communities. Through this method, adolescents develop critical skills for the twenty-first century,26 increase their self-confidence and develop their capacities to their fullest.

4.2. Activities

The AFS offered a diverse series of programmes and activities: remedial education; life-skills training (including non-violent conflict resolution); interactive learning; recreational programmes (drama, theatre, arts, sport); and action research. Not every AFS offered the full range of programming as much depended on the resources of partners at the local level. However, all AFS offered at a minimum remedial education, action research and life skills. In some AFS, life-skills education was offered as a separate programme while in others it was integrated in the remedial education or action research programmes.

Adolescents participated in these activities throughout the week after school and on weekends. In the State of Palestine, the activities were developed in collaboration with HCYS and through the implementing partners Ma’an, Tamer and CBOs were located in the refugee camps.

The AFS model created safe spaces for adolescents to meet, socialize and learn new skills. In the State of Palestine, the AFS model was introduced in 2004 at the onset of the UNICEF MENA Regional Programme, “Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change – Towards an Environment Promoting Peace and Reconciliation.” Ten years later, and based on this experience, the minimum standards were developed to define what an AFS should be and provide a framework of the minimum requirements for its operation.

25 State of Palestine, Minimum Standards for Adolescent- and Youth-Friendly Centres in the State of Palestine. East Jerusalem, UNICEF State of Palestine.

26 Twenty-first century skills are a broad set of knowledge, skills and habits which have been identified by facilitators/educators, education reform-ers and practitioners as critical for the preparation of adolescents for the needs of the twenty-first century, particularly the workplace. The P21 organization in the United States defines these as life and career skills; learning and innovation skills – the 4Cs (critical thinking, communica-tion, collaboration and creativity); and information, media and technology skills. Accompanied by core subjects and twenty-first century themes, these skills are also coupled with contemporary learning support systems. For more information: http://www.p21.org/about-us/p21-framework.

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The standards provide a series of indicators grouped into four main thematic areas: (1) building and facilities; (2) programme and activities; (3) human resources, including staff training and development and volunteers’ roles and responsibilities; and (4) governance of the centre, which stipulates involving young people. The standards enable centres that work with young people to generate an understanding of the essentials that constitute an AFS in terms of programming, facilities and management of the centres. They outline the basic elements and practices for working with young people and serve as a guide for involving the young people.

The AFS are typically located in existing facilities in the community – youth centres, CBOs and NGOs – which are located in a safe environment and can be easily and safely accessed by adolescent boys and girls. Facilities should be well maintained and adapted to all needs, including those of adolescents with disabilities. While the programme and activities on offer may vary and are conceived according to the local context and needs, they respond to young people’s needs and include them in the planning and implementation of activities. The standards also stipulate the active engagement of young people in the centres’ management, including their engagement in the election process and selection of the centres’ board members, and the creation of an adolescent and youth advisory committee. The AFS also strive for gender equality in both their programming and management, ensuring equal participation of adolescent boys and girls. Finally, the AFS make an effort to hire qualified young adults, including former users of the AFS centres.27

In the State of Palestine, the implementing partners Ma’an and Tamer trained facilitators to deliver remedial education, life skills and other recreational activities for adolescents; and adolescents were trained in peer-to-peer education, notably in delivering life-skills sessions.28 In each of the AFS, facilitators and youth workers were trained to address topics or issues of relevance to the adolescents as part of the life-skills programme, including time management and gender equality.

The life-skills training offered by the AFS depended on the context, capacity and resources of the implementing partners, but an important achievement was the inclusion of how to address conflict in a non-violent way. Based on the experience of implementing life-skills training, a standard package is now being developed in the State of Palestine. This curriculum includes 24 hours of skills-building at the youth centres and after-school clubs, 24 hours of coaching and civic engagement-related activities and 24 hours of online learning.29 The life-skills package in Jordan is slightly different, with a 40-hour life-skills training package with more hours included for each component.

As in the case of the life-skills training, the remedial education and recreational programmes and activities depended on the context, capacity and resources of implementing partners. In the State of Palestine, Ma’an and Tamer provided remedial education in Arabic language and mathematics and offered expressive arts courses, including theatre and different forms of visual arts and music.

The action research programme taught adolescents how to use research methodologies to identify a research

27 Minimum Standards for Adolescent- and Youth-Friendly Centres in the State of Palestine.

28 The training of facilitators and adolescents varied; for example, Ma’an conducted a five-day training on peer education for adolescents and Tamer conducted a 30-hour training for facilitators in remedial education and the expressive arts. (Final reports, Ma’an and Tamer).

29 UNICEF (2014).

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topic or issue in the community, design a research plan and organize an initiative to address key issues identified through their research. The methodology for the action research programme was originally created by the NGO partner Al Nayzak and adapted to the context of the AFS, with the action research in the AFS having a much shorter duration.30

Adolescents in the AFS received action research training that lasted between three and four months, and the outcome of this process was the adolescent-led initiatives and volunteer activities in which the adolescents took part. Some of the initiatives addressed environmental issues – a street cleaning campaign and repainting walls in the community – while others raised awareness of health issues such as smoking or organized a book collection for the local library (the ‘I Donate a Book’ campaign). The adolescents also implemented social media and multimedia campaigns31 on issues such as violence, climate change and protection of the environment.32

Networking among adolescents took place through local-level events, summer camps, day trips, adolescent-led initiatives and festivals. The common thread in these activities was to connect adolescents with others in the same community and from other communities, especially through joint summer camp activities organized by different NGOs. The duration of these summer camps and festivals varied, but for instance, Ma’an organized a five-day summer camp for the adolescents in Ramallah and West Bank, with activities including drama and art workshops, sports, swimming and trainings on identity and culture.33

4.3. Innovativeness

The AFS, grounded in a positive approach to adolescent development and participation, were innovative in the context of the implementing countries, Jordan, Lebanon, State of Palestine and Syrian Arab Republic. The establishment of AFS involved the creation of safe spaces in existing facilities where adolescents could feel safe to network, socialize with others and learn new skills. The programmes on offer were diverse and depended on the context and resources available. The introduction of action research gave adolescents the opportunity to engage in experiential learning. Young people learned how to research issues of concern at the community level and develop and lead their own community initiatives.


The AFS and related activities carried out and the establishment of minimum standards were largely funded by the Government of Norway as part of the multi-country programme, ‘Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change’. At the country level, funding was obtained from different donor Governments and agencies. The adoption of the AFS model has allowed partners to secure other sources of funding beyond those allocated as part of the UNICEF-led programme. For instance, the partner Ma’an was able to obtain funding from the Government of Japan by continuing its work with the AFS model.34 The partner Tamer has generated its own funding and has continued the activities launched as part of the AFS model. In some cases, local funding was obtained for community-level activities implemented by the adolescents.

30 The NGO Al Nayzak runs in parallel its own action research programme, which lasts three years, while the action research in the AFS has a much shorter duration.31 2014: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyuGe-jCrDVHU2GMhmY0wvPE5BoPEu6CW; 2013: https://www.youtube.com/ playlist?list=PLyuGe-jCrDVGxQvAR5ne0CKk3nb_v6PQj 32 UNICEF (2014).33 Ma’an (2013).34 Kartini International (2015).

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4.5. Sustainability

The establishment of AFS was intended to create a model and standards which can be endorsed by the government and supported by active involvement of partners on the ground – NGOs, CBOs, youth centres – which can pursue the implementation of AFS activities.

The programme was particularly successful in achieving sustainability with regards to building the capacity of implementing partners and adolescents, and establishing institutional arrangements with UNRWA, notably in the replicating countries of Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic. However, it has been less successful in securing financial sustainability. This is in part due to the nature of the protracted conflict in the State of Palestine.

Implementing partners that have worked with the AFS model have been introduced to the positive approach to adolescent development. The evaluation found that civil society organization partners were applying this approach. In the State of Palestine, the local organization Ma’an has established a specific youth programme and strengthened its capacity to identify and put adolescent and youth issues on its agenda. Tamer has adopted a modern active learning philosophy instead of traditional learning approaches.35

Buy-in from the authorities in the State of Palestine has grown slowly, but the most significant achievement is the development and endorsement of the minimum standards by the HCYS, which ensures the incorporation of AFS in future work addressing adolescents and youth. In 2013, HCYS, supported by UNICEF, conducted a baseline assessment survey in 517 of 534 registered adolescent centres as a first step towards establishing a

monitoring system to operationalize the AFS standards developed that year. A key finding was that 74.27 per cent of the centres were operational and used by adolescents, thus opening the opportunity for implementation of AFS standards.

This baseline assessment was the first analytical review conducted by the HCYS, and it is the first step towards the institutionalization of AFS standards in the existing centres and improvement of monitoring mechanisms.

4.6. Replicability

The AFS model has been applied in Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic in the Palestinian refugee camps, with some country-specific modifications. At the regional level, the AFS model was replicated by a UNICEF programme funded by the Swedish International Development Corporation in nine countries.36

In Jordan, the AFS operated through 14 Women’s Programme Centres (WPCs) where youth committees were established, reaching 21,800 adolescents, half of them girls. The youth committees, each with 30 members, were involved in the running of the AFS centres. Following training and support, the youth committees conducted adolescent-led initiatives with a strong emphasis on improving the skills of their peers. Activities included promoting awareness of adolescents’ rights to quality education, gender equality, tackling the issue of dropout and violence in schools. A concrete example was the organization of two advocacy campaigns which reached 1,400 adolescents and raised awareness of the rights of adolescents with disabilities and the role of young people in protecting

35 Ibid.

36 Kartini International (2015). The nine countries are the four targeted by this programme in addition to Algeria, Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran, Morocco and Tunisia.

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the environment. Furthermore, recreational activities were organized for 400 students at UNRWA schools and debate sessions were organized among 200 adolescents from four schools in Zarqa and Souf camps.37 Facilitators of the debates previously had been trained in the art of debate.

With the aim of moving towards the institutionalization of AFS, UNICEF and its partners – UNRWA and 14 WPCs – developed the ‘National Criteria and Guidelines for Adolescent- Friendly Spaces’ with a particular focus on adolescent girls. The AFS model is being implemented across the network of WPCs, and UNRWA has adopted the action research programme offered in the context of the AFS as part of the curricula in the 172 schools it operates.

In Lebanon, Palestine refugees represent an estimated 10 per cent of the population. They do not enjoy several important rights; for example, they cannot work in as many as 20 professions. Because they are not formally citizens of another state, Palestine refugees are unable to claim the same rights as other foreigners living and working in Lebanon. Around 53 per cent of the Palestine refugees in Lebanon live in the 12 recognized Palestine refugee camps, all of which suffer from serious problems, including poverty, overcrowding, unemployment, poor housing conditions and lack of infrastructure.38 The arrival of additional refugees is exacerbating the resources of communities, and stretching the services supported by the Government of Lebanon and UNRWA. Palestinian refugees are mostly hosted by the poorest communities in Lebanon.39

The programmes implemented as part of the AFS in recent years have focused on

summer activities and local events that give adolescents the opportunity to experience space outside the refugee camps. For instance, the partner Children and Youth Centre in Shatila camp has held summer camp activities in the mountains of Lebanon (10 days for approximately 100 adolescents per year). Eight youth clubs and two safe play areas have been supported, reaching 9,300 adolescents. Through the partnership with the Permanent Peace Movement and UNRWA, peer education workshops were conducted for 150 students in UNRWA schools in 2013. The workshops raised adolescents’ awareness of their right to participation and addressed conflict resolution. The peer education project enabled participants, including school parliament members and active students in each UNRWA school, to play a major mediation role among their peers. In 2014, the trained peer educators, with support from school officials, formed peace and conflict resolution units in their schools. Each unit consisted of three mediators who worked to prevent and solve problems with their peers and others, and documented and followed up conflicts in schools. The peer education project was to benefit 33,000 students in UNRWA schools in 2014 and also contributed to providing the trained peers with experience of being mediators and facilitators of conflict management methods.40

In 2012, 35 adolescents from eight gatherings conducted participatory action research on the educational and social conditions in their communities, completing a community needs assessment that targeted the gatherings41 in South Lebanon. The research was conducted in four major gatherings in South Lebanon plus four small gatherings. The research methodology employed an ‘equity lens’ approach, a questionnaire


38 UNRWA (http://www.unrwa.org/where-we-work/lebanon).

39 UNICEF area programme document for Palestinian children and women in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic and the State of Palestine, 2015-2016 ((E/ICEF/2014/P/L.7)).


41 Gatherings are defined as informal communities of Palestinian refugees.

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(quantitative data), focus group discussions and interviews (qualitative data) with service providers, community members and other adolescents.42 The action researchers also used data triangulation methods in which they had been trained to ensure the credibility and reliability of their research. The results of their research were finalized under the supervision of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics and disseminated by adolescents in April 2013 to the community leaders of the gatherings.43

The partnership with the Arab Resource Center for Popular Arts allowed Palestinian refugee adolescents to participate in the Janana summer festival and in activities promoting learning and creative expression. These encounters gathered NGOs, civil society organizations and youth clubs working with Lebanese and Palestinian adolescents, offering them the opportunity to learn new skills, share experiences and interact with each other.44 In addition, the AFS model (i.e., the creation of safe spaces and offering of AFS programming in life skills, remedial education and action research) is being replicated in 63 UNRWA schools.

In the Syrian Arab Republic, the outbreak of the war and protracted conflict have drastically worsened the situation of Palestinian refugees since 2012. As of December 2013, six AFS continued to operate in the Palestinian camps and two gatherings in Damascus, reaching an estimated 22,400 adolescents. Activities included training in resilience and coping mechanisms, vocational training and sports for development. Anchored primarily in life skills-based education, these activities aimed to provide equitable opportunity for adolescent boys and girls to engage with their peers in a safe and conducive environment and to feel safe amidst a challenging social

context. Sport for development activities were introduced as an additional opportunity for adolescent boys and girls to interact and practice the acquired skills of teamwork, communication and collaboration.

In 2012, 140 adolescents from five camps participated in action research projects addressing school dropouts and intergenerational dialogue. The findings were shared with peers and 700 parents in AFS.45 In El-Hessenia camp, a ‘Safe Feast Initiative’ was developed where adolescents were able to practice games and sports in a safe, closed area. One of the participants declared, “through this initiative, we were able to practice the problem-solving skills we acquired from the training we had received”.46

Both UNRWA and the Syrian General Administration for Palestine Arab Refugees have adopted the AFS model, particularly the life skills and action research, which are being implemented in the refugee camps where these partners operate. The programme in the AFS has been adapted to the security and mobility challenges resulting from the conflict, developing a peer-learning approach that uses mobile training units to provide services, particularly to those residing in the harder-to-reach areas.47


The evaluation of AFS did not systematically differentiate results by country. Therefore, this section discusses the overall evaluation overall, not only in the State of Palestine.

A total of 149,348 adolescents accessed the AFS and received basic life-skills training in the State of Palestine and in the Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic.49

42 An equity lens is a tool for identifying and understanding vulnerabilities. In this case, it was employed to understand the vulnerabilities of the gatherings.43 Kartini International (2014a).44 UNICEF (2014).45 Ibid.46 Kartini International (2015). 47 Ibid.48 Information on this section has been retrieved from the external evaluation of the programme conducted by Kartini International (2015).49 UNICEF (December 2014).

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Of this total, 25,782 adolescents received specialized training on peer education, action research and the implementation of adolescent-led initiatives. Some 13,800 participated in the recreational programmes and 41,579 benefited from the peer outreach activities. In the State of Palestine, 56 AFS were supported and an estimated 73,000 adolescent boys and girls took part in the programmes they offered.50

The evaluation also found that the Palestinian adolescent programme in the State of Palestine had developed minimum standards for adolescent and youth-friendly centres, a number of minimum requirements to be met under four thematic areas which establish the guiding principles for establishing and operating AFS and youth centres. The figure below summarizes the categories of minimum national standards.51

AFS NATIONAL STANDARDS CATEGORIES FOR

ADOLESCENT- AND YOUTH-FRIENDLY CENTRES

STATE OF PALESTINE

The AFS standards are clustered under four main thematic areas, each comprising a number of variables with specific standards:

Thematic areaCategory of standard (refer to annex for

details of the standards)

Centre

Location; the type of facilities, materials and equipment; working hours; safety and hygiene; participation and engagement of young people in centre matters

Programmes and activitiesProgramme design and planning; programme delivery and approach; programme monitoring and evaluation; membership

Human resourcesStaff interaction/work with young people; staff training and development; volunteers; volunteers’ roles and responsibilities

Governance and managementBoard of Directors; committees; management and oversight; outreach and relationships; ethos and accountability

50 Ibid.

51 See annex for a more comprehensive explanation of the AFS.

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Positive changes at the individual level

Some key findings in the external evaluation of the programme of the impact of the activities offered in the AFS are:

(a) Enhanced skills and positive changes in self-perception and behaviour

“90 per cent of the programme beneficiaries that participated in the evaluation focus groups discussions52 reported positive changes related to: their confidence in dealing with school, community and families; increased ability to interact with their peers; increased participation in decision-making and sharing ideas and opinions with their families and communities; increased ability to identify problems and priorities; increased sense of ambition and ability to set clear life goals; and strengthened communication skills.”53

The results were corroborated during focus group discussions with educators and parents.54 During the focus group discussions, where adolescent girls accounted for an estimated 60 per cent of participants, the adolescents reported the programme’s positive impact on their skills and that they had experienced positive changes in at least one of the following areas:

• Personal level: Increased self-confidence, ability to interact, increased participation in decision-making;

• Life skills: increased ability to identify problems and priorities and knowledge of how to be involved in the community;

• Mental health: increased sense of hope and direction;

• Education: reduced dropout rates; improved capacity to think critically;

• Community: a more positive view of society;

• Violence: increased knowledge on how to protect themselves and ability to seek non-violent solutions to conflict.55

Adolescents who participated in focus group discussions for the evaluation in State of Palestine reported that through their participation in the programme, they had acquired time-management skills, were able to better prioritize and organize how they prepare themselves for exams and had acquired tools and exercises to reduce stress. They also explored areas of interest in education and/or careers, and how to choose a career or subject for pursuing higher education.

The evaluation reported that the most effective programme56 component for increasing adolescent skills and resilience were the life skills and action research training and activities.

It was noted that the action research component had contributed to an increase in the participants’ research skills, knowledge of how to implement and become involved in community initiatives, and leadership and facilitation skills.57 This was corroborated throughout the evaluation, where evaluators directly observed 71 adolescents participating in the evaluation methodology workshops. The diverse life skills acquired were most consistently and frequently mentioned by the adolescents who took part in the focus group discussions as well as by the stakeholders working with them.

In a focus group discussion in the West Bank,58 a parent said, “my son had discovered his passion to using wood in art. I saw kids drawing tanks and they were scared, art activities helped reduce their fears”. Others said that “participation in the program had helped our children to enhance their self-

52 Evaluation focus groups consisted of 263 adolescents and youth ages 11-24 years conducted in the four countries.


54 These discussions involved interviews with 65 facilitators/educators, 39 parents and 29 implementing partners in the State of Palestine.

55 Kartini International (2014a).

56 The evaluation team employed an adapted, simplified version of the most significant change (MSC) methodology to assess and document the programme outcomes on programme beneficiaries. The MSC methodology used by the evaluation relied on focus group discussions in which participants were asked key questions and discussed the issues raised, and on participants telling their own stories reflecting the most significant changes experienced.

57 The findings are based on the focus group discussions with adolescents in the four countries where the programme was implemented.

58 18 June 2014.

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confidence which has resulted in greater interaction with their peers”. Parents stated that their older children “learned how to keep themselves busy, take responsibility, and become independent”.

(b) More positive attitudes towards and commitment to school

Adolescents developed a more positive attitude towards and commitment to school. This has helped to keep male adolescents away from child labour and to reduce the risk and rate of early marriage for female adolescents. According to the evaluation, parents and facilitators/educators noted the positive effects of the programme on the participants’ academic performance. Through an adolescent-led initiative implemented in El-Hessenia camp in the Syrian Arab Republic, adolescents were able to record a 12.5 per cent decrease in the dropout rate following the participation in the AFS programmes. In Gaza, the focus group discussions with adolescents also noted the positive effect of the programme on their academic performance and attitudes towards school.

(c) Increased resilience, ability to deal with conflict and seek non-violent solutions

Findings from the evaluation revealed that:

“[…] AFS programming contributed to a significant change in the adolescents’ ability to deal with violence and bullying, with approximately 30 per cent of focus group discussion participants reporting that they were better able to deal with personal violence/bullying inside the school environment; developed increased knowledge about protection of children from abuse; and 20 per cent [of the adolescents] experienced decreased violence within the family; with 70 per cent reporting an increased ability to seek non-violent solutions to conflict.”59

In Gaza, the NGOs Ma’an and Tamer and many CBOs confirmed the significant improvement in the adolescents’ personal behaviour and decreased violence. The adolescents started to prefer dialogue and tolerance to violence in solving their disputes.

In Lebanon, conflict resolution training was integrated into the life-skills training. Focus group discussion participants and stakeholders reported that those involved in this training were able to reduce the amount of their violent or aggressive behaviour by 50 per cent.60

In a focus group discussion with youth workers/facilitators in the State of Palestine, it was reported that the adolescents had learned how to interact with each other, which in turn reduced their aggressive behaviour and enhanced their desire for personal growth and integration in society.61

(d) Increased sense of hope and direction

Another crucial finding of the evaluation was that ‘approximately 70 per cent of adolescents interviewed stated they felt an increased sense of direction and hope in their lives.’62 The focus group discussion demonstrated that participants had increased their resilience and ability to deal with challenging environments.

Community engagement through the action research and adolescent-led initiatives

The most visible outcome of the action research training was the adolescent-led initiatives. The evaluation noted that these initiatives had contributed to a change in perception on the part of the community members, who indicated that the adolescents and youth were valuable members of the community as demonstrated by the initiatives aimed at improving the surroundings.

59 Ibid.

60 Focus group discussions with former participants; five stakeholder interviewers. Lebanon. June – July, 2014. Kartini International (2014a).


62 Ibid.

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The evaluation also noted that in all four countries/areas where the AFS were established, some adolescents who had been involved in adolescent-led initiatives were working as volunteers in several non-profit or community organizations. This is noted as an unexpected positive result, which emerged from an increased sense of engagement with the community and increased skills to act as volunteers. Another unexpected positive outcome was recorded in the Syrian Arab Republic, where 50 to 70 of 100 participants trained as facilitators in the AFS were able to find jobs with other NGOs.63

In a focus group discussion with youth workers in State of Palestine held in May 2014, the youth workers stated that the adolescent participants with whom they worked had learned that positive alternatives existed to their often bleak view of the future, and they developed a desire for volunteering.

Increased participation of adolescent girls in AFS

The evaluation found that the programme had made significant efforts to increase the participation of adolescent girls, which at in the start was as low as 10 to 20 per cent as compared to adolescent boys in Phase I of the project. By Phase IV, the participation of girls had increased to 40 to 65 per cent of participants in any given programme activity and country. In a focus group discussion with parents in the West Bank, it was noted that the AFS was the only place where adolescent girls had the ability to participate safely in out-of-school activities.


The monitoring tools and strategies have varied from country to country, and the evaluation reported the weakness of monitoring frameworks and the necessity for systematic frameworks.

The UNICEF programme for Palestinian adolescents (2004-2013), of which the AFS was an important component, was evaluated in 2009 and again in 2014. The most recent external evaluation determined the extent to which the programme had achieved its overall goals. It is noteworthy that the majority of the evaluation was qualitative and that the quantitative data analysis was limited due to insufficient data.

6. Strengths and opportunities64

• AFS as a model which creates a safe space for interaction and networking, which can ultimately have a positive influence in enhancing tolerance and peacebuilding;

• Creation of leadership at the horizontal level, where facilitators and participants in the skills programme at the AFS are treated as equals, and promotion of the values of cooperation, partnership and mutual respect;

• Improved individual skills through the life-skills approach;

• AFS as a model which provides adolescents a safe space to discuss their individual and collective challenges and to analyse their role in society;

• AFS as a space where participants can build their skills and foster a sense of belonging to the community. In particular, the adolescent-led initiatives allowed the adolescents to identify issues affecting their communities, plan and implement a solution, working in teams with other adolescents;

• The life-skills programming presented alternatives to conflict and violence and showed adolescents that change is


64 Ibid.

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possible; it also focused on enhancing the adolescents’ self-expression and self-confidence;

• Incorporation of AFS in local CBOs and centres enhances the sustainability of the model and encourages its incorporation into community life;

• Establishment of management committees that enhanced the adoption of the AFS approach and community ownership of the programme, as well as increased adolescent participation in the leadership of the AFS and the development of local partnerships;

• The interactive methodologies used by facilitators, friendly communication, trust among facilitators and adolescents, non-school settings and the trust built between parents, community and AFS;

• Consistent efforts for increasing the participation of adolescent girls in the AFS and related programmes.

7. Challenges65

• Short duration of the action research training, which was only of three months in the context of AFS in State of Palestine;

• Reluctance on the part of parents and communities to accept discussion of certain issues in the context of the AFS, e.g., child marriage;

• Implementation of certain activities during exam periods (the Tawjihi), putting stress on adolescents;

• Limited platforms for adolescents to continue the skills training after the initial three months;

• Negative impact of violent environments in which adolescents are confined every day;

• Monitoring and reporting of issues beyond the individual level was scattered;

• Distance between the home and the AFS for certain adolescents made their participation impossible or very difficult, especially in the State of Palestine.


Institutionalization of the AFS in the State of Palestine and Jordan has made significant progress. Work is underway in the State of Palestine for implementation of the minimum standards at the national level, and Jordan is following.

9. Lessons learned and recommendations66

The following key lessons learned and recommendations emerged from the external evaluation of the programme:

• AFS programming needs to be offered on a year-long basis in place of the shorter three- to four-month version in order to consolidate results and build a more sustainable programme. However, the shorter nature of the programme that was offered showed that even relatively small investments in adolescent programming have a positive impact on the lives of adolescents;

• The life-skills approach is an effective way of teaching adolescents to address conflict in a non-violent way;

• The action research component had a positive impact on the participants and their communities;

• More equal participation of adolescent girls was achieved by effectively

65 This is a summary of the challenges identified by the evaluation – Kartini International (2015).

66 This is a summary of the lessons learned and recommendations which emerged from evaluation - Kartini International (2015)

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employing methods such as outreach to parents, holding separate programming (different times or days for boys and girls), hiring female facilitators and increasing programming options of greater interest to girls;

• A regional approach to programmes for Palestinian adolescents proved to be an efficient approach given the dispersion of Palestinians across the region;

• An environment of trust and confidence for the adolescents is created in AFS staffed by peers rather than authority figures;

• Change in society’s perceptions and attitudes towards adolescents requires the involvement of the community and parents;

• Development of monitoring and evaluation frameworks and systematic monitoring at all levels.

Other relevant lessons learned and recommendations include:

• Holistic approaches rather than series of activities, long-term planning;

• Facilitators in the AFS should be qualified as mentors/counsellors and/or trained in adolescent issues, with the ability to speak to adolescents on their level;

• Facilitators should be remunerated and not solely rely on volunteer work to ensure continuity and strengthen the sustainability of the services offered;

• Integration of parental programming and participation to ensure and increase support for the participation of adolescents in the AFS, especially girls;

• More efforts in bringing together adolescents from different locations; an

entry point is the use of technology and social media;

• Alignment of the activities with the academic year to avoid overburdening adolescents and activities during the summer time;

• Increase peer-to-peer support and involve older adolescents in the programme implementation.

10. Components to consider for

scale-up in MENA

The AFS approach, with its flexibility and adaptability of the model and the minimum standards as a guideline for implementation.

11. Resources

AFS Minimum Standards.

12. References

ILO and PCBS (2014). School to Work Transition Survey (SWTS) Available at: http://www.ilo.org/employment/areas/WCMS_234860/lang--en/index.htm

Kartini International (2015). Final Report: Evaluation of Phases III & IV of the Program Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change – Towards An Environment Promoting Peace and Reconciliation (Jordan, Lebanon, State of Palestine and Syria). [Unpublished]

Kartini International (2014a). Good Practices and Lessons Learned Related to Adolescent Development and Participation from the Evaluation of Phases III & IV of the Program Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change – Towards

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An Environment Promoting Peace and Reconciliation (Jordan, Lebanon, State of Palestine and Syria). [Unpublished]

Ma’an Development Center (December 2012). Adolescent Friendly Spaces, Final Report.

Tamer Institute for Community Education Palestine (2012). Progress Report for 2012.

UNICEF (December 2014) Final Donor Report: Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change – Towards an Environment Promoting Peace and Reconciliation. UNICEF MENARO

UNICEF (June 2014) Progress Report for 2013: Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change – Towards an Environment Promoting Peace and Reconciliation. UNICEF MENARO

UNICEF (June 2013) Progress Report for 2012: Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change – Towards an Environment Promoting Peace and Reconciliation. UNICEF MENARO

UNICEF (June 2012). Progress Report for 2011. Palestinian Adolescents: Agents of Positive Change - Towards an Environment Promoting Peace and Reconciliation. UNICEF MENARO

UN.org (November 2014). UN says Palestinian refugees from Syria face ‘increasingly grave’ situation region wide. 24 November 2014. [Online]. Available at: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=49429#.VPIDZGj8LIU

Annex. The National Standards for Adolescent and Youth Friendly Centres67

The National Standards for Adolescent and Youth Friendly Centres are clustered under four main thematic areas, each comprised of a number of standards:

1. Centre building

1.1. Location: The centre is located in a place that is appropriate for all groups of young people in the local community to access; the centre is located in a safe environment and young people can reach the centre easily and safely at different times of day.

1.2. Facilities: The centre has basic, safe and well-maintained facilities that are available every day and are accessible to all young people including those with disabilities. Centre facilities are based and serve the centre’s scope and purpose in relation to its work with young people.

1.3. Material and equipment: A range of basic material and equipment is available for young people to use regularly at the centre; the centre has needed materials and equipment for the programmes and activities it conducts with young people and for administrative support functions.

1.4. Working hours: The centre opens on a regular basis and at times that are appropriate for young people from different backgrounds and circumstances to attend; the centre is open after school during the school year and during school holidays. Centre opening hours are publicized and the centre is open regularly and consistently at those times.

1.5. Safety and hygiene: The centre building

67 This is an excerpt from the AFS Minimum Standards.

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is in good repair and physical condition. Centre facilities, materials and equipment are clean and safe and emergency procedures are in place, checked and practiced periodically. Centre staff are trained on what to do in an emergency and safety reporting mechanisms are established and shared with staff and young people attending the centre.

1.6. Participation and engagement of young people in centre building matters: The centre ensures young people’s participation in all centre building matters, including opening hours, selection of materials and tools for centre activities, use of space and decorations. Young people are trained in first aid and emergency procedures.

2. Centre programmes and activities

2.1. Programme design and planning: The centre has a defined plan and direction for its work with young people that is created through the involvement and participation of young people themselves. The centre’s programmes and activities are designed in response to young people’s needs and the centre’s plan includes young people’s participation in the implementation of centre activities. The centre has a clearly defined and publicized programme of its daily, weekly, monthly and annual activities and young people are aware of these. Young people are involved in planning and selection of centre activities. The centre has programmes that include outreach to non-members/users that also involve young people.

2.2. Programme delivery and approach: Young people participate in the delivery of centre programmes and activities that are different every year and relevant to the

lives and concerns of young people. The centre follows participatory, experiential, learning approaches and peer training in delivery of its trainings and activities. The centre aims to include and make provisions for young people, both boys and girls, and including young people with disabilities in all different programmes.

2.3. Programme monitoring and evaluation: The centre has a monitoring and evaluation system in place that documents, monitors and evaluates young people’s participation and use of centre facilities, activities, materials and equipment. Young people take part in all centre monitoring and evaluation activities that are taken into consideration in further planning activities of the centre. Different groups of young people (that change regularly) from different backgrounds and circumstances are involved in the monitoring and evaluation activities of the centre. The centre engages non-centre users/members, staff, parents and community members and organization in evaluating the centre’s work with young people.

2.4. Young users/members: The centre is used by young people of all ages and various backgrounds and circumstances for extended periods of time. The centre reaches out to a variety of male and female young people with different socioeconomic and political affiliations. There is a flow of new users/members every year and young male and female users are equitably accessing and using centre facilities and activities. Young people’s participation in centre activities is promoted and acknowledged publicly.

3. Human resources

3.1. Staff: The centre provides equal job opportunities and has defined hiring and

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recruitment procedures for its staff that are followed systematically, consistently and according to the centre’s organizational structure. Centre staff are hired based on defined qualifications and competencies, including knowledge, skills and values according to the centre’s purpose and mandate for its work with young people. The centre makes sufficient effort to hire qualified young adults, including former users, as staff members. Staff qualifications and competencies are demonstrated in theory and in practice in their work with individuals and groups of young people in the centre and in the community.

3.2. Staff’s work with young people: Centre staff members spend considerable amount of their time working with and reaching out to young people. They ascribe to and demonstrate commitment to ethical standards and beliefs including protection, participation, safety, non-discrimination and gender equity and equality. Staff encourage, provide guidance, coach and mentor young people in their interests and learning.

3.3. Staff training and development: The centre has a human resource development programme of ongoing basic and post-qualifying training, coaching and development that is provided to staff working with young people and all training is assessed. Staff participate in assessing their own development needs.

3.4. Volunteers: The centre reaches out to and recruits volunteers based on defined opportunities, roles and responsibilities according to the needs of the centre and the young people. Young people and adults volunteer in the centre and in the community. Volunteers’ work is supervised and the centre has a programme of basic training for

its volunteers in line with the training for staff.

3.5. Volunteers’ roles and responsibilities: The centre has a volunteering policy that identifies volunteers’ roles, responsibilities, rights, benefits and tasks depending on the needs and opportunities of the centre. Volunteers adhere to the principles and practice of participation in facilitating group work. Volunteers may address individual concerns and/or refer to staff or relevant services when necessary and their work is supervised and coordinated.

4. Centre governance and management

4.1. General Assembly and Board of Directors: The centre maintains up-to-date licensing and registration requirements with the respective government institute(s) according to its mandate. Centre membership/general assembly and board of directors are in line with centre bylaws and the centres has a mechanism in place to ensure equitable participation of male and female board members who are representative of the centre users/ members in terms of sex, age and family associations and are democratically elected.

4.2. Committees: Young people are actively engaged in all centre elections and selection of board members and adolescent and youth and parents’ advisory committees. Their engagement includes awareness of the election process or selection criteria and they participate monitoring of these to ensure equitable and fair representation.

4.3. Management and oversight: The centre has a clearly defined mission statement and strategic plan and direction for its work

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with young people and it has been created through consultations with them and is reviewed annually with their participation. The centre actively seeks to continue its operations in the short and long terms through various resource mobilization strategies that include local and external resources. The centre has a mechanism and plan in place to enable young people to assume management responsibilities, and young people are aware of and take part in allocating the centre’s budget for programmes and activities.

4.4. Relationships: The centre has an outreach and awareness program that engages with parents, community members, cohort centres, educational institutes, media, other civil society organizations and local government. The centre collaborates and builds linkages with relevant organizations in its programme offerings.

4.5. Ethos and accountability: The centre’s operating ethos and social and learning environment include principles focused on non-discrimination and inclusion, safety and protection, and participation. Young people and centre staff can demonstrate these. The centre rules that are created with young people are in place and publicized and clear measures are taken if the centre’s ethos is violated.

Photo credits: UNICEF/Izhiman

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U-ReportUnited Nations Children's Fund Uganda

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Global

Uganda, Zambia, Nigeria, Liberia, Burundi, Indonesia,2 Democratic

Republic of the Congo, Mali, Swaziland, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe.

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Uganda

U-Report

Civic engagement2011Ongoing

Uganda: 18 INGO, NGOs, FBOs and CBOs

UNICEF

Erik Frisk, Project Manager, UNICEF Uganda

[email protected]

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Mobile technology, and broader use of information and communication technologies in general, have been highlighted as useful tools for contributing to and accelerating social and human development, with particular potential for adolescents and youth. While the ‘technological divide’ – the likelihood of technology reinforcing pre-existing social and economic inequalities – must not be underestimated, mobile technology and SMS platforms do represent low-cost means with the potential to reach a wide population and foster open dialogue on issues of public concern. These technologies also enable the formation of large-scale networks while maintaining the individuality and privacy of users.

Uganda, which has one the youngest populations in the world with more than 55 per cent of its people under 18 years of age3 and 78 per cent under age 30,4 also registers a significantly high rate of mobile telephone penetration, estimated at 48 per cent.5 Conversely, Internet penetration in the country remains extremely low, only 20 per cent and mostly urban. Means and tools to enable the Ugandan population, particularly the youth, to raise their voices on issues of public concern and increase the communication channels to raise these issues with decision- and policy-makers, are limited. In this context, launching a mobile phone-based tool to amplify the voices of youth and empower them to speak out on issues affecting them seems not only relevant but necessary.

U-Report 1

1 Desk review (25 July 2014); Programme Inquiry Form (11 November 2014); Interview (30 October 2014); Internal validation (18-26 November 2014); Implementer validation (26 No-vember-9 December 2014 but will go through a final one).

2 Roll out of U-Report in RapidPro is happening gradually. In Indonesia, U-Report has been adapted to a Twitter version.

3 UNICEF Statistics Uganda (2012): http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/uganda_statistics.html

4 The State of Uganda Population Report (2013): http://popsec.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/SUPRE-REPORT-2013.pdf

5 UNICEF Statistics Uganda (2012): http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/uganda_statistics.html

Country

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In May 2011, UNICEF launched U-Report, a free SMS platform designed to give young Ugandans the opportunity to express opinions about issues happening in their communities and across the country. U-Report, powered by the RapidPro6 platform, operates in an interactive way as users respond to the weekly free SMS messages and polls they receive. In turn, they obtain results from the national polls and consultations as well as useful information for future action. The SMS communication is complemented with other traditional means of communication: radio programmes, newspaper articles and stories from the U-Report community, which are picked up and disseminated by the media.

Users are distributed relatively evenly across Uganda, although Northern Uganda has registered lower participation, which can be explained partially by lower levels of mobile technology penetration. Since the onset of U-Report, the number of partners has grown and expanded.

The successful experience of U-Report in Uganda inspired similar interventions in Zambia in December 2012 and Nigeria in June 2014. In Zambia, U-report is being used to accelerate HIV prevention among adolescents and youth. With over 68,000 members, 74 per cent of whom are aged 15-24 years,7 Zambian U-Reporters register a significant increase in voluntary HIV testing rates – 40 per cent – in comparison with the national average of 24 per cent.8 In Nigeria, U-Report is focusing on community participation, with a growing base of reporters speaking out on issues of public concern, particularly social and health-related issues. To date, it has registered over 106,000 users, of whom 67 per cent are aged 20-30 years. 9


UNICEF “is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential”.10 UNICEF works with decision makers and partners at the global and grass-roots levels to prevent child mortality and improve children’s lives by providing health care and immunization, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education and emergency relief.11

Launched in 2007, UNICEF Innovation is an interdisciplinary team operating around the world with the task of “identifying, prototyping and scaling technologies and practices that strengthen UNICEF’s work”.12 As part of the model, a network of 15 Innovation Labs is now in place, bringing together the private and public sectors and academia to address key local social issues.

6 RapidPro is an open-source platform which allows the implementation of an SMS application without the need of a programmer. It provides real-time information and data analytics. It was developed by the UNICEF global Innovation Centre in collaboration with Nyuruka, a Rwandan software development firm http://unicefstories.org/2014/09/22/small-messages-big-changes-unicef-launches-rapidpro/.

7 U-Report Zambia: http://www.zambiaureport.org/web/metrics/.

8 U-Report: Product overview (internal document, unpublished).

9 U-Report Nigeria: http://nigeria.ureport.in/

10 The UNICEF mission statement: http://www.unicef.org/about/who/index_mission.html.

11 UNICEF Innovation: http://www.unicef.org/innovation/.

12 Ibid.

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2.1. Goal

The overall goal of U-Report in Uganda is to strengthen community-led development and youth’s citizen engagement by ensuring that issues of concern are raised, heard and acted upon by decision makers and the community at large. In the process, U-Report aims to create networks among youth and between youth and decision makers, thus enhancing the knowledge and understanding of youth in Uganda.

2.2. Objectives

The objectives of U-Report are to:

• Allow young Ugandans to speak out on what is happening in their communities;

• Use the information gathered from users to increase awareness and knowledge of young Ugandans on issues that matter to them;

• Share this information through media channels, campaigns and youth events.


U-Report is accessible to anyone with a mobile phone. The application is only in English but plans are underway for its translation into Luo, spoken in Northern Uganda, and Karimojong, spoken among agro-pastoral herders in the northeast. However, the challenge will be to analyse and aggregate SMS messages in up to 60 different languages, the number of languages spoken in Uganda. The RapidPro system nonetheless facilitates the process.

To reach young people with disabilities, U-Report is working with the African Youth with Disabilities Network, facilitating communication between these organizations and its members.


U-Report has a universal approach, but the nature of the technology has the potential to reach the most marginalized and most at risk.

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

The majority of U-Report users in Uganda, over 60 per cent, are between 15 and 24 years old. Nearly 30 per cent are between 25 and 29 years old.13


U-Report is accessible to anyone having a mobile phone. The number of registered users in Uganda has shown a considerable higher registration from males, and the trend has been observed to a similar extent in Nigeria and Zambia. In Uganda, male enrolment is significantly higher, 66 per cent, against only 33 per cent for females.14 Future plans will focus on increasing the engagement of girls and young women with U-Report by partnering with organizations working with women and on women’s issues.

13 Pulselabkampala.ug, 2014: http://www.pulselabkampala.ug/post2015/categories/

14 U-Report info brief (unpublished). The trend of higher male to female enrolment is also registered in the cases of Nigeria (60 vs. 40 per cent) and Zambia (58 vs. 42 per cent).

23523415 Uganda Boy Scouts Association.

16 Feedback from Mr. Erik Frisk, Project Manager, U-Report Uganda.

17 Interview with Mr. Erik Frisk, Project Manager (30 October 2014).


U-Report is grounded on a rights-based approach, enabling youth participation and empowerment. It encourages the development of informed and responsible citizens with tools to influence decision makers on positive and effective change issues that affect their lives and communities. In a larger scope, the tool fosters responsible, inclusive and responsive governance as it pushes decision makers to take action on issues of concern to youth.


Participatory crowdsourcing underpins U-Report. Through its partners, U-Report has been able to engage U-Reporters as users of the tool. For instance, 300 Ugandan Boy Scouts were trained as social monitors and were given the task to report via SMS directly from their communities on issues important to their region. They receive weekly polls for gathering data at the community level and report back. They also receive information on how to address the reported issues and advocacy tips on how to raise awareness.15



The guiding premise of U-Report is that citizen engagement can be a powerful force in development processes. Citizens engaged in decision-making processes are more prone to seek the improvement of their communities and participate in projects that aim to do so.16

Over 11,000 responses were received in a recent poll sent to U-Reporters asking them in what ways being a U-Reporter had changed

their lives. Users indicated that the messages received had encouraged and inspired them to engage with their communities.

4.2. Activities

Youth who wish to join the U-Report service simply need to send the SMS message ‘join’ to a toll-free number. The registered user receives a greeting message asking a series of questions helping to identify age, sex and location. Users then receive confirmation and become U-Reporters. In the launch campaign, U-Report partnered with a wide network of youth and local organizations. Through them, a youth network was developed which advertised the U-Report. TV and radio broadcasts were also used to encourage people to join.17 To date, no unsolicited messages have been sent to non-users.

Weekly SMS messages, each with a poll, a question or an alert.

Users receive two or three SMSs per week on a series of topics relevant to youth, including female genital mutilation, outbreaks of disease, safe water, early marriage, education, health, peacebuilding and governance. The selection of topics is determined by UNICEF and the partners. The messages are sent on a schedule based on the projects, activities and priorities of UNICEF and partner organizations, but also respond to emerging needs from users. The chosen topics are deemed to best benefit the users, and are circulated to all partners for inputs. Once the topic has been finalized and formulated as an SMS message, the core question is sent out to users. The dialogue continues through a series of related questions.

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Incoming responses are collected and analysed, sorted and displayed on a dashboard. The dashboard (visible on U-Report’s landing page) serves to quantitatively visualize how U-Reporters respond to polls. The main audience includes U-Reporters, development practitioners, researchers and decision makers. The dashboard has a content administration portal where only public content can be viewed and managed. Incoming information from the polls is disaggregated to better inform future U-Reports and learn about the characteristics of the U-Reporters (age, gender and region of origin). Where possible, responses are broken down at the local district level and illustrated through charts and maps.18

Quantitative content coming from the polls is disseminated through U-Report ‘stories’ and then through blogs, external news, links and videos. The information can be filtered by themes.

A combination of quantitative and qualitative questions is used and responses are analysed in real time and published in the U-Report data platform (www.ureport.ug). Data are broken down by district level and illustrated through maps for easier navigation. Results are shared and depending on the topic, the dialogue continues with additional questions.

TV, radio programmes and

newspaper articles

The most critical news, results and stories are featured in national media channels – TV and radio programmes and in newspaper articles – which serve to increase knowledge about the issue and serve as advocacy tools at the policy level. This information helps ministries to identify the type of needs

emerging at the district level, understand if services are being properly delivered and know the perceptions of the community and youth. For instance, in the locality of Arua, U-Reporters are able to report cases directly to their local government officials.

4.3. Innovativeness

U-Report is a free and real-time SMS platform geared towards youth engagement and empowerment. Although information and communication technology, particularly mobile services, had been used for development, U-Report was the first platform of its kind in Uganda.


The cost of launching U-Report was $100,000 which was absorbed by UNICEF. Today, U-Report is based on the RapidPro platform, and the costs of running the application depend on a country’s existing applications, target and expected number of users as well as the number of RapidPro features to be included. Countries which already have an existing RapidPro application but seek scale-up and cloud-based dashboard hosting, and have a relatively small target, can do so for less than $22,000. In a similar case but with more customization and a more complex operating environment, costs can rise to $32,000. Finally, if there is a need to build RapidPro, reach a larger target and function in a more difficult operating environment, the cost of the application rises to nearly $120,000. It is important to note that implementing costs are highly dependent on the country in which U-Report operates.

The cost-effectiveness of the tool is assumed to be high when comparing the investment that it requires with its potential to become a

18 U-Report Product Overview.

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shared service and public good which can enable the engagement of young people and the community in reporting local issues and delivering solutions. Some examples substantiate this claim; in 2013, the World Bank partnered with U-Report when banana bacterial wilt disease affected Ugandan crops. U-Reporters identified infected crops in their communities, reported the issue and received expert advice on their mobile phones.19

4.5. Sustainability

In Uganda, U-Report has significantly expanded the number of registered users since its introduction in 2011, and has developed partnerships with local NGOs, government and the private sector to raise awareness and increase the reach of the tool. The World Organization of the Scout Movement, which counts 40 million members, has expressed interested in using U-Report as its mobile communication platform. Other global partners such as the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, with 97 million volunteers, have expressed interest in joining too.20

U-Report has also worked with partners at the local level to increase awareness and extend the reach of the application. For instance, the partnership with BRAC Uganda, which runs one of the largest adolescent outreach programme in the country, facilitated a connection with adolescent girls and boys registered in 690 clubs for adolescent girls and 100 youth development centres. BRAC reported that nearly 3,500 club members and 9,000 members from other programmes had registered as U-Reporters.21

Core elements of the sustainability of U-Report are grounded on the model and technology themselves. The expansion of U-Report relies on young people’s participation and engagement with the application, which can be reinforced through strategic partnerships with youth organizations at the national and global levels.

The technology used by U-Report, RapidPro, is open source, low cost, highly adaptable and open to continuous improvements and customizations at the national level. RapidPro provides the framework for managing SMS-based data collection and analytics. Plans are underway to extend the number of platforms associated with U-Report, such as Twitter and Whatsapp.

In terms of human resources, the minimum requirements are a project manager and a data analyst. For an expanded programme, it is recommended to have a second data analyst, a partner engagement specialist, trained counsellors and a media consultant. Despite the relatively low-cost of U-Report, the overall running costs remain a challenge, but the attractiveness of the application can also secure funding for it.

4.6. Replicability

The launch of RapidPro U-Report will enable countries to leverage and easily deploy the model that has been developed. The U-Report22 cloud has been launched in Swaziland and preparations are underway to reach even more African countries. To date, 11 countries have registered usage of U-Report.

Launched in 2012, the Zambia U-Report was adapted to respond to the high prevalence of HIV23 among Zambian youth and the dire

19 World Bank blog on the benefits of information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) and U-Report: https://blogs.worldbank.org/ic4d/mobile-innovation-field-we-can-now-talk-directly-students-teachers-and-parents-uganda.

20 U-Report: Product overview.

21 BRAC partnership Uganda: http://www.brac.net/node/953#.VGmny2j8LOg.

22 UNICEF Country annual report 2013 - Uganda

23 CHAMP, About U-Report Zambia: http://www.champzambia.org/projects/read_more/11

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need for advice and information services tailored and adapted to their needs. The rationale for focusing on this topic arose from the high levels of vulnerability of youth aged 15-24 years; it is reported that every hour, three Zambian youth, in a population estimated at 4 million, are infected with HIV. Comprehensive knowledge about HIV and HIV prevention services remains very low, estimated at 40 per cent among young people with even lower levels among females. U-Report was considered an effective tool that could reach out to this cohort and provide free, real-time and confidential information on HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with SMS-trained health counsellors available for two-way communication. Against this backdrop, the objectives of the Zambia U-Report are to: promote youth and adolescent participation in the HIV response; contribute to increased knowledge of HIV/AIDS and STIs among youth; and track the availability and utilization of youth-sensitive HIV services.24 To better address the needs of youth, U-Report Zambia introduced trained health counsellors with whom users can chat in real-time, get advice and be referred to local services. This approach allows for confidential and tailored communication with a response time of less than 24 hours. Counsellors are available seven days a week and the knowledge generated through the SMS exchanges is employed to inform wider campaigns that UNICEF and partners run in traditional media.25 Figures have shown that nearly 66 percent of U-Reporters have engaged with counsellors through SMS.26

For the past two years, U-Report Uganda has worked closely with Marie Stopes Uganda and Mildmay Uganda to address questions related to HIV, STIs and other related questions and issues raised by the

U-Reporters. Each message received by the system is scanned for keywords associated with these topics and when there is a match, the message is immediately transferred to these two organizations, which then reply to the individual messages in real time.

In line with the concept of adapting U-Report, in June 2014 UNICEF Nigeria launched its own version, which aims to increase community participation on issues of concern, from education to water, sanitation and hygiene.27 So far, U-Report Nigeria has registered over 83,000 users, 68 per cent in the 20-30 year age group.


Results

In addition to the generation of knowledge, a key result of U-Report has been to enable an environment for the development of a network of empowered youth who are better informed and more knowledgeable and aware of their rights, which has the potential to foster dialogue and prompt action on local problems.

During the pilot phase (April 2011), 30 polls were conducted on a series of issues including violence against women and best practices in nutrition. Over 5,000 reports were received from around 60 districts and 900 U-Reporters. By mid-2012, there were 130,000 members in Uganda. By the end of 2013, the number had grown to 230,000 and it now exceeds 275,000. 28

The expected response rate to a national poll is 10-15 per cent, which can increase to 35 per cent and even 60 per cent when U-Reporters are engaged with follow-up messages. 29

24 Ibid.25 UNICEF Zambia: Promising Practice - U-Report SMS pilot.26 U-Report: Crowd-sourcing with mobile phones in Uganda and Zambia: http://www.childrenandaids.org/regional_ureport.html 27 For more information, see website: http://nigeria.ureport.in/about/. 28 Number increases daily. At time of writing, the number of members was 270,462.29 Feedback from Mr. Erik Frisk, Project Manager, U-Report Uganda.

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Increased knowledge and identification of needs and priorities

U-Report is being used as a tool to generate knowledge and information exchange, with over 66 million messages registered to date.

U-Report has facilitated community-based monitoring and first-hand data collection on the needs and attitudes of U-Reporters. A recent analysis of the topics of concern for users revealed that employment (38 per cent), education (23 per cent) and health (18 per cent) were the top three.

The information coming through U-Report is also enabling organizations to better identify and understand the needs of local communities, and align their interventions accordingly. An example of this was the role of U-Report in helping contain an outbreak of nodding disease in Northern Uganda. During a routine analysis, a significant upsurge of reports of the symptom were identified. In partnership with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, the tool was used to communicate with youth on how to prevent the disease and where to get treatment. The campaign reached over 15,000 U-Reporters. U-Report was instrumental both in providing direct and reliable information to youth and in raising awareness of the limited amount and quality of health clinics.

Youth participation

In 2013, U-Report supported Uganda’s Peace-Building in Education Initiative.30 A series of polls were sent out to young Ugandans to better understand conflict triggers at the community level and find out whether the approach and activities were useful. Polls were conducted nationwide, but the analysis of results focused on the 28 districts where this initiative took place.

In preparations for the International Day of Peace in August 2014, three polls were sent out to U-Reporters; 22,477 responses were received and revealed that 45 per cent of youth thought they did not enjoy the right to peace in their communities.31

Youth engagement with decision makers

Ugandan youth are now communicating with decision makers in their country: 386 Members of Parliament (MPs) have registered with U-Report and 20 have demonstrated active engagement with constituents.32 In 2013, 25 local and district technical officers were trained on how to use the U-Report website to access feedback from their communities, share key information with U-Reporters in their districts and stimulate discussions with their communities.33 The level of engagement and influence that youth can have through this tool is illustrated by a discussion generated on the Youth Fund, a government fund to provide start-up capital for young people. Through U-Report, youth shared their concerns about the requirements for applying to the fund, which pushed the Government to adapt the level of requirement to people’s needs34 Through an engagement with the Uganda Parliamentary Forum for Children, 350 MPs now receive monthly updates on key issues. The exchange has been maintained by producing a monthly newsletter addressing the highlights of these discussions. The information has also been shared within Parliament, where TV screens have displayed key U-Report data and messages.

30 International Peace Building Day Polls (unpublished).

31 Ibid.

32 UNICEF Country Annual Report 2013 – Uganda.

33 Ibid.

34 UNICEF (2013).

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Community sensitization

In the early phases of the Ebola outbreak, one of the key bottlenecks was the leveraging of funding and resources to sensitize communities on key facts of the disease. Because of U-Report’s wide range and usefulness for information delivery and real-time conversations, it was employed as part of the larger communication strategy. Through U-Report, information about symptoms, the spread of the virus and prevention methods were shared with users via SMS. Real-time conversations were facilitated to respond to users’ urgent queries and doubts. Finally, the feedback received through U-Report helped to identify the needs of communities and availability/quality of services. Sixty-seven per cent of U-Reporters found the SMS alerts to be useful, saying they felt empowered and better informed. The U-Report experience during the Ebola outbreak highlighted the usefulness of SMS for alerting, informing and educating communities in an easy and direct way, and also identifying needs and information gaps in a short amount of time.35 Some of the useful lessons learned from this experience were the need to work out an SMS alert with non-users when emergencies arise and to adapt SMS to local languages for better outreach and voice messages for the illiterate.


U-Report is currently undergoing an evaluation by the World Bank Institute and results were expected by the end of 2014. The evaluation will focus on the level of U-Report engagement.


• The potential for tapping into community knowledge and learning about the local

impact of policies and community issues and concerns as expressed by young people;

• Use as a communication/reporting tool for health interventions and during outbreaks;

• Adaptability and potential for replication, as demonstrated by U-Report Zambia and the cloud version of U-Report, which will enable other countries to leverage and easily deploy the work done by UNICEF Uganda.

U-Report serves as a means both for delivering and obtaining information from youth and for raising awareness. This is demonstrated by the positive role played by U-Report in raising awareness during a polio campaign in 37 Ugandan districts. U-Report was used to gauge the impact of radio announcements broadcast at the national level to raise awareness about immunization drives. A poll question was sent to U-Reporters to find out how many of the users were aware of the dates of the polio campaign. Over 3,000 people responded in one day, which when compared with previous polls on the same issue, showed a 10 per cent improvement in community awareness.36

U-Report captures the concerns of youth and allows them to speak out on issues which matter to them and the community. Through U-Report, youth are given a channel of communication with decision makers. In the long term, these actions can help to influence public policies to meet the needs and expectations of young people.

U-Report encourages the participation of young people, both men and women, in the public sphere, and raises their awareness and knowledge towards good, inclusive and responsive governance through the information circulated via U-Report.

35 U-Report and Ebola outbreak case study (unpublished).

36 Blogs.unicef.org: http://blogs.unicef.org/2014/04/24/ugandan-youth-are-allies-for-immunisation/

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7. Challenges

Managing youth expectations arising from the involvement in U-Report.

U-Report is a communication tool that facilitates youth to raise their voices, raise awareness and express their concerns. It also allows for a better examination of the issues in local communities. In the longer term, this new avenue for communication may result in prompting action and influencing decision makers; however, such actions will not directly emerge from the tool and expectations must be managed.

Limited access to mobile technology and illiteracy are two obvious obstacles to the use of U-Report. While an estimated 75 per cent of the population37 is covered by the cell phone network, the quality of the networks remains a challenge in remote areas due to lack of infrastructure, and poses limitations on reaching out to these populations. It is important to note that 96 per cent of the population not reached by mobile networks is rural; this presents severe economic challenges in a country where 86 per cent of the population lives in rural areas. One of the strategies to tackle this challenge has been the use of youth centres and clubs to report jointly. Several partner organizations have reported this practice in areas where there is lack of access to mobile phones, or where there is a language barrier for users. While this solution provides access, it also hinders the confidentiality component of the tool. In Uganda, it has been reported that work is underway with telecommunication companies to equip telephone booths with U-Report services. Further areas for consideration are the exacerbation of inequalities which can persist through the access, or lack thereof, to

mobile technologies and broader information and communication technologies.

Language barriers have also been reported in the implementation of U-Report in Uganda. UNICEF is working on creating versions of the tool in local languages - Luo in Northern Uganda and Karamojong in the northeast.


U-Report has surpassed all of its membership goals since its launch in 2011. By the end of 2014, U-Report aimed to reach 300,000 members through building partnerships with NGOs, government, youth and faith-based organizations and private companies.

U-Report has been identified as a valuable tool in the context of emergencies. U-Report Liberia was launched in November 2014 with a particular emphasis on the Ebola outbreak.

U-Report, as demonstrated by the cases of Zambia and Nigeria, is being used as a pilot and model for replication in other contexts and plans are underway for its expansion.


One clear lesson is the huge demand of young people to make their voices heard, as seen in the rapid growth in the number of U-Reporters. Working with local partners and young people has been essential to the growth of U-Report and to keeping it as an independent rather than government-focused entity.

As a tool, U-Report demonstrates its effectiveness in providing youth the space to express themselves on key issues. Such activities can be scaled up by involving youth

37 International Finance Corporation and Green Power for Mobile (2012): http://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/wp-content/up-loads/2012/10/GPM-Market-Analysis-East-Africa-v3.pdf .

38 U-Report Info Brief.

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in the development of initiatives that address the identified needs and engage with decision makers at the policy level, ensuring ownership of the projects and contribute to more responsive and good governance.


Prior to scaling up, an assessment of technological penetration and usage of mobile phones among adolescents and youth in the region is critical.

• Use of U-Report as a tool for communicating with youth in the context of emergencies and as a monitoring tool for strengthening collection of data on the needs and priorities of youth.

11. Resources

• Training of the data analysts on the RapidPro platform.

12. References

BRAC (2011). BRAC Partners with SMS Forum UReport in Uganda. [Online] Available at: http://www.brac.net/node/953#.VGmny2j8LOg

CHAMP.org About U-Report Zambia [Online] Available at: http://www.champzambia.org/projects/read_more/11

Childrenaids.org, 2014. Crowd-sourcing with mobile phones in Uganda and Zambia. [Online] Available at: http://www.childrenandaids.org/regional_ureport.html

International Finance Corporation and Green Power for Mobile (2012). Powering Telecoms: East Africa Market Analysis – Sizing the Potential for Green Telecoms in Kenya,

Tanzania and Uganda. [Online] Available at: http://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/GPM-Market-Analysis-East-Africa-v3.pdf

MediaGlobalNews.org (2012) Unicef cell phones engage and inform Ugandan youth [Online] Available at: http://www.mediaglobal.org/2012/09/18/unicef-cell-phones-engage-and-inform-ugandan-youth/

Pulselabkampala.ug, 2014. [Online] Available at: http://www.pulselabkampala.ug/post2015/categories/

The State of Uganda Population Report (2013). Available at: http://popsec.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/SUPRE-REPORT-2013.pdf

UNICEF (2012) Statistics – Uganda. [Online]. Available at: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/uganda_statistics.html

UNICEF (2013). Children, ICT and Development: Capturing the potential, meeting the challenges, Innocenti Insight. Florence: UNICEF Office of Research. Available at: http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/unicef_royalholloway_ict4dreport_final.pdf

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UNICEF Innovation. [Online] Available at: http://unicefinnovation.org/case-studies/ureport-community-empowerment-rapidsms-uganda

UNICEF Zambia: Promising practice – UNICEF Zambia U-Report SMS pilot, [Online]. Available at: http://www.zambiaureport.org/media/downloads/PP_Zambia_UNICEF_U-Report_SMS_pilot_MR260813.pdf

UNICEF Innovation, 2014: Small messages big challenges, Unicef launches RapidPro [Online] Available at: http://unicefstories.org/2014/09/22/small-messages-big-changes-unicef-launches-rapidpro/

UNICEF Uganda Info Brief (unpublished)

UNICEF Uganda U-Report PBE Analysis (unpublished)

UNICEF Uganda Peacebuilding Polls (unpublished)

UNICEF U-Report: Product Overview (unpublished)

UNICEF U-Report, 2012: U-report application revolutionizes social mobilization, empowering Ugandan youth [Online] Available at: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/uganda_62001.html

U-Report Zambia: Do it Yourself [Online] Available at: http://zambiaureport.org/web/do-it-yourself

Blogs.unicef.org, 24 April 2014. Ugandan youth are allies for immunisation – by Monica Morello. [Online] Available at: http://blogs.unicef.org/2014/04/24/ugandan-youth-are-allies-for-immunisation/

YouTube, 2014. Unicef Innovations 4 Transparency. [Online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8WJ-nM3zYcg. [Accessed 11 November 14].

The World Bank IC4D blog (2012). Mobile Innovation from the field: We can now talk directly with students, teachers and parents in Uganda [Online] Available at: https://blogs.worldbank.org/ic4d/mobile-innovation-field-we-can-now-talk-directly-students-teachers-and-parents-uganda

Websites:

• UNICEF Innovation:

www.unicefinnovation.org

• U-Report Uganda: www.ureport.ug

• U-Report Zambia:

www.zambiaureport.org

• U-Report Nigeria:

http://nigeria.ureport.in/

• U-Report Liberia:

http://liberia.ureport.in/

• RapidPro: www.rapidpro.io

• RapidSMS resources:

www.rapidsms.org

• U-Report:

http://github.com/rapidpro/ureport

• RapidPro API:

https://rapidpro.io/api/v1

• RapidPro Knowledge Base:

http://docs.rapidpro.io

Photo credits: UNICEF .

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Y-PEER

United Nations Population Fund

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Middle East, North and East Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, Central

Asia, South-East Asia and Pacific Islands

Over 50 countries

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Y-PEER


UNFPA

UNFPA pioneered the Y-PEER programme and was heavily engaged in its

development and start-up.

Dr. Aleksandar Sasha Bodiroza, Technical Adviser, Youth, HIV/AIDS, UNFPA

Arab States Regional Office, Cairo, Egypt.

[email protected] +20-2-27067061

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


The Eastern Europe and Central Asia region has experienced an increase in HIV prevalence among young people since the 2000s. Between 2001 and 2011, the prevalence rate among young people aged 15-24 in the region increased by 20 per cent.3 Young women aged 20-24 years have been particularly affected, accounting for two thirds of new diagnoses in Eastern Europe in 2009. Meanwhile, the region has suffered from a lack of HIV prevention programmes targeting young people, particularly sexual and reproductive health education and services. The Youth Peer Education Network (Y-PEER) was launched in 2001 by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as an innovative and comprehensive youth-to-youth education initiative seeking to advance a comprehensive agenda for young people’s sexual and reproductive health.

Y-PEER1

1 Desk review (May-September 2014); inquiry form (16 September 2014); write-up (27 November 2014); internal validation (27 November-1 December 2014); implementer validation (10 February 2015).

2 Inquiry Form completed by Aleksandar Sasha Bodiroza, Technical Advisor, Youth, HIV/AIDS.

3 http://www.avert.org/hiv-aids-russia-eastern-europe-central-asia.htm

Country

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Y-PEER is a network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs) and young people that has evolved from a network focusing on the HIV pandemic among young people to one addressing other issues affecting this cohort. Today, Y-PEER is a global network of more than 2,000 non-profit organizations, governmental institutions, CBOs, institutions, youth activists, young peer educators and trainers. It has over 33,000 young members from 59 countries who work in promoting young people’s sexual and reproductive health, including physical and mental health related to HIV/AIDS, maternal health, gender-based violence, youth participation, civic engagement and development of a culture of citizenship. The network has developed a methodology with standards, tools and resources that are based on peer education and outreach and which are used by the members of Y-PEER.

In the Middle East and North Africa region, Y-PEER is particularly concerned about the needs and aspirations of young refugees, the availability of youth-friendly services and the opportunities offered to young people in terms of education, information and recreation. For instance, capacity-building sessions have been organized for young refugees in Tunisia (Chichu camp), Lebanon, Somalia, Sudan (Blue Nile and Darfur states), South Sudan, Iraq, State of Palestine (Gaza) and Jordan (Za’atari camp).4


The work of UNFPA includes promotion of the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. This is pursued through major national and demographic surveys and with population censuses. The data generated are used to create programmes to reduce poverty and address issues concerning the rights of particular minority population groups.

The main aim of UNFPA is to ensure that “every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect”.5 The work of UNFPA involves the improvement of reproductive health, including creation of national strategies and protocols, and providing supplies and services to these minority groups as well as internal migrants and refugees, the elderly and the disabled.

4 Programme inquiry form, Y-PEER, UNFPA.

5 www.unfpa.org.

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2. Goal and objectives6

2.1. Goal

The goal of Y-PEER is to enhance collaboration among youth-led and youth-serving organizations to promote youth participation in sexual and reproductive health issues, including advocacy for development of national policies and strategies for young people, as well as sectoral policies, laws and strategies addressing the needs of young people. Its overall objectives are to ensure:

• that young people, on an inclusive, equitable and universal basis, are actively learning in formal or non-formal education systems, have access to sexual and reproductive health information, and are receiving quality education on sexual and reproductive health;

• that young people, on an inclusive, equitable and universal basis, enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and have access to sexual and reproductive health services tailored to their specific needs;

• that the rights of young people are recognized and upheld to enable their engagement in all aspects of their development;

• greater opportunities for young people to transition smoothly between key developmental milestones and to secure decent work and income over the life cycle, contributing to a virtuous circle of poverty reduction, sustainable development and social inclusion;

• the progressive, substantive inclusion of young people in political and decision-making processes at local, national, regional and international levels.

2.2. Objectives 7

The short-term objectives of Y-PEER are country-specific and are designed based on youth’s national priorities.


The global Y-PEER network includes organizations working with and led by youth with disabilities, indigenous youth and minority youth, among others.


Programmes designed, developed and delivered through the Y-PEER network specifically target the needs of populations that are most at risk, including young people who inject drugs, young males having sex with males (MSM), sex workers

3. Target group 8

3.1. Age group

Y-PEER targets young people aged 15-24 years.


The intervention targets marginalized male and female marginalized youth and has been successful in reaching out to both sexes. The Y-PEER organizational network includes organizations led by adolescent girls and young women.

6 Programme inquiry form, Y-PEER, UNFPA.

7 Inquiry form completed by Aleksandar Sasha Bodiroza, Technical Adviser, Youth, HIV/AIDS.

8 Unless otherwise noted, information in this section is from the inquiry form completed by Aleksandar Sasha Bodiroza, Technical Adviser, Youth, HIV/AIDS.

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and young people living with HIV/AIDS. Particular attention is given to decreasing or preventing behaviours that have been identified as a driving force behind HIV transmission in the countries where Y-PEER operates.

Members of the Y-PEER network include organizations led by youth with disabilities, adolescent girls and young women, indigenous youth, youth in urban slums, minority youth-led and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth.

3.5. Human rights programming5

Y-PEER is actively involved in supporting human rights and the dignities of young people. One of the network’s key principles is inclusiveness. The network constantly challenges existing patterns of discrimination and encourage opportunities for marginalized youth, including both young women and young men, to be involved in youth-led activism.

The initiatives organized by Y-PEER recognize that young people are not homogeneous, so national programmes are tailored to meet the individual characteristics and circumstances of young people such as age, sex, religion, socioeconomic status, marital status and domestic arrangements, among other factors.

3.6. Youth involvement 10

Young people are fully involved in the design, development and implementation of Y-PEER programme activities. Young people are trained as peer educators and are both educators and the audience. As a network designed by young people for young people, Y-PEER is able to reach out to youth. In addition, it relies heavily on partnerships with local NGOs and institutions in each country of operation, which facilitates the enrolment of youth in this network.

4. Strategy and implementation 11


Y-PEER interventions are based on a revised model of behavioural development and behaviour change in the social environment context. The latter consists of macro elements that act as barriers or facilitators to behaviour and social changes (policies, legislation, services, education system, politics and the organizational environment), as well as individual behaviour.

The ‘behavioural development and behaviour change in the social environment context’ model also recognizes that there has been limited success with interventions that target individuals. It is important to note that individual behaviour is deeply influenced by broader factors, including information, motivation, ability to act (life skills), resources and access to programmes and services, social norms, social and economic influences and public policy. 12

In terms of approach, Y-PEER considers both participation and capacity strengthening to be key components to achieving social movement.

4.2. Activities

Organization of the global and country networks

The strategic direction of the global Y-PEER network is organized and coordinated by the Global Advisory Board, which meets once a year. The governance, coordination and management of individual country networks are then organized by network leaders in each of the countries with the assistance of champions from partner organizations, namely UNFPA and United Nations agencies.

9 E-mail communication with Aleksandar Sasha Bodiroza, Technical Adviser, Youth, HIV/AIDS.



12 Sustainable Research and Development Center (2008).

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The Y-PEER Global Advisory Board was established in 2004 at the suggestion of members to ensure youth participation in the management of the global network. The board’s main activities include leading the Y-PEER annual strategic process, in direct consultation with UNFPA staff. During this meeting, Y-PEERs define their official documentation and regulations, branding and public image, and institutional partnerships and collaborations.

The regional governance of the Y-PEER network is organized through the Global Advisory Board, but the governance, coordination and management of individual country networks are organized by the appointed network leaders at the national level – focal points, coordinators, fellows – with the assistance of partner organizations of the network.

Peer education

Y-PEER organizes peer education activities at the regional (international) as well as the national level through its global and national networks. It conducts training of peer educators, training of trainers and theatre-based peer education training of trainers.

Trainings of peer educators are the means by which new information and skills are transferred to young people. The long-term objective is to improve the skills of peer educators to provide accurate information and influence their peers in a positive way.

The training of trainers prepares the individuals who have excelled in peer education, introducing them to peer education training techniques and theory and providing them with skills to recruit and supervise peer educators. They also learn how to monitor their work. This training is

guided by the ‘Y-PEER Training of Trainers Manual’.

Specialized training is designed for experienced trainers, who are introduced to additional training techniques. Some of these specializations include theatre-based peer education training. These ‘master trainers’ are expected to support less experienced trainers and peer educators.

Communication and resources

Y-PEERs use a variety of communication tools to organize their internal networking and promote activities and issues to external audiences, including the production and dissemination of newsletters, the use of social networks and videoconferences.

Development of resources

The network has developed a series of resources that help its members to manage and use knowledge systematically. The ‘Y-PEER Peer Education Toolkit’ consists of a series of guides and manuals that help programme managers and master trainers of peer educators to prepare and implement peer education training. The toolkit is comprised of 10 components: 13

• The training of trainers manual – a curriculum tool to prepare advanced-level peer education trainers;

• The Y-PEER Standards for Peer Education Programmes – a series of standards for the standardization of peer education;

• Theatre-based Techniques for Youth Peer Education: A Training Manual – a curriculum tool using theatre in health education;

• Performance Improvement Manual – a

13 These toolkits were existent at the time of the evaluation (2007-2008).

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tool for helping managers improve the quality of peer education programmes;

• Assessing the Quality of Youth Peer Education Programmes - a series of checklists with guidance for programme managers to assess their peer education programmes;

• Ice-breaker Flash Cards – pocket-sized cards for use in peer education trainings;

• The ‘Transit’ Facilitators’ Manual –

a 90-minute MTV-produced film on the issues of relationships and risky behaviours among adolescents;

• The Peer Education Training of Trainers Manual for STI/HIV/AIDS and Sex Work and ‘The Outreach Guide for STI/HIV/AIDS and Sex Work’, developed in partnership with SOA AIDS Netherlands ;

• The Youth Participation Guide – developed in collaboration with the FHI 360 YouthNet programme.

Various elements of the toolkit have been translated into over 22 languages, including Arabic.

Standards for Peer Education

In 2004, UNFPA and Y-PEER collaborated with Family Health International (now FHI360) to design international standards for peer education programmes, using an interactive and consultative processes involving various stakeholders: adult experts; academics; peer education project managers; and trained youth peer educators. The standards aim to provide a framework for effective and practical programming and for quality

assurance. The outcome was the publication of the ‘Y-PEER Standards for Peer Education Programme’ released in March 2006. It became the cornerstone of the Y-PEER Peer Education Toolkit.

The standards are adaptable to the different cultures in which Y-PEER operates and are flexible regarding subject matter, means of implementation and assessment and audience choices. Issues addressed are cross-cutting and include youth participation, cultural sensitivity, gender sensitivity, gender equity and sensitivity towards differences in expression of human sexuality.

The Regional Peer Education Training and Research Institutes

The network has also facilitated the process of institutionalization of peer education at the subregional and country levels through the establishment of two Regional Peer Education Training and Research Institutes (PETRI) in Belgrade, Serbia and Sofia, Bulgaria.

Y-PEERs are also called to participate in national, regional and international activities where they attend and/or conduct trainings and workshops, transferring their knowledge and expertise of a global youth network working on sexual and reproductive health.

Y-PEERs have also partnered with media organizations and pop culture individuals – the Y-PEER ambassadors – to promote their message. This ‘edutainment’ approach has allowed the network to expand the reach of young people. Y-PEER, in collaboration with international organizations like MTV and national media networks, has launched campaigns, talk shows, short TV series and short film competitions.

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4.3. Innovativeness 14

Through interdependence between key programme components (education, information, skills development, community mobilization, outreach, services and advocacy), Y-PEER is designed to respond to the needs of young people at both the grass-roots and policy levels. Holistic consideration of livelihood systems, needs, challenges and opportunities makes a significant contribution to the overall impact of the programme. The following strategic paths differentiate Y-PEER from other initiatives:

1. ‘Edutainment’: utilizing entertainment strategies as a powerful tool to educate and mobilize young people (theatre-based peer education; use of celebrities in skills-building, advocacy and community mobilization; use of art and music as educational tools);

2. Using positive deviance as an asset-based, problem-solving and community-driven approach for Y-PEER members to address the issue of teenage pregnancies and maternal health;

3. Engaging members of the private sector as advocates and facilitators for youth issues together with the public sector (comparative advantage lies in its broader accountability and constituent-based legitimacy).

4.4. Cost and funding 15

The annual allocation cost at the regional level is $400,000, with an average UNFPA allocation per country of $35,000, according to UNFPA, and Y-PEER no longer relies only on UNFPA funding. The Y-PEER network activities are supported both by UNFPA core funds and by non-core funding secured from

donors and partnering private corporations. The latter are important for the sustainability of the network; however, in some countries where Y-PEER operates, attracting investment is challenging due to the sensitivity of sexual and reproductive health issues.16

4.5. Sustainability

A core concept of the Y-PEER network is the participation of young people in the governance, management, coordination, strategic planning, implementation and evaluation of the network’s activities. By involving young people at all stages and from the outset, the approach supports their ownership of the network. An evaluation of Y-PEER highlighted the importance of UNFPA country offices to the sustainability of the network at the country level, with the country offices supporting the network in achieving the highest level of youth participation. The sustainability of the network is built and maintained when youth initiate, direct and share decisions with adults.

To date, Y-PEER is present in 59 countries and comprises over 2,000 organizations and institutions. The global Y-PEER network is comprised of national Y-PEER networks which have their own leadership and national and international coordinators. The governing international body is the Global Advisory Board, which meets annually and where each national network is represented. Y-PEER has its own by-laws and two centres that act as the global headquarters (the PETRI in Sofia and Y-PEER Centre for Youth Development in Amman).

Because the national Y-PEER networks provide services at the local level, they have different funding and revenue sources. Agencies and organizations using Y-PEER peer education services include UNFPA,


15 Ibid.


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the United Nations Children’s Fund, , World Health Organization, national governments, the World Bank and the private sector (H&M, Vodafone and others). Most donors support specific actions that are part of their social responsibility portfolios.17

Mentoring through assigned focal persons within the network has been a key element of succession planning. Involvement in governance and their role in the decision-making process empowers youth and also allows decisions to remain within the network. Y-PEER builds on existing community assets and knowledge which in return promotes collaboration and cooperation among network members, resulting in collective decision-making. An evaluation of Y-PEER (see below) noted that the involvement of Y-PEER members in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of initiatives organized at the national level was critical for its sustainability.

4.6. Replicability18

As of November 2014, Y-PEER had been successfully replicated in 59 countries across the world, including countries in the Arab States, East Africa and the Asia and the Pacific region. In addition, NGOs and donors from a few countries in West Africa and Latin America are ready to start rolling out Y-PEER.

5. Evaluation and effectiveness19

The global Y-PEER network was evaluated by the Sustainable Research and Development Center between December 2007 and February 2008. The findings of the evaluation are based on eight20 in-country evaluation missions and document reviews associated with those missions.

The overall objective of the evaluation was to assess the strengths and limitations of the project in terms of:

• Meeting the project’s stated goals; 21

• the relevance of the achieved outputs to country needs and project objectives;

• the effectiveness of executing parties;

• the quality and value added of the project’s end products (training, manual, video, etc.).

A mixed methods approach was adopted for the evaluation, which entailed triangulating between different information sources. A desk review examined all relevant documents and individual interviews, focus groups discussions, e-mail surveys and country visits with relevant staff, young people and key stakeholders, to understand how Y-PEER has been implemented, its effectiveness and ways it can be improved.

Overall, the evaluation found that “the impacts of this project have been great”22 and highlighted three key areas: establishment of youth networks across the region; capacity-building of country youth services; and impact on the quality of peer education. The evaluation also stressed the empowerment of young people, who developed leadership and communication skills, and the indirect positive impact of providing education on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections to parents, colleagues and administrators.

Factors that have hindered the process include the availability of resources and funding; the capacity of UNFPA offices to absorb the workload represented by the Y-PEER networks; and the relationship of UNFPA and other United Nations agencies with the network. However, these hindrances have been country-specific, and so each Y-PEER national network had a different experience. 23


18 Ibid.


20 The countries evaluated were Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Egypt, Russian Federation, Serbia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia and Turkey.

21 The achievement of goals reviewed by the evaluation refer to the achievement of the goals of the eight countries reviewed, measured by the successful completion of project outputs.

22 Sustainable and Development Center (2008).

23 Ibid.

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Establishment of youth networks

At the time of the evaluation, Y-PEER had successfully established 38 national networks; currently, Y-PEER is present in 59 countries. The national Y-PEER networks bring together the voices of youth, NGOs and other organizations working in youth peer education and addressing sexual and reproductive health issues. Y-PEER has provided a methodological infrastructure, built a strong ‘brand’ and provides advantages in terms of advocacy. It facilitated the creation of linkages between the community, government and international agencies and generated significant networking and communication between NGOs.

Advocacy and alignment to national strategies

The Y-PEER network was found to have a strong advocacy role for the primacy of prevention, assisting in identifying national needs and prioritizing their attention at a government level. Equipped with leadership and communication skills, young Y-PEERs are empowered to lobby for improved sexual and reproductive health services and education. In conservative contexts, this is an important entry into sexual and reproductive health education.

Capacity-building

Y-PEER has established a spirit of collaboration among NGOs in the countries where it operates, which contributes to the sustainability of any future network of peer education.

Quality peer education

The Y-PEER methodology has had a positive effect on the quality, effectiveness and accessibility of youth-based peer

education. Peer education standards have been developed and disseminated among the Y-PEER network. UNFPA and Y-PEER, in collaboration with Family Health International, designed international standards for programmes in peer education through an interactive and consultative process which included international stakeholders – adult experts, academics, peer education project managers and youth peer educators. The outcome was the development of structured and standardized system of peer education based on evidence and best practices. These standards have guided the work of NGOs and youth organizations that are part of the network and delivering peer education.

As for the Y-PEER goal to establish a facilitated process of institutionalization of peer education at the subregional and country levels, the PETRI were established in Belgrade and Sofia to transfer the ownership of the network from UNFPA to an autonomous field-based entity.

In order to enhance youth involvement, fellowships were established in countries where Y-PEER operates. Seven fellows were identified by the network as youth advocates for UNFPA offices in Algeria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Egypt, Serbia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Their goal is to advance young people’s issues. In addition to advancing the Y-PEER agenda and expanding its reach, the evaluation found that the fellows contributed to the progress of country Y-PEER networks, especially in the areas of governance and coordination.

Data retrieved in 2014 based on the country office logs, campaign reports and monthly training and activity reports reveal that Y-PEER has reached 31,931 young people through its theatre-based peer education approach,.

25525424 Y-PEER Evaluation

25 Sustainable Research and Development Center (2008), Final Report for the Evaluation of Project RMI5R208: Y-PEER: Strengthening and Expanding Capacity for Delivery of High Quality Peer Education Systems in Arab States, Eastern Europe and Central Asia

In addition through the Y-PEER ‘Let’s Talk’ campaign, combined with outreach, edutainment training and school sessions, globally Y-PEER has reached almost 1.5 million young people with educational and prevention messages.

Empowerment of young people at the individual level

The evaluation also noted that there was an increasing demand for peer educator sessions, that awareness regarding sexual and reproductive health was raised and that behaviours among those participants trained as peer educators had changed.

The evaluation found that Y-PEER develops the social capital and political environment that facilitates healthy change. In conservative countries, this is of particular importance as sexual and reproductive health promotion is achieved through an evolutionary process.

At the individual level, the peer educators trained through Y-PEER “gained invaluable experience and skills for life-long decision-making, social activism, behaviour change and communication that will impact upon their peers and communities”.24

In conclusion, the evaluation process highlighted the effective structural elements of the Y-PEER network and the solid standardized peer education training. However, there is no clear measurement of the outcomes of these trainings on the youth population it targets. Therefore, an impact evaluation will be carried on in 2017 to assess the health outcomes of the components of Y-PEER and the effectiveness of these components.


Monitoring and evaluation have been

challenging for the Y-PEER network as they depend on the partnerships with NGOs established at the national level. There have been challenges in measuring levels of behaviour change and ultimately measuring the impact of the imparted peer education.

The development of standards for peer education has been a considerable effort towards strengthening quality and monitoring mechanisms.

6. Strengths and opportunities 25

• The network is an active grass-root entityworking with youth.

• The Y-PEER network provides a sexualand reproductive health focus for arange of youth NGOs, in addition tofacilitating important linkages betweenthe community, government andinternational agencies. The networkprovides a methodological infrastructurethat allows peer educators and theirsupporting institutions to collaborate onstrategies and programming.

• The programme has generated muchawareness and resulted in a demandfor education sessions provided bypeer educators. In addition to greaterawareness of sexual and reproductivehealth, the need for information hasbeen acknowledged and the behavioursof participants who have been trainedas peer educators have changed. Thisachievement was attained in all countriesthat were reviewed.

• There is strong grass-roots support,energy and focus for the developmentof youth- targeted programming in thecountries involved.

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• Y-PEER has laid the foundations for new opportunities through its initiatives. The network in Tunisia, for example, developed national standards in peer education. These standards were adopted by some NGOs and work is underway to continue the acceptance and implementation of these standards.

• Training university students and promoting a change in attitude, personal commitment and empowerment is an important long-term investment in the future class of professionals and key decision makers. These influential groups are vital to establishing a political and social environment that is supportive of promoting sexual and reproductive health.

7. Challenges 26

A number of limiting factors and challenges have been identified by the Y-PEER networks.

• The primary challenge was a need for stronger monitoring and evaluation. There is a lack of clarity about the reporting systems used by individual programmes, the relevance and measurability of indicators and to whom and how these need to be reported.

• Training, securing safe spaces, competing priorities, government and community support and recruitment and retention are challenges to the programme in contexts of uncertainty where countries are affected by conflicts and wars.

• Some countries were unable to implement direct prevention strategies that target marginalized ‘at-risk’ communities within their societies (MSM, sex workers, injecting drug users) due to legal, social and cultural constraints. However, this was

resolved by providing valuable resources and technical support for relevant NGOs.

The requirement for English skills has also been identified as an impediment to many young people who would otherwise join the network.

8. Next steps and the way forward27

Future recommendations include the documentation and transparency of recruitment, selection and replacement processes for all training and coordination positions (local, national, regional and international). An impact evaluation is planned for 2017.

9. Components to consider for

scale-up in MENA

• Strategy for developing a pool of highly qualified and skilled peer educators.

• Strategy for establishing global youth networks.

10. Resources

The Y-PEER education toolkit

11. References

Inquiry Form completed by Aleksandar Sasha Bodiroza, Technical Adviser, Youth, HIV/AIDS.

E-mail Communication with Aleksandar Sasha Bodiroza, Technical Adviser, Youth, HIV/AIDS.Sustainable Research and Development Centre (2008). Final Report for the Evaluation of Project RMI5R208: Y-PEER: Strengthening and Expanding Capacity for Delivery of High Quality Peer Education Systems in Arab States, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.UNFPA website: www.unpfa.org.

26 Inquiry Form completed by Aleksandar Sasha Bodiroza, Technical Adviser, Youth, HIV/AIDS

27 Ibid.

257256

Health

257256

Health Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth

Parent Action on Drugs

258

Global

Canada

Parent Action on Drugs (PAD)

Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth (SFPY)

Health2009Ongoing

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Griffin Centre, Hospital for Sick

Children, Division of Adolescent Medicine, The Jean Tweed Centre, Toronto

Catholic District School Board, Toronto Public Health, YMCA of Greater

Toronto, Youthlink, Youth Diversion Program, Canadian Mental Health

Association, Firefly Northwest, Supportive Housing of Waterloo (Since

the original 2009-2011 project, additional partners have come on board:

Phoenix Center for Children and Youth, Wilmot Family Resource Program,

Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Breakaway Addiction Services, Peterborough

Drug Strategy, Renfrew County Public Health, Addiction Services of Renfrew

Hospital and DREAM Futures Without Borders).

Non-UN

Diane Buhler, Executive Director, Parent Action on Drugs

[email protected]

Email: [email protected]

Region

Organization Country

NameCategoryStart date

UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Research has shown that some youth are at a higher risk of having problems at school, exhibiting anti-social behaviour or using alcohol and other drugs, while others have personal characteristics and support from their families or communities that help to ‘protect’ them from problems and enable them to cope successfully with life’s challenges. Positive family relationships and supportive parenting practices are two very important protective factors that support a child’s resiliency and ability to make healthier choices when coping with life’s struggles.

According to the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse, parenting and family

Strengthening Familiesfor Parents and Youth1

1 Desk review (May-September 2014); Inquiry form ( July 2014); Interview (16 October 2014)’Write up (2 December 2014); Internal valida-tion (2 December 2014-16 December 2014); Implementer validation (23 December 2014); Final validation (October 2015).

2 pad website http://parentaction.server295.com/program-resources/resiliency-building-programs-and-resources/ .

259

relationships strongly affect the well‐being and substance use behaviours of young people. These factors can also affect various other health-related behaviours and the mental health of children and youth.

The Centre noted a pressing need for family-based prevention and health promotion interventions for youth at both the individual and societal levels: “intervening with youth offers the best chance to not only have a positive influence on their future development as individuals, but also to reduce the impact of substance abuse on society as a whole”.3 Indeed, family skill programmes have been shown to contribute effectively to youth health and family well‐being.4

In 2007, a Toronto Public Health consultation with community agencies that explored opportunities, needs and gaps related to effective parenting programmes for children and participants outlined the following criteria as elements of an effective parenting programme:5

• evidence-based;

• focused on building resiliency;

• providing support and mentoring;

• capacity-building for both the parent and child;

• conveniently located;

• participatory, and with a meal provided.

Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth 12‐16 (SFPY) is a project that works on enacting an effective strategy for the prevention of substance abuse in youth by means of improving parenting skills and positive family functioning for families involved with diverse youth‐serving agencies in Toronto, Ontario.6

SFPY takes a ‘whole family’ approach that helps parents and teens to develop trust and mutual respect. This ‘whole family’ approach (parent/caregiver and teen together) uses a skills acquisition and practice learning model to improving family functioning, parent-youth communication and empathy, joint problem-solving and negotiation.

SFPY has been implemented in schools, drug treatment centres, family and youth service agencies, child protection and foster care agencies, community mental health centres, housing projects, homeless shelters, churches, drug courts and prisons.7


Parent Action on Drugs (PAD) is an organization that addresses substance misuse by providing innovative, evidence-based programmes and resources for youth, families, professionals and community members concerning issues that impact substance use and youth. Since 1996, PAD has worked with the Strengthening Families Program (SFP) model which is researched, developed and implemented on an international scale by Dr. Karol Kumpfer. SFP is a skills-building programme for both parent and child to encourage family-related protective factors. With extensive evaluations conducted with hundreds of families, SFP is a recognized best-practice initiative with proven results in improving family functioning and supporting youth resiliency.8

3 Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, 2007, p.3.

4 Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, 2010, p.10.

5 Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth 12 – 16 (SFPY):A Community Initiative to Adapt an Evidence‐Based Model for Implementa-tion with Families of At‐Risk Youth, Report, October, 2011, http://www.parentactionondrugs.org/pad-sfpy/documents/SFPY_Report.pdf

6 Ibid.

7 SFPY website, http://www.strengtheningfamiliesprogram.org/evaluation.html

8 pad website http://parentaction.server295.com/program-resources/resiliency-building-programs-and-resources/

260


2.1. Goal

The overall goal of the programme is to increase family functioning, parenting skills and youth social competencies, thereby supporting and increasing youth resiliency factors.

2.2. Objectives

The long term objectives of SFPY include increased youth resilience and capacity to prevent, avoid or minimize the use of alcohol and other drugs.9

SFPY specifically aims to empower the target group members by:10

• Giving them the skills to build resiliency and the ability to bounce back from difficult situations and make healthier choices when coping with life’s struggles;

• Unifying them as a family;

• Promoting self- and social awareness;

• Promoting resilience-building and comprehensive programming in a humanitarian context.

Implementers worked with partners

providing SFPY in neighbourhoods, communities and regions identified as experiencing high levels of stress due to economic hardship, immigration and family dysfunction.

3. Target group3.1. Age group

The programme targets youth between the ages of 12 and 16 years. Youth were recruited in different ways, e.g., from those being served by the hospital or agency or involved in child protection services as members of a family experiencing mental health or addiction problems. In other applications of the SFPY programme, there

is a more open recruitment of families and they do not necessarily meet strict criteria. There is a ‘best served’ number of 10 families for each programme cycle, i.e., having 10 families begin the programme ensures that with a small attrition rate, eight families will complete the programme (‘graduate’) and there will be sufficient youth and adults in each session for activities and discussion. Having more than 12 families may limit the opportunity for participants to receive sufficient attention and allow for disruptive behaviours to dominate.

In an initial SFPY pilot research project (2009-2011), the average age of the youth was 14 years; 48 (53 per cent) were between the ages of 12 and 14 years and 43 (47 per cent) were 15‐16 years old. Among the

9 Interview with Diane Buhler, Executive Director on October 16, 2014.

10 Ibid.

261

youth who graduated, the largest subgroup was 14 years old (28 per cent), followed by 15 year olds (26 per cent), with 22 per cent being 16, 14 per cent being 13 and 10 per cent being 12 years of age.11 In this respect, graduation criteria were based on the number of sessions attended, including at least eight or nine sessions (out of a total of nine sessions). The non-completion rate was 20 per cent.

It is worth noting that it is difficult to match actual population numbers for this age range against the youth population of Ontario (most population measures for Ontario/Canada are for the age groups 10-14 and 15-24 years) and thus, estimates of the provincial youth population in this age range would be between 750,000 and 800,000. Therefore, this programme, as an intensive, whole-family initiative, involves only a very small portion of this population.


While there are no outreach strategies to involve an equal number of males and females in the SFPY programme, experience shows that about an equal number of male and female participants have been involved. Females tend to dominate the parent group and mothers in particularly (and some grandmothers and aunts) attend on their own. Males who participate tend to be with their spouses/partners.


The intervention was inclusive of ethnic minorities, representing the ethnic diversity (immigrant and aboriginal) of Toronto residents. Kumpfer’s SFP model has been both adapted for and evaluated with specific cultural populations (e.g., Hispanic and Pacific Islanders) and in general, SFP has shown evidence of significant outcomes

with different ethnic populations. In many urban areas of Ontario, making SFPY inclusive rather than targeted makes much more sense. The best practice is to ensure that one or more facilitators represent the ethnic background of the majority of participants and the programme followed that practice (e.g., with African/Caribbean/Canadians and Aboriginals in particular).12

All service providers involved in the delivery of SFPY need to comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, which mandates that they provide accommodations for those with disabilities, allowing them to access services equally. Accommodation was made for those with a physical disability (e.g., providing a taxi for a grandmother with a cane and walking disability) and to youth with learning problems, hyperactivity syndrome and acute mental health problems.


The programme is not necessarily limited to youth/parents involved in active treatment for mental illness or addictions but many of those involved in the intervention meet that criterion. The research project had a specific focus on the disadvantaged and newcomers to Canada. The programme was implemented in neighbourhoods identified by high economic need and/or violence.13

The target group lives with a parent/caregiver and has one or several of the following characteristics:

• lives in regions that are hard to serve;

• youth experiencing behavioural issues, difficulties with school bonding and performance.

• youth experiencing mental health concerns,

11 Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth 12 – 16 (SFPY):A Community Initiative to Adapt an Evidence‐Based Model for Implemen-tation with Families of At‐Risk Youth, Report, October 2011, http://www.parentactionondrugs.org/pad-sfpy/documents/SFPY_Report.pdf

12 Interview with Diane Buhler, Executive Director, on 16 October 16 2014.

13 Ibid.

262

substance use and / or parents with mental health and/or substance use issues;

• youth experiencing high levels of family conflict and other environmental risk factors, such as family isolation and economic stress.

3.5. Human rights programming14

SFPY employs a child rights approach and also focuses on issues of enhancing equity or decreasing inequities between the youth and their parents by building mutual respect.

Because of the population diversity in southern Ontario, programmes are generally very inclusive and there is a strong emphasis on equity in most social services. SFPY deliverers are strongly focused on equity and respecting diverse cultural traditions. Respect for family heritage is part of the SFPY curriculum, although social justice is not approached as an issue in itself. Family heritage is outlined to parents as being an important protective factor, and together parents and youth participate in an activity which asks them to consider what is of value to them as a family and come up with promises to respect their family and their heritage (as appropriate for them).

SFPY strongly promotes youth empowerment in a multigenerational setting, providing an environment of safety and support where youth can express their opinions on sensitive topics to their parents and the other adults in the programme.


While the topics, themes and approaches of SFPY are standardized, youth are involved in creating specific activities that cover the topics, engage their interest and empower

them to express their opinions and be heard.15

Examples of these activities include: creating a design of their own choice that expresses their goals and dreams; creating a ‘message to our parents’ about what they need from their parents and what they feel they can offer; creating statements about how they feel they contribute to family life/household routines; participation in a forum about ‘difficult topics’ such as drugs and limits; and participating in problem-solving situations as equal partners to the adults.



SFPY is a nine-week skills-building programme for families with teens. It is a shortened, adapted version of the 14-week Strengthening Families Program developed by Dr. Karol Kumpfer of the University of Utah. Dr. Kumpfer’s SFP has been implemented since the early 1990s; the SFPY variant was developed by PAD in 2009.16,17

The 14-week skills‐development model of Dr.Kumpfer’s SPF provides weekly one-hour sessions for parents and a concurrent one-hour session for children/youth, followed by a one-hour session for families. Sessions

14 Ibid.

15 Inquiry form completed by Diane Buhler in July 2014.

16 Interview with Diane Buhler, 16 October 2014.

17 SFPY website, http://sfpy-pad.org/about/

263

are delivered by trained facilitators and involve an active curriculum of skills‐building designed specifically to increase protective factors, such as parent‐child communication and empathy, consistent parental monitoring and positive discipline, and strategies to improve family organization and cohesion.18

However, SFPY is more adapted and shorter, lasting 9 weeks instead of 14. The SFPY variant was developed for and tested with Ontario families, to produce a curriculum with an increased degree of activity-based learning, particularly for youth and families. The learning model developed within the SFPY variant is ‘Tell, Show, Do’ for parents with an emphasis on skill application. In each parent session there is at least one skill application which participants complete in order to show that they have understood and can apply a skill, such as using a praise word with their youth. The youth model emphasizes ‘5 E’s: Engage, Explain, Explore, Experience, Empower.

The following explains the 5 E’s strategy for a facilitator:19

Engage: This is the first job of the facilitator; if youth are not engaged, they will not be open to learning. Activities are intended to be fun and participatory. By leading activities with enthusiasm and expecting that all will join in, facilitators can set the tone for a fully engaging curriculum. If any particular activity is not engaging, consider re-arranging it or moving on to the next one.

Experience: Experiential learning is the underlying approach of the SFPY youth sessions. The skills-building model for youth provides the opportunity to learn the skill through specific activities. The use of active learning emphasizes to the youth that this programme is different than traditional school.

Explain: Sometimes it will be important to provide an explanation of the skill and why it is important, or provide a few salient facts on a topic. However, the learning benefit of any kind of didactic teaching in the context of this programme is limited, and explanations should be kept brief. At all costs, avoid lecturing the teens!

Explore: Often, youth will not enter into a conversation about a topic when it is first introduced. In that situation, it is best to go on to the activity rather than attempting to bring out discussion. However, at some points in the sessions, the teens may want to express their thoughts about a topic. In this situation, it is important for the facilitator to pick up on their cues and assist them in making the most of their discussion before going on to another activity.

Empower: The youth sessions, in combination with the family sessions, aim to empower youth – to give them an opportunity to be heard in an environment they can trust, to present a ‘youth picture’ to the parents and to be put on an equal footing as participants in the programme.

The SFPY programme design reflected international standards of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime specifically by following the ‘Guide to implementing family skills training programmes for drug abuse prevention’. Furthermore, the project contributes to the [Ontario] provincial framework by building youth, strengthening family bonds and improving health.20

The Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services utilizes a framework called ‘Stepping Up’ to support the success of youth in the province. The cornerstones and principles of the SFPY programme include a positive, asset-based view of youth, targeted

18 Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth 12 – 16 (SFPY):A Community Initiative to Adapt an Evidence‐Based Model for Implementation with Families of At‐Risk Youth, Report, October 2011, http://www.parentactionondrugs.org/pad-sfpy/documents/SFPY_Report.pdf

19 Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth: a 9 week program to create stronger family connections – Facilitators Manual. Parent Action on Drugs. Toronto, Canada. 2011,


264

support for those who need it, support for diversity and evidence-informed choices, and supportive adults and families.21

Pilot 22

The programme had an initial pilot phase which was carried out prior to launching the intervention, which took place from 2009 to 2011 in Toronto. The pilot was composed of eight cycles or cohorts, each cycle having a duration of nine weeks. This pilot was conducted to test the outcomes with Dr. Kumpfer’s evaluation instruments and to check if they are positive and relevant to Canada. The results of the pilot are mentioned in the evaluation section.

4.2. Activities

The SFPY programme operates weekly for nine weeks with a team of four professional facilitators. Facilitators are provided by the agency/agencies delivering the programme and have been trained by PAD staff.

Sessions typically begin in the early

evening and are provided on the same day of the week for nine consecutive weeks, unless a holiday is involved and a session needs to be postponed. The programme adheres to the following format:23

• First hour: Participation in a family meal;

• Second hour (70 minutes): Parents and youth participate separately in a skills- building session;

• Third hour (50 minutes): Families participate in a session together, building on the topics and skills they have explored separately.

Parents and teens must commit to attending the sessions together as both must participate in the sessions to gain from the programme. The programme encourages the same parent to attend throughout the cycle but it is not mandatory. Sometimes the parents’ schedules do not allow for this and flexibility allows the family to continue to attend the programme. The SFPY programme can accommodate families with single or multiple

21 Follow-up with implementers


23 Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth (SFPY): An Evidence-Based Model for Implementation with Families of At-Risk Youth, http://www.parentactionondrugs.org/padsfpy/documents/SFPY_9_week_Program_Overview.pdf

SFPY programme format

265

‘parents’ and single or multiple children within the 12-16 year age range. ‘Parent’ is defined as the child’s primary caregiver(s) and is interpreted in an inclusive, broad context (e.g., foster parents, boyfriends, step parents, adoptive parents, grandparents or other forms of kinship care, etc.).24 Parents are asked to practice the skills they have learned and the routines that have been introduced at home with their teen and other family members.25

Curriculum delivery 26

The SFPY Facilitator Manual provides facilitators with a complete discussion and activity guide, including suggested wording and additional information to give group leaders a good understanding of the concepts and skills they are delivering. All the discussion guides and activities have been tested many times with diverse audiences. In the parents’ session, it is especially important for facilitators to make sure that they cover the key themes to meet the session’s objectives and, in particular, include the skills practice activity where indicated. Nonetheless, the programme is flexible in how the materials are delivered to make the curriculum meaningful for the specific audience without deviating from the designated themes. The youth session especially allows for a flexible approach in order to make sure the activities selected are appropriate for the

24 PAD website, guidelines for implementing the SFPY program http://www.parentactionondrugs.org/pad-sfpy/documents/SFPY_Imple-mentation_Guidelines.pdf

25 Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth (SFPY): An Evidence-Based Model for Implementation with Families of At-Risk Youth,

http://www.parentactionondrugs.org/pad-sfpy/documents/SFPY_9_week_Program_Overview.pdf


266

SFPY curriculum as presented in the PAD Implementation Guidelines27

267

youth group and the youth are fully engaged. Many of the activities require advance review and preparation to ensure that they are fully understood and can be delivered confidently. The SFPY Program Materials Preparation Guide, which accompanies the Facilitator Manual, provides a complete list of the materials necessary for each session activity. Participation in a full-day designated training workshop by all programme deliverers ensures that they understand fully how to balance curriculum flexibility to ensure the best results.

4.3. Innovativeness

When the Strengthening Families Program was initially developed by Dr. Kumpfer in the 1990s, it was unique in its whole family approach. Since then, there have been other programmes aimed at increasing positive parenting, family functioning and children’s resiliency that take the whole family approach. However, these are geared to children rather than to adolescents/teens. The SFPY variant is unique in that it is a nine-week intervention and provides unique youth-engagement activities and approaches.


Expenses for conducting the programme include site costs, coordinator and facilitators’ fees, food for a family meal, programme supplies, small incentives and prizes, transportation and childcare.

The budget plan for the intervention is $5,000-$7,000 (Canadian dollars) per cycle. This budget is based on having 10 families enrolled, with about $2,500 for a nutritious meal (a very important part of the programme), $800 for child minding, $2,000 for staffing/coordination fees if necessary and the remainder for

materials. Training could involve extra cost and would depend on travel, etc.

The SFPY research project was made possible by funds from Health Canada and conducted by Parent Action on Drugs. Health Canada is the federal department responsible for helping Canadians to maintain and improve their health, while respecting individual choices and circumstances. It funded the project under the Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund and the Toronto Drug Strategy.28 If participating agencies make in-kind contributions – particularly for the provision of the site, coordination and facilitation – the costs of the programme are reduced greatly. Donations of food and prizes can also be sought.29

4.5. Sustainability

The intervention was sustained through grants. Because of the budget requirements, most agencies need to seek additional funds from national, provincial and municipal funding bodies.

Elements needed to deliver and sustain the programme:30

STAFF: A total of four facilitators are needed to deliver the programme (two co-leaders for the youth sessions and two for the parent sessions). If possible, the group leaders should reflect the ethno-cultural diversity of the families in the programme. A site coordinator is also needed to oversee the programme, manage logistics and supervise staff. This person should be accessible to families between sessions.

The facilitators and site coordinator should be experienced in working with at-risk youth and parents and it is strongly recommended that they receive training in the programme by attending a designated SFPY workshop.


28 Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth_ Report , SFPY website, http://sfpy-pad.org/about/

29 PAD website, guidelines for implementing the SFPY programme http://www.parentactionondrugs.org/pad-sfpy/documents/SFPY_Im-plementation_Guidelines.pdf

30 PAD website, http://parentactionondrugs.org/program-resources/resiliency-building-programs-and-resources/sfpy/

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SPACE: Since each session begins with a shared family meal, a space large enough to accommodate all families comfortably is needed. Separate meeting spaces for parents and youth are also required. These spaces must be large enough for the groups to sit comfortably and to move around.

CHILDCARE: If possible, it is important to provide childcare for younger siblings while the sessions are occurring. When providing childcare, a separate space and caregivers will also be required.

4.6. Replicability

SFPY has been implemented primarily in Ontario, Canada with some implementation in other provinces, primarily Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. In 2014, an additional project has begun to replicate the pilot research findings with nine agencies in Ontario, delivering nine cycles of SFPY and building the capacity of organizations in rural and remote parts of Ontario to sustain the delivery of SFPY. In addition, Resserrer les Liens entre Parents et Jeunes, the French-language counterpart of SFPY, is being piloted in francophone areas of Ontario.

This is most effective where a single lead agency takes responsibility for integrating the SFPY programme into its delivery system and networks with other regional agencies to supplement the delivery by providing facilitators and supporting the recruitment of families by identifying youth and families in need.


Evaluation: 31

An evaluation plan was developed prior to the initiation of the intervention. Targets included an

80 per cent retention rate, diversity of audience and the 21 positive outcomes posited by Dr. Kumpfer. Evaluation data were disaggregated by sex, age, ethnicity, geographic region and socioeconomic status.32

There are three cluster measurements for parents, family and children and 18 outcome variables grouped into three areas: parent immediate change objectives (five measures); child/youth change objectives (seven measures); and family change objectives (five measures); in addition to parental alcohol and drug use (one measure).

Parent immediate change objectives

Increases in:

Positive parenting;

Parenting skills;

Parental supervision;

Parental efficacy;

Parental involvement;

Decrease in parental substance use or misuse

Child/youth change objectives

Increase social skills (cooperation, assertion, responsibility and self-control);

Reduced externalizing;

Reduced covert aggression;

Reduced concentration problems;

Reduced criminal behaviour;

Reduced hyperactivity;

Reduced depression

Family change objectives

Increase positive parent/child relationship or family cohesion;

Reduce family conflict;

31 Interview with Diane Buhler, Executive Director, 16 October 2014.

32 Ibid.

26933 Ibid.

Increase family organization and order;

Increase family communication skills;

Increased overall family strength and resilience

Parent Action on Drugs contracted the LutraGroup to develop the outcome evaluation methodology and instruments, enter and analyse the data and prepare an evaluation for the programme. LutraGroup provided a set of existing evaluation instruments (used in multiple SFP trials) to allow for a quasi‐experimental evaluation/research design with proven standardized measurements.

Effectiveness:33

The PAD SFPY variant was evaluated by Dr. Kumpfer with excellent results in the areas of parental skills, family functioning and increases in mental health and social competencies on the part of the youth.

In terms of meeting the programme’s objectives, 77 per cent of the families enrolled in SFPY attended, and 20 of Dr. Kumpfer’s 21 outcomes were achieved, with 19 showing significant change as stated:

“In summary, in the PAD Toronto SFPY Project, 17 of 18 scales of the hypothesized and measured outcome variables were shown to have significant positive changes even with a small sample size of families. If the cluster variables for parents, family and child outcomes are included there were 20 of 21 outcomes that were significant. The comparison group was the norms for the SFP National Database of 134 families. It should be pointed out that this sample of participants is not all of the families that participated in the SFP group in Toronto, but represents only the data that was completed by the participants and sent to LutraGroup for data entry and analysis by July 2011.

The largest effects are for changes in the parent’s parenting skills and style or efficacy with 100% of the five outcome variables showing significant improvements. The effect sizes are all very large ranging from a high of .72 for Parental Supervision to a low of .54 for Parental Involvement and Parenting Skills. The average Parenting Cluster score was d. = .72 vs. only d. = .48 for the SFP norms. Hence, the Toronto PAD families improved more than the norms in their parenting style.

Five or 100% of the five family change variables were improved significantly. This area of change had the largest improvements in the effect sizes of the individual within subjects behavior change (d’). The family cluster variable Cohen’s d was .73, slightly smaller than d. = .78 for the SFP norms. It appears that the PAD SFP program implementation is having a dramatic impact on the overall family environment, beyond that found normally in other SFP sites nationally. This is a very positive effect and a tribute to the Site Coordinator and the Group Leaders.

Six of the seven or 85.7% of the hypothesized youth outcome variables were found significantly improved by the post-test, namely increased Concentration or Reduced Attention Deficit, decreased Depression, Overt Aggression, Covert Aggression, Hyperactivity and increased Social Behavior. The overall Child Cluster variable or average of all of the effect size d of the children’s change scores was d. = .55 vs. d. = .50 for the SFP norms. Hence, the program was having a greater impact on improving the children’s scores than for the SFP norms.

Taken as whole, finding positive changes in 17 of 18 scales or 94% of outcome variables for the SFP program suggesting positive changes in the parenting skills of

270

the parents, the family relationships and in the children’s behaviors is an important finding. Changes in all of the parenting and family variables by the post-test are wonderful and should later result in greater improvements in the youth.”34

At the ninth session during the programme evaluation in Ontario, parents who completed the programme in seven cohorts were asked to rate their experience using the SFP Parent Retro Post-Test Questionnaire (n=40). The top common responses to questions about the benefits of the programme were:

• Learned effective parenting skills (positive approach, be less critical, hold family meetings (15 out of 40). “We learned how to start discussion in a healthy way.”

• Improved communication skills (15 out of 40). “Open communication was the biggest I will take with me.” “My teen and I have a completely new way of communicating.”

• Understand their children/teens better (14 out of 40). “I have a much better understanding of where she is coming from and what she really wants and her reaction to my new approaches are much more positive.”

In addition, respondents noted that they liked the ‘whole family’ approach of the programme, found that their family was closer/more respectful because of the programme, enjoyed the social aspects of the programme and saw improvements in their child with regard to confidence and independence.35


One of the core strengths of this programme

34 Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth 12 – 16 (SFPY):A Community Initiative to Adapt an Evidence‐Based Model for Implementation with Families of At‐Risk Youth, Report, October 2011, http://www.parentactionondrugs.org/pad-sfpy/documents/SFPY_Report.pdf

35 Ibid.

36 Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth (SFPY): An Evidence-Based Model for Implementation with Families of At-Risk Youth, http://www.parentac-tionondrugs.org/pad-sfpy/documents/SFPY_9_week_Program_Overview.pdf

is the family approach.

Providing a meal for the family makes it easier for families to participate in the programme. It also provides an important chance for families to spend time together and practice the skills they have learned as well as an opportunity to meet informally with facilitators and build a communal experience for all members of the SFPY group.36 The family session not only allows parents and teens to work on skills together but also provides a meaningful opportunity for them to communicate outside of their immediate family, thereby presenting the opportunity for intergenerational dialogue in a safe and accepting environment through enjoyable activities. Childcare is provided for children younger than 12 years of age, to allow parents to commit to the programme without concern for the care of younger siblings. The SFP model was originally devised to meet the needs of families experiencing dysfunction because of the involvement of parents with alcohol and other drugs. The current implementation of SFPY targets youth who are experiencing behavioural issues, difficulties with school bonding and performance, mental health concerns, substance use and/or parents with mental health and/or substance use issues.

7. Challenges

Some of the challenges of the pilot research project were unique to that project and others are challenges faced by the continued implementation of the SFPY programme in subsequent replications.

• Unique challenges of a research project concern the research protocols, such as passing an ethics review, getting consent from participants for a very involved

271

evaluation process and getting full compliance from the programme delivery team for their part of the evaluation.

• Ongoing challenges of sustaining SFPY as a continued programme concern financing the cycle (funds for food, childcare, materials) and accessing the facilitation team for the cycle.

• Outreach to families and family retention is well acknowledged in the literature as a challenge for all parenting and family programmes.37 However, continued attendance was ensured by applying strategies such providing a family meal of good quality and variety, childcare for younger children, assistance with transportation38 and providing ongoing reminders and positive contact with the families (with the use of mobile phones and texting being a recent way of ensuring this).

• Issues of confidentiality and disclosure were worrisome to the youth. From the initial session, it was stressed that the discussions in the youth group would not be shared with the parents, unless the youth decided by consensus that there was something specific they wanted their parents to hear. However, it was also made clear (and written in the curriculum) that by legislation, group leaders have a duty to disclose if they feel a child is being neglected or abused in any way. During training sessions, how disclosure is handled is discussed at some length. Furthermore, people who had court orders that limited their contact with their children face a barrier in working through the programme requirements, although families involved in a child protection case who participated in the programme

showed benefits from their participation.39


At this time, Parent Action on Drugs has received another grant from Health Canada to develop a capacity-building model to see the SFPY programme introduced and sustained in nine different jurisdictions across Ontario, with particular focus on rural and remote parts of the province. This project involves the same evaluation methodology as the 2009-2011 research project and will therefore provide an enhanced sample size of families to build the evidence on effectiveness.


• A family-based skills-building

programme that targets parents and youth, with the active participation of parents and youth.

• The strategy, curriculum content, training and support modules and assessment tools have been assessed for effectiveness and are available for adapting the programme.

37 United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, ‘Guide to implementing family skills training programmes for drug abuse prevention’, 2009.



272

10. Resources

Guidelines for Implementing the SFPY program

http://www.parentactionondrugs.org/pad-sfpy/documents/SFPY_Implementation_Guidelines.pdf

United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (2009),’Guide to implementing family skills training programmes for drug abuse prevention’, New York.

Link:http://www.unodc.org/documents/prevention/family-guidelines-E.pdf

Other resources are available upon request from implementer.

11.ReferencesInquiry form completed by Diane Buhler in July 2014.

Interview with Diane Buhler, Executive Director of PAD, 16 October 16 2014.

Parent Action on Drugs (PAD) www.parentactionondrugs.org

Pad website http://parentaction.server295.com/program-resources/ res i l iency-building-programs-and-resources/

Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth 12 – 16 (SFPY):A Community Initiative to Adapt an Evidence‐Based Model for Implementation with Families of At‐Risk Youth, Report, October 2011,

http://www.parentactionondrugs.org/pad-sfpy/documents/SFPY_Report.pdf

Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth (SFPY): An Evidence-Based Model for Implementation with Families of At-Risk Youth, http://www.parentactionondrugs.org/pad-sfpy/documents/SFPY_9_week_Program_Overview.pdf

United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (2009). Guide to implementing family skills training programmes for drug abuse prevention. United Nations. New York.

Photo credits: PAD.

Annex

Evaluation results of the original SFP by Dr. Kumpfer:

“SFP has also been shown to produce positive outcomes that specifically address substance use. This is based on evidence from the USA Center for Substance Abuse. In the “Evaluation Report on Eight Cohorts in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2009 ‐ 2011” prepared for Parent Action on Drugs, Kumpfer et al illustrated SFP’s effectiveness in the USA:

Recently the USA Center for Substance Abuse Prevention ‐ CSAP (Miller & Hendrie, 2008) has released a cost/benefit study that suggests that no other prevention program implemented in schools or communities protects as many youth from not becoming substance users. Miller and Hendry (2008) reported based on original research by the program developers of many prevention programs that SFP prevented 18% of youth from becoming alcohol users whereas the next best program Dishion’s Adolescent Transitions Program was the next best program preventing 11% of youth from becoming alcohol users or abusers.

SFP prevented 15% of youth from using marijuana, 11% from using other drugs and 7% from smoking tobacco. No other prevention program matched these levels of preventive effect except Project Northland for tobacco that had the same 7% preventive effect”. (Kumpfer, K.L., Cofrin‐Allen, K., Xie, J. & Whiteside, H., 2011, p. 4)

273

UnpluggedEuropean Union Drug

Addiction Prevention Trial Coordinating Centre

274

Global /MENA

Several countries including Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Croatia, Czech

Republic, France, Germany, Greece, India (Bombay), Italy, Kuwait,

Lebanon, Nigeria, Pakistan, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia,

Slovenia, Sweden, Spain, United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi), United

Kingdom

European Union Drug Addiction Prevention Trial (EU-DAP) Coordinating Centre

Unplugged

Health2002Ongoing

Institut fur Sozial und Gesundheitspsychologie, De Sleutel Institute, IFT-

Nord / Institute for Therapy and Health Research, University Mental Health

Research Institute, Piedmont Centre for Drug Addiction Epidemiology

– OED, Edex / Community Resources Centre, Centre for Public Health –

Tobacco Prevention (Sweden), Dep’t. of Clinical and Experimental Medicine

/ Avogadro University, Dep’t. of Internal Medicine and Public Health /

University of L’Aquila, UNODC ROMENA, Mentor Arabia Mentor Foundation

International, IKEA Social Initiative, UNODC Brazil, UNODC Nigeria, UNODC

Pakistan, University College Ghent

Non-UN

Peer van der Kreeft, Leading EU-DAP Faculty

[email protected]

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Adolescence is a developmental stage when individuals are particularly vulnerable to engaging in risky behaviour such as drug use. In fact, according to modern models of substance abuse prevention, people who use tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs show a common tendency to develop dependency starting in adolescence.2 Preventive interventions should therefore target age groups instead of specific substances.3

Unplugged1

1 Inquiry form (July 2014); Interview (8 October 2014 and 25 February 2015); Write up (11 December 2014), Internal Validation(11 Decem-ber- 12 December), Implementer Validation (10 February 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

2 McLellan 2000; Camì 2003.

3 Ashton 2003; Wise 1998; Nestler, 1997; Leshner 1997.

Country

275

Primary prevention in schools is thought to be one of the most significant strategies for tackling substance use, because schools propose a systematic and efficient means to reach a large number of young persons.4 During the late 1980s, it became increasingly clear that school-based programmes which only conveyed information on the harm caused by drugs show limited, if any, effectiveness in modifying adolescents’ behaviour, even when the programmes succeeded in increasing knowledge among youth. The prevailing theory was that knowledge of risks is not protective unless it is coupled with the ability to resist social influences, which can lead to substance use. Indeed, a recent Cochrane Review of school-based interventions to prevent drug use stated that only programmes based on enhancing social skills have some chance of being effective.6

Unplugged is a school-based drug prevention programme for adolescents. It aims to curb initiation of drug use and delay the transition from experimental to addicted behaviour involving alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and other drugs.7 It is integrated in the school curriculum and the educational materials made available to students.

The programme uses a ‘life skills’ approach and provides key facts about alcohol, drugs and tobacco in addition to methods for problem solving and enhancing critical thinking, effective decision-making and communication and goal-setting skills. In addition to information and social or personal skills, the programme corrects misperceptions and focuses on normative beliefs (beliefs based on overestimated proportions of peers using drugs or approving drug use).

Organization profile8

The European Drug Addiction Prevention trial (EU-Dap) is a multicentre study implemented by nine partners from seven European countries. The EU-Dap project has been funded by the European Commission within the programme for the prevention of drug dependence since 2002. The project aims both to develop a theory-based school programme to prevent use of tobacco, drugs and alcohol, and to assess its effectiveness by mean of a rigorous experimental design. Known as Unplugged, the programme was developed by the EU-Dap Intervention Planning Group, and during the 2004-2005 school year was evaluated among 7,000, students aged 12-14 years. Details of the results, which were published in scientific literature, can be found on the project’s website (www.eudap.net).

4 EU-Dap Final Technical Report n.2; UNICRI 2003.

5 Interview with Peer van der Kreeft, programme mentor and coordinator, 8 October 2014.

6 Faggiano, 2005.

7 EU-Dap Final Technical Report n.2.

8 EU-Dap website.

9 Unplugged factsheet.

276


2.1. Goal

Unplugged aims both to develop young people’s knowledge, attitudes, awareness and skills and to address normative social influences on behaviour. It aims to develop human resource capacities for formulating, implementing and evaluating evidence-based work to prevent drug abuse and promote healthy behaviour work with young people through piloting school-based life-skills education.9

2.2. Objectives

The programme’s short-term objective is to train teachers to implement the programme in schools by merging it into school curricula. Its long-term objective is to enhance the life skills of adolescents aged 12-14 years in schools and provide them with basic knowledge about alcohol, drugs and tobacco with the aim of prevention.10

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

The target age for this programme is students aged 12-14 years.11 The target population for the evaluation consisted of students attending junior high school classes in the geographical areas corresponding to the centres involved in the programme.12


The intervention reached out to both genders and there was no specific segregation. In the evaluation phase, approximately half of the participating students were male and half female.13


Any person can be enrolled in the Unplugged programme regardless of his or her background. No specific strategies were adopted for persons with disabilities.

3.4. Targeting the most marginalized / most at risk14

The programme did not restrict or exclude anyone. Assessments conducted by the implementers revealed that people from low

socioeconomic status have a high probability to engage in tobacco and drug use and to experience problematic alcohol use.15 In order to achieve a balanced representation of all socioeconomic levels of the population, an equal number of schools from low, middle and high socioeconomic areas were included in the effectiveness study. The analysis of the programme’s efficacy according to socioeconomic status of the schools showed a better effect on pupils in the most disadvantaged schools, with an important potential effect on reduction of health-related inequalities.


Unplugged is an evidence-based prevention programme that aims to protect adolescents in particular, and youth in general, from substance abuse by empowering them with the right life skills, norms and education and promoting their participation in all areas of prevention.15


Youth were involved in the programme as beneficiaries and in the evaluation. The Unplugged approach is to focus on

10 Interview with Peer Van Der Kreeft, programme mentor and coordinator, 8 October 2014.



13 Faggiano et al 2007.

14 Caria et al, 2011.

15 Ibid.

277

interactive learning through the active involvement of and consultation with the young people participating in the programme. Children are also consulted to ascertain their views and feedback on the programme as part of the evaluation, which in turn feeds into the refinement and development of the work.16



The main theories on which the programme is based are: social learning; problem behaviour; the health belief model; the theory of reasoned action-attitude; and social norms theory. The theories are integrated and intertwined, creating a complex model which allowed Unplugged to be included among programmes using a ‘comprehensive social influence’ approach and combined ‘social competence and social influence’ curricula. The development of the intervention was based on previous experience from other evidence-based programmes by referring to a meta-analysis done by Nancy Tobler17 which examines different school-based drug prevention programmes.

Unplugged targets both experimental and regular use of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs. The curriculum consists of three parts: the first aims to improve knowledge of risks and protective factors, as well as to build attitudes against substance use; the second focuses on interpersonal skills, beliefs, norms and realistic information about prevalence; and the third aims to develop intrapersonal skills such as coping competences, problem-solving, decision- making and setting goals.

4.2. Activities

The Unplugged curriculum consists of 12 one-hour lessons, administered by school teachers who have been trained in a 2.5 day training session. The 12 lessons are:18

1. Opening Unplugged;

2. To be or not to be in a group;

3. Choices – Alcohol, Risk and Protection;

4. Your beliefs, norms and information – do they reflect reality?;

5. Smoking the cigarette drug – Inform

yourself;

6. Express yourself;

7. Get up, stand up;

8. Party tiger;

9. Drugs - Get informed;

10. Coping competencies;

11. Problem-solving and decision-making;

12. Goal setting.

The programme is offered in combination with three seminars for parents19 to inform them about the programme and to raise their awareness of their role in support of the initiative.

Initially, Unplugged operated in seven selected centres across Europe. Currently any stakeholder (universities, research centres, schools, ministries, etc.) in a country can request to have Unplugged adapted and implemented. The adaptation of the programme differs from one setting to another.

4.3. Innovativeness

The programme is innovative because its resources are offered free of copyright. Resources are available without cost to those


17 Tobler NS, Roona MR, Ochshorn PM, Diana G, Streke AV, Stackpole KM (1998).

18 EU-Dap website.

19 EU-Dap website.

278

who express interest in implementing the programme. A distinctive core component of this programme is that teachers deliver the sessions instead of external trainers or educational and/or drug education experts. Teachers have clear instructions to follow step by step in delivering the sessions in a participatory manner, relying on group work. The programme does not tackle refusal skills and attitudes toward drugs explicitly but rather relies on normative belief and building life skills which enable youth enrolled in the programme to experience change on their own (e.g., decrease in positive attitudes towards drugs).

4.4. Cost and funding20

The running cost of the Unplugged programme is 200 euros for all sessions delivered to a cohort of 30 pupils. However, if organizations or institutions in countries want to adapt it, an estimate cost of between 100,000 and 300,000 euros is needed for the adaptation process only. This cost encompasses the cost of training-of-trainers sessions delivered by EU-Dap and other international experts to local trainers who in turn train the teachers, and the cost of translation of all relevant material. The adaptation cost does not include material. Adaptation further includes a pre-pilot with a process evaluation study as a resource for adaptation of materials and training.

4.5. Sustainability21

The sustainability of Unplugged is based on the cascade model. When organizations, institutions or government bodies in countries express their willingness to implement Unplugged, a team of EU-Dap experts and international experts train local

trainers who in turn train the teachers in schools to deliver the sessions. Through this mechanism, many individuals are being trained on how to implement the programme which entails a bigger reach. Teachers are trained once yet they can continue to implement Unplugged on their own for up to 7-8 years with occasional refresher courses by local trainers to keep them updated.

4.6. Replicability

Unplugged was originally developed by the EU-Dap project and evaluated positively in seven European countries. In addition, the Mentor Foundation implemented the project in five other European countries (Croatia, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Romania and Russian Federation) with the support of the IKEA Social Initiative. Mentor Arabia and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime adapted the material and are currently working on implementing the project in six Arab countries (Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco and United Arab Emirates).22


EU-Dap conducted an evaluation of Unplugged to assess the effectiveness of the programme.23 The source population consisted of students attending junior high school classes in the geographical areas corresponding to the centres involved in the study.

The programme was evaluated through a cluster randomized controlled trials conducted in seven countries (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden) in which 143 schools were randomly allocated to intervention (Unplugged) and

20 Interview with Peer Van Der Kreeft, program mentor and coordinator, 25 February 2015.

21 Ibid.



279

control (usual curriculum) groups. In all participating classes, pre- and post-test questionnaires were carried out before and after the intervention and one year after the end of the intervention.24

The questionnaire was self-completed and included questions on: (1) own substance use; (2) knowledge and opinions about substances; (3) substance use in the close environment; (4) family and social environment; (5) school environment and climate; and (6) problems and skills.

The results of post-test evaluation (three months after the end of the programme) showed that Unplugged was effective in reducing sporadic and frequent episodes of drunkenness in the past 30 days by 28 and 31 per cent respectively, and use of cannabis by 23 per cent.25 The curriculum was successful in preventing baseline non-smokers or sporadic smokers from moving onto daily smoking, but in line with its preventive profile, was not effective in helping baseline daily smokers to reduce or stop smoking.26

Results of the one year follow-up evaluation showed persisting beneficial effects of the programme for sporadic and frequent episodes of drunkenness and for frequent cannabis use in the past 30 days, although daily cigarette smoking was not affected by the programme as it had been at the short-term follow-up; initiation of daily smoking was postponed by a year.

6. Strengths and opportunities27

• The material is openly available for interested stakeholders.

• The teachers are given clear instructions to follow, which ensures a participatory approach in classes and does not make

teachers feel uncomfortable to rely on group work instead of lecturing.

• Messages tackle other addictive substances such as cigarettes and alcohol and are tailored in an implicit way which talks to pupils.

• It is evidence based and a randomized control trial is included in the evaluation methodology.

7. Challenges28

• There is a risk of having teachers deliver a message which is not appropriate to the age group of pupils, for example by mentioning ‘sniffing” to pupils who might not even know about this practice and its magnitude. To address this challenge, the guide given to teachers clearly explains the messages that can be given at different ages.

• Sensitive issues sometimes arise in the adaptation process. For example, in the adaptation of the Arabic version of the programme, implementers were concerned about mixing genders in the school. In the Russian Federation, the issue of sensitive language was very important; for example, a question like “why do people smoke?” was considered sensitive.

• Many stakeholders who express interest in the programme secure funding for the adaptation process but do not take into account the running costs, and funding thus sometimes expires before this stage, which hinders the long-term dissemination of the programme.

24 EU-Dap Final Technical Report n.2; UNICRI 2003.


26 Faggiano et al 2008.

27 Interview with Peer Van Der Kreeft, programme mentor and coordinator, 25 February 2015.

28 Ibid.

280

• In some countries, conducting a randomized control trial was challenging.

8. Next steps and the way forward29

Several countries are looking forward to implementing Unplugged, which would expand its reach. Process evaluation reports from countries implementing the programme so far reveal positive outcomes and many have expressed interest in having a randomized control trial.


• The running cost of the programme should be taken into account when planning the budget, especially in that it ensures the long-term dissemination of the programme.

• A randomized control trial should be planned, based on the setting and if funding is secured. For example in some countries (Brazil , Nigeria, Pakistan, United Kingdom) it was decided that phase 1 of the adaptation would be a pilot without the randomized control trial component and phase 2 would include the trial.

• The Unplugged methodology can be used to tackle other topics such as violence and bullying, and the team from EU-DAP can offer support to do so.

• Having evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of an intervention would

ensure its endorsement by policymakers and stakeholders and facilitate its implementation at a national level.


• A curriculum tested for effectiveness with a structured manual;

• The evaluation methodology including the randomized control trial.

11. Resources

The Intervention Manual is published is freely available in the EU-DAP website (http : / /www.eudap.net /Unp lugged_HomePage.aspx).

EU -Dap Technical Report n.1 and EU-Dap Technical Report n.2

12. References

Ashton B (2003). The American Star Comes to England. Drug and Alcohol Findings; 8: 21-26.

Camí J, & Farré M. (2003). Drug Addiction. N Engl J Med; 349:975-86.

Caria MP, Faggiano F, Bellocco R, & Galanti MR (2011). The influence of socioeconomic environment on the effectiveness of alcohol prevention among European students: a cluster randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health;11:312.

Faggiano F, Galanti MR, Bohrn K, Burkhart G, Vigna-Taglianti F, Cuomo L, Fabiani L, Panella M, Perez T, Siliquini R, van der Kreeft P, Vasara M, Wiborg G, & the EU-Dap Study Group (2008). The effectiveness of a school-based substance abuse prevention

29 Ibid.

30 Ibid.

281

program: EU-Dap cluster randomised controlled trial. Preventive Medicine; 47(5):537-43.

Faggiano F, Vigna-Taglianti FD, Versino E, Zambon A, Borraccino A, & Lemma P (2005). School-based prevention for illicit drugs’ use. In: The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD003020.pub2.

Faggiano F, Richardson C, Bohrn K, Galanti MR & the EU-Dap Study Group (2007). A cluster randomized controlled trial of school-based prevention of tobacco, alcohol and drug use: The EU-Dap design and study population. Preventive Medicine; 44: 170–173.

Leshner, A.I. (1997). Drug abuse and addiction treatment research: the next generation. Arch Gen Psych;54:691-694.

McLelland T, Lewis DC, O’Brien CP, Kleber HD. Drug dependence, a chronic mecdical disease: Implications for treatment, insurance and outcome evaluation. JAMA 2000; 284: 1689-95

Nestler, E.J. & Aghajanian, G.K. (1997). Molecular and cellular basis of addiction. Science;278:58-63.

Single E, Rehm J, Robson L, Van Truong M. The relative risks and etiologic fractions of different causes of death and disease attributable to alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use in Canada. CMAJ 2000;162:1669-75

Tobler NS, Roona MR, Ochshorn PM, Diana G, Streke AV, Stackpole KM. School-based

adolescent drug prevention programmes: 1998 meta-analysis. J Primary Prev 2000; 20: 275 336.

UNICRI (2003). School-based drug education: a guide for practioners and the

wider community. United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention.

Van der Kreeft, P., Wiborg, G., Galanti, M. R., Siliquini, R., Bohrn, K., Scatigna, M., et al., & EU-Dap Study Group. (2009). Unplugged: A new European school program against substance abuse. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, 16(2), 167–181.

Vigna-Taglianti, F., Vadrucci, S., Faggiano, F., Burkhart, G., Siliquini, R., Galanti, M. R., & EU-Dap Study Group. (2009). Is universal prevention against youths’ substance misuse really universal? Gender-specific effects in the EU-Dap school-based prevention trial. Journal of epidemiology and community health, 63(9), 722-728.

Wise, R.A. (1998). Drug-activation of brain reward pathways. Drug Alcohol Depend; 51:13-22

EU-Dap Technical Report n.2. RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION OF A SCHOOL-BASE PROGRAM FOR THE PREVENTION OF SUBSTANCE USE AMONG ADOLESCENTS

Interviews with Peer Van Der Kreeft, program mentor and coordinator on October 8 2014 and February 25, 2015

Photo credits: EU-DAP Coordinating Centre.

282

Family Spirit


283

North America (South West)

United States


Family Spirit

Health1995Ongoing

Navajo Nation, White Mountain Apache Tribe, San Carlos Apache Tribe

No

Kristen Speakman, MA, MPH, Program Manager

[email protected]

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Native American communities and families face significant health disparities. High rates of teenage pregnancy and substance abuse and low rates of education and employment have spurred members of some communities to develop a programme for their youngest and most vulnerable members. Family Spirit, just such an initiative, was initiated in 1995 following a year of planning to understand the community’s needs.

Family Spirit is an evidence-based and culturally tailored home-visiting intervention delivered by paraprofessionals (trained aides who are not licensed professionals) as a core strategy to support young mothers. Initially, the programme was targeted towards parents aged 12-22 years, but now includes mothers of all ages. Through this programme, mothers are given 63 lessons from pregnancy to three years post-partum to learn the knowledge and skills needed for the optimal physical, cognitive, social-emotional and language development, as well as self-help. This in-home parent training and support programme has been designed, implemented, and rigorously evaluated by the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health (JHCAIH) in partnership with Navajo, White Mountain Apache and San Carlos Apache tribal communities.

Family Spirit1

1 Desk Review( May-September 2014); Information form completed (25 September 2014); Interview (11 November 2014); Write up (16 December 2014), Internal Validation (16-18 December2014), Implementer Validation(5 January 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

Country

284

Family Spirit has met the United States Department of Health and Human Services criteria for an “evidence-based early childhood home visiting service delivery model.”2 In addition, Family Spirit is listed on the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, a searchable online database of evidence-based mental health and substance abuse interventions with the highest rating (4.0 out of 4.0) for ‘Readiness for Dissemination’.


The JHCAIH was established in 1991 and is based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Its mission is to work in partnership with American Indian and Alaska Native communities to raise the health, self-sufficiency and health leadership of Native peoples to the highest possible level. JHCAIH has become a national leader in partnering with tribes to achieve renewed health and well-being for America’s first peoples. Since its origins working with South-Western tribes, the focus of JHCAIH has remained unchanged. It prioritizes strength-based approaches that foster the rich physical, cultural and intellectual heritage of American Indians, and increases the health leadership of tribes through training, employment and professional education.

Working in partnership with tribes, JHCAIH has achieved landmark public health breakthroughs that today save and improve millions of lives worldwide. These include: proving the effectiveness of oral rehydration solution, commonly known under the brand name of Pedialyte, and promoting its use in the United States and worldwide; three major paediatric vaccines against life-threatening meningitis, pneumonia and rotavirus; home

visiting programmes to promote health among at-risk mothers and their children; diabetes prevention and management through a sports-based social change model called Native Vision; and innovative nutrition programs.

2 Criteria are found on the link : http://homvee.acf.hhs.gov/Review-Process/4/DHHS-Criteria/19/6 .

285


2.1. Goal

The goal of Family Spirit is to support young Native American parents from pregnancy to three years post-partum in gaining knowledge and skills to achieve optimal physical, cognitive, social-emotional and language development of their preschool-aged children, along with self-help.

2.2. Objectives

The objectives of Family Spirit include:

• Increasing parenting knowledge and skills;

• Addressing maternal psychosocial risks that could interfere with positive childrearing (drug and alcohol use, depression, low education and employment rates, domestic violence problems);

• Promoting optimal physical, cognitive, social/emotional development for children aged 0-3 years;

• Preparing children for early success in school;

• Ensuring children receive recommended well-child visits and health care;

• Linking families to community services to address specific needs; and

• Promoting parents’ and children’s life skills and behavioural outcomes across the lifespan.


The programme is currently implemented mainly in Native American communities. However, implementation has recently begun in two Chicago communities serving non-Native families (Latino, African American and White). It is expected that this expansion will continue and include international groups.

Family Spirit home visitors/paraprofessionals are trained to make modifications and accommodations for disabled mothers enrolled in the programme.


The programme targets vulnerable young

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

During the research phase (three distinct studies began in 1999 and ended in 2011), Family Spirit aimed at serving young Native American mothers aged 12-22 years and their children from pregnancy (28 weeks of gestation) through 36 months post-partum or the child’s third birthday. However, since the programme has been packaged and scaled, it is now available to mothers of all ages.


The research phase of the programme targeted young pregnant women. Both male and female infants/children born to these mothers are served equally.

286

Native American and other at-risk mothers with low socioeconomic status who are at risk of substance abuse, school dropout, residential instability, teenage pregnancy and unemployment.7


Family Spirit promotes the rights of Native Americans and other underserved communities and families. It is designed to address the significant health disparities facing Native and other underserved mothers and children. In reaching this goal, Family Spirit uses a strengths-based approach to draw upon the many assets within Native families and communities. The programme employs local paraprofessionals as home visitors. These paraprofessionals must have at least a high school education and a minimum of one to two years of experience in child development or maternal health care. Upon meeting these criteria, they undergo an interview screening process. The accepted paraprofessionals undergo 40 hours of training on maternal health and child development, following a comprehensive maternal and child health curriculum that covers many sensitive topics in a comfortable, culturally sensitive manner designed to reach young mothers.3


Youth have been involved in an advisory role throughout the entire process, from programme design in 1995 to feedback, review, etc. up to the present. Young female participants have provided feedback on the lesson content and format, leading to curricular edits and updates throughout the years. Additionally, youth in the partner communities have served on advisory boards to guide the development and implementation of the programme.4



The conceptual framework of Family Spirit is based on G.R. Patterson’s model which posits parenting as the critical link between parents’ personal characteristics and environmental context and children’s individual risks and ultimate outcomes.5 Family Spirit is designed to promote effective parenting, while assisting mothers in developing coping and problem-solving skills to overcome individual and environmental stressors.

Key components of the intervention include one-on-one home-based parent training to help mothers to: (1) provide consistent, responsive care and monitoring and avoid coercive parenting; (2) avoid drug use, which could interfere with effective parenting; and (3) attain coping and life skills to overcome personal and environmental stressors. In addition, interventionists are trained to establish a strong, consistent interpersonal bond to facilitate mothers’ progress towards goals.

Family Spirit consists of 63 structured lessons delivered one on one by health educators in participants’ homes, starting at about 28 weeks of pregnancy and continuing to 36 months post-partum. The lessons can be delivered in 52 home visits, which occur weekly through the third month post-partum and gradually become less frequent thereafter.6

The lessons, designed to correspond to the changing developmental needs of the mother and child during this period, address topics such as prenatal care, infant care, child development, family planning and healthy living, among others. Each home visit

3 Information Form: Good practices documentation in adolescent and youth programming, July 2014

4 Interview with Kristen Speakman, 14 November 2014.

5 Patterson, G.R. et al. 1989.

6 John Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, 2015.

287

lasts about an hour and includes a warm-up conversation, lesson content, question-and-answer period and review of summary hand-outs. Trained home visitors deliver the lessons using illustrated table-top flipcharts. The bond formed between the home visitor and mother is intended to facilitate the mother’s progress towards goals.

Some of the components which the programme addresses include (but are not limited to): employability; school-to-work transition; resilience building and comprehensive programming in a humanitarian context; respecting the self (mothers); the newborn child; the family that extends out to the community; skills-/competence-building; innovations; social protection; youth policy development for parents and children; civic engagement; education; sexuality education; and health.7

4.2. Activities

In the study, there are strict guidelines for participant recruitment, attrition and selection of staff/supervisors. However, in the service phase, community programmes hire the Family Spirit team to deliver training on the programme and it is the community programmes that decide on the recruitment of participants and selection of supervisors based on their own policies. The Family Spirit training has elements to address attrition and quality assurance. To ensure fidelity, upon completion of the training, sites incorporate those elements into their programmes in accordance with their policies.

When a young mother is enrolled in the programme, a paraprofessional makes a home visit and meets with her initially on a weekly basis and later semi-monthly, and then monthly, and finally bi-monthly. Each visit consists of the following:

- Warm-up conversation and review from previous visit: The home visitor greets the client and if applicable reviews key content items from the previous visit.

- Lesson content administration: The home visitor administers the lesson. The lesson consists of a variety of interactive constructs including scenarios, hands-on exercises and specific cultural materials relevant to the participant’s tribe.

- Question-and-answer period: Upon completion and/or throughout the lesson, the home visitor encourages questions and discussion.

- Review of summary hand-outs: At the end of the lesson, the home visitor shares the hand-outs from the participant binder and any other relevant items.

- Closing the session and setting next meeting: At the end of the lesson, the home visitor sets the next appointment time.

The following is a summary of the Family Spirit curriculum components followed by an explanation of programme activities.

Implementation Guide

The purpose of the Implementation Guide is to act as a ‘how to’ for implementing Family Spirit. It includes information about the programme’s history and its impact on several maternal and child health outcomes, as well as a description of the ‘essentials’ for successfully implementing the programme.

Family Spirit lessons (6 modules)

The Family Spirit lessons are the main teaching materials used to present information to participants. The curriculum consists of six modules: Prenatal Care; Infant Care; Your Growing Child; Toddler Care; My Family and

7 Interview with Kristen Speakman, 14 November 2014

288

Me; and Healthy Living. There are 63 lessons in total, which are designed to be taught one-on-one during home visits, but can also be used in clinic and group settings. Lessons are intended to be administered sequentially according to a suggested schedule. Depending on the programme structure and participants’ needs, lessons may be administered independently, or on a “drop-in” basis. Independent lesson administration has not been evaluated in the Family Spirit research trials. A lesson plan booklet for the health educator/paraprofessional is also included with each Family Spirit lesson module. The lesson plans give the health educators a comprehensive overview for conducting each lesson with the participants.

Family Spirit lesson modules

1. Prenatal Care

This module includes information to help an expectant mother prepare for the arrival of her baby, know what to expect during pregnancy, and how to take care of herself and her baby.

2. Infant Care

This module includes information to help a mother adapt to her life with a new baby, take care of herself, learn basic infant care skills, and how to respond to her baby’s various wants or needs.

3. Your Growing Child

This module includes information to help a mother track her child’s overall development from age 7 months until the child’s third birthday. She will also learn how to prepare her child for pre-school through various activities and play.

4. Toddler Care

This module includes information to help a

mother build confidence in her parenting skills through daily routine and monitoring. She will also learn basic skills to help her child form healthy habits to last a lifetime.

5. My Family and Me

This module includes information to help a mother develop life skills that will positively influence herself, her child and her family and friends.

6. Healthy Living

This module includes information to help a mother address and cope with difficult situations. The lessons include four main topics: goal-setting to build self-esteem and be a good role model; substance abuse prevention; family planning; and prevention of sexually transmitted infections. She will learn where she can go to get help, if needed.

Participant Certificates

There are four participant certificates to be awarded at various times throughout the programme. PDF versions are included on the CD in each curriculum box. Every participant who gives birth during the Family Spirit programme gets a “new baby” certificate from the health educator. There is also a breastfeeding certificate for mothers who breastfeed. It has a blank line so the health educator can reward her at various time points. A certificate of achievement allows the health educator to recognize general achievements by the participant as she progresses through Family Spirit. It has a blank line where the health educator can fill in the participant’s specific achievement, such as successfully receiving three months of Family Spirit lessons. Several of these

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certificates of achievement can be awarded to the participant. Finally, each participant receives a certificate of completion upon exit from Family Spirit, regardless of how long she was enrolled.

4.3. Innovativeness

Family Spirit is highly innovative. First, it is the only evidence-based in-home maternal and child health curriculum developed in partnership with tribal communities. Second, the programme demonstrated efficacy by training paraprofessionals from the community; this was highly innovative as other models have often relied on professionals such as nurses to deliver programmes.

While Family Spirit lessons are intended to be administered sequentially according to a suggested schedule, they have also been used in other ways. Depending on the programme structure and participants’ needs, lessons may be administered independently, or on a “drop-in” basis. Independent lesson administration has not been evaluated in the Family Spirit research trials.

Maintaining fidelity refers to a programme’s desire or ability to adhere to the Family Spirit model as it was designed, tested and evaluated. The degree to which an affiliate prioritizes fidelity is decided at a site level and may be influenced by funding source(s) and community needs. Existing Family Spirit affiliates fall at different points on the fidelity spectrum.

On one side of the spectrum are affiliates that have chosen to offer the Family Spirit Program as a service program and, as such, their primary focus is meeting service population demands that may not allow

for full model fidelity. For example, these affiliates might not offer the programme in a home-visiting setting but rather host groups as a means of providing health education to the maximum number of participants possible. These affiliates may or may not teach the curriculum in the recommended sequence. For this type of affiliate, their fidelity to the Family Spirit model is low and the implications of this type of delivery are discussed on a case-by-case basis.

On the other side of the spectrum are affiliates that aim to use the Family Spirit model as a means of replicating the evidence-based outcomes. This is often driven by the funding source and requirements, or internal programme goals and resources. These affiliates will adhere closely to the Family Spirit core components discussed below.

Family Spirit encourages affiliates to follow our model to ensure fidelity whenever possible. We recognize that not all programmes have the resources to follow this model, and, in these cases, we welcome use of the curriculum in other formats (e.g. group sessions, use of independent lessons as needed), but Family Spirit’s outcomes are not yet proven in these alternate implementation contexts.


Tailored Training Development and Implementation Affiliation Fee: $9,000 first year per affiliate; $3,000 annually (after one year post-training) per affiliate.

A tailored training development and implementation affiliation fee includes annual access to all Family Spirit training resources and membership to web-based

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FS Connect. During the first year as an affiliate, each affiliate receives consultation and technical assistance from Senior Trainers who meet with the program multiple times before the training to understand the program structure and needs. The week-long training occurs during the first year and is tailored specifically to the affiliate’s programme. After the week-long training and in subsequent years, Affiliate Liaisons meet with the programme to provide technical assistance on programme implementation and sustainability, ensure quality assurance, as well as collect process data on Family Spirit implementation.

Family Spirit Training Fees

Initial Site Training: $3,000 per trainee

A weeklong training session provides comprehensive instruction on curriculum content and programme implementation. The initial training fee also includes a boxed curricular set that includes an Implementation Guide, Family Spirit lessons, health educator lesson plans, a reference manual for the home visitor and a sample participant workbook. Evaluation materials and participant certificates are also included on a CD. It is recommended that each home visitor and supervisor have his/her own curricular set. Each trainee who successfully completes all requirements for certification will receive a certificate from JHCAIH in the Family Spirit programme.

Advanced Training for Supervisors: $4,000 per supervisor (at least one supervisor required for 10 health educators)

In addition to the training given to home

visitors during this training session, supervisors receive:

• Regular pre-training phone meetings with a Family Spirit Senior Trainer to become oriented to the Family Spirit programme and prepare for implementation;

• During the training week, focused training on: (1) using the Quality Assurance Form to observe home visitors; (2) conducting in-service presentations about Family Spirit; (3) implementation training (e.g., policies and procedures, tips, modelling after successful home-visiting programs, recruiting successful home visitors, etc.);

• Regular post-training phone meetings to provide technical assistance on programme implementation;

• Required completion of a comprehensive knowledge assessment that covers curriculum content and programme structure/design;

• Participation in webinars focused on professional development and supervisory enhancement.

New Trainee Training (available only for sites that have completed the initial training): $1,800 per trainee

This training would be needed when new Health Educators are hired at an affiliate site. The new Health Educator is welcome to join a scheduled training for other affiliate sites. The training fee for this offering does not include a curricular set.

Refresher Training (available only for home visitors who are already certified): $1,300

This training would be needed if a Health Educator requires follow-up training for any number of reasons. The Health Educator is welcome to join a scheduled training for

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other affiliate sites. The training fee for this offering does not include a curricular set.

Additional Costs:

Additional participant workbooks are available for purchase as needed. Lesson handouts and worksheets to reinforce key teaching points are included in the workbook. Each workbook costs $100, with a volume discount available for orders of 25 or more.

Travel costs for Family Spirit trainers and/or participants are dependent upon location of the training. Travel costs for Family Spirit trainers will be included in the affiliate’s contract as an additional cost, unless the affiliate chooses to come to a training session at the Family Spirit central office in Albuquerque, NM.

After the home visitors have been trained, they are able to implement the programme and there is generally no cost to the participating families.8

Communities interested in receiving training and materials for Family Spirit pay for it as outlined above. The communities obtain funding from a variety of sources, with the United States Department of Health and Human Services (Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program) being a major supporter.9

4.5. Sustainability

As noted above, interested tribal programmes contact Family Spirit to receive training and certification. The tribal programmes generally already have staffing in place to administer the programme, so upon certification they are able to sustain its implementation. Discussions about sustainability beyond the initial funding term are incorporated into pre-training, training and post-training technical

assistance support.

4.6. Replicability

As noted above, upon proof of efficacy, Family Spirit has been packaged and is now being replicated in dozens of reservation-based and urban Native communities across several states. In addition, non-Native urban communities with high maternal and child behavioural health disparities have begun to work with JHCAIH to adapt Family Spirit for their high-need populations. There is also interest in the programme in other countries. For example, JHCAIH is in discussion with First Nations groups in Canada and in very preliminary discussions with indigenous groups in Australia. The goal is to provide training to as many interested communities as possible to replicate and scale up the programme.


Family Spirit is currently the largest, most rigorous and only evidence-based home-visiting programme ever designed specifically for Native American families. Evidence from three randomized controlled trials has documented the following programme outcomes:

• Parenting

• Increased maternal knowledge;

• Increased parent self-efficacy;11,12

• Reduced parent stress;10,12

• Improved home safety attitudes;11

• Maternal outcomes;

• Decreased maternal depression;10,12

• Decreased substance use;12



10 Barlow A. et al.(2006)

11 Walkup J. et al.(2009)

12 Barlow, A. et al.(2013)

13 Barlow A et al.(2015)

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• Fewer behaviour problems in mothers;11,12

• Child outcomes10,11,12

• Fewer behaviour problems in children through age 3 (externalizing, internalizing and dysregulation);

• Predicts lower risk of substance use and behavioural health problems over the life course.

Family Spirit is also the first programme to provide clear evidence of the effectiveness of paraprofessionals as home visitors to impact behavioural and mental health disparities. The use of Native paraprofessionals is essential in reservation communities where there is a shortage of nurses and cultural barriers to non-Native home visitors.

A summary of the Family Spirit research findings follows:

Overview:

In partnership with the Navajo, White Mountain Apache and San Carlos tribal communities, JHCAIH has conducted three successive randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the Family Spirit intervention’s impact on parenting and maternal and child health and behaviour outcomes.

Key Findings:

The first RCT enrolled 53 expectant American Indian teen mothers (12-22 years old) and their infants from pregnancy to 6 months post-partum. The main research question addressed the impact of the intervention on teen mothers’ child care knowledge, skills, and involvement from baseline at 28 weeks gestation to 6 months post-partum. The outcome measures were infant care knowledge, skills and involvement among the mothers. Mothers in the intervention group

had significantly higher parent knowledge scores at 2 and 6 months post-partum as compared to their controls. They also scored significantly higher on maternal involvement scales at 2 months post-partum, and scores approached significance at 6 months post-partum.14

The second RCT of the Family Spirit intervention enrolled 167 American Indian teen mothers and their offspring from early pregnancy to 12 months post-partum. The central research question was to assess the intervention impact on: (1) teen mothers’ parenting knowledge and involvement; (2) children’s emotional and behavioural outcomes at 1 year of age; and (3) mothers’ psychosocial outcomes at 1 year post-partum, including stress, social support, depression and substance use. Participants were mostly young women aged 12-22 years, first-time and/or unmarried mothers living in reservation communities. At 6 and 12 months post-partum, intervention mothers compared with control mothers had greater parenting knowledge gains. At 12 months post-partum, intervention mothers reported that their children had significantly lower scores in the externalizing domain and less separation distress in the internalizing domain.15

The third and most rigorous RCT enrolled 322 expectant American Indian teens from four southwestern tribal communities who were randomized (1:1) to the Family Spirit intervention plus Optimized Standard Care, or Optimized Standard Care alone, and evaluated at nine intervals through 3 years post-partum using self-reports, interviews and observational measures. The intervention’s design and theoretical model, evaluation design and methods are described in detail in Mullany et al.16

14 Barlow A. et al.(2006)

15 Walkup J. et al.(2009)

16 Mullany et al.(2012)

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Participants were young (mean=18.1 years), American Indian and <32 weeks gestation at the time of enrolment. Retention was >83 per cent across the study period. From pregnancy to 36 months post-partum, intervention mothers had significantly greater parenting knowledge (effect size=0.42) and parenting locus of control (effect size=0.17); fewer depressive symptoms (effect size=0.16) and externalizing problems (effect size=0.14); and lower past-month marijuana (odds ratio=0.65) and illegal drug use (odds ratio=0.67). Intervention children had fewer externalizing (effect size=0.23), internalizing (effect size=0.23) and dysregulation (effect size=0.27) problems.17,18

Each trial corroborated and extended prior findings and provides layered evidence of Family Spirit’s impact on reducing intergenerational health disparities of American Indian mothers and children. As the first and only early evidence-based home-visiting programme designed for and by American Indian communities and the first to demonstrate efficacy of paraprofessionals, Family Spirit is uniquely tailored to address the behavioural health disparities that pose the greatest challenges to Native communities.


The strengths19 of Family Spirit include:

• Training and employment of paraprofessionals: Capacity to train and employ paraprofessionals from the community in which Family Spirit will be implemented;

• Curriculum and lesson administration flexibility: Family Spirit lessons were designed to be taught in order from

pregnancy until the child’s third birthday, one-on-one, and in the home. However, for sites that have other programme needs, it can be adapted for use in other formats - group setting, clinic-based, etc. We recommend, however, that affiliates maintain fidelity to the model as much as their programme allows.

• Dynamic curriculum: User-friendly, easy to follow and engaging curriculum.

• Participatory process in programme development and implementation: Family Spirit was developed in partnership with tribal communities and engaged community stakeholders throughout the programme’s development and implementation.

7. Challenges

The main challenge of Family Spirit is fidelity of implementation once the training has been conducted. While JHCAIH continues to provide technical assistance to the participating tribes, it is up to each affiliate to implement the programme to the standards at which they are trained.


Implementers aim to make Family Spirit available to every interested tribal community in the United States by 2025. They are also working on adapting the curriculum to make it appropriate to implement in other underserved United States and international populations. Currently, Family Spirit has six tribal urban sites and one urban site that serves African American, Latino and White families.

17 Barlow et al. (2013)

18 Barlow et al.(2015)

19 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices: Family Spirit pdf document

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The following are lessons learned and recommendations based on the development, implementation and scaling of Family Spirit:

• The importance and value of training and employing paraprofessionals from communities to implement Family Spirit and other similar programmes;

• The importance of strategically planning how to scale up the programme to ensure sustained success;

• The value of incorporating the best western scientific methods with the traditional knowledge and wisdom from tribal communities in developing interventions.20 For example, in the labor and delivery lesson, implementers teach the basics of the topic which are grounded in science, but also include a section where cultural traditions on the topic of labor and delivery specific to each tribal community are shared.


JHCAIH welcomes collaboration with interested partners in the MENA region to adapt the programme and provide training to communities. As noted above, the programme can be administered in a variety of settings that best meet the needs of the clients.

11. Resources

As noted above each curriculum package

comes in a box that includes an Implementation Guide; Family Spirit lessons divided into six modules; health educator lesson plans organized by module and lesson; a reference manual for the health educator; and a sample participant workbook. Evaluation materials and participant certificates are also included on a CD in the curriculum box.21

Reference Manual

The purpose of the reference manual is to provide the health educator and participant with further and more in-depth information related to the lesson topics. This manual consists of three sections: reference manual; bibliography; and glossary of terms. The reference manual section includes relevant topics that are referred to in the lesson pages. The bibliography includes additional resources, many of them web-based, which go into more detail about the lesson topics. The glossary of terms includes key terms and definitions discussed throughout the curriculum. Each definition provides a reference back to the module and lesson pages where that topic is discussed.

Participant Workbook

The purpose of the participant workbook is to provide handouts and worksheets to reinforce key teaching points. One sample participant workbook is included in the curriculum package, and additional copies can be purchased.

Evaluation Materials

A series of evaluation measures and screening tools developed specifically for the Family Spirit curriculum are included on a CD in each curriculum box. While not

20 Interview with Kristen Speakman on November 14, 2014.

21 Family Spirit- Combined Program information Materials Packet pdf document

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required to implement the curriculum, the evaluation materials are available for use as determined by programme requirements.

12. References

Barlow, A., Mullany, B., Neault, N., Compton, S., Carter, A., Hastings, R.,Billy T., Coho-Mescal, V., Lorenzo, S. & Walkup, J. T. (2015). Effect of a paraprofessional home-visiting intervention on American Indian teen mothers’ and infants’ behavioral risks: A randomized controlled trial.

Barlow A, Mullany B, Neault N, et al. Paraprofessional Delivered, Home-Visiting Intervention for American Indian Teen Mothers and Children: Three-Year Outcomes from a Randomized Controlled Trial. American Journal of Psychiatry; In Press

Barlow, A., Varipatis-Baker, E., Speakman, K., Ginsburg, G., Friberg, I., Goklish, N., Cowboy, B., Fields, P., Hastings, R., Pan, W., Reid, R., Santosham, M. & Walkup, J. (2006). Home-visiting intervention to improve child care among American Indian adolescent mothers: a randomized trial. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 160(11), 1101-1107.

Family Spirit- Combined Program information Materials Packet pdf document John Hopkins Center for American Indian Health website, Family Spirit Program Replication, Frequently Asked Questions: http://www.jhsph.edu/research/affiliated-programs/family-spirit/faq

Mullany, B., Barlow, A., Neault, N., Billy, T., Jones, T., Tortice, I. Lorenzo, S., Powers, J., Lake, K., Reid, R. & Walkup, J. (2012). The family spirit trial for American Indian teen mothers and their children: CBPR rationale, design, methods and baseline characteristics.Prevention Science, 13(5), 504-518.

National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices: Family Spirit pdf document. John Hopkins Center for American Indian Health website: http://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/center-for-american-indian-health/about/mission_and_vision.html

Walkup, J. T., Barlow, A., Mullany, B. C., Pan, W., Goklish, N., Hasting, R., Cowboy, B., Fields, P., Varipatis-Baker, E., Speakman, K., Ginsburg, G. & Reid, R. (2009). Randomized controlled trial of a paraprofessional-delivered in-home intervention for young reservation-based American Indian mothers.Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 48(6), 591-601.

Photo credits: John Hopkins Center for American

Indian Health.

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Students As LifestyleActivists

Primary Health Care Education and Research Unit, Western Sydney Local

Health District, University of Sydney

297

Students As LifestyleActivists


Health District, University of Sydney

Global

Australia, China and Jordan


Health District; University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Students As Lifestyle Activists (SALSA)

Health2004Ongoing

Australia: Rooty Hill High School, the Mt. Druitt and Blacktown Medical

Practitioners’ Association, the University of Sydney and Western Sydney

Local Health District (WSLHD).

Jordan: Jordan University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education,

Ministry of Health.

Non-UN

Australia: Dr. Smita Shah, Director, Primary Health Care Education and Research

Unit, WSLHD, Associate Professor, Sydney Medical School, the University of

Sydney Email: [email protected] Tel: 61 2 9845 6505

Jordan: Dr. Nihaya Al-Sheyab, Assistant Professor at Jordan University of Science

and Technology Email: [email protected] Tel: +962 2 7201000 / Ex. 23742

Region

Organization


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Among Australian youth, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has doubled and tripled respectively over the past 20 years. An estimated 25 per cent of adolescent boys and 20 per cent of adolescent girls are reported to be overweight or obese.2 Data from the Australian National Secondary Students’ Diet and Physical Activity Survey 2009-2010 confirmed that more students from low socioeconomic status (SES) areas (27 per cent) were overweight in comparison with students from medium to high SES areas (23 and 18 per cent respectively).3 Greater body weight has long-term health implications for young people, who are more likely to develop type II diabetes, heart disease and cancer in adulthood.4 Health experts warn that poor lifestyle habits will have a devastating impact on future generations.5

Students As Lifestyle Activists1

1 Desk review (date); Interview (10 June 2014); Internal validation (18-25 November 2014); Implementer validation (25-30 November 2014); Final validation (October 2015).

2 Booth et al. (2007) in Marsh, N. (August 2012).

3 Morley et al. (2012).

4 MCRI 2012 and ABS 2009 in Marsh, N. (August 2012).

5 Lobstein et al., 2004.

Country

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In response to these serious issues, general practitioners from Western Sydney proactively partnered with local high schools, the area health services and the University of Sydney to develop, implement and evaluate the SALSA (Students As Lifestyle Activists) programme.

SALSA is an award winning, peer-led high-school educational programme that aims to improve the nutritional intake of adolescents and to decrease their physical inactivity and recreational screen viewing. The programme motivates students to put their classroom knowledge and skills into action. Peer health education occurs within the school setting and involves Year 10 students6 (ages 15-16 years) delivering a health promotional intervention to younger students (Year 8; ages 13-14 years). The programme aims to enhance self-efficacy within a supportive environment so


2.1. Goal

The overall goal of the programme is the prevention of obesity and chronic disease risk factors amongst adolescents by providing them with the skills and knowledge to lead a healthy lifestyle. The programme seeks to expand beyond Australia by forging partnerships with health and educational organizations, reaching out to adolescents and their families, and making the programme materials available to the target audiences.

2.2. Objectives

• Increase the frequency of eating breakfast;

• Increase fruit and vegetable intake;

• Increase water intake and reduce sugary drink consumption;

• Increase participation in daily physical activity;

• Reduce time spent engaging in sedentary behaviours, e.g., recreational screen viewing.8

that healthy lifestyle messages and actions are more likely to be adopted by students. The programme is relatively low intensity in terms of time commitment and comprises four lessons that cover food choices, physical activity and healthier lifestyle choices and includes an individual and community action plan.


The SALSA initiative in Australia is a partnership programme between schools in Western Sydney, the Mt. Druitt and Blacktown Medical Practitioners’ Association, the University of Sydney and Western Sydney Local Health District.7

6 These grades refer to the Australian school system.

7 SALSA - About the programme: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/public-health/salsa-triple-a/salsa/index.php.

8 Interview with Dr. Nihaya Al-Sheyab, Assistant Professor, JUST (10 June 2014).

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3. Target group

3.1. Age group

The main beneficiaries are adolescents aged 13-14 years (Year 8) and 15-16 years (Year 10).


As an in-school activity initiated in Australia, the programme includes a mixed classroom where boys and girls are reached via the same type of activities. No specific gender-based strategy or activities were planned for this programme.


The programme does not outline a specific ethnic or disability-sensitive strategy.


The programme was created to address the needs of adolescents and youth living in low SES areas in Australia, and subsequently the programme has been expanded to all areas, including adolescents from higher SES areas.

3.5. Human right programming

Against a backdrop of adolescent obesity that deprive children of their dignity, human potential and rights to good care and nurturance, SALSA positions itself as a programme which empowers adolescents to take responsibility for their own well-being.

Specifically developed for students residing in low SES neighbourhoods, the SALSA programme aims to bridge the gap in educational and health inequalities between high and low SES areas. In the long term, healthy adolescents can act as positive agents of change within their family

and friendship networks and ultimately within the community at large. Overall, the SALSA programme encourages students to adopt leadership roles within their local schools and communities.


Consultations with adolescents, parents and teachers were organized during the development of the programme to ensure that the objectives and planned activities were aligned to the project’s outcomes and relevant to the needs of the students. Students were also consulted during the development and testing of the ‘Ryan’s Goal’ video, which is an integral part of the programme.9

During the annual process evaluation of the programme, students are consulted on the material, and peer leader groups from each school conduct semi-structured questionnaires which test the relevance of the programme. The collected feedback is then used by project staff to guide the update of the programme’s material.10

9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_qbKbJ1sBg .

10 Shah S. et al. (2011).

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4.1. Strategies, theoretical approaches and methodologies

The model and delivery of the SALSA programme is based on evidence founded in social cognitive theory and empowerment education.11 The programme aims to motivate and guide young people, the school community and participants’ families so they can make well-informed choices about general health, nutrition and physical activity levels. This flow of action creates a ‘ripple effect’ within the school and community (see figure 1).

The SALSA programme uses an innovative student-centred approach through which university students and high-school students participating in the programme become the drivers of both the teaching and the learning processes. The programme incorporates a peer educational model developed by Shah,10 drawing upon two established programmes: the peer-led Triple A (Adolescent Asthma Action) Programme; and TEENS (Teenagers Eating and Exercise), a school-based nutrition educational programme conducted in the United States.12

4.2. Activities

The SALSA programme is implemented in Australia using a three-step process (see figure 2).

In Step 1, the SALSA educators train Year 10 students to become SALSA Peer Leaders during a one-day workshop. In Step 2, the SALSA Peer Leaders educate Year 8 students in four lesson plans using the Peer Leaders’ manual. Teachers remain in the classroom to help keep control of the class. The quality and delivery of the programme is measured through feedback

questionnaires completed by the Peer Leaders.13 The lessons include the following topics: Food Choices; Movement Matters; Healthy Lifestyles; and SALSA Actions.

Step 3 is the development of a personal healthy lifestyle goal and a school action plan by the Year 8 students, which serves to encourage and improve lifestyle choices at an individual level and at the community level. The classroom teachers help students to develop their personal goals and supervise their planning and implementation. These goals are ongoing and can last for the entire school semester, with students engaged in activities to help them achieve their goals. One example of a community goal was requesting the school to prepare healthier canteen food.

Prior to Step 1, volunteer university students are trained as SALSA Educators, so they can coach Year 10 students to become SALSA Peer Leaders. ‘SALSA Champions’ in both health and education facilitate the training of the university students. Delivered

11 Shah S. et al. (2011); Shah S. et al. (2001).

12 Shah S. et al. (2011).

13 Ibid.

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in a one-day workshop, the training aims to provide participants with skills in group facilitation and leadership, and enables them to train high-school students as Peer Leaders to deliver four lessons to Year 8 students.14

4.3. Innovativeness

SALSA is a unique peer-led, primary prevention intervention for high-school students, and is based on a theoretical framework of empowerment education to improve health.


The estimated cost of the programme is 14 Australian dollars ($12) per student per year.15 The programme received funding in 2013 from the Australian Government Department of Health for three years.

4.5. Sustainability

The school-based training model utilized by the SALSA programme relies on existing relationships with schools and universities.

The programme is delivered via in-school activities and uses volunteers as educators and leaders. As such, at the school level there are no direct costs related to the programme. However, resources and costs related to project staff and programme resources must be considered.

The time required for the implementation of the programme is fairly short, making it easier to integrate into a school curriculum. The SALSA Peer Leaders’ training workshops only requires one full school day and the subsequent teaching of Year 8 students by Year 10 Peer Leaders comprises only four 75-minute lessons. In Australia, the programme has been successfully embedded within the Personal Development, Health and Physical Education curriculum in the participating schools.

The programme materials, including the Peer Leader Manual, the ‘Ryan’s Goal’ DVD and an Educator’s Guide, are available on request and have been successfully translated into Arabic.

14 Shah S. et al. (2011).

15 Otim et al. (2014).

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4.6. Replicability

In view of the positive results achieved by the SALSA programme in Australia, the programme was introduced in two schools in Beijing China, where pre- and post-programme tests found a reduction in adolescents’ sedentary activity, a decrease in soft drink consumption and an increase in physical activity.16

Taking into consideration the significant public health concern that obesity presents among adolescents in Jordan,17 Dr. Nihaya Al-Sheyab of the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) acknowledged the positive impact the SALSA programme could have in a Jordanian context. During 2013, SALSA was replicated in the Irbid district by the University, in partnership with the Primary Health Care and Education Unit in Sydney, in order to bridge the gap in educational and health inequities between the rich and poor.18

Focus group discussions were conducted to evaluate and adapt the objectives and activities of the programme to the local Jordanian context. Specifically, adolescent focus groups elicited information about motivators and barriers to adopting a healthier lifestyle. These data were used to revise the programme and customize the activities according to Jordanian needs. Students who participated in the focus groups and the first group of Peer Educators and Peer Leaders suggested some amendments to the content of the programme’s manual, including its translation into Arabic.19

With the approval and guidance from the Ministry of Education, school districts were contacted in the Irbid region to draft a list of potential high schools. The region was

selected due to its significant poverty and persistent inequalities in comparison to the rest of the country. The criteria for school selection were the low SES of parents, mixed-gender schools and schools with grades 7-10, as the target group was adolescents aged 13-16 years. An official letter introducing the SALSA programme was sent to the selected schools, and upon preliminary acceptance from the school management, meetings were held with the school management and volunteer teachers. Information sessions were organized to introduce the programme to parents and obtain their consent. From a resource perspective, the schools where SALSA was implemented required the acceptance of the school principal and management and the participation of volunteer teachers, who were present during the training delivered by SALSA Educators. A pilot phase took place in two high schools to ensure that the programme was feasible, acceptable and well received by students, teachers and principals, and whether any modifications were needed to ensure cultural sensitivity.

SALSA Educators were recruited from JUST, including all faculties and majors. University students were contacted to participate voluntarily through a ‘Health Promotion’ course taught by Dr. Nihaya Al-Sheyab and offered to all students. The first 30 students who showed interest in taking part were invited to participate. The SALSA Educators undertook a two-day workshop on health and techniques for working with health education and youth. For the training, the SALSA peer training manual was also translated into Arabic.

16 Cui et al. (2012).

17 Al-Nsour et al. (2012); Tayyem et al. (2014).

18 Cui et al. (2012). See section 4.6. for the replication of the programme in Jordan.


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The trained SALSA Educators were deployed to the selected schools to deliver four lessons of 75 minutes each, where students learned about nutrition and physical activity through videos, games and activities. All schools had access to audio-visual facilities in the school hall or computer lab. If the school did not have the equipment, the researchers took their own projectors to play the video. An average of three to four SALSA Peer Educators were needed to train 15 SALSA Peer Leaders in each school at each round of training, which lasted two full school days. Subsequently, groups of three to four SALSA Peer Leaders delivered the lessons to a class of Year 8 students, composed of 20 to 25 adolescents. With this system, 80-100 adolescents were trained in each round of the programme’s implementation. Prior to introduction of the SALSA programme, the school principals and volunteer teachers, in collaboration with the SALSA implementers, scheduled the lessons so as to not interfere with the regular classes.

The SALSA programme, which was initially introduced in two schools, was extended to two more, reaching a total of 200 boys and 200 girls from four schools (two for boys and two for girls) in Years 8 and 10. The intervention is being evaluated, and preliminary results have shown that participants have reported to watch less TV, increase their fruit consumption and prefer healthier lunch boxes.


The SALSA programme is currently being implemented in 23 high schools in Sydney. Since its inception 10 years ago, the programme has reached over 7,000

students in Australia and plans are underway to expand this network.

An evaluation of the programme conducted in 2012 assessed the feasibility and quality of the intervention, as well as the impact on SALSA Educators and Peer Leaders. Several major outcomes were found. SALSA Peer Leaders gained knowledge, confidence and leadership skills, increased their own fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity and decreased drinking of soft drinks and viewing of TV/DVDs.20 Feedback from Peer Leaders was overall very positive. The SALSA Peer Leaders described feeling confident about teaching younger students and excited about “being the leaders and role models for younger students”.21 When asked about the most important points gained from the training, the peer leaders mentioned “getting healthy together”, “leadership skills” and “more knowledge of health and teamwork”.22

In assessing the impact of the programme on Year 8 students, it was reported they had learned to eat better (55 per cent) and exercise more (44 per cent). Secondary outcomes registered by the evaluation included student-led changes in canteen food choices.23


The routine monitoring of the programme consists of feedback collected after training, through questionnaires distributed to Educators and Peer Leaders.


The strengths and opportunities of the SALSA programme are:

• The peer-led approach to promote healthy lifestyles in high schools is well accepted and valued by students and staff.

20 Andrew A et al (2012).

21 Shah et al. (2011).

22 Ibid.

23 Shah et al. (2011).

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• The programme is a cost-effective model for positively influencing the lifestyle habits of adolescents.

• Successful replication of the model in Jordan and China demonstrates that the programme can be adapted to different cultural settings.

7. Challenges

Addressing sensitive issues: It was reported that some obese adolescent females were reluctant to participate in the programme. This highlighted the sensitivity of the issue among adolescents and the implications it may have on body image and exposure during discussions in groups.24 The SALSA programme focuses on prevention and there is no mention of weight loss, obesity or overweight in the lessons.

In Jordan, a major bottleneck to implementation was the heavy school curriculum, which left little time and space for the programme. Furthermore, the roll-out of SALSA overlapped with the examination period, further burdening the students.

In Australia, the programme has been integrated into the Personal Development, Health and Physical Education curriculum of the implementing schools, but this has not yet happened in Jordan. Long-term sustainability requires systematized integration of the programme into the school and adequate planning to ensure a consistent pool of trainers, educators and peer leaders.


In Australia, the programme is being expanded into more schools and extended to reach the families of participants, through the leadership of Dr. Smita Shah and the programme’s partners. In 2013, six SALSA high schools were invited to participate in a study which aimed to ascertain how to better integrate and involve families. Through consultations with parents, teachers, students and principals, preliminary results showed that strengthening existing communication channels (social media, newsletters, SMS services), complemented by more innovative channels and actions, were needed to better engage and inform the families. A more comprehensive approach can produce more effective results.

In Jordan, Dr. Nihaya Al-Sheyab and Dr. Mahmoud Al Omari of the Jordanian University of Science and Technology are SALSA Champions and provide the training to SALSA Educators. Plans are underway to conduct a training of trainers with faculty members at this and other Jordanian universities to increase the number of champions who can in turn train SALSA Educators. In addition, nursing students from the University make regular visits to high schools to conduct community courses. The integration of SALSA lessons within these courses is being explored. In parallel, Dr. Al-Sheyab is working on a proposal to replicate the implementation process for SALSA at a national level.


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Recommendations emerging from the Australian and Jordanian experiences include: contacting potential partner schools early; and having a timely plan for the roll-out of the programme to avoid overburdening or overlapping with competing commitments by students. Although the programme has shown positive results, it still requires advocacy work at the ministerial level to achieve its integration into the school curriculum. Integration of the SALSA lessons within the curricula of courses in community health work, nursing, medicine and pharmacy is an avenue for exploration as this would ensure a regular and sustainable pool of trainers who can be activated to deliver the training in schools.

10. Components to considerer

for scale-up in MENA

A tested and adapted model and manual; for promoting healthy lifestyles and physical activities among adolescents through schools. It offers a model for engaging

university students as volunteers in a school-based health programme.

11. Resources

Ryan’s Goal DVD:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_qbKbJ1sBg&feature=youtu.be

SALSA Peer Leader Manual: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/public-health/salsa-triple-a/salsa/resources/index.php (only available on request)

Adaptation of resources into Arabic (to be provided once finalized)

12. References

Andrew A, van der Sluijs Patching C, Lim KS Pesle A, Shah S (2012). Potential Strategies for Healthy Lifestyle Messages of the SALSA Program to Reach Families: a Qualitative Study. Powerpoint Presentation.

Al-Nsour M., Zindah M, Belbeisi A., Hadaddin R., Brown D.W., Walke H. (2012). Prevalence of selected chronic, noncommunicable disease risk factors in Jordan: results of the 2007 Jordan Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey. Prev Chronic Dis, 9:E25.

Cui Z., Shah S., Yan L., Pan Y., Gao A., Shi X., Wu Y., Dibley M.J. (2012). Effect of a school-based peer education intervention on physical activity and sedentary behaviour in Chinese adolescents: a pilot study. BMJ Open. May 14; 2(3). Pii: e000721.

Katz D.L. (2009). School-based interventions for health promotion and weight control: not just waiting on the world to change. Annu Rev Public Health: 30:253–72.

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Marsh N (August 2012). Face the Facts Briefing: Youth Overweight & Obesity in Australia. Vol 1: 2. Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies [Online] Available at: http://www.acys.info/facts/obesity/FTF_Obesity_briefing.pdf

Morley BC, Scully ML., Niven PH., Okely AD, Baur LA., Pratt IS., Wakefield MA,. NaSS DA Study Team. (2012). What factors are associated with excess body weight in Australian secondary school students? Med J Aust. Feb 20; 196(3): 189-92.

Shah S., Lagleva M., Pesle A., Lim, K., Bittar H., Dibley, M. (2011). A partnership for health: working with schools to promote healthy lifestyle. Australian Family Physician Vol. 40, No. 12.

Tayyem RF, Al-Hazzaa HM, Abu-Mweis SS, Bawadi HA, Hammad SS, Musaiger AO. Dietary habits and physical activity levels in Jordanian adolescents attending private versus public schools. (2014) East Mediterranean Health J. Jul 8; 20(7): 416-23.

The University of Sydney. About the Programme: SALSA. [Online]. Available at: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/public-health/salsa-triple-a/salsa/index.php

SALSA Students Newsletters May and October 2014. [Online]. Available at: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/public-health/salsa-triple-a/salsa/Salsa-News-Oct14.pdf and http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/public-health/salsa-triple-a/salsa/SALSA-Newsletter-May-2014.pdf

Telephone interview: Nihaya Al Sheyab, Assistant Professor, Jordan University of Science and Technology. 10 June 2014.

WSLHD 2013-2018 [Online] Available at: http://www.wslhd.health.nsw.gov.au

Photo credits: SALSA programme.

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Kenya Adolescents Reproductive Health

Programme PATH and U.S.-based

Population Council / FRONTIERS

308

Global

Kenya

PATH and US-based Population Council/FRONTIERS

Kenya Adolescents Reproductive Health Programme (KARHP)

Health1999Ongoing

Ministries

Non-UN

Alfayo Wamburi

[email protected]

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Adolescents and young people in Kenya face significant challenges to their health and well-being, particularly in relation to sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Studies conducted in Kenya in 1999 revealed the lack of comprehensive educational services on reproductive health for adolescents aged 10-19 years, both in and out of school. Adolescent reproductive health was perceived as a highly charged moral issue which raised concerns that sex education and reproductive health services for adolescents would lead to promiscuity. At the government level, poor coordination between ministries, the lack of systematic budgeting for youth reproductive health programmes and scattered responses at the district level, with little or no connection to national policies, were identified as key bottlenecks.2 When HIV/AIDS was declared a national disaster in 1999, it became evident that the vulnerable and relatively highly exposed group of adolescents and young people had to be targeted with comprehensive and coordinated SRH programmes.

As a response to this need, PATH-Program for Appropriate Technology in Health and the Population Council’s Frontiers in Reproductive Health Program (FRONTIERS) launched the Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Project (KARHP).3 The project tested a public sector, multisectoral approach to enhance young people’s knowledge and behaviour on reproductive health and HIV prevention through interventions in communities, schools and health facilities. In the pilot phase, which ran until 2003, KARHP was introduced in two districts of the Western province – Vihiga and Busia – and targeted adolescents aged 10-19 years. The design and

Kenya Adolescents Reproductive Health1 Programme

1 Desk Review (21 August 2014); Programme Inquiry Form (21 August 2014); Interview (16 September 2014); Internal validation (18-26 November 2014); Implementer validation (26 November-1 December 2014); Final validation (October 2015).

2 Division of Reproductive Health, Ministry of Health (2013).

3 KARHP was part of a four-country study also conducted in Bangladesh, Mexico and Senegal.

Country

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implementation of this pilot phase involved and brought together three ministries: the Ministry of Health (MoH); the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST); and the Ministry of Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services (MGSCSS).

As a multisectoral programme, KARHP intervened at the government level, working with the partner ministries and providing them with technical assistance on the introduction of adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) strategies and incorporation of life skills into the national curriculum. At the community level, it organized awareness and sensitization campaigns with community leaders, parents and out-of-school-youth peer educators. At the school level, it introduced the 34-part school curriculum known as Tuko Pamoja (We are One), extracurricular youth clubs, a life-skills curriculum for out-of-school youth and sensitization campaigns for parents and teachers. The establishment of spaces where youth could access youth-friendly services and information material on reproductive health was also part of the programme.

The positive results from the 30-month pilot phase guided the scaling-up of selected activities between 2003 and 2005. During the pilot, over 50 per cent of the adult population and over two thirds of adolescents in and out of school residing in the two districts were reached. The evaluation of the pilot also revealed that knowledge of SRH had increased among adolescent boys and girls and that there was a trend towards delaying sexual initiation among this age group.4

Between June 2005 and 2006, the intervention was scaled up to all eight districts of Western Province, followed by a replication strategy of covering two provinces each year between 2006 and

2008.5 In 2010, the MoH identified the institutionalization of KARHP as one of the eight best practices in reproductive health in the country.6


The mission of PATH is to “improve the health of people around the world by advancing technologies, strengthening systems, and encouraging healthy behaviours”.7

The Population Council’s mission is to “improve the well-being and reproductive health of current and future generations around the world and to help achieve a humane, equitable, and sustainable balance between people and resources”.8

4 Askew et.al. (2004).

5 2006-2007: Nyanza and Eastern; 2007-2008: Nairobi and Central; 2007-2008: Coast and Rift Valley. The implementation was done with assistance of APHIA II, a project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) aiming to improve health outcomes in Kenya.

6 Evelia H. et al. (2011). Best practice in this case was assessed on the basis of the evidence base, impact, replication, cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

7 PATH: mission, www.path.org

8 Population Council: mission, www.populationcouncil.org

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2.1. Goal

The goal of KARHP was to delay sexual initiation, decrease and/or prevent high-risk sexual behaviours among adolescents and increase and improve young people’ knowledge of reproductive health. To achieve this, it aimed to create a supportive environment that would help address the concerns about reproductive health, including HIV/ AIDS, of adolescents and youth aged 10-19 years.

2.2. Objectives

The specific objectives of the programme were to:

• Improve knowledge about reproductive health and encourage a responsible and healthy attitude towards sexuality among adolescents;

• Delay the onset of sexual activity among younger adolescents;

• Decrease risky behaviours among sexually active adolescents.9

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

From the outset of the programme, the target was adolescents aged 10-19 years. For the school-based curriculum, the target groups were divided into two groups, 10-15 and 16-19 years of age.


The programme targeted both males and females, in and out of school. No particular gender-based approach was recorded, although gender issues were addressed as part of the curriculum. Three sessions specifically address gender-related concepts including a definition, differentiating sex from gender roles, gender stereotyping, sexual exploitation and gender-based violence. Topics are introduced and discussed in a culturally appropriate manner. Apart from the curriculum-based approach to gender issues, the project established a referral network with other institutions dealing with prevention of

gender-based violence. Teachers, social development assistants and youth peer educators were trained on how to identify cases of this type of violence and refer them to appropriate service organizations. This was actively monitored using detailed data tracking tools disaggregated by gender.


During the scale-up phase, the project engaged adolescents with disabilities in Kakamega, Turkana and Kisumu districts, where teachers trained in special education were incorporated in the programme so they could deliver the intervention to children with special needs. However, the project did not develop materials specific to their respective special needs and did not have a particular strategy for adolescents and youth with disabilities or for ethnic minorities.


During the pilot phase, the project was implemented in two districts of the Western

9 Interview with Mr. Alfayo Awamburi, Behaviour Change Communication Specialist (16 June 2014).

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province – Vihiga and Busia – which had reported particularly high levels of adolescents and young people considered to be at risk through exposure to sexual activities. The selected districts also had little or no infrastructure in terms of health facilities.


Activities of the programme were grounded on participatory and interactive methods which encouraged the adolescents’ participation, including educational video screenings, debating clubs, group discussions, ‘edutainment’ and sports competitions. The curriculum addressed gender issues, decision-making and relationships, which relate to the larger human rights framework and promotion of adolescents’ dignity.

The advocacy component of the project focused on influencing policies to promote the right to information, access to services and the overall well-being of the adolescents and young people.


Adolescents were involved in designing the intervention and developing the materials – a manual, peer educators’ guide and advocacy brochures. Through use of focus groups to explore and define normative values and behaviour, the objectives of the intervention were designed in collaboration with the adolescents themselves. Question/suggestion boxes were placed in schools and health facilities to gather the young people’s feedback. The curriculum was pretested with beneficiaries and their inputs were incorporated into the materials adapted for the scaling-up stages. Focus group discussions were conducted as part of the data collection process during the pre-

test of the peer educators’ guide in order to determine whether it met the adolescents’ needs in terms of language, terminology, adolescent-friendliness, etc. Findings from the report and text narratives were used as source materials by the manual development team to adjust and finalize the manual.



KARHP was launched based on a community- and peer- based communication strategy that included peer education, counselling in schools and youth-friendly centres. PATH acted as coordinator, including of the capacity-building of implementers by the district-level officers. Each ministry was responsible for part of the core components, providing staff and ensuring monitoring and evaluation. The MoEST coordinated the school-based interventions, the MoH the facilities at the health centres and the MGSCSS the activities at the community level. The strategy adopted for reaching the target group and ensuring increased demand for services and their use was to communicate through the facilities of the community, the schools and health centres. Outreach and communication activities included drama and community theatre.

The project maximized the use of existing government structures and networks, and as such was implemented through public institutions and community resources. Government staff at the three levels (national, provincial and district levels) were involved throughout all phases of the project, from design through integration and implementation. In the community, the

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young people and religious and community leaders were not only informed about the project but also were used to spread information in a cascade style.10 The cascade training created a cadre of master trainers at the national and provincial levels. In the case of MoEST, the training of one third of staff and representatives from primary and secondary schools was able to provide reproductive and sexual health training to the remaining schools within the province. The project’s key stakeholders were therefore the parents, students, out-of-school youth, school staff, public health technicians, social development assistants, community and religious leaders and district officials and ministerial representatives.

4.2. Activities

Community-based interventions, which are ongoing, include:

• Promoting parent-child communication. The school management committees are sensitized and in turn support the trained teachers to sensitize the parents on KARHP during parents’ days. Social development assistants reach out to the adolescents’ parents with messages on ASRH and on the need to talk to their children. The school-based components encourage the adolescents to pose questions on SRH to their parents. The schools question/suggestion boxes are used to collect information about parents’ and adolescents’ concerns, which in turn is used to trigger dialogue during school assemblies or parents’ days;

• Training of peer educators;

• Capacity-building for project partners from the community. The project partners are the government departments, which devolve

from the national level to the levels of the community, schools and health facilities which implement the intervention.

• Information and sensitization campaigns with religious leaders to ensure that the ASRH messages are reaching adolescents and the rest of the community. Social development assistants from the MGSCSS are trained to work with religious leaders and peer educators, drawn from out-of-school youth, to lead community discussions concerning ASRH.11 The religious setting is fundamental, as it was noted during the pilot phase that over 90 per cent of young people meet in church.

School-based interventions include:

• Formal and informal peer education, guidance and counselling for adolescents in primary and secondary schools, with KARHP-trained teachers delivering guidance and counselling. Structured sessions are conducted either weekly or biweekly depending on a school’s work plan. Counselling is done continuously as long as an adolescent approaches the teacher with a concern. KARHP-trained teachers work with their schools’ head teachers to finalize the activity plan for each term;

• Referrals for health services;

• Implementation of the Tuko Pamoja curriculum;

• ASRH training for teachers;

• Recruitment and training of peer promoters. Selection criteria of peer educators includes adolescents capabilities to connect and influence other adolescents;

• Outreach activities by student peer educators trained in ASRH. The schools’ peer educators are pupils and the

10 The Division of Reproductive Health, Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation (2009).

11 PATH.org; Improving Adolescent Reproductive Health.

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community peer educators are youth who are not in school;

• Extracurricular activities and establishment of health clubs where ASRH issues are addressed.

Health facility interventions include:

• Provision of youth-friendly services. Public health officers are available to the young people and address cultural, social and religious issues that could hinder the delivery of health care services;

• Provision of information in safe spaces, the youth-friendly rooms, where adolescents access materials and peer educators are available for in-person communication;12

• Visits by clinic staff to schools and youth groups;

• Expanded clinic hours.

Ministerial engagement activities include:

• An interministerial coordination committee that has guided the expansion of KARHP activities;

• Training of master trainers at the national and provincial levels, with the cost of training community-level staff shared between FRONTIERS, PATH and the ministries;

• Incorporation of ASRH in the work plans of the ministries. Each ministry is responsible for one of the three levels of intervention – community, school and health facilities. The MoEST for instance, has performed cascade training for ministry staff, including a sensitization campaign with school management committees. The result was the successful incorporation of life-skills education into the school curriculum and

inter-school KARHP activities.13 The MoH has adopted the training manuals and established multisectoral collaboration with other ministries, and the MGSCSS has absorbed the established monitoring tools and decided to run community activities;

• Advocacy dialogues with senior-level staff at the three ministries to discuss all phases of the programme and its replication and scale-up;

• Monitoring of activities: monthly reports have been established and data are collected at the district level. Quarterly reports collate all data which are discussed during meetings. The KARHP activities and progress are tracked through a management information system.14

Tuko Pamoja

The Tuko Pamoja curriculum was developed by PATH and Population Council in collaboration with MoEST to offer adolescents relevant and appropriate information on SRH, HIV prevention and life skills. To deliver the curriculum, two teachers per school were trained as peer referees on how to guide and communicate with adolescents. Beyond the delivery of the curriculum, the peer referees had the role of forming health clubs and training club members to be peer educators and role models for the other students. Although the curriculum was designed to be used mostly with adolescents in schools, it is also suitable for out-of-school young people.

Each session has a clear learning objective, addressed through a series of participatory learning activities. The training and educational material were revised in the pilot phase through feedback sessions with teachers, students and peer educators. As a result, background information was included so that teachers

12 The Division of Reproductive Health, Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, August 2009.

13 Ibid.

14 Ibid.

314

could increase their knowledge of the content before delivery and facilitate question and answer sessions with students. The facilitators complete a form monthly that is used to track progress and identify bottlenecks.

Tuko Pamoja stands for ‘We are together’ and is used as a reference to encourage open communication on ASRH.

As the programme developed, a series of guides and manuals were included. The Tuko Pamoja series now includes: the adolescent reproductive health and skills curriculum; a guide for talking with young people about their reproductive health; and a manual for peer educators. In addition, KARHP materials also include the ministries’ trainer facilitation manuals, developed by PATH to ensure that the training workshops had all the necessary resources and content.15

Peer education

As part of KARHP, a group of peer educators was trained to reach out to fellow adolescents and young people, providing information and referrals to health centres. Activities initiated by the peer educators included group discussions, drama presentations, outreach meetings, individual counselling and distribution of information. Activities are conducted in the context of schools but also for out-of-school youth through public meetings, public debates and church sermons.16 KARHP activities are aligned with the schools’ weekly timetables, with two hours set aside each week for extracurricular activities. For out-of-school activities, peer educators work with social development assistants and religious leaders to use time and space within the church compounds to engage with the out-of-school youth on weekends and at any other opportune time.

4.3. Innovativeness

KARHP was the first attempt to introduce a public sector, multisectoral approach to adolescent sexual and reproductive health interventions in the Western province in Kenya.


The project was funded by USAID but sought to maximize the use of government resources and staff. Comparisons between the pre- and post-intervention surveys demonstrated that the multisectoral approach allowed leveraging of resources and improved ownership of the process. Trainings were conducted at the government institutions at a negotiated cost. The time of staff from the ministries (teachers, education officers, public health officers) was computed as part of cost sharing. The trainers were from the ministries’ staff and not paid as consultants. The ministry staff supervised the sessions conducted in churches, health facilities and free spaces in schools. The three ministries were also able to conduct joint field visits and share a vehicle and other resources, which drastically reduced the cost of implementation.

15 PATH Factsheet

16 American Education article.

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4.5. Sustainability

The main strategy for the sustainability of KARHP was its institutionalization in the three ministries, which were part and parcel of the project design, implementation and evaluation. Existing structures and government staff were used for the delivery of activities: the MGSCSS coordinated the community activities and relied on social development assistants; the MoEST coordinated the in-school activities; and the MoH the coordinated the activities at health facilities. An important element for the sustainability of the project was the sharing of resources between ministries, the use of existing institutions for training at subsidized costs and reduced secretariat staffing. The three ministries had different strengths. While some officers had access to vehicles, others did not have such privileges. However, some who had vehicles, such as MGSCSS staff, did not have enough funds allocated for fuel. The MoH had funds for transport, but due to poor transport infrastructure, they could not reach places where public transport was not available. While the schools had dedicated teachers to implement ASRH education, their links with the health facilities were very weak. Thus, the pupils could not get effective attention when referred to the health facilities if not accompanied by the teacher. By bringing the three ministries together, MoH could fuel MGSCSS vehicles to support supervision while the teachers identified a public health technician in each facility to receive the students when referred.

4.6. Replicability

The decision to replicate KARHP in other districts was based on the successful experience of the pilot phase. Following the pilot, the model was first institutionalized and expanded into eight districts in Western

Kenya. The positive experience led to the project’s replication in four provinces between 2006 and 2008: Nyanza; Eastern; Central; and Nairobi. Funding for the replication phase came from the APHIA II project (see footnote 5).17

During the scale-up phase, the number of schools reached increased from 420 to 1,137 and 396 public health technicians were trained to deliver youth-friendly services. The project reached 177,945 people throughout the Western province and trained 1,951 people in the three participating ministries.18

In 2008, FRONTIERS provided technical support to the Ministry of Youth Affairs, which decided to roll out the Tuko Pamoja curriculum to 70 youth polytechnic schools. In addition, the MoEST has approved the curriculum as a stand-alone subject to be delivered in schools.

The model has also been replicated in Senegal (2004-2008),19 where the focus has been on the institutionalization of ASRH activities in government structures and NGOs.


Results

Following the pilot phase, KARHP was evaluated in 2004 and again in 2010 in order to determine to what extent the activities had been sustained and whether the desired outcomes in knowledge, behaviour and practices had been maintained. The end-line evaluation of 2004 used a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-curriculum testing in six locations, three in each of the two selected districts, Vihiga and Busia, to serve as experimental and control

17 The Division of Reproductive Health, Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation (August 2009).

18 The Division of Reproductive Health, Ministry of Health (April 2013).

19 Ibid.

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sites. The three locations in each district were then randomly selected to be site A, B or C.20 Community-based and health-facility interventions were introduced at ‘A’ sites. All three interventions – community-based, health facility and school-based – were introduced at the ‘B’ sites. The introduction of school-based interventions at ‘B’ sites was used to assess the additional effect of school-based education and sensitization of parents. The ‘C’ sites served as control locations.

In terms of exposure to the interventions, the study revealed that 50 per cent of parents from A and B sites and two thirds of adolescents from B sites had heard of KARHP following the pilot phase.21 Approximately one fifth of parents from C control sites had heard of the project despite no activities being carried out in their community. The study revealed increased knowledge and awareness of ASRH issues and change in attitudes and behaviours.

When testing the type of activities, the study revealed that two thirds of the adolescents declared to have participated in activities through the school-based activities. Conversely, 80 per cent of the parents indicated community-based interventions. Participation in facility-based interventions was minimal: 5 per cent for adolescents and 14 per cent for the parents.22

The use of peer educators was also tested as they were an integral component of the programme. Over one quarter of adolescents confirmed they had received information through peer education.

Increased knowledge and awareness of basic sexual and reproductive health functions improved substantially among younger adolescents and older girls in site

A, and in site B for younger girls. This result suggests that community-based activities are central to increasing awareness of these issues, and that school-based interventions may not necessarily provide a substantial add-on. The end-line survey also concluded that adolescents who were reached by KARHP had significantly higher awareness of specific sexually transmitted infections (STIs) compared to adolescents in the control group, and overall were much more likely to have received reproductive health information.23

Change in attitudes was reported in terms of reinforcement of high rates of disapproval of premarital sex and childbearing, including higher levels of disapproval for females. Conversely, the evaluation noted that premarital sex was a norm among the parents and not a modern phenomenon as it is sometimes noted. Against this norm, it is noteworthy that conservative attitudes were sustained. The approval of contraceptive and condom use was reported to have increased in only one of the tested sites, but the rate was significantly higher. However, the approval of condom use among girls showed improvement in both sites. It is noteworthy, however, that adolescents in the school-based activities reported a significantly lower rate of approval of contraceptive and condom than the rest of adolescents. The MoEST had a policy that did not allow teachers to discuss condom use with the pupils, but emphasized instead the values of abstinence among the children attending school.

Changes in sexual behaviour presented mixed results. For instance, older girls and boys reported higher incidences of penetrative sex, although boys in one of the sites reported significantly lower incidences. A significant increase among

20 Askew I. et al. (2004).

21 The sample consisted of: 140 boys and 518 girls aged 15-19 years; 190 boys and 551 girls aged 10-14 years; and 127 male and 299 female parents.

23 Askew I. et al. (2004).

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older girls and boys reporting penetrative sex was observed in site A and in the control site C, and a significant reduction was observed among boys in site B. Adolescents participating in the school-based activities reported lower incidences of sexual activity than those who were not exposed to school-based interventions. Another positive result was that age at first penetrative sex among the sexually experienced showed statistically significant delays after interventions. The proportions of girls indicating non-consensual sex decreased over time in all three sites, and significantly in site A.24 Over time, decreases in the proportion of unmarried girls reporting having been pregnant were recorded, and these were significant in site A and the control site.

An evaluation was conducted between December 2009 and March 2010, 10 years after the first pilot. It included a survey of knowledge, attitudes and practices conducted in the original KARHP pilot regions to determine whether the intended sexual and reproductive health outcomes had been sustained.25 The study targeted in- and out-of-school adolescents aged 10-19 years. A total of 2,406 adolescents were interviewed and the results were compared to the 2003 study. In addition, school assessments were undertaken in seven provinces in 420 randomly selected primary and secondary schools. The aim was to examine the status and coverage of in-school KARHP activities. Policy documents were reviewed to analyse the level of integration of ASRH into the ministries’ workplans and policies.

Key findings revealed that the Government had increasingly given priority to issues

related to ASRH and HIV/AIDS with the creation of concrete policy and legislative environments as well as financial commitments. Funding had been allocated to support the roll-out of ASRH activities, with the ministries using a multisectoral approach and working with partners in the private sector, donors and NGOs. On a less positive note, weaknesses were found in monitoring and evaluation. Nonetheless, it was concluded that the Government had developed a clear priority on ASRH.

Regarding the continuity of KARHP activities in schools, the school assessment revealed that 92 per cent of the surveyed schools taught life skills supported by peer education; 96 per cent of schools had a guidance and counselling department; and 70 per cent had life-skills sessions on the school timetable. Over 20 different curricula and educational manuals from different organizations were reported to be in use.26

The evaluation also showed that students who had been exposed to Tuko Pamoja life-skills education showed greater improvements in knowledge and reproductive health behaviour. More specifically, it was found that knowledge of issues such as menstruation, pregnancy, contraception and sexually transmitted infectious diseases had been sustained over time and was higher among older adolescents. One of the most significant improvements was registered in the proportion of adolescents reporting safer practices at first sex. In the 2003 evaluation, 25 per cent girls and 19 per cent boys said they practiced first-time safe sex, increasing to 53 and 34 per cent respectively in the 2010 evaluation. However, poor knowledge of condom use persisted. To address this,

24 Site A had approximately twice as many peer educators than site B and had on average more activities done per group than site B. 24 Ibid.

25 This was an exploratory study involving desk review, a survey among adolescents, school and national assessments.

26 Evelia H. et al. (2010).

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the programme engaged with the MoH to ensure that the adolescents seeking STI services were provided with information on condom use at the health facility level. More activities were organized for out-of-school youth, including condom demonstrations during recess in areas when sexual activity among youth is likely to be high.


Routine monitoring and data collection involve monthly reports from schools, social development assistants and public health practitioners to their respective district officers. Reports are collated quarterly and discussed during district ministerial meetings, where positive results are reviewed and the challenges addressed. Data tracking tools are developed for each ministry. Tools have been revised to measure exposure to the different sessions at the individual levels, including several gender indicators and service delivery referral information, an added element to the programme. These improvements were made during the scale-up and added features to monitor the integrity and flow of data.


Institutionalization of ASRH: Government ministries were involved in the design, pilot testing and scaling up of the programme, ensuring its institutionalization beyond the initial project. Furthermore, the programme was designed to make use of existing structures, i.e., community spaces, health facilities and schools.

Use of a cascade-style approach to the institutionalization of training: At the onset, the costs of training were shared between PATH, FRONTIERS and the ministries. Master trainers prepared at the national level in turn conducted the training of trainers for the lower cadre to enable them to deliver the trainings to the adolescents and youth. To ensure quality, the master trainers supervised all the cascaded training and provided technical support to lower cohorts of trainers.

Maximization of existing structures and sharing of costs with the ministries, strengthening the sustainability of the project and reducing the overall cost of the project: The project has been adopted by many other NGOs receiving funding from various donors but the cost-sharing modality remains the same. Expenses are only incurred during the training of teachers and printing of materials. Supervision and implementation are done at zero cost.

Information, sensitization and advocacy campaigns with key stakeholders at the community, school and ministerial levels, especially religious leaders.

Development of materials: adaptation of the Tuko Pamoja curriculum and replication across the country; development of training manuals to be employed by each ministry; and development of standardized protocols for the implementation of ministry-specific interventions.

7. Challenges

Cultural barriers were one of the main challenges of the programme. There was an initial fear from the community that by delivering sex education, the programme

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would promote promiscuity. To tackle this issue, the programme educated community leaders on the content, objectives and benefits while maintaining a sense of cultural responsibility.

Resource availability and competing priorities between treatment and prevention programmes within the public sector. Public sectors receive inadequate allocation of funds but are required to achieve unrealistic targets with constrained staffing. For example, health providers working at a high-volume health facility that receives a large number of sick people may not be able to spend much time with the adolescents at the expense of the ailing people in the queue.

Adequate technical assistance for ministries to continue the implementation of ASRH activities, including planning, capacity-building and monitoring activities. In Kenya, where devolution of services to the county level is the new focus, there is a need to continue building the capacities of the new officers recruited to take up the responsibilities at the county and national levels.

The institutionalization of monitoring and evaluation within the ministries has been a significant challenge. Ministries require strong support on how to incorporate and systematically perform monitoring and evaluation and retain and process data.

Gaps in coordination of activities, especially in the materials used. Different manuals and curricula are being used for life-skills education. In the 10-year evaluation, it was reported that over 20 different manuals from different organizations were in use. A compilation of life-skills education implementation in Kenya revealed that there are many organizations with different life-skills education curricula in the country.27

During the scale-up phase, challenges included barriers in the motivation of certain volunteers and out-of-school peer educators, and bottlenecks in data processing and transfer.


The programme did not provide any information on the next steps and way forward.

9. Lessons learned and recommendations 28

Some of the lessons learned from this programme include:

• The potential of working with government ministries and maximizing existing resources to support ASRH;

• Multisectoral collaboration proved to be efficient not only in the implementation but also for the long-term sustainability and ownership of the process;

• Close collaboration with the community ensures the relevance of the project and enhances the maximization of local resources, and also plays a role in the ownership and sustainability of projects;

• The public sector was able to take on the intervention and spearhead the implementation of the ASRH programmes;

• Because community leaders are important ‘gatekeepers’ to adolescents and youth audiences, it is fundamental to gain the buy-in of community stakeholders.

27 Fhi360, December 2010 (Life Skills Education in Kenya: Comparative analysis and stakeholder perspectives)

28 Wamburi, A. August 2009.

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Recommendations that emerged after the 10-year evaluation include:

• Strengthen monitoring and evaluation;

• Strengthen funding and avenues of cooperation with the private sector;

• Streamline coordination, particularly at the ministerial level;

• Advocate with the Government to increase the level of resources allocated to ASRH;

• Improve the timeliness of data generation, management, reporting and documentation.


Strategies used for:

• Effective and coordinated communication among the varied partners and with the audience;

• Transition of responsibilities from a pilot phase involving the ministries to a programme that is fully owned by the ministries;

• Implementing a multisectoral collaboration model.

11. Resources

Tuko Pamoja: Adolescent Reproductive Health and Life Skills Curriculum

Tuko Pamoja: A Guide for Talking with Young People about their Reproductive Health

Tuko Pamoja: A Manual for Peer Educators

MoEST trainers’ facilitation manual

MoH trainers’ facilitation manual

MGSCSS facilitators’ manual

12. References

Askew I., Jane C., Njue C. and Samson R. (2004). A multisectorial approach to providing reproductive health information and services to young people in Western Kenya: The Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Project, FRONTIERS Final Report Washington DC: Population Council.

Askew I. and Diop N.J. (2007). Scaling Up Successful Youth Intervention: Examples from Kenya and Senegal. PowerPoint presentation. USAID, Population Council/FRONTIERS.

Askew I. and Evelia H. (2007). Mainstreaming and Scaling Up the Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Project. Frontiers in Reproductive Health Program, Population Council.

Evelia H., Wanjiru M., Obare F., Birungi H. (2010). Ten years of Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Project: What has happened? APHIA II OR Project in Kenya/ Population Council, Nairobi.

Evelia et. al. (2008). From pilot to program: Scaling up the Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Project. Frontiers in Reproductive Health, Population Council.

The Division of Reproductive Health, Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation (August 2009). Best practices in Reproductive Health in Kenya.

The Division of Reproductive Health, Ministry of Public Health (April 2013). Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health Evidence-Based Interventions in Kenya.

PATH Factsheet: Improving Adolescent Reproductive Health.

Wamburi A.O. Sustaining Adolescents

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and Reproductive Health in Kenya through a Multi-Sectoral Program Approach. Powerpoint presentation.

Telephone interview with Mr. Alfayo Awamburi, Behaviour Change Communication Specialist (16 June 2014).

Websites:

• PATH - www.path.org

• Population Council

www.populationcouncil.org

Photo credits: PATH and US-based

Population Council/FRONTIERS

ResilienceDevelopment

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ResilienceDevelopment

Building the Resilience of Youth

War Child Canada - Sudan

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West Darfur

Sudan

War Child Canada - Sudan



2005

Ongoing

West Darfur Youth Organization for Development, Krinding Organization for

Development and Rehabilitation

Supported by UNICEF

Fathelrahman Abdelrahman - [email protected]

Kimaru Wa Karuru - [email protected]

RegionCountryOrganization NameCategoryStart date

UN involvement

End datePartners

Building the Resilience of Youth1


The prolonged conflict in Darfur has forced millions of citizens to flee from their homes and into camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs), thus depriving them of basic protection and shelter, cutting them off from their livelihoods and means of generating income, and stripping them from their family and community support networks, all of which makes these IDPs an exceedingly vulnerable population.2 Children are perhaps most affected by this displacement because these harsh circumstances have denied them their right to childhood, hindered their normal development, limited their access to education, separated them from their families and exposed them to high risks of abuse, insecurity and uncertainty. Their situation is made bleaker by the fact that there are few opportunities for them to turn their lives around. These youth, with little protection, few educational or employment opportunities and even fewer leisure activities, are at risk of becoming a ‘lost generation’. Their future lies in acquiring an education. Through education, the youth can significantly improve their situation and can open numerous doors to improving their futures. As simple as this solution sounds, a number of factors hinder school enrolment among the youth, e.g., poverty and the inability to pay school tuition, loss of parents, child, early and forced marriage, illness, parents not valuing the importance of education for their children, schools are far away, boys are given higher priority for an education than girls and a shortage of teachers.

Contact

1 Desk review (May-September 2014); inquiry form (18 August 2014); interview (25 November 2014); write-up (12 March 2015); internal validation (12 March-13 March 2015); Implementer Validation (26 March 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

2 Mooney (2005).

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War Child Canada has over 15 years of experience working in communities in conflict and post-conflict zones around the world. All work is implemented in direct partnership with local communities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governments and other stakeholders using a child-centred approach. War Child Canada has been supporting the conflict-affected communities in West Darfur, working in Geneina, Krenik, Beida and other localities since 2005 and focusing on youth development, skills-building and education, among other programming areas.

The youth development programming aims to increase the commitment and capacity of youth to take action to promote peace and development. Through delivery of a comprehensive life-skills curriculum, the programme improves the conflict management skills and attitudes of diverse youth.

Life-skills programming is implemented using the War Child Canada ‘Youth 2 Youth’ methodology (Y2Y), through which youth receive the above-mentioned training, in addition to training on how to design, implement and manage community and youth development. Following their training, youth are formed into groups and provided with small grants to develop, execute and manage projects which contribute to a culture of peace and trust within their communities. Projects have included sports days and community clean-up days.

The educational programming targets out-of-school IDPs, nomadic and working youth

The skills-building programming provides youth with vocational training based on market assessments, in addition to basic financial training and business development skills.


War Child Canada is an NGO that helps children to reclaim their childhoods through access to education, opportunity and justice. The organization takes an active role in raising public awareness around the impact of war on communities and the shared responsibility to act.

An ALP class in El Geneina

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and females of all ages in its countries of operation. In its education, skills development and youth development programming in Sudan, gender is mainstreamed in an effort to ensure that the needs of both female and male beneficiaries are met. Promoting gender equality is an important step in the realization of women and girls’ basic human rights; it will ensure that programming is equitable and effective for men and women, boys and girls.

War Child Canada targets 50 per cent female participation in all activities. To achieve this target, there is much engagement and dialogue with communities at the grass-roots levels on, for instance, the importance of education for both boys and girls and creating equal opportunities to access education. Gender-disaggregated data and follow-up on female and male access to education, enrolment, life skills and vocational training are key factors in the organization’s monitoring and evaluation system.

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

Prior to 2009, War Child Canada was working in camps for IDPs. However, as the IDPs began to leave the camps, the organization expanded its target beneficiaries to include returnee, host and nomadic communities.

The youth development and education programming targets young people aged 15-30 years, with a focus on women and children, children who have been orphaned, women and children of low socioeconomic status and children with disabled parents.


War Child Canada is committed to significant change in the lives of girls and women and recognizes the distinctions between males


2.1. Goal

The goal of the organization’s youth-focused work in Sudan is to create a safe and secure environment where youth can live in peace.

2.2. Objectives

In order to provide youth in Sudan with greater opportunities for their future, War Child Canada has developed and implemented youth development, education and vocational training programmes for vulnerable youth.

The specific objectives include:

• To provide youth with the necessary knowledge, skills and support to enable them to create positive social change in their communities;

• To increase access to quality formal and non-formal education for the most disadvantaged children and youth;

• To increase youth’s vocational and business skills and provide opportunities for alternative livelihoods.

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War Child Canada believes in inclusiveness and fulfilment of rights of all without discrimination. In all programming, special measures are integrated into the project design and implementation to ensure unrestricted access to resources and opportunities for all children irrespective of ability, gender and ethnicity. For instance, in constructing education facilities and providing equipment, care is taken to consider those children with disabilities by providing ramp access as well as desks and seats that cater for their disabilities.


War Child Canada targets the most vulnerable populations in the communities in which it works. In addition to targeting nomadic communities, War Child Canada focuses on returnees and IDPs as they are among the most marginalized populations.


All initiatives are governed by the ‘Do No Harm’ approach that specifically focuses on avoiding risks to children, avoiding the exacerbation of existing or creation of new tensions and ensuring gender equality. For example, activities are conducted in neutral and accessible spaces, as determined by the communities.

As stated in the War Child Canada child protection policy, the organization believes that it is unacceptable for a child or young person to experience violence or abuse of any kind and recognizes its duty of care obligations to children associated with a ‘Do No Harm’ approach. Under its duty of care, as identified in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, War Child Canada has

an obligation to the children and young people with whom it works to actively prevent violence, abuse or exploitation from occurring in its projects. All War Child Canada staff have been trained in the organization’s child protection policy.

War Child Canada has also adopted a code of conduct which promotes honest and ethical conduct, compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations and accountability for adherence to the code.


Youth are involved in all stages of the youth development work. Specifically, youth participate in development, implementation and ongoing monitoring and evaluation of project activities. Through its ‘How to Start a Youth Committee’ toolkit, War Child Canada trains youth to conduct a participatory community mapping exercise, build a representative youth committee, conduct leadership review/renewal and write a constitution, along with basic management skills (e.g., how to lead and participate in meetings). Youth committees are responsible for organizing recreational activities (e.g., sports tournaments and arts performances) in their communities, as well as implementing peacebuilding projects (part of the Y2Y methodology mentioned above). These activities allow youth of different backgrounds to work together in new ways, promoting a sense of team building, cooperation and unity.

The West Darfur Youth Organization for Development, the only youth-run NGO in Darfur legally registered with Sudan’s Humanitarian Aid Commission, was formed through support from War Child Canada.

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As mentioned above, War Child Canada youth development programming is centred on its Y2Y methodology, which brings youth together to identify shared problems and develop shared solutions. The Y2Y methodology also focuses on developing the skills of both the youth facilitators and the youth participants. For example, youth are trained in gender-based violence, protection, reproductive health, conflict management and prevention, peacebuilding and life skills, and they in turn train other youth in these same topics.

The youth development programme strategies are also focused on community-based approaches, including the involvement of community leaders. The organization has found that by involving community leaders in project activities, buy-in for the projects is strengthened. Further, leaders will encourage community participation in activities.

War Child Canada has pioneered a community empowerment model of conducting baselines, designing projects and assessing their impacts. This methodology, called ‘People-First Impact Methodology’ (P-FIM), reshaped the organization’s approach to speaking with communities. By moving away from an agency-centred approach to information gathering, War Child Canada can better understand community needs and priorities, and this in turn has informed the organization’s programme design.

The successful approaches and methodologies of War Child Canada have been used in other programming countries including Afghanistan and South Sudan.

4.2. Activities

The youth-focused work of War Child Canada in Sudan is focused on education (formal and informal), skills development and youth development programming.

Educational programming:

• Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP). This programme offers out-of-school children compressed courses in numerous subjects; students complete two years of schooling in one year, followed by an exam. Successful completion of the exam allows students to re-enter the formal school system.

• Teacher trainings and workshops. These workshops, in collaboration with the formalized training of trainers (TOT) programme, help to equip potential teachers with the skills required to work in their respective localities. TOT participants and teachers who complete this programme receive formal accreditation from the Ministry of Education and are eligible for governmental hire.

• Renovation and maintenance of schools and classrooms. This involves providing all necessary physical education infrastructure, as well as supplies, furniture and equipment.

• Facilitating the development of parent-teacher associations (PTAs). The PTAs mobilize community members on issues of access to education, including attendance and retention. PTA members also work to improve school management and governance, and liaise closely with the Ministry of Education on school- and community-related issues. PTAs are trained in generating income that is used

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to offset costs associated with school fees; the income is also used towards other identified needs in the schools.

Youth development programming:

• Y2Y and life skills. Support from youth committees formed all across West Darfur is used to improve conflict management skills and attitudes among these youth. The programme uses the Y2Y methodology through which youth are brought together to identify shared problems and to develop possible solutions. This Y2Y programme consists of conflict management and peacebuilding (10 sessions in three days); reproductive health (eight sessions in two days); human rights and protection (eight sessions in two days); effective communication for peace (six sessions in two days); and leadership (nine sessions in three days).

• Construction and maintenance of youth centres. Youth centres allow the youth to feel a sense of independence and ownership of their committee events and meetings.

• Recreational programmes. These programmes encourage peace and gender equality through arts, sports and other recreational activities.

Skills development programming:

• Vocational training. Based on market assessments, trades such as masonry, food processing, carpentry, sewing, metal work and shoemaking are taught to youth as they are tangible and practical skills that can help the youth to earn a sustainable income. The vocational training lasts between three and six months. Following

the training, War Child Canada forms livelihood groups and provides them with start-up support and ongoing business development support so that youth are able to earn a sustainable income.

4.3. Innovativeness

The innovativeness of the programme is three-fold: (1) The War Child focus on youth, a group often neglected by NGOs, including international NGOs; (2) the holistic model followed by War Child Canada, which includes youth development, education and vocational skills training activities; and (3) the activities are part of a long-term development programme that is distinctive in the region as opposed to a crisis-response programmes.


War Child Canada youth programming in Sudan previously has been funded by the Common Humanitarian Fund for Sudan, the Canadian Government (Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada), Darfur Community Peace and Stability Fund, UNFPA, UNHCR and UNICEF. The following table is a sample of the budget for the recently completed projects of the intervention. In addition to this, War Child Canada has ongoing funding from UNICEF for youth-focused programming.

Education

(with UNICEF)$512,000 (2013-2014)

Youth Project (from UNICEF)

$328,067 (2013-2014)

Youth/Education (Other donors) $502,076 (2013-2014)

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4.5. Sustainability

To ensure the sustainably of outcomes from youth-focused programming, War Child Canada includes capacity-building as a key component of all its projects. War Child Canada trains youth, as well as local partners, PTA members, ALP facilitators and basic school teachers. Youth committees are able to continue with peacebuilding projects, local partners provide ongoing support to youth and PTA members ensure that schools continue to be well managed. ALP facilitators and basic school teachers are able to continue to provide educational opportunities to children and youth in West Darfur.

In following up multiple interventions with community members, War Child Canada has found that they are being sustained. For example, youth centres that were constructed and handed over to the Ministry of Social Affairs, Youth and Sports were still being used and maintained after the project cycle, not only for youth but also for community members to gather, discuss problems and concerns and find solutions. Additionally, classrooms that were constructed are still being used and many of the ALP students have returned to the basic school system to complete their education.

4.6. Replicability

War Child Canada will continue replicating this programme in West Darfur, with expansion to other parts of Darfur, as possible and as permission allows. This programme has also been replicated in South Sudan, in Upper Nile and Eastern Equatoria states.


War Child Canada has become known as one of the leading youth-focused NGOs in Darfur.

Overall results since 2005 include:

• The organization has been one of the largest providers of ALP in Darfur, graduating over 5,000 students per year;

• 100,000 youth have been reached through youth development activities;

• 22,000 out-of-school children and youth have been reached through ALP activities;

• 250,000 basic school students have been reached through provision of textbooks, classroom rehabilitation and construction and teacher training;

• 4,400 youth have been trained in vocational skills;

• In 2011, War Child developed the first Advanced Leadership Training Manual for youth in West Darfur. It was piloted in June 2011 and used by youth entities;

• The Conflict Management and Peace Building Manual, developed in 209 and piloted in 2010, has also been used, and numerous other international and national NGOs have asked to participate in the TOT.

• Members of War Child Canada supported youth committees across the state of West Darfur by encouraging them to gather for a state-wide youth conference in 2010. From this conference the youth formed the West Darfur Youth Organization for Development, which is the only youth-run NGO in Darfur legally registered with Sudan’s Humanitarian Aid Commission.

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Youth in front of a Youth Center constructed by War Child Canada

• War Child Canada successfully established six new female sports teams. With the support of War Child Canada, the Football Association registered teams from IDP camps for the first time. As a result, Arab and African youth from IDP and host communities were able to interact with each other on the football pitch; in many cases Arab and African youth played together on the same team.

• In March 2009, when a fire in one of the displacement camps destroyed the homes of more than 260 families, the War Child Canada youth committee immediately responded, comforting the families and mobilizing members to help with clothes, materials and whatever they could contribute to help these already vulnerable families cope.


The strength of War Child Canada lies in its proactive, low-profile community acceptance approach. In all project activities, War Child Canada ensures the involvement of beneficiary groups at all stages, including youth, women and community-based leaders.

War Child Canada also works through local partners; partners are not seen only as recipients of aid, but also as valuable sources of local knowledge and information. In West Darfur, War Child Canada works with the West Darfur Youth Organization for Development and the Krendig Organization for Development and Rehabilitation.

War Child Canada also places emphasis on building the capacities of youth, through providing educational opportunities, life

skills and vocational training. Ongoing support is provided for youth committees and livelihoods groups, ensuring that youth are able to continue building their skills and earning a sustainable income.

7. Challenges

Overall challenges have included:

• The remoteness/accessibility of some of the targeted areas, which makes monitoring and follow-up challenging;

• Gaining support for girls’ education was challenging in some contexts (including the issue of girls being married at a young age) and required extensive community outreach and mobilization;

• High levels of poverty made it challenging at times to convince families to allow their children to enrol in educational programming as they needed the children to work to support the family financially;

• Not all schools with which War Child Canada works offer school feeding programmes, resulting in children who are malnourished and making it difficult for them to learn;

• Illiteracy among parents made it

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challenging for them to support their children in education;

• Gender parity in recreation events, specifically sports, was challenging given that there was limited history of girls’ involvement on sports teams.


Once permission is obtained, War Child Canada would like to expand activities into other areas of Darfur, specifically through the UNICEF education programme, and will maintain a focus on returnees and host communities. Within Sudan and in other countries, War Child Canada will continue providing educational opportunities, life skills and vocational training skills opportunities to IDP and returnee youth.


1. There is little value in having a powerful youth committee if it is not representative of diversity in the community.

• One effective way to work towards genuine representation is to guide youth committee members in a mapping exercise in which they examine and take note of the demographics of their community. Following this exercise, youth can be led through a workshop where they develop a concrete plan to make their committee reflective of community demographics (e.g., x percentage of committee members should be nomads,

x should be female). Youth committee mentors then guide the committee in the process of accomplishing this goal. Having a ‘constitution’ that is written and signed by all members is also an effective way to focus the work of a youth committee and set guidelines for who is eligible for membership.

2. In order to ensure genuine female participation in youth activities, it is necessary first to sensitize male and female community members and address harmful exclusionary attitudes.

• When an agency commences youth programming in a particular community, initially there may be considerable resistance by community members to the participation of girls and young women in these activities. In one community, War Child Canada experienced an extremely male-dominated dynamic. When War Child Canada established a youth centre there, community leaders initially requested that it be only for males and that female participation be forbidden. Regardless, War Child Canada set up the centre as planned, simultaneously holding a number of meetings with community members to discuss female participation and explore the reasoning behind the community’s resistance. Once acceptance of female participation had increased, War Child Canada began slowly to improve the gender balance at the centre by running arts and handicraft activities that the females had told War Child Canada they would like. After six months, female representation on the youth committee reached 35 per cent. Because the change was gradual (i.e., beginning with a number of discrete

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activities at the centre rather than full-fledged representation on the youth committee), the community had time to adjust to the idea of females becoming more involved.

3. Community power structures vary widely, and an increased role for youth in peacebuilding and development may be threatening to some community members.

• War Child Canada experienced this dynamic in a particular IDP camp in West Darfur. During the start-up phase of youth programming in the camp, community leaders approached War Child Canada and voiced fears that youth would develop too strong a voice. They said they would prefer that youth simply follow the leaders’ preferences, as they had done in the past. After a number of discussions with all community stakeholders, it was agreed that it would be valuable for the community to have a youth representative to share the view of youth with the leaders. War Child Canada supported this change. Since then, War Child Canada noted an improvement in how leaders and youth work together. One promising development was that the youth committee held meetings regarding their hygiene projects and invited the leaders to participate and advise them.

4. Youth engagement should not be confined to youth-only activities. Youth committees must be trained and empowered to participate in community decision-making mechanisms.

• As part of its youth engagement programme in West Darfur, War Child

Canada has been supporting IDP and host community youth to engage in community forums. One community in West Darfur has been struggling for a long time with a lack of water. Initially, there was no involvement by youth on the community water committee. Through the work of War Child Canada, members of the youth committee eventually were permitted to join the community water committee. As a result, youth have actively participated in the committee and they dug a channel of 2,000 metres from a water point to direct water closer to the community. Community members and participants in the community water forum were greatly impressed with how invested the youth (of all backgrounds) were in their community and how they worked together with forum members to improve access to water.

• In another community in West Darfur, many individuals lost their homes and belongings in a fire. Youth from one of the youth committees immediately gathered together and tried to come up with ideas to help the victims of the fire. The day after the fire, the youth gathered old clothes from War Child Canada and other communities and in the following weeks they helped with re-establishment of the homes. This spontaneous response showed firstly, how youth programming can instil values of community service that are critical to peacebuilding in the longer term; and secondly, how genuine youth participation in community life enhances trust and builds confidence.

5. Recreational activities and community-based projects alone will not automatically

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build the capacity of youth or generate peacebuilding results.

• To ensure that youth projects have a genuine and lasting impact, the following conditions should be fostered:

• Youth who participate in the ‘community projects’ must all have an equal stake in the planning and execution of the projects;

• The projects must bring individuals together to work on an issue of common importance so participants can focus on what unites them (e.g., a problem in the community such as lack of hygiene) rather than what divides them (e.g., ethnicity). Participants then work together to develop and implement a solution;

• The success of the project must depend on all participants: the goal should be one that cannot be achieved without the participation of all involved;

• The implementing agency should position itself as a neutral party that youth committee members recognize as such; where appropriate, the agency can mediate disputes and advise youth in difficult interpersonal/group situations.

6. Programming needs to be designed around local and seasonal calendars.

• War Child Canada found that youth-focused programming was more successful and attendance greatly increased when activity schedules were designed around seasonal calendars, including harvest and planting seasons. For example, ALP classes should not start during rainy season as attendance will be low due to restricted abilities to travel.

7. The involvement of community members and parents in educational programming is critical.

• Parents and community members need to be actively engaged in educational programming to ensure not only the attendance of all children (boys and girls) but to support the school. For example, War Child Canada trains PTAs on small income-generation projects, with the income used to fund school needs. For example, PTAs have contributed funding to school feeding programmes and have supported school fees for orphaned children. Additionally, where learning is not taking place in a formal school (e.g., a new ALP centre is being constructed), community and family input into the centre’s location and schedules is critical to ensuring attendance, particularly for girls.

Recommendations:

• Youth groups should have a written ‘constitution’, which should be developed jointly and adhered to by all members. The constitution provides guidelines, roles and responsibilities for the group to ensure its cohesion.

• Community members, including males and females, community leaders and elders, should be involved at all stages of programming, including implementation and design, and should also be sensitized to the project’s intended goal and objectives.

• Youth should be encouraged to join

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community-wide decision-making structures; the organization implementing the project should work with community members in allowing youth participation.

• Ongoing mentoring of youth committees is essential to ensure that youth peacebuilding activities continue over the life of the project, as well as after project activities have ended.

10. Components to consider for scale- up in MENAOne of the key factors of success in the youth-focused programming of War Child Canada has been the holistic approach, which should be strongly considered for scale-up in MENA. For example, educational programming is only successful to the extent that families and community members allow children and youth to attend, making community outreach and engagement critical. Additionally, construction of new learning spaces (formal or informal) will not be useful if not coupled with teacher training, the provision of materials, including furniture, and the development of and support for a PTA to ensure that spaces are child-friendly. Conversely, providing furniture and textbooks is not a useful activity if children are not learning in a safe space, e.g., their classroom has structural issues or is only partially completed. Vocational training will be sustainable only if accompanied with business start-up support and ongoing business mentoring/training to ensure those who received the training have the resources and support to run successful businesses.

The involvement of community members and leaders is also critical in youth-

focused programming. As shown in the ‘lessons learned’ section, communities are not always supportive of girls’ involvement in activities or of increasing youth engagement in community issues. Therefore, the meaningful and long-term engagement of community members and leaders is critical to ensuring the equitable involvement of all. This engagement must be started from the outset of the project, allowing community members and leaders input into project design and strategies, as opposed to asking for their support once a project has been started.

Investing in local capacity development, at the individual and institutional level, has also been critical to the success of the youth-focused programming. Building the leadership capacity of youth through life skills has been critical to community members and leaders seeing them as agents of change. Youth also received opportunities to show their new leadership skills through the development of community projects (under the Y2Y methodology), allowing community members an opportunity to see first-hand the youths’ new skills and capacities.

Capacity development with local partners is also critical to any scale-up

Youth taking part in War Child Canada’s life skills activities playing volleyball

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opportunities and contributes directly to sustainability. Unlike other agencies, War Child Canada does not focus only on programme development and implementation capacities with local partners, but also builds their capacities in fund development, financial management, organizational management, human resources and monitoring and evaluation. This approach ensures not only that are local organizations able to ‘take over’ activities once projects end, but that they are able to design, implement and manage their own programming without external support.

11. Resources

Youth development manuals.

12. References

Mooney, E. (2005). The concept of internal displacement and the case for internally displaced persons as a category of concern. Refugee Survey Quarterly; 24(3): 9-26.

All information in this write up was provided by the implementers War Child Canada, represented by Kimaru Wa Karuru (Country Director-Sudan) and Fathelrahman Abdelrahman (Head of Programs-Sudan)

Start up masonry kits for distribution

Photo credits: War Child Canada-Sudan

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The Cognitive Behavioural

Intervention for Trauma in Schools

The Treatment and Services Adaptation Center for Resilience, Hope and

Wellness in Schools

338

Global

United States (California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia,

Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New York,

Washington and Wisconsin), China, Guyana, Japan

The Treatment and Services Adaptation Center for Resilience, Hope

and Wellness in Schools

The Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS)

Resilience

2001

Ongoing

University of Southern California, RAND Corporation, University of California,

Los Angeles and Los Angeles Unified School District

No

Pamela Vona, Program Manager

Treatment and Services Adaptation Center for Resilience, Hope and

Wellness in Schools,University of Southern California, School of Social

Work, 669 W. 34th St. MRF 223, MC 0411, Los Angeles, CA 90089

+1 (213) 740-2711 [email protected]

RegionCountry

Organization


UN involvement

End datePartners

The Cognitive Behavioral Intervention

for Trauma in Schools1


Violence affects all racial, ethnic and economic groups, but its burden falls disproportionately on poor and minority children2 – the very children whose mental health needs are least likely to be met by the health care system.3 Children exposed to violence are at increased risk of exhibiting symptoms of post-traumatic stress,4 behavioural problems and feelings of depression and anxiety5 as well as poor school performance and more days of school absence.6

In 1997, members of the district crisis intervention teams in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) expressed concern regarding the number of students exposed to violence. Many students were from neighborhoods with high levels of poverty, gang activity and drug use and were experiencing distress resulting from exposure to violent events such as the injury or death of a student, teacher or family member. During that period, Marleen Wong was the LAUSD Director of Mental Health, Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Programs. She approached researchers from the RAND Corporation and the University of California, Los

Contact

1 Desk Review (May-September 2014); Inquiry Form (22 July 2014); Interview (19 November 2014); Write up (11 December 2014); Internal Validation (11r-18 December 2014); Implementer Validation (17 February 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

2 Christoffel (1990).3 Kataoka (2002).4 Berton and Stabb (1996)5 Farrell (1997).6 Hurt (2001).

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Angeles (UCLA) with two objectives:

(1) To empirically determine the rates of violence exposure for students in the LAUSD;

(2) To develop a strategy for supporting students who have been exposed to violence and are experiencing symptoms of trauma, depression and anxiety.

Under Wong’s supervision, the LAUSD Mental Health Unit surveyed over 28,800 sixth graders in order to assess violence exposure rates. Over 90 per cent of the students residing in areas with the highest rates of poverty and crime reported exposure to at least one violent event within the past 12 months, and 40 per cent reported exposure involving a deadly weapon. For Dr. Wong and her research partners, these findings were a call to action. The research team reached out to school stakeholders including administrators, teachers and parents to develop a strategy for addressing this district-wide epidemic. This community-academic partnership aimed to create an intervention for traumatized students that would be both soundly based in research and accepted into the school setting.7

The Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) is a skills-based, group intervention that is aimed at relieving symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and general anxiety among children exposed to trauma. Children learn skills in relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, exposure therapy and social problem-solving. In between sessions, children practice the skills they have learned.

Organization profile8

The Treatment and Services Adaptation Center for Resilience, Hope and Wellness in Schools (TSA for Schools) is a partnership of faculty and staff from the University of Southern California (USC) School of Social Work, the RAND Corporation, UCLA and LAUSD. The Center’s mission is to promote trauma-informed school systems that provide a nurturing environment for trauma-exposed students, and allow for the delivery of best practices in this child-serving setting. The TSA for Schools aims to develop and disseminate school-based, trauma-informed interventions, including CBITS.

7 Wong (2006)

8 Interview with Pamela Vona, Program Manager on 19 November 2014.

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2.1. Goal

CBITS aims to reduce symptoms of PTSD and depression.

2.2. Objectives

• Reduce symptoms related to trauma exposure;

• Build skills and enhance resilience to stress;

• Build peer and caregiver support;

• Enhance students’ coping and problem-solving strategies;

• Impact students’ academic performance by improving their attendance and ability to concentrate;

• Improve the ability of teachers and parents to support students who have been impacted by trauma.

9 National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) CBITS Factsheet.

10 Jaycox (2002).

11 NCTSN CBITS Factsheet.

pilot of CBITS, the programme was offered to immigrant students who were originally from Mexico, Central America, Russian Federation, Armenia and Republic of Korea.10 CBITS has since been implemented in urban communities including in Los Angeles, Chicago and the District of Columbia; following disasters such as in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina; on Native American reservations in Montana; and in rural and suburban settings in Wisconsin and most recently in Newtown, Connecticut.

Adaptations for special populations or settings

During the development of CBITS, preliminary versions were delivered to recent immigrants who speak primary languages other than English, such as Spanish, Russian, Korean and Western Armenian. While the CBITS manual is available only in English, student handouts have been translated into Spanish. Partners of TSA for Schools who work with Native American students have made adaptations of the CBITS intervention for this population as well. CBITS has been adapted

3.Target group

3.1. Age group

The CBITS programme has been used most commonly for children in grades six to nine (ages 10-15 years) who have experienced events such as witnessing or being a victim of violence, a natural or man-made disaster, an accident or house fire or being physically abused/injured, and who are suffering from moderate to severe levels of PTSD. Preliminary versions of the CBITS programme have been used in children as young as eight years of age.9


Screening is commonly conducted in a classroom setting with male and female students having equal access to screening and subsequently to the CBITS intervention, based on their screening scores.


CBITS has been used with ethnically and geographically diverse students. In the first

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for use with low-literacy groups and children in foster care.11


The developers of the CBITS intervention allow for flexibility in terms of how schools and/or agencies identify students who may benefit from the programme. Some schools may choose to use a referral process while others may choose to screen students.

A two-step screening approach is taught during the CBITS training. This method includes distributing the Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS) and Life Events Checklist to students. If a child screens positive, clinicians are trained to conduct a follow-up interview to confirm the results of the screening.


One of the primary aims in developing the CBITS programme was to reduce the disparity in access to quality mental health services for minority youth. Providing an evidence-based intervention in the school setting removes barriers in access to care, helping to reach underserved youth who otherwise may not receive treatment from external organizations. For example, in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, when students were randomly assigned to receive care either at a school or clinic, 98 per cent of students assigned to school-based CBITS began treatment, compared to only 37 per cent of those assigned to services at a local community clinic.12

Furthermore, the intervention employs a human-rights based approach because it strives to meet the needs of the community from the perspective of community stakeholders. The intervention development

process included active feedback from school-community stakeholders, so the intervention could be designed to be responsive to the needs of schools and be feasible to deliver in this setting.


While youth were not formally involved in the community-partnered process described above, the hundreds of interviews conducted by Dr. Wong and her crisis counselling colleagues served as the primary impetus for the development of CBITS. Additionally, student feedback during the early pilot study provided important input into the development of the final intervention.



The intervention developers aimed to create an intervention that was based on empirical research and grounded in the ‘real world’ of schools. Studies have shown that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is effective at reducing anxiety, depression and PTSD. Components of CBT include: psycho-education; relaxation skills; cognitive restructuring; trauma narrative; safety planning; affect modulation; conjoint parent sessions; and in vivo mastery of trauma reminders.13 Furthermore, the intervention’s developers used a participatory approach, engaging parents, teachers, school staff and community members to ensure they were designing an intervention that would be acceptable and feasible to the school community.14

12 Jaycox (2010).

13 Cohen, Mannarino & Deblinger (2006).

14 Wong (2006).

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Essential components15

CBITS teaches the following six cognitive behavioural techniques:

• Education about reactions to trauma;

• Relaxation training;

• Cognitive therapy;

• Stress or trauma exposure/trauma narrative;

• Social problem-solving.

4.2. Activities

The programme consists of 10 group sessions (six to eight children per group) of approximately one hour in length, usually conducted once a week in a school setting. The CBITS intervention has also been delivered in other settings, such as mental health clinics. In addition to the group sessions, participants receive one to three individual sessions during which they discuss and process the traumatic event. CBITS also includes two parent psycho-educational sessions and one teacher education session.16

CBITS weekly sessions: overview17

Session1: Introduction of group members, confidentiality and group procedures; explanation of treatment using stories; discussion of reasons for participation (kinds of stress or trauma).

Session2: Education about common reactions to stress or trauma; relaxation training to combat anxiety.

Individual session (1-3 sessions): Occurs between sessions 2 and 6.

Session 3: Thoughts and feelings (introduction to cognitive therapy); ‘fear thermometer’; linkage between thoughts and feelings; combating negative thoughts.

Session4: Combating negative thoughts.

Session 5: Avoidance and coping (introduction to real-life exposure); construction of fear hierarchy; alternative coping strategies.

Sessions 6 and 7: Exposure to stress or trauma memory through imagination, drawing and writing.

Session 8: Introduction to social problem-solving.

Session 9: Practice with social problem-solving and ‘hot seat’.

Session 10: Relapse prevention and graduation ceremony.

CBITS training of trainers programme

The TSA for Schools partnership consists of nine team members from USC, UCLA, RAND and LAUSD. Four additional individuals from separate institutions have been certified as core CBITS trainers.

Onsite implementation staff

CBITS groups typically are run by Masters-level school mental health professionals such as clinically-trained school social workers or school psychologists. Groups can be run by one individual or can be co-facilitated based on the site’s preference. In some cases, co-facilitators are interns in the process of completing their advanced degree.

Training requirements

Typically, training is arranged on a specific site-by-site basis to be conducted at the school, district agency or organization interested in being trained:

• The Director of Training of TSA for Schools assesses the needs of the site and matches a member of the training team with the site to follow up with



17 Jaycox (2003).

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logistical details via telephone and email communications.

• In advance of training, it is recommended that the site identify a local collaborator who is experienced with CBT to attend the training, provide ongoing consultation and support during implementation and ensure fidelity to core treatment concepts. It is also helpful if this person has experience in treating children with traumatic stress and conducting school-based interventions.

• If access to a local individual is not possible, remote consultation may be provided by a trainer. The level of consultation is based on the need(s) of the site.

• The trainer will provide the site with an agenda, copies of the slide handouts and training worksheets for all participants.

• The site is responsible for purchasing CBITS manuals for its clinicians or school staff from the publisher.

• Trainees can make use of the website following training in order to:

o Bolster and review training prior to implementing the programme;

o Obtain expert feedback, peer-to-peer guidance and support and materials that support implementation activities.

• Details regarding the content of the training include:

o A description of the training packages and prices;

o Training outline and slides;

o “Trauma 101” slides for sites requiring additional background information prior to CBITS or Support Students Exposed to Trauma (SSET)18 training;

o Pre- and post-training assessments of participants that can be collected in order to measure the impact of the training and guide future trainings;

o Assistance with fidelity monitoring (i.e., reviewing taped sessions and completing CBITS/SSET adherence rating forms) for both clinical feedback and research evaluation is also an available option for ongoing consultation support.

4.3. Innovativeness

The CBITS programme is innovative in part because of the model employed during its development. As stated above, the intervention’s developers used a community-participatory model during the initial development, implementation and evaluation of CBITS. The team of researchers worked with community members, school staff and parents to develop an intervention that would meet the priorities of the school community. This meant developing an intervention that was: (1) empirically supported; (2) could serve as many children as possible with limited school resources; (3) would be consistent across schools; and (4) would be easy to disseminate if found to be effective.19


Development of CBITS:

The research team, led by Dr. Marleen Wong, received funding to support the development of CBITS from a variety of sources including programmes for immigrants and crisis intervention in the LAUSD and charitable organizations in the United States such as the Mark Taper Foundation. Other external funding came from RAND and federal and state government grants.

18 An adaption of CBITS.

19 Wong (2006).

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CBITS implementation:

The primary costs associated with CBITS are for the training sessions, manuals and the salary of the clinician(s) implementing the intervention. CBITS trainings cost $4,000 for a two-day training of 15 participants enrolled in the training of trainers. In recognition that the cost can be a barrier to training, an online training course is available (www.cbitsprogram.org) for those interested in implementing CBITS. While initially developed to support in-person training, the online course may be used as the primary training source.

Sites implementing CBITS have used a variety of funding sources and strategies including state or Federal government funds, private organizations such as the United Way and in some instances Medicaid (United States government insurance for low-income families).

4.5. Sustainability

Using continuous funding from different sources, CBITS has succeeded in sustaining its activities since 2001. Furthermore, CBITS-trained trainers serve as ‘champions’ in promoting the intervention in schools and other settings, strongly advocating for its implementation and thus allowing for its expansion.

More significantly, the strong evidence of effectiveness shown by the randomized control trial done in 200320 has contributed to sustaining the intervention as more stakeholders support its implementation within their sites. Policymakers and school principals are more encouraged to consider the mental health of the students, especially when they realize that the intervention helps them to improve their grades.21 Communities

are more informed about trauma and the possibility of reducing its effect on youth and thus are more likely to endorse the programme.22

Requirements and readiness

Following CBITS training, implementers will need the following to conduct the CBITS intervention:23

• Space for weekly group sessions is a key requirement.

• Notebooks containing the programme handouts should be prepared for participants and extra copies made in case children lose them.

• A chalkboard or large writing pad and extra copies of the activity worksheets for each session.

• Active parental consent is usually required for participants.

• Teachers whose students will be impacted by the programme are identified and asked to participate in the teacher education programme.

• Referral paths should be identified for children who require more intensive services in addition to CBITS or who remain symptomatic at the end of the programme.

4.6. Replicability

Because CBITS has gained recognition as an effective and easy-to-implement intervention, it has received requests to train and partner with both national and international organizations. Some of these partnerships have lasted over a decade, i.e., the partnership with LAUSD. Other partnerships were spurred on by traumatic events, e.g., the CBITS partnership with Mercy

20 Stein (2003).




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Family Center in New Orleans developed following Hurricane Katrina.24 CBITS has been implemented widely across the United States and abroad. Internationally, CBITS has been implemented in China, Guyana and Japan. It is also being actively disseminated through the National Child Traumatic Stress Network operated by the United States Government’s Substance Abuse and Mental health Services Administration.25


CBITS has been studied in a quasi-experimental trial with students from third through eighth grades26 and in a randomized controlled trial with sixth grade students.27 School-based social work and school psychology clinicians delivered CBITS in both trials. The studies showed improvements in post-traumatic stress and depressive symptoms among students who had been exposed to violence. CBITS is also associated with improved school performance.28 The details of the randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association are outlined in the evaluation section below.29

Data from students, parents, and teachers were collected at baseline, three months and six months. These intervals enabled both early- and late-intervention groups to complete the programme and be tested in the same academic year. The evaluation indicated the following results:30

Baseline: The 126 students enrolled in the programme had substantial levels of exposure to violence. On average, students reported being a victim of 2.8 violent events and directly witnessing 5.9 violent events in the previous year. The mean CPSS score

was 24, indicating moderate to severe post-traumatic stress symptoms. There were no significant differences between the early-intervention and late-intervention groups at the start of the programme.

Three months: At three months, students in the early intervention group had completed the programme; students in the late-intervention group had not yet begun. The early intervention students showed substantial improvement. The magnitude of the difference between the two groups means that 86 per cent of the early-intervention group reported less severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress than would have been expected without intervention. Sixty-seven per cent of the early-intervention group reported less severe symptoms than would have been expected without intervention. In addition, parents of students in the early-intervention group reported that their children were functioning significantly better.

Six months: At six months, both groups had completed the programme. The group that received CBITS after the waiting period also showed substantial improvement in symptoms, and the members of the group that had received CBITS earlier maintained their gains.

Furthermore, teachers assessed each student’s shyness and anxiety, learning skills and acting-out behaviour in the classroom and noted slight improvements throughout the study period. Possible explanations include the following:

• a student’s classroom behaviour is affected by many factors, not just his/her mental health;

24 Jaycox (2010) and Kataoka (2009).25 CBITS Factsheets26 Kataoka (2003).27 Stein (2003).28 Kataoka et al. (2011).29 RAND brief.30 RAND brief.

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• there may be a time lag before improved mental health translates into improved behaviour;

• teachers may be more attuned to disruptive behaviour than to anxiety or depression;

• perhaps the programme simply does not affect classroom behaviour.

Intervention alignment with the objectives

The outcomes of these studies align with many of the aims of the intervention outlined in section 2.2.

Children in the CBITS intervention group had significantly greater improvement in PTSD and depressive disorder. Parents of children in the CBITS intervention group also reported significantly improved child functioning. The improvements in symptoms and functioning in the CBITS group continued to be seen at a subsequent follow-up at six months.31 Kataoka also found that CBITS had a positive impact on academic performance.32


CBITS is a group intervention that can provide specific skills for coping with trauma. Some of the strengths of this intervention are: peer, family and school staff support; it is a brief intervention only lasting 10 weeks; it can be implemented by typical school-based clinician; and detection of trauma-related mental health problems that often are not identified. CBITS is a school intervention that provides the opportunity to detect and intervene early in the course of emotional problems.

7. Challenges

The primary challenge of implementing CBITS is working within the school culture and balancing the need to support students’ emotional needs with their academic needs. Because of state and Federal laws, there is a significant emphasis placed on academic standardized tests. Therefore, some administrators and teachers are resistant to students missing instructional classes. To overcome this challenge, when approaching schools, the CBITS team emphasizes the programme’s effectiveness in improving the students’ academic performance.


The success of the CBITS has provided a foundation to the mission of the TSA for Schools, which is bringing trauma-informed, evidence-based practices to schools. An adaptation of CBITS, SSET, is designed to be implemented by non-clinicians in recognition of the lack of mental health providers in schools. Another intervention developed by TSA for Schools team members, Bounce Back, shares many of the same clinical components as CBITS but is designed to be implemented with elementary-age students. Preliminary studies have demonstrated promising findings for both of these interventions.33

The TSA for Schools aims to further the reach of these interventions by developing online training and implementation support platforms. To date, the team has launched www.cbitsprogram.org and www.ssetprogram.org. A website for the Bounce Back intervention is currently under development but will be found at www.bouncebackprogram.org.

31 Stein (2003).

32 Kataoka (2011).

33 Jaycox (2009); Langley (in press).

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Since the launch of the CBITS intervention, developers have learned a number of lessons and subsequently have developed a list of recommendations to support CBITS implementation.

(1) Obtaining buy-in at the school or agency level is very important to successful implementation. This can be facilitated by stressing the connection between emotional well-being and academic success.

(2) CBITS clinicians ideally should receive in-person training. If this is not feasible due to location and/or resources, clinicians should complete the entire CBITS training at www.cbitsprogram.org.

(3) CBITS clinicians should receive ongoing supervision while implementing the intervention.

(4) It can be helpful to have a co-facilitator, who is often an intern or graduate student in training.

(5) CBITS clinicians should refer to the CBITS website to refresh their knowledge and training.


• A contextualized version of the CBITS programme;

• The evaluation methods used.

11. Resources

The TSA for Schools have developed a number of resources including the CBITS

website (www.cbitsprogram.org) which allows CBITS clinicians to obtain implementation support. TSA for Schools also developed www.traumaawareschools.org. This website contains information for teachers, administrators and parents which may help with the process of buy-in and helping sites to better understand the needs of traumatized students. The TSA for Schools has also developed a training-of-trainers programme which allows sites to more effectively sustain CBITS. For more information about the training-of-trainers programme, visit www.cbitsprogram.org. In addition, copies of the treatment manual can be ordered and purchased from Sopris West Educational Services (www.sopriswest.com).

Additional Resource:

http:/ /www.cdc.gov/prc/prevent ion-strategies/intervention-lessen-effects-violence-urban-school-children.htm

12. References

Christoffel, K.K. Violent death and injury in US children and adolescents. Am J Dis Child. 1990;144:697–706.

Kataoka, S. H., Zhang, L., & Wells, K. B. (2002). Unmet need for mental health care among US children: Variation by ethnicity and insurance status. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159(9), 1548-1555.

Berton, M.W., Stabb, S.D. Exposure to violence and posttraumatic stress disorder in urban adolescents. Adolescence. 1996;31:489–498.

Farrell, A. D., & Bruce, S. E. (1997). Impact of exposure to community violence on violent behavior and emotional distress among urban adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 26(1), 2-14.

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Hurt, H., Malmud, E., Brodsky, N. L., & Giannetta, J. (2001). Exposure to violence: Psychological and academic correlates in child witnesses. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 155(12), 1351-1356.

Wong, M. (2006). Commentary: Building partnerships between schools and academic partners to achieve a health-related research agenda. Ethnicity and Disease, 16(S1), 149-153.

National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS): Factsheet.

Jaycox LH, Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools, Longmont, Colo.: Sopris West Educational Services, 2003.

Jaycox, L. H., Stein, B. D., Kataoka, S. H., Wong, M., Fink, A., Escudero, P., & Zaragoza, C. (2002). Violence exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depressive symptoms among recent immigrant schoolchildren. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 41(9): 1104-1110.

Jaycox, L., Cohen, J., Mannarino, A., Walker, D., Langley, A., Gegenheimer, K., Scott, M., & Schonlau, M. (2010) Children’s mental health care following Hurricane Katrina: A field trial of trauma focused psychotherapies. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 23(2): 223-231.

Cohen, J. A., Mannarino, A. P., & Deblinger, E. (2006). Treating trauma and traumatic grief in children and adolescents. Guilford Press.

Kataoka, S., Nadeem, E., Wong, M., Langley, A., Jaycox, L., Stein, B. & Young, P. (2009) Improving disaster mental health care in schools: a community-partnered approach. Am J of Prev Med, 37(6S1): 225-229.

Kataoka, S. H., Stein, B. D., Jaycox, L. H., Wong, M., Escudero, P., Tu, W., Zaragoza, C., & Fink, A. (2003). A school-based mental health program for traumatized Latino immigrant children. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 42(3): 311-318.

Stein, B. D., Jaycox, L. H., Kataoka, S. H., Wong, M., Tu, W., Elliott, M. N., & Fink, A. (2003). A mental health intervention for schoolchildren exposed to violence: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 290(5): 603-611.

Kataoka, S., Jaycox, L.H., Wong, M., Nadeem, E., Langley, A., Tang, L.,& Stein, B.D. (2011). Effects on school outcomes in low-income minority youth: preliminary findings from a community-partnered study of a school trauma intervention. Ethnicity & Disease; 21(3 Suppl S1-71-7).

RAND Brief. Helping Students Cope with Violence and Trauma: A school-based intervention that works.

Interview with Pamela Vona, Program Manager on 19 November 2014.

CBITS Factsheet and NCTSN CBITS Factsheet

Promising Practices

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Arab Youth Volunteering for a Better Future

United Nations Volunteers

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MENA

Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Yemen (project activities ended in 2014).

United Nations Volunteers (UNV)

Arab Youth Volunteering for a Better Future

Civic engagement

20122016Civil society organizations, youth-led organizations, UN agencies, Governments

UN

Mr. Ibrahim Hussein, Senior Portfolio Manager for the Arab States

[email protected]

+49 (0)228 8152131

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


The Middle East and North Africa region is experiencing an unprecedented ‘youth bulge’, with nearly 30 per cent of the population under 30 years of age. Over the last four years, the countries of the region have undergone a wave of mass uprisings in which youth have taken a leading role in demanding the dismantling authoritarian regimes and social and economic justice. The rate of youth unemployment, estimated at 29.7 per cent,2 has been pointed out as a decisive cause behind the uprisings, but frustrations with a failing educational system and a lack of avenues for political participation and civic engagement have been equally critical.

Several studies suggest that civic engagement in socioeconomic development through volunteerism contributes to better development results,3 as youth have the time, energy and skills that can readily be tapped to address national and local development challenges. Volunteering engages people in a range of activities that can improve their participation and positively harness their energy to contribute to the achievement of local, national and global development goals.

Arab Youth Volunteering for a Better Future1

Country

1 Desk review (May-September 2014); Implementer validation (24 February 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

2 ILO (2013).

3 Assad, Ragui and Barsoum, Ghada, Youth Exclusion in Egypt, Dubai: Dubai School of Government, 2007.

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Furthermore, volunteerism is an important mechanism for building the capacity of youth, particularly for complementing the skills gained through formal education. It also helps to develop the role of youth as positive agents of change in the community. As highlighted in the State of the World Volunteerism Report 2011, volunteerism is associated with the generation of community well-being, peace building and development processes.4 Through volunteering, youth can develop critical skills such as leadership, planning, teamwork, problem solving and communication, which are relevant for the job market and thus improve youth’s readiness for employment. In the United States, volunteerism has been associated with a 27-per-cent increase in the odds of finding employment, notably among those without a diploma or located in rural areas.5

Recognizing the need for a deeper understanding and promotion of youth volunteerism in the Arab region, the United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV) launched the regional pilot programme ‘Arab Youth Volunteering for a Better Future’, with the aim of promoting youth volunteering and mobilization in the five pilot countries of Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen. The programme focuses on harnessing the energy and power of youth through volunteerism with the objective of strengthening the capacity of youth and enhancing their ability to contribute to and participate in sustainable community-centred development. In line with the regional strategies of the United Nations system, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Secretary-General´s Five Year Action Plan, the programme supports the establishment

and the strengthening of national and regional infrastructures necessary to build the skills and capacities of Arab youth through volunteering efforts. It enhances their participation and inclusion in the socioeconomic development of their communities and countries.

During the preparation phase, workshop consultations were organized with youth in each of the five pilot countries. The consultations allowed stakeholders within the volunteerism sector in each country to provide meaningful inputs into the design and implementation of the programme. Participants included representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, media and government.


UNV is the United Nations organization that contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. Based in Bonn, Germany, UNV is active in around 130 countries every year. UNV, with field units in 86 countries, is represented worldwide through the offices of UNDP and reports to the UNDP Executive Board.6

4 The complete report is available here: http://www.unv.org/swvr2011

5 http://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/upload/employment_research_report.pdf

6 UNV – About Us: http://www.unv.org/en/about-us.html

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The programme defines the ‘most vulnerable’ youth as those excluded from decision-making processes that affect their lives. The programme’s interventions and activities target disadvantaged and marginalized youth who are not necessarily members of formal institutions, ensuring the inclusion of youth from diverse socioeconomic, cultural and academic backgrounds. The interventions also targeted staff working directly with youth.

Each of the targeted countries established a National Advisory Committee on Youth and Volunteerism (NAC). The NACs have an advisory, outreach and research supplementary function, and they support the process for selecting participants to ensure integration of the most vulnerable in the programme. The approach has led to the organization of inclusive dialogues with youth, CSOs and Governments as reflected in the regional youth volunteering forum, where 100 participants from 15 countries


2.1. Goal

The programme aims to empower Arab youth to effectively engage in civic engagement and sustainable community-centred development by promoting youth volunteerism and mobilization.7

2.2. Objectives

• Increase awareness of the role of volunteerism in socioeconomic development and participatory governance;

• Strengthen institutional frameworks for the promotion of volunteerism;

• Build and enhance the capacity of youth organizations and CSOs to promote youth volunteering;

• Strengthen formal structures for youth inclusion through volunteerism.

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

The programme targets Arab youth, defined as ages 15-32 years. This range covers the criteria for the age of youth adapted by participating countries. For instance, in Tunisia youth is defined as people aged 15-29 years.


A gender-sensitive approach is pursued at the regional and country levels, identifying gender-based structural constraints to ensure equal opportunities for women. At the institutional level, the programme has devised advocacy and awareness-raising activities on gender issues.8


No strategy was devised to particularly address youth with disabilities or specific ethnic groups in the targeted countries.

7 UNDP (2012).

8 Ibid.

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gathered to identify the challenges to youth inclusion and articulated recommendations regarding youth development through volunteerism.9


The programme adopts a human rights-based approach and is aligned with the United Nations Charter, Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant international conventions/declarations, promoting the full realization of adolescent and youth rights and recognizing adolescents and youth as agents and right holders. This approach is reflected in the recommendations emerging from the expert group meeting on the human rights of youth convened by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in July 2013.10

In terms of civil and political rights, the regional programme aims to increase civic participation among youth through volunteering for development, thereby making them active citizens able to claim their rights to express their views, participate in public life and assert their influence in political life.

In terms of economic, social and cultural rights, by promoting and supporting volunteerism for development, the regional programme’s activities encourage young people to become involved in local development efforts and contribute to the development of a decent standard of living and economic and social security for people in their communities.


A participatory approach underlies the conception, development and implementation of the activities; youth have been part of the consultation workshops, participating

in interviews, focus groups and stakeholder mapping, and providing inputs into the design and implementation of the programme. During the workshops, participants interacted with peers and expert leaders on volunteerism and non-profit management.

National youth development specialists under the age of 30 are volunteers who lead the implementation of the programme in each country, supported by UNV country programme officers.

The programme has cultivated working relationships with emerging youth organizations/businesses, which contributes to long-term skills building and employability. For example, the programme has worked with a youth-led video production company since the early stages. The programme has invested in training a youth to be a lead facilitator for training of trainers’ workshops.



The programme is aligned with the UNV Programme Strategy (2011-2013) and with the Global Youth Programme that seeks to mobilize young volunteerism. Grounded on a rights-based, youth-led participatory approach, the programme operates at three levels: (1) at the policy level, it supports establishing and strengthening enabling environments; (2) at the organizational level, it strengthens existing capacities and addresses capacity gaps where they exist; and (3) at the individual level, it builds the knowledge and technical skills of youth.11

9 UNV – Programme Inquiry Form.

10 Detailed table on Annex 1.

11 UNDP (2012).

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4.2. Activities

Project activities are devised and implemented in collaboration with youth organizations, national government and non-governmental partners, as well as with United Nations agencies. The project supports local initiatives and uses a capacity-building approach to the work undertaken by CSOs and youth organizations, rather than providing initiatives that compete with existing ones. For example, most recently, volunteer clubs were established in Morocco and in Jordan, youth who previously participated in activities are creating a volunteer network to launch their own volunteer initiatives.

Activities for raising awareness of the role of volunteerism in socioeconomic development and participatory governance target youth and community leaders through traditional community institutions and new media. These events mainly correspond with international days of recognition to highlight the role of volunteers in development. Some examples of these activities include:

• Café des Volontaires. These are activities in Tunisia and Morocco where youth come together to discuss young people’s involvement in promoting participatory democracy, participation in electoral processes and raising awareness. In September 2014, 23 participants in Morocco (eight females) discussed the Government’s work to reinforce the role of youth in promoting participatory democracy. In Tunisia, 30 youth, joined by two experts from the UNDP Electoral Project, discussed the upcoming elections. Other previous discussions coincided with World Population Day and World Refugee Day.

• Knowledge generation. The project launched a report, in Arabic and English, regarding the national and regional consultations on volunteerism. This report includes discussions on the definition, perceptions, traditional forms and policy recommendations for the promotion of volunteerism.

• Online advocacy. The project’s Facebook page reached over 14,300 followers. The UNV regional communications specialist develops the messages in collaboration with country offices. The success of the Facebook page translated into an average of 44 ‘likes’ every day from October to December 2014. The age range and countries of the followers indicate that the project’s online advocacy is reaching the targeted population; 86 per cent of followers are aged 18-34 years and 66 per cent are from the five project countries (Egypt, 4,003; Tunisia, 1,743; Morocco, 1,410; Yemen, 1,264; and Jordan, 979). The project’s Twitter feed is having similar success with 1,404 followers as of end-November 2015, increasing by an average of 60 followers per month.

• Documentation and publication of success stories. As part of a two-phased national and regional awards process, 15 stories from young volunteers have been finalized. In the first phase, 15 young volunteers from the five project countries were awarded UNV Volunteer Award.12 Five young volunteers were awarded the UNV/MBC Al Almal Youth Volunteering Award in the second phase of the process. The poignant stories have been published in English, Arabic and French conjointly with video stories following the regional Youth Volunteering Awards ceremony, which was held at the beginning of 2015 with MBC

12 The award is presented through a partnership with MBC Hope, the corporate social responsibility arm of the of MBC Group, a Middle East broadcasting company.

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Amal.

Activities for strengthening institutional frameworks of volunteerism

• Assessment of national frameworks. In Morocco, the completed assessment summarized opportunities to promote youth volunteering in national contexts, including the increasing youth population and the notable government commitments to promote volunteerism. These assessments went beyond a desk review and included dialogues, interviews, surveys and validation events with young people. The assessments provided recommendations towards developing legislation on volunteerism. The recommendations outlined in the report include the establishment a legal definition of ‘volunteer’, strengthening volunteer management and incorporating the values of volunteering into the education sector. Currently, the focus is on advocating the use of these recommendations and gaining support among CSOs, government officials and development actors for drafting the legislation.

In Jordan, the project formalized a partnership with the British Council, through a letter of agreement, to conduct the assessment in 2015.

Unfortunately, the working realities in Egypt and Yemen limited the identification of consultants. In Tunisia, the policy framework assessment was postponed until after the elections.

• Technical legal consultancies. Regional and Tunisian project teams partnered with the UNDP Regional Centre in Cairo and the World Bank to complete a capacity

assessment of the Tunisian National Youth Observatory. The Observatory is one of the most important actors in Tunisia working on young people’s civic engagement and contributes to the work of the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Women and Family. Through interviews with staff and external partners, the assessment analysed the extent to which the Observatory’s current work is meeting its stated mandate. Provided with the recommendations, the Observatory now has a baseline and staff can plan how to use their strong points to overcome identified challenges. This will contribute to the overall strengthening of the Observatory’s work to better serve youth in the future.

• National participatory dialogues. Some 135 young people and CSO representatives (49 females) came together in three policy dialogues to review national frameworks related to youth and youth volunteering. The dialogues drew on the findings of the recently drafted UNV national assessment of policies and legislation related to youth and volunteerism. During the dialogues, participants validated the assessment findings. More importantly, the dialogues provided the policy space for youth to express the main issues and challenges they face.

Activities for building the capacity of youth organizations and CSOs to promote youth volunteerism

• Volunteer management and youth inclusion toolkit. A draft of the volunteer management toolkit is available in Arabic. The next draft is currently being developed with the Global Platform, ActionAid and other experts in the region.

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The draft toolkit has been piloted during three multi-country training workshops (one in 2013 and two in 2014). The toolkit provides users with a simple methodology to improve volunteer engagement within NGOs and youth-led initiatives. This phased dissemination approach has facilitated the inclusion of comments by participants and facilitators into further revisions. This approach has enhanced the practicality, relevancy and ease of use of the toolkit.

• Regional training of trainers’ workshop. Building on the 2013 regional volunteer management training, the project conducted two multi-country trainings and five national trainings for 31 CSOs in 2014. The first multi-country workshop in Morocco trained 32 Moroccan and Tunisian civil society actors from 16 NGOs. For the second multi-country training, UNV collaborated with UNESCO and brought together 15 participants and organizers from conflict-affected countries, including Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, State of Palestine and Yemen. Inspired by these trainings, participants have replicated in their own networks.

• National replication of training of trainers. The training has been replicated in Morocco, Yemen and Tunisia. In Morocco, three NGOs replicated the regional volunteer management training. Association Tagmate (a participant in the 2013 training) replicated the training for 35 participants (nine female) from 15 different associations. Additionally, one of the participants in the 2014 training joined as a co-trainer. The training has also been replicated in Morocco by the associations ‘ISSAAF Jerada Solidarité

et Développement’ and ‘Troupe Orchid’. In Yemen, nearly 60 civil society actors (28 females) from across the country participated in two national replications organized by the project team and local NGOs. One of the replications was led by Leaders of Community Services, a local NGO, for 24 CSO representatives (eight females) from across the country. In Tunisia, 12 CSO representatives (nine females) attended a post-training meeting and reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the replication of the multi-country training held in Morocco. Using this discussion, many of the attendees finalized draft concept notes for training replications to be held in 2015. These national trainings demonstrate the ripple effect of the volunteer management training in national networks and the further strengthening of CSO networks to improve volunteer management.

• Training for the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Egypt. Over 150 ministry staff attended four-day workshop to strengthen strategic planning capacities. This training built upon the volunteer management training held earlier in the year, which underscored capacity gaps in planning and highlighted the limited relevance of programming for youth. By the end of the workshop, participants had identified challenges facing youth and drafted work plans for youth centres in nearly all 27 governorates in Egypt.

Activities for enhancing youth inclusion

• Regional volunteer exchange. Building on the successful partnership for the volunteer awards, UNV and MBC Hope are negotiating the development of a regional youth volunteer exchange.

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Through peer-to-peer learning and other skills-building activities, this exchange will promote volunteerism by exchanging practical lessons learned and engaging in volunteer experiences. After attending this exchange, it is expected that attendees will be able to engage more youth in volunteer initiatives. Further, attendees will be able to develop and sustain volunteer initiatives, thus promoting the spirit of youth volunteerism.

• National volunteer exchange. To increase the number of available volunteer positions in Morocco, the project is piloting the placement of a national volunteer with the country’s largest CSO networks, Carrefour Associatif. Building on an existing two-year funding agreement between Carrefour Associatif and the Agence Française de Développement, the project negotiated the inclusion of an initiative to establish a university volunteer exchange with Mohammed V University of Rabat. The objective of the activity is to create a sustainable mechanism for youth to assume leadership roles in existing youth-focused organizations, through facilitating volunteering opportunities within Moroccan civil society, and to build partnerships with national organizations. The mobilized volunteers are working to establish a volunteer exchange with one university and several CSOs. They are reinforcing these organizations’ management of the volunteer exchange programmes by, for example, doing the reporting and monitoring and evaluation.

• Youth Volunteer Leadership Camps. Sixty youth participated in youth volunteer leadership camps held in Jordan in

2013 and Tunisia in 2014. The training sessions focused on life skills and project management (e.g., leadership, communication, negotiation, etc.). This focus was greatly appreciated by the youth participants and a group of 22 volunteers across Tunisia spontaneously proposed to act as ‘ambassadors’ of youth volunteerism. After attending the camps, the engaged youth volunteers are transferring their honed skills at the grassroots level and mainstreaming a culture of volunteerism for development while creating awareness and motivation for youth engagement in their own communities.

• Promoting volunteerism in the private sector. In Jordan, 38 companies adopted an employment policy that prioritizes volunteering experience in all entry-level recruitment. The partner companies include Orange, Toyota and the Arab Bank, representing well over 3,000 employees. This policy development is part of the cost-sharing initiative between UNV, INJAZ (a CSO) and the King Abdullah Fund for Development. This accomplishment formally recognizes the contribution of volunteerism in enhancing youth employability and placement in the job market.

4.3. Innovativeness

The Arab Youth Volunteering for a Better Future is the first concerted regional effort for promoting youth volunteerism and building the capacity of youth organizations and individuals to engage in volunteerism as a means for their social inclusion and active participation in the socioeconomic development of their countries.

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The programme also has a unique focus on working with and for youth. Not only does the programme has an implicit emphasis on young people’s involvement as implementers of the project activities, but more importantly youth are involved in all aspects of the programme cycle,13 including formulation, implementation and evaluation.


The total budget is $3 million, which corresponds to a three-year project in five countries, including eight salaries and country and regional activities.

4.5. Sustainability

The programme is funded for three years (2012–2015). The programme has established strong partnerships to ensure its continuity and stability. In a phasing-over approach, many of the programme activities are being transferred to local institutions. In Tunisia, the Ministry of Youth is preparing to carry out many of the activities initiated in the programme, demonstrating a strong sense of national ownership and commitment to sustain the activities, as well as the strengthened capacities to be able to do so.

Additionally, the programme is engaged in an ex-ante evaluation in preparation for a cross-regional initiative. This envisioned programme builds upon the lessons learned and results of the current programme in the Arab States and other UNDP youth programmes.

4.6. Replicability

The programme components have been replicated through other United Nations agencies, partner NGOs and individual participants.

In November 2014, UNESCO launched a replication of the 2013 regional training of trainers’ workshop with 16 CSOs in

countries affected by conflict.

Combined with the programme’s plan to train another 10 organizations, around 52 representatives from 26 CSOs partcipated in two training of trainers’ workshops in 2014. This cost-sharing initiative includes representatives from Jordan and Yemen, and expands the scope to Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon, State of Palestine and Syrian Arab Republic.

5. Evaluation of effectiveness• Volunteer management trainings. Over

260 individuals have attended volunteer management trainings since mid-2014. Representatives from 70 NGOs based in Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen, as well as in the non-project countries of Bahrain, Lebanon and State of Palestine, attended five national and two regional trainings. Inspired by these trainings, CSO representatives completed five national replications. The trainings provided tools to better manage volunteers and engage youth. These training of trainers initiatives have enabled a multiplier effect in reaching a greater number of beneficiaries throughout the region; approximately 230 individuals (56 females) were trained in the last half of 2014. As one participant explained, “The training will allow me to manage volunteers in a more effective and constructive way, so that we can all build a successful strategy for a better volunteer management, contributing to their personal and professional development”.

• Private sector volunteer policy as reflected by the employment policy that prioritizes volunteering experience in all entry-level recruitment developed in Jordan in collaboration with 38 companies (see page 9). This policy aims to recognize the contribution of volunteerism to enhance youth employability and preparedness

13 As per UNDP guidelines, the results-based management is a cycle approach to programme management. For more information: http://www.un.cv/files/UNDG%20RBM%20Handbook.pdf/

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for the job market.


In accordance with the programme policies and procedures outlined in the UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures, the programme is monitored through the standard formats, offline and online in the UNDP Enterprise Resource Planning system.

The programme has undergone an independent external mid-term evaluation. The evaluation serves the dual objectives of learning and accountability, to assess the programme’s relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, effects and sustainability. The specific objectives of the evaluation are to:• Provide recommendations to improve the

design, performance and implementation of the regional programme;

• Provide recommendations to inform future UNV programming at regional and country levels;

• Generate knowledge about good practices and lessons learned.

At the same time, the ex-ante evaluation is ongoing to prepare for the project’s expansion in the next phase. This envisioned programme, a cross-regional programme covering the Arab States and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), will include a focus on innovation. This evaluation will help understand the processes that have been undertaken so far and the impact of the pilot to date. It will also highlight lessons learned and opportunities for joint work with existing youth programming in the regions. 5. Strengths and opportunities

Capacity development approach. The programme adopted a UNDP systematic capacity development approach and takes

into considerations that in certain contexts, there are key individuals and initiatives who are not part of such formal settings and who should not be excluded from programme activities. The programme worked on three levels: youth (e.g., leadership camps); organizational (e.g., volunteer management); and government (e.g., assessments).

Strengthening partnerships with the private sector. The programme brought together youth volunteers, CSOs and the private sector through mutually beneficial development initiatives. Innovative approaches such as the Volunteer Declaration in Jordan champion the role of youth in both civil society and the private sector. The declaration brought together all actors to formally recognize volunteerism as a mechanism to enhance youth employability and provide incentives for youth volunteerism. More importantly, this declaration helped to strengthen the enabling environment to foster volunteerism for development.

National ownership. The programme has developed strong partnerships with national Governments to ensure the sustainability of the activities as demonstrated in Tunisia, where the Ministry of Youth is preparing to roll out the activities initiated by the programme. The programme’s strong partnership relations are ensuring the sustainability of impacts after the programme ends. In a phasing-over approach, many of the programme’s activities are being transferred to local institutions. This demonstrates the strong sense of national ownership and commitment to sustain programme activities, as well as the strengthened capacities to be able to implement the activities. Additionally, the preparation of a cross-regional initiative is being explored. This envisioned programme would build upon the lessons learned and results of the

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current programme in the Arab States and other UNDP youth programmes.

6. Challenges

Security. The security situation is particularly relevant for the programme. In Yemen, the situation deteriorated considerably, which significantly limited programme implementation. The programme attempted to recruit a national consultant in Yemen, but none of the 24 applicants met the required profile, suggesting that the national pool of experts is limited. The security of the programme team during programme implementation has been a growing ongoing concern.

Regional political instability. Notably, four of the five Government representatives who signed the programme document two years ago are no longer serving.

Recruitment and retention. The retention of volunteers working directly on the programme has been challenging. To address this, one of the suggestions has been to give volunteers a two-year contract. However, no concrete plans have been devised to fully address this challenge.


UNV envisages the expansion of the programme, regionally as well as cross-regionally (CIS countries), with the aim of focusing on new approaches and methods to youth volunteering. The new project – ‘innovation for development’ - would work with young volunteers to identify the issues of importance to them and their communities and hopefully develop the next generation of voluntarism.

Building on the focus of innovation and the envisaged programme expansion, as well as the shared priority of youth programming, UNV and the UNDP Regional Centre for Europe and Central Asia are actively exploring systematic and structured joint programmatic interventions. The programme aims to seek out young people who are active in volunteer efforts that benefit their communities socially and/or economically, and thus invest in existing community dynamics as opposed to creating something new.

8. Lessons learned and recommendations• Involvement of youth at all stages of the

programme cycle;

• Cultivate national ownership through partnership throughout the life of the programme;

• Ensure responsive programming that can be adapted to different country contexts, guided by a representative national committee (i.e. the programme’s national advisory committees);

• Ensure that youth-led initiatives are truly led by youth and that they feel supported and legitimized.

9. Resources

National and regional consultations report

Draft training of trainers’ manual on volunteer management

10. References

UNDP (2012). Regional Programme Document: Arab Youth Volunteering for a Better Future.

Photo credits: UNV.

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Golombiao

United Nations Children's Fund and Young Colombia

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Global

Colombia

United Nations Children’s Fund and Young Colombia2

Golombiao


2003

Ongoing

Civil society organizations (CSOs), national institutions, municipalities and

governorates, youth organizations.UNICEFOlga Lucía Zuluaga, Chief Child Protection and Humanitarian Action, UNICEF [email protected]

RegionCountryOrganization NameCategoryStart date

UN involvement

End datePartners

Golombiao1


Adolescents and youth in Colombia have been seriously affected by the protracted armed conflict involving the Government, paramilitary groups and guerrillas since the mid-1960s. After more than five decades of conflict, resulting in over 220,000 deaths and more than 5 million internally displaced persons,3 the country has initiated a major peace process which could result in a historic agreement.4 Beyond the signature of such agreement, an inclusive and sustainable process of peacebuilding will necessitate disarmament and reconciliation among parties, reintegration of guerrillas, including children, adolescents and youth, and an overall strategy for building peaceful coexistence. Recruitment of children, adolescents and youth has been a direct and harmful effect of the conflict, particularly for those residing in the most marginalized areas – rural communities and shanty townships.

The presidential programme Young Colombia (Colombia Joven) launched ‘Golombiao’ in 2003. Based on the ‘Football for Peace’ strategy initiated in the city of Medellin, Golombiao aims to build the skills of young people to prevent violence, promote peace and gender equity, and strengthen young people’s social capital and active community participation. The initiative has received the support of UNICEF from the outset.

Contact

1 The write-up was prepared in collaboration with the inputs from UNICEF Colombia (Olga Lucia Zuluaga, Frederick Spielberg and Jorge Garzón). Final valida-tion (October 2015).

2 Young Colombia is the national Government’s youth programme. In partnership with civil society, the programme implements protection measures to guar-antee youth’s right to exercise citizenship and participation in the social, economic, political and cultural aspects of the country.

3 Colombia’s National Centre for Historical Memory.

4 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-19875363

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Golombiao is a modified version of football based on the values of non-violence, peaceful coexistence, gender equity and ethnic diversity. Young people playing Golombiao engage in ‘on the field’ and ‘off the field’ activities where they learn how to identify problems and achieve conflict resolution in a peaceful manner. Through this process, young people become actors of their own development.

Golombiao is implemented through a network of partnerships with local government departments and municipalities, civil society organizations (CSOs), youth networks and community leaders, and is supported by international agencies – UNICEF, the International Organization for Migration, German Agency for International Cooperation – as well as contributions from the private sector.

During the first two years (2003-2005), which are considered a pilot phase, Golombiao was introduced in eight departments and 39 municipalities.5 The outcome of this phase was the production of a manual and the systematization of the methodology. Golombiao has become a national strategy and is now played in over 50 municipalities across the country. Recently, Golombiao was successfully introduced in the Awa and Nasa indigenous communities.


The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) “is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential”. UNICEF works with decision makers and partners at the global and grass-roots levels to prevent child mortality and improve children’s lives

by providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education and emergency relief.

Colombia Joven is part of the Presidential Programme for the National System of Youth, which designs policies, plans and programmes that promote the social, economic, cultural and political well-being of youth. It offers integrated services for youth and an entrepreneur forum as well as psychosocial strategies, especially Golombiao, the ‘game of peace’, aimed at peaceful resolution of conflict. It helps young people and adolescents, as rights holders, to acquire and apply experiential knowledge and skills, both individually and collectively.

1er Encuentro Nacional de Golombiao Indígena 2014

San Juan de Pasto - Nariño 2014

5 Colombia is comprised of 32 departments, headed by a Governor and a Department Assembly. Each department is formed by a grouping of municipalities. Each municipality is headed by a Mayor and administered by a Municipal Council.

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2.1. Goal

The overall goal of Golombiao is to strengthen the capacity of adolescents and youth, boys and girls, to build lives and projects away from violence and in full exercise of their civic rights through games, sports and recreational activities.

2.2. Objectives

• Build and strengthen the social capital of adolescents and youth;

• Constitute integrated territorial partnerships with public and private organizations, CSOs, community-based organizations (CBOs) and youth groups to facilitate the implementation of Golombiao;

• Establish encounters between adolescents and youth, girls and boys, the community, institutions and organizations for the construction of a culture of peace, coexistence and reconciliation;

• Promote gender equity and equality among participants;

• Foster the participation of adolescents and youth, girls and boys, in formal and non-formal settings, to influence the decisions affecting their lives.

A series of gender-related principles is addressed during the formative sessions, workshops and activities before and after the game: gender equity and equality; non-discrimination; cultural rules; gender-based violence; masculinity; and sexual and reproductive health. These principles of coexistence are taught for application on and off the field, as participants are given exercises to reflect on them before and after the game, and apply the lessons learned during the game.

To date, an estimated 54 per cent of participants in Golombiao are female. Moreover, the methodology gives females the opportunity to act as game advisers, which leads to their taking on leadership roles in the community, gaining recognition and visibility.

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

Golombiao is a methodology that can be played by all, but the focus is on children, adolescents and youth ages 8 to 18 years. Youth, generally up to age 24 years, participate in Golombiao as game advisers. Many of them have previously played the game, so their role is to guide the game and mentor the younger participants.


One of the seven core values of Golombiao is the promotion of gender equity and equal participation of boys and girls. This is directly reflected in the rules of the game, as half of the participants must be women, and the first goal of the game must be made by a woman. Subsequent goals must be scored in equal proportion by men and women.

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The Golombiao methodology pays attention to the inclusion of the various ethnic and indigenous groups in Colombia, including members of the Afro-Colombian community. In 2014, Golombiao organized ‘indigenous Golombiao’,6 which brought together over 100 adolescents and youth from more than 10 indigenous communities. Each of these communities has adapted the Golombiao strategy to align with its particular culture and customs. During the encounter, the most prominent topic was the use of Golombiao in the promotion of non-violence, as indigenous adolescent boys and girls have been among the most vulnerable to recruitment for armed conflict. A key moment of the encounter was the sharing of experiences and proposals for the role and participation of indigenous communities in the peacebuilding process.


Golombiao targets vulnerable children, adolescents and their families, especially those affected by armed conflict, criminal gangs and displacement. An estimated 88 per cent of the participants belong to the lowest socioeconomic backgrounds. The majority of participants reside in rural areas and in shanty townships affected by urban violence.

UNICEF has prioritized five departments and 50 municipalities for the roll-out of Golombiao. The selection of municipalities is based on several factors, including low levels of development and high levels of poverty and violence. In addition, some municipalities that have implemented Golombiao have moved forward independently with its continuation, adapting it to their local needs.


Golombiao adopts a human rights based-approach and the promotion of young people’s basic human rights is a fundamental pillar. In practice, this takes place during the formative sessions, workshops and activities, and includes the use of manuals and resources related to the promotion of human rights.

Golombiao is aligned with the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (ILO Convention No. 182), which states that recruitment of children and adolescents by armed groups is one of the worst forms of child labour.7


Adolescents and youth are involved as implementers and drivers of the practice. A fundamental role is that of the ‘game advisers’, who receive training on the methodology and consequently are able to disseminate the practice in their communities.

Adolescents and youth involved in Golombiao are sometimes part of youth groups and organizations, and the methodology is transferred to them as part of their capacity-building and in view of disseminating the practice, particularly in hard-to-reach communities.



Golombiao is grounded on the theory of change and a logical framework approach was employed for the development of the

6 http://www.unicef.com.co/noticia/comunidades-indigenas-juntas-en-golombiao-2014/

7 http://www.ilo.org/ipec/facts/ILOconventionsonchildlabour/lang--en/index.htm

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manuals. Golombiao employs sports, games and recreational activities to promote peaceful coexistence, participation, conflict resolution and gender equity, contributing to the positive development of adolescents and youth and strengthening their social capital. Golombiao is played on and off the field. It requires two mixed teams – both comprising girls and boys – who meet in a large space, which could be a park, a classroom, the street, a sports field or any open space.

The Golombiao game consists of three major steps and is guided by seven principles, which are put into practice in each match, game or activity.

The seven guiding principles of Golombiao are:

1. Non-violence;

2. Taking care of oneself and others;

3. Care for the environment;

4. Freedom of expression;

5. Non-discrimination;

6. Active participation;

7. Equality.

Participants may choose to focus on one or more the seven principles throughout the activity. The focus is based on the context and priorities expressed by the participants. For example, municipalities in Antioquia, deeply affected by violence, focus the game on the two principles of non-violence and care for the environment. In Narino, which is home to the indigenous Awa group, the focus of Golombiao is on equality, non-discrimination and taking care of oneself and others.

Golombiao was conceived as a flexible tool which can adapt to the needs of participants. Together, participants and facilitators define the specific objectives of each Golombiao game beforehand. After the game, they do a self-evaluation and reflect upon issues that arise, the lessons learned and the challenges.

4.2. Activities

The three phases for playing Golombiao are:

1. Before the game. Game advisers and players get together in the centre of the field to establish the coexistence agreements of the Golombiao game. All the players on both teams must get a chance to play. Two teams of 10 players are formed. Two facilitators are assigned to coordinate the game. Two game advisers guide the players on how to play Golombiao, lead the discussions and reflections, and keep track of the process. Golombiao also requires ‘bars’, a group of local friends and/or family members who encourage the adolescents and youth to play.

2. During the game. Players engage in Golombiao and are guided to comply with the agreements set at the outset of the game. The first goal for each team and in each playing period must be made by a woman, complying with the principle of equality. After that first goal, the next goals must be alternated between the male and female members of the teams. This encourages the active participation of all players, and stresses the principles of equality and non-discrimination. Game advisers act as mediators in case an issue arises. In such a case, the second game adviser

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monitors the situation and documents the process. These game advisers are young people who have been playing the game, know the rules and participate in the organization/motivation of peers to join the game.

3. After the game. The players and the game adviser get together in the centre of the field to reflect on and evaluate the game. Together they select the team that stood out throughout the game in terms of respecting the coexistence agreements. There are no losers or winners. At this stage, there may be complementary and follow-up activities such as workshops, cinema-forums,8 meetings and exchanges of experiences before and after the game to develop the artistic, cultural and communicative skills of children, adolescents and youth.

The evaluation of each game is done by the game advisers according to a set of criteria, which attribute points to one team or the other. There are no winners or losers, but this helps the players to understand which team best followed which processes. Evaluation criteria include: number of registered players; number of registered players who play; number of aggressions; number of merits; and number of players present during the evaluation, self-evaluation and evaluation of the other team. To play Golombiao, it is necessary for all players to be involved in learning and reflection processes about peaceful coexistence, participation and gender equity.

Throughout the years, Golombiao has organized annual national tournaments with the aim of bringing together Golombiao participants from different municipalities

and departments. The tournaments typically last five days, and bring together in one city delegations of adolescents and youth from all over the country. During the tournament, the different delegations engage in Golombiao football matches as well as in cultural and recreational activities. In 2013, the Golombiao national tournament brought together over 200 adolescents from 15 departments. Last year, Golombiao organized for the first time an indigenous tournament, bringing over 10 different indigenous communities together to play.

Transfer of the methodology

Launched by the Government, Golombiao is a tool that has been progressively introduced in the different departments and municipalities across the country. Agreements have been signed with governors of departments and mayors to implement Golombiao at the community level. Facilitators who will transfer the Golombiao methodology are selected and trained. They are also responsible for recruiting and motivating adolescents and young people in the community to participate.

After their own training, they build the capacity of future Golombiao players and of the game advisers. Game advisers are adolescents and youth living in the selected community who will organize and lead the games. Ideally, they are young, are already aware of games promoting peacebuilding and conflict resolution and are leaders in their community. The game advisers are also responsible for organizing the follow-up workshops and activities which reflect on the values and lessons learned during the game.

8 See Cinema-Forum resources.

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During the training, future facilitators learn about the elements, fundamentals, concepts and tools of Golombiao. Depending on the area, time and resources, the methodology is transferred during a workshop lasting between two and three consecutive days (eight hours per day), or throughout a month with one or two weekly sessions of no more than three or four hours.

Materials: a Golombiao kit contains a printed manual with instructions on what Golombiao is, how to play it and implement the accompanying learning activities.

4.3. Innovativeness

When Golombiao was first implemented, sport for development was a relatively new approach, and it was the first time that the Government adopted this type of initiative. Golombiao is also contextually innovative in the sense that it mobilizes the community, local institutions and adolescents themselves for its implementation.

In Colombia, the introduction of the topics of gender, participation, coexistence and human rights through sports for development has been innovative.

From a strategic perspective, Golombiao encourages a holistic approach by fostering partnerships between the Government, CSOs, NGOs, the community and adolescents.


The annual budget of UNICEF for the implementation of Golombiao in the targeted territories in 2014 is displayed in the following table.

CategoryCost (United

States dollars, approximate)

Technical assistance 88,000

Transfer of the Golombiao

methodology19,500

Mobilization strategy 3,700

Tournament with the indigenous communities

43,500

Various 38,120Administration 11,700

Tax 5,700

TOTAL 210,200

The Golombiao methodology has been implemented by public and private institutions in additional territories to those prioritized by UNICEF and Colombia Joven. These costs are not available to UNICEF.



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4.5. Sustainability

The sustainability strategy for Golombiao is two-fold:

• Formation of integral alliances and partnerships with local organizations, public institutions, government, CBOs, NGOs and youth organizations;

• Transfer of the methodology to the adolescents, community leaders and interested parties so that it can be disseminated widely. Those that have acquired the Golombiao methodology continue to apply it and can consequently transfer it to other adolescents and communities.

The financial resources for the implementation of Golombiao come from UNICEF as part of the cooperation programme established with the Government. The Golombiao team comprises a national coordinator, four territorial advisors and one adviser supporting the systematization of the Golombiao methodology.

The national coordination and follow-up of the strategy is a shared responsibility of UNICEF and Colombia Joven, with periodic meetings organized to revise targets to be achieved and implementation of planned activities.

At the local level, several municipalities have achieved ownership of Golombiao. Where partnerships have been established with the municipal government, the latter is responsible for leading the process and implementing the planned activities. The adoption of the methodology in some municipalities and departments has gone even farther as they are now in charge of financing the strategy, from the recruitment

of game advisers and organizers to the logistics and materials for the games.

In 2009, 695 alliances had been established, of which 63 per cent were with the public sector, 18 per cent with NGOs, 14 per cent with youth organizations, 3 per cent with the private sector and 2 per cent with international agencies. This inter-institutional alliance has been fundamental to the long-term sustainability of the methodology.

4.6. Replicability

Golombiao was designed to be replicated and implemented by a variety of organizations and institutions and in different contexts. Golombiao therefore designed a mechanism for the formal transfer of the methodology,9 accompanied by a package with materials and tools that enable replication. As part of the replication package, guidance is provided on the methodological and thematic adaptation of Golombiao, including local context and the particular needs of adolescents in the zone where Golombiao is to be replicated.

The transfer includes capacity-building of facilitators – young people, organizations, institutions, CBOs and community leaders – who will thereafter implement and transfer Golombiao in an independent way. They receive support and follow-up from Young Colombia and UNICEF, but the ultimate goal is for Golombiao to be adopted by the community and adolescents and be played independently. The follow-up process by UNICEF/Young Colombia lasts a maximum of six months, considered to be the formative phase. It is recommended that this formative phase last no less than six months in order for the methodology to be sustainable and supported by the community beyond the period of transfer.

9 See section 10 – Resources.

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To date, Golombiao is played in Colombia only, but there have been some advancements towards the adaptation and implementation of the strategy in other countries and contexts in the framework of South-South cooperation.


The number of Golombiao users has increased over the years; in 2014, 30,347 adolescent girls and boys from 10 different departments participated in the activities, encounters and tournaments organized as part of Golombiao. In total, an estimated 200,000 young people, of whom an estimated 15,000 are from indigenous communities, have participated in Golombiao since its outset.

Golombiao was evaluated as part of a larger evaluation of projects preventing the recruitment of children and adolescents by armed groups in Colombia covering the period 2006 - 2010.11 The study was commissioned by UNICEF, the Swedish International Development Authority and the then-Canadian International Development Agency (now Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development). The methodology employed was to evaluate three departments – Bolivar, Sucre and Narino – and 11 municipalities; 286 interviews were conducted with Golombiao staff, beneficiaries, families of the beneficiaries and donors. The project was evaluated based on the OECD/DAC12 criteria of relevance, efficiency, sustainability, human-rights based approach and gender. Results were classified as excellent, sufficient, deficient and precarious.

Focus group discussions were used to measure the impact on the adolescents and youth, but this remains qualitative. The young people who participated in the evaluation noted positive changes in their

lives after Golombiao, specifically:

• Resolution of daily problems with more tranquility;

• Development of leadership skills;

• Enhanced and better relations with young people of the other gender;

• Enhanced interest in what is happening in the community;

• Enhanced coexistence with the family; spend more time with the family.

Changes towards perception of the other gender is one of the highlighted positive changes: “Before, we did not respect women.” “I hated girls, but after playing with them, we’ve become friends.” “We used to be very violent towards girls during the games, but we have now learned new techniques and have started to integrate women in the games with no problem.”


The monitoring and evaluation frameworks are currently under revision and development, as the objective is to strengthen the quantitative and qualitative measurements of the impact of Golombiao.

To date, routine monitoring has consisted of (1) the identification of participants; (2) information about the partners and implementers; and (3) monthly bulletins.

1. Identification of participants

Participants are prompted about their situation at three different stages throughout the implementation of Golombiao, enabling a comparison between ‘before’ and ‘after’. Before enrolling in Golombiao, participants provide information about their socioeconomic and family backgrounds. During the first month, participants complete an ‘in-depth

11 Ibid.

12 Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

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form’, which allows organizers to identify and understand the adolescents in terms of their relationship to violence (potential problems and previous involvement in conflict), participation and coexistence. At the end of the implementation, participants are asked about changes in their daily lives as well as in the community as a result of their participation in Golombiao.

2. Partners’ perception of Golombiao

These forms are used to understand the perceptions of local partners of the impact of Golombiao at the community level. In the final phase of the transfer of the methodology, a workplan is established with the partner to set milestones that facilitate monitoring of progress. A daily activity form is employed to track the daily activities conducted by partners. This tool allows sharing of information about the strategies and approaches employed by each of the partners. Finally, partners submit progress and annual narratives on the successes and challenges faced during the process, as well as suggestions for improvement.

3. Monthly bulletin: ‘Golombiao in Action’

‘Golombiao in Action’ is a monthly tool employed to track the progress of partners and motivates the work of those involved with Golombiao. The bulletin summarizes the progress of partners and highlights Golombiao components. Particularly positive personal stories and experiences are also included.


• Strengthened national capacity through the Golombiao methodology;

• Inclusion of Golombiao in the national plans for youth;

• Use of Golombiao to mobilize and promote adolescent and youth participation, and to prevent the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, although this remains to be formally tested;

• A holistic and inclusive approach involving all key stakeholders – public and private institutions, CBOs, NGOs, adolescents, youth, community leaders;

• A methodology that is flexible and easy to transfer and which adapts to the local context of the community.

7. Challenges

• Limited resources, which have been mitigated by reaching out to the private sector;

• Weak monitoring and evaluation, insufficient development of these frameworks.

• Changes at the government level, which had an impact on the development and implementation of the project; heavy bureaucratic processes; competing agendas from the central and local governments;

• Infrastructure: lack of spaces where Golombiao can be played; lack of transport for boys and girls who want to participate but live too far away;

• Vanishing commitment of some partners and lack of clarity on the roles and responsibilities of each partner;

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• Fear of armed groups, given the highly sensitive and complex environment in which Golombiao operates;

• Cultural barriers, notably for the participation of adolescent girls;

• ‘Invisible’ barriers between the young people, which limit the amount of interaction they can have with other young people (e.g., competing gangs/armed groups limiting the communities that participate). Golombiao tournaments have been found to be successful in closing these gaps to some extent;

• Reaching those hardest to reach; to mitigate this effect, the methodology is directly transferred to adolescents and community leaders so that they in turn can disseminate it in their communities and surroundings.


Golombiao continues to be played across Colombia, and plans are underway to build more robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. The goal is to generate quantitative and qualitative measurements of the impact of Golombiao, in order to expand its outreach.


Lessons learned:

• Participation of adolescents and youth is instrumental in all phases of the process. It facilitates and gives credibility to the project;

• Seek the support of and buy-in from the community and local organizations from the outset as this strengthens the sustainability of the practice.

Recommendations:

• Partnerships should have clearly outlined workplans to track and measure progress from each partner.

• Stronger monitoring and evaluation frameworks.


Golombiao’s flexible and easy-to-transfer methodology, which adapts to the local context of the community and can be applied in conflict-affected areas with marginalized adolescents and youth.

11. Resources

The following resources are available in Spanish:

1. Implementation manual for Golombiao

2. Technical Kit Golombiao

3. Manual: cinema forums for Golombiao

4. Manual: Golombiao transfer

5. Videos: Implementation of Golombiao

12. References

ILO Convention No. 182: http://www.ilo.org/ipec/facts/ILOconventionsonchildlabour/lang--en/index.htm

OIT and MinTrabajo (2012). El Trabajao Infantil y la Politica Pública en Colombia: Prácticas y Lecciones Aprendidas 2012. [Child Labour and Public Policies in Colombia: Practices and Lessons Learned 2012]. Document produced by ILO and the Ministry of Labour in

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Colombia.

UNICEF (April 2013). Evaluation of UNICEF programmes to protect children in emergencies: Colombia country case study.

UNICEF Colombia Country Offices: documentation on Golombiao

Interview with Frederick Spielberg, Protection Specialist and Jorge Garzon, Consultant, UNICEF Colombia (December 2014).



Photo credits: UNICEF.

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By Youth for Youth - Design Centre - Youth

Advocacy PlatformInnovations Lab Kosovo

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Global

Kosovo

Innovations Lab Kosovo

By Youth for Youth - Design Centre - Youth Advocacy Platform


Academia: University of Prishtina

NGOs: Peer Educator Network (PEN)

Kosovo Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health

Other: Podio

UNICEF

Joshua Harvey, Innovations Lab Manager

[email protected]

Region


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe, with 53 per cent of its population under 25 years of age.3 While this group presents an enormous potential for the social and economic development of Kosovo, it is affected by a recovering, yet weak educational system that was severely damaged during the 1999 conflict,4 a high unemployment rate and overall limited participation of youth in decision-making processes. The Innovations Lab Kosovo is a unit within UNICEF Kosovo that was launched in 2011 with the primary role of creating a space for youth’s positive civic participation and professional development. To achieve this aim, the lab advances the use of information and technology – mobile, open-source and social technologies – in youth-led innovative projects and products which empower youth to drive the change and become partners rather than beneficiaries.

Innovations Lab Kosovo1 .2

1 Desk review (May-September 2014); Write up (9 December 2014; Final validation (October 2015).

2 All references to Kosovo in this publication should be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).

3 European Commission Liaison Office to Kosovo: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/kosovo/documents/press_corner/education_for_the_future_en.pdf

4 Only 17 per cent of school buildings were left undamaged.

Country

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The lab programme is constituted of three pillars promoting youth empowerment, participation and professional readiness.

• By Youth for Youth: a training and mentorship programme that offers grants to youth with innovative project designs, programmes and social venture ideas that tackle the needs of youth. The programme acts as a pre-incubator that bridges the gap between ideas with meaningful social impact and a project. It provides funding, equipment, office space and capacity-building to young people.

• Youth Advocacy Platform: a platform equipping youth with skills to engage with decision makers and generating opportunities for the youth to engage in participatory dialogue through community outreach initiatives and high-impact public campaigns.

• Design Centre: a centre for designing and implementing technological innovations – mobile, open-source and social technologies – addressing key public institutional problems affecting children and youth in Kosovo.


UNICEF Innovations Labs are “open, collaborative incubation accelerators that bring business, universities, governments and civil society together to create sustainable solutions to the most pressing challenges facing children and youth. The Lab model creates opportunities for young people, who have a unique insight into the challenges that affect their communities, to team up with local leaders to develop

creative and sustainable solutions. The model also engages all of these constituents with UNICEF and its local networks of partners to facilitate best-in-class thinking, practices and applications necessary to enable and expedite systemic, sustainable change”.5

5 http://www.unicef.org/innovation/innovation_73201.html

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2.1. Goal

The overall goal of the lab is to empower young people in Kosovo through the use of technology and information, transforming them into responsible citizens and community advocates.

2.2. Objectives6

Each of the lab components has specific objectives:

By Youth for Youth:

• Increase youth’s professional readiness;

• Increase youth’s grit and resilience;

• Foster voluntary service with the community and the social and emotional growth of participants.

Youth Advocacy Platform:

• Increase youth’s capacity to influence decision-making processes;

• Increase youth’s inclusion in policy formulation;

• Improve fluency in rights and entitlements;

• Increase realization of the right to convene, debate, express dissent and maintain membership and leadership in youth organizations.

Design Centre:

• Serve the data and information needs of Kosovo’s institutions, youth and children.

The Youth and Advocacy Platform works with non-majority communities—100 per cent of its programme participants are members of Roma, Ashkali or Egyptian ethnicity, who comprise approximately 1 per cent of the Kosovo population—equipping youth with the skills and tools which can provide them with avenues for having their voices heard and engaging in decision-making processes. Furthermore, as leaders of the projects, the youth address issues regarding ethnic minorities and/or young people with

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

Innovations Lab Kosovo targets adolescents and youth, typically between the ages of 15 and 24 years.


The lab encourages the equal participation of young girls and boys. The programmes are adapted, from outreach through service delivery and monitoring, to reflect and incorporate gender dynamics.


6 Harvey J. (2014) Power Point presentation – UNICEF MENA Regional Network Meeting: Adolescent and Youth Development.

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disabilities if deemed pressing during their assessments.

3.4. Targeting the most \ marginalized / most at risk

The Youth Advocacy Platform works at the grass-roots level and with marginalized ethnic minority communities, supporting them in designing and carrying out their own advocacy campaigns. The youth receive resources and training, but the campaigns are run and owned completely by youth. They are responsible for conducting community needs assessments that identify pressing issues and devise awareness-raising campaigns.


The lab adopts a rights-based approach, strengthening the capacity of youth to claim their rights and make their voices heard. The youth-led advocacy projects are an example of the enactment of this approach.


In the lab, youth become users and partners rather than beneficiaries. They are at the centre of the intervention. As part of the lab, youth acquire the capacity to develop, grow and implement their own initiatives and projects, with the aim of building their capacities and triggering the replication of this type of intervention.



In line with UNICEF Innovation lab principles,7 the lab can take several directions: outreach/training (Innovations Lab Kosovo); product and service development (U-Report),

operational research (Copenhagen Innovation Lab); or broadcasting content (broadcasting information of value to the community).

The Innovations Lab Kosovo concentrates its work and research on community engagement and youth partnership, working in collaboration with the youth who acquire the capacity to develop their own projects and ultimately replicate the interventions. This process is guided by a theory of change which highlights the principle that social impact is achievable and sustainable when conducted in collaboration with the rights holders, the youth.

4.2. Activities

By Youth for Youth

By Youth for Youth is a mentorship programme that offers grants and guidance to youth participants who have an idea for a project to make a difference in their communities and to address the needs of youth. It supports youth-led social ventures and experimental learning.8

Phase 1 of the programme is the outreach and mobilization campaign. Interested participants join the ‘design thinking’ workshops, where they are invited to submit their completed problem identification, causal analysis and user research exercises. Submissions are reviewed and selected in an innovations review meeting. Ten teams of two to four accepted applicants join Phase 2, which consists of a ‘prep’ workshop to advance and iterate the user research and stakeholder map. Participants then join an intensive three-day workshop called ‘UPSHIFT’ where the young people learn and apply human-centred design, creative ideation, agile development and

7 UNICEF Innovation lab principles: http://unicefstories.org/principles/

8 Harvey J. (2014) Power Point presentation – UNICEF MENA Regional Network Meeting: Adolescent and Youth Development.

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rapid prototyping principles to design and develop solutions to address the social challenges they have identified. Rejected candidates receive guidance on how to improve their submissions for the future. The budget for each of the initiatives is also finalized at this stage. The final phase is the implementation of projects. The youth project leaders receive a grant of up to 2,000 euros and meet with the staff mentors who assess each project’s robustness and the individual’s ability to manage the project and grant. Throughout the process, youth receive mentoring and guidance, and their mentors also are responsible for monitoring progress and conducting an evaluation at the end of the project, which assesses the overall effectiveness, lessons learned and garners strategies for overcoming limitations.

Networking and exchange of ideas with other participants are encouraged through regular café meetings and similar events. The lab is a collaborative environment and shared space where the youth project leaders are expected to be part of, and contribute to each other’s work.

As part of the model, young people are trained to develop sustainability plans for their projects. Part of the ‘incubator service’ is the provision of a network of partners in which youth-led projects are located. The lab supports youth leaders in making connections with relevant institutions and private sector partners, among others, through and with whom sustainability is pursued. A number of projects also include revenue models and are therefore self-sustaining. Not all the initiatives are sustainable, but a number of them receive institutional backing, adoption by other NGOs or institutions, or private sector

investment. In line with the lab’s principles, the sustainability of a given youth-led initiative is secondary to its impact; the primary goal is the engagement of youth and the learning process they undergo. The lab is currently working on revisiting participant outcomes for every project.

Youth Advocacy Platform

The platform focuses on participation through youth-led public and public policy advocacy. As part of this programme, youth are matched with social entrepreneurs to support the development of web-based applications and data visualization tools to amplify advocacy. In Phase 1, youth learn how to conduct a community needs assessment, gather the data and proceed to data analysis. In Phase 2, youth are trained on policy and advocacy, and develop an advocacy plan. In Phase 3, the youth develop and implement their campaigns. The project ends with an evaluation of the process and obtained results.

The Youth Advocacy Platform uses a variety of alternative evidence-based tools, training sessions and access points that enable youth to advocate for themselves and their communities. An example is the Youth Advocacy Training Activities, devised in partnership with the European Youth Parliament. The participants were trained on advocacy skills - issue identification, evidence-based advocacy, campaign development and digital activism/outreach. Training sessions were facilitated by a combination of international and local trainers and activities included: five-day intensive formal advocacy training in the Prishtina lab (modules: group dynamics, project planning, time management, media and public relations, crisis management, leadership,

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political communication, evidence-based advocacy, introduction to advocacy tools); five on-site public advocacy workshops; and five mobile advocacy workshops.

Design Centre - in-house technology and design consultancy

Through this component, youth contribute to the development of an open-source technology hub for the region. The Design Centre explores challenges related to service delivery and use of information in Kosovo, and leverages advances in mobile, open-source and social technologies to prototype solutions. Youth collect data and participate in the development of projects. Past projects include a birth registration system, a Kosovo youth map, vaccine management and data visualizations on Kosovo municipalities. The source code and products are available for download on the Innovations Lab Kosovo website.9

The model followed by the lab is similar to the interaction between UNICEF, the authorities and partners in regular programming. It is a tenet of the Design Centre in Kosovo (this changes from lab to lab, but this is the approach given the lab’s location within UNICEF and the overall cachet and strength of UNICEF in the Kosovo context) and no initiative is adopted unless it is prioritized and led by the relevant sections of the UNICEF office. For instance, the birth registration system is an initiative ran under the child protection section and powered by the Design Centre. A similar case occurred with vaccine management and the health section. The sections maintain ownership of the relationship with the authorities and partners on initiatives and the Design Centre connects at the operational level. From experience, this has proven a more efficient

way for mainstreaming and maintaining coherence with the programme.

The need for an intervention is determined in cooperation with the authorities and partners, pursuant to UNICEF advocacy on a given issue. In the case of the birth registration system, for example, the authorities did not recognize there was a challenge, but the lab advocated for improved access to the civil registration services – a need identified by UNICEF – while introducing the idea of a technological solution (a product intervention introduced by UNICEF). As a result, the lab built the tool in consultation with the authorities and partners, based on the requirements gathered through research with end users.

The lab also offers a three-month internship programme in partnership with the Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty of the University of Prishtina and the University of Business and Technology. Students receive academic credit for the work they perform with Innovations Lab Kosovo, and create connections to innovation within and outside Kosovo. The focus is on the development of open-source technologies. The internship builds the capacities of the youth and fosters the development of open-

9 http://kosovoinnovations.org/en/resources-products

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source technologies in Kosovo, supporting innovation for development.

4.3. Innovativeness

The main innovativeness of the lab is the concept of a pre-incubator for youth-led initiatives and innovative projects, designed by youth, that have a meaningful social impact for their peers and the community at large. The guiding principles are: design with the user; design for scale; build for sustainability; be data driven; use open standards, open-source; reuse and improve; be collaborative.


The initial cost for setting up and launching an innovations lab is $100,000. Grants for youth can be up to 2,000 euros.

4.5. Sustainability

The sustainability of products emerging form the lab is a major challenge.10 Indeed, the By Youth for Youth component is relatively resource-intensive, given the need for seed funds, but it is also attractive to donors and investors and finds champions in multiple administrative sectors such as education, labour and competitiveness, thus providing a multitude of entry points. Exit strategies for youth-led projects vary dramatically by project. While many may get picked up by NGOs which then scale them up, others receive institutional support and backing. A few others have consumer-facing revenue strategies built in and others win prizes or other support from organizations like Yunus Social Business.

4.6. Replicability

Innovations Lab Kosovo is part of a global network of UNICEF-led innovations labs. However, the model and approach of each

lab varies from one location to another.


No impact evaluation has been conducted, and the figures presented below are indicative and subject to update.

By Youth for Youth Component: 126 projects completed to date, 398 youth leaders and 18,202 beneficiaries.

10 It is noteworthy that the lab views the classic notion of sustainability as irrelevant given the nature of the model.

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By Youth For Youth,

by the numbers

No. of Beneficiaries, Project Design

and Development Training

No. of Youth-Led Projects Successfully Implemented

No. of Youth Project

Leaders

No. of Beneficiaries, Youth-Led Projects

Total number of young people benefiting from

project design and development trainings (e.g.,

Social Innovation Camp, Innovate Camp, UPSHIFT)

Total number of projects designed and developed

during trainings selected for support and implementation

and successfully implementedBeneficiaries,

Youth-Led Projects

Total number of young people

leading the implementation

of youth-led projects

Total number of young people directly benefiting

from the activities, services, and/or products

delivered via youth-led projects

Programme Year

Total Male Female Total Total Total Male Female

2011 108 67 41 34 105 2,557 1,320 1,2372012 143 86 57 36 114 11,251 2013 117 46 71 20 68 2,341 1,256 1,0852014 1,003 436 567 36 111 2,053 1,243 810

TOTAL 1,371 635 736 126 398 18,202 3,819 3,132

Of the youth-led initiatives initiated during 2014, 50 per cent received some form of institutional support, nearly 80 per cent remain active and 65 per cent of participants have attributed to their experience progress in education, employment, joining a working or reference group or other representative body, and/or initiating a new volunteer engagement.

Youth Advocacy Platform: five Youth Community Advocacy Project campaigns, 89 youth leaders and 1,313 participants.

Design Centre: five software programs released; two software development projects; six interns. Some of the tools developed by the centre have been used by UNICEF Lebanon. The projects developed in the Design Centre are available on the lab’s website and their source code is publicly available (see: http://kosovoinnovations.org/en/resources-products).

The lab has also produced a youth advocacy toolkit that is available on the website. It consists of 10 comprehensive modules which are meant to provide solid training. The toolkit includes advocacy training cards, a take-home resource for the training participants; a training facilitation guide; a community needs assessment training; and an advocacy training toolkit with the main concepts and practices.

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• Youth are considered partners rather than beneficiaries.

• Youth are leaders of projects, allowing them to build their capacities as drivers for change, a process which has the potential for long-term impact at the individual and community levels.

7. Challenges

• Capturing the impact and conducting regular monitoring of activities. The most important challenge resides in capturing the sustainability of youth-led projects and the impact they have on the individual and the community.

• Sustainability of the youth-led projects beyond the initial funding.


The exit strategy for the lab is under discussion, but there are several possibilities. A likely, sustainable and replicable model includes mainstreaming the By Youth for Youth component into school- or youth centre-based clubs, wherein:

1) Mentors would be trained and certified by a central body;

2) Mentors would lead school- or youth centre-based groups in the UPSHIFT methodology;

3) A regional or national competition (in two tiers—one for younger and another for older students) would provide networking opportunities for youth;

4) Selected projects would enter the incubator and receive support from the central body.

A second strategy would spin off the By Youth for Youth component into a small international NGO, for which UNICEF would serve as a board member, that would be available to country offices to deliver the component as a service. This model has met with success in the case of the OneMinuteJrs, which are one-minute videos created by youth.11

In contrast, the preferred strategy for the Design Centre and Youth Advocacy Platform components of the lab would be to continue to act as a UNICEF support section working respectively on information and communication technologies for programming, and on communication for development, and adolescents and youth. Another option is the creation of a United Nations country team (UNCT) joint entity, responsible for providing these services to all UNCT members.


1) Traditional incubator / accelerator models do not address equity issues well because many of them conflate crowdsourcing with capacity-building. For instance, a global social innovation challenge soliciting the ideas of youth which is advertised on a university campus will typically attract university students. The ideas pushed forward will be from young people who already have confidence in themselves and are prepared to create a ‘winning solution’, some of which are already familiar to UNICEF. As a result, the process entails no training or capacity-building. The young people who already possess the right skills are the ones who participate and take part in the scale-up process. This approach is

11 http://www.theoneminutesjr.org/

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very useful when crowdsourcing ideas are intended to save lives and safeguard rights. However, the lab aims to build the capacity and resilience of youth. Therefore, the By Youth for Youth approach is more adapted to advancing equity and supporting the marginalized.

2) The lab has developed a youth-led identity, which is of significant importance in contexts where United Nations agencies may be viewed with scepticism.

3) The form of the lab is second to its function. The space and strategies adopted by the lab must be shaped by the objective of the lab.

• In the case of Kosovo, the main objective is its responsiveness to the end user and agility in order to serve the dynamic of Kosovar youth. Virtual work – predominantly digital/online – is one of several strategies to achieve that. Remote staff and pop-up locations (temporary spaces) are other strategies.

• Labs with other objectives and constituencies – for example, a lab focusing on academic cooperation and incubation of student-driven innovations – might better achieve their end through a physical co-location with the academic programme.

• Labs that exist to connect ‘insurgents’ and ‘incumbents’ (activists and government, or public and private sector, for example) might also be better served by a physical location where the authority and neutrality of the convening body reinforces its role as facilitator.

It is important to remember that one approach is not inherently superior to the other; ideally, what a lab is, should be second to what a lab does.


The lab’s approach in working with youth as partners rather than beneficiaries, and the empowerment of youth through participation and professional readiness.

11. Resources

Youth and advocacy toolkit:

http://kosovoinnovations.org/en/resources-products

12. References

Website: http://kosovoinnovations.org

Harvey, Joshua (August 2014). Kosovo Innovations Lab presentation during the UNICEF MENA Adolescent Development Network meeting at the Dead Sea, 18-21 August 2014.

E-mail exchange with Joshua Harvey, Innovations Lab Manager, 3 December 2014.

Photo credits: Innovations Lab Kosovo.

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Adolescent Asthma

ActionJordan University of Science and

Technology

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Global/MENA

Australia, United States, Jordan, New Zealand and Germany. This write-

up will describe the Jordan programme.

Australia, Detroit (United States), Jordan (Middle East), Hamburg (Germany).

This write-up will describe the Jordan programme.

Triple A (Adolescent Asthma Action) program in high schools

Health2006Ongoing


Health District, The University of Sydney, Menzies School of Health Research,

The University of Tasmania, Australia.

Non-UN

Dr. Nihaya Al Sheyab, Assistant Professor at Jordan University of Science and

Technology

Dr. Smita Shah, Associate Professor, The University of Sydney

[email protected] / +61298456505

Region

Organization


UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Tobacco use kills more than 6 million people globally each year and is the leading cause of preventable mortality.2 In its 2008 report on global tobacco epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) approximated that there are more than 1 billion smokers worldwide and that more than 80 per cent of them live in low- and middle-income countries.3 Adolescence is a period of growth and development that is also characterized by vulnerability to health-related risks and behaviours, one of which is smoking. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to addiction as nicotine dependence may begin with exposure to low levels of nicotine in early adolescence. The estimated prevalence of Jordanian youth who have ever smoked ranged from 18 per cent in 1999 to about 13 per cent in 2004 and 16 per cent in 2007, and the prevalence was substantially greater among boys than girls.4 The current prevalence rate of smoking among university students is 35 per cent (56.9 per cent for males and 11.4 per cent for females), with about 80 per cent being cigarettes smokers.5.6 Another recent study found that the overall prevalence of males in grades 7 and 8 who had ever smoked cigarettes was 35.6 per cent, 86.2 per cent of this group were current (within the last month) cigarette smokers and almost half reported using a water pipe, a significant predictor of

Triple A (Adolescent Asthma Action) Programme in High Schools1

1 Desk Review ( May-September 2014); Inquiry Form (9 August 2014); Interview (30 September 2014); Write up (8 December 2014); Internal Validation(8-17 December 2014); Implementer Validation(2 January 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

2 ‘WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic: 2013 Enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship’, Geneva, 2013. (http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85381/1/WHO_NMH_PND_13.2_eng.pdf?ua=1)

3 Research for International Tobacco Control, WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic: the MPOWER package. 2008: World Health Organization.4 Belbeisi, A., et al., ‘A surveillance summary of smoking and review of tobacco control in Jordan, Global Health. 2009; 5: 18.5 Khader, Y. and A. Alsadi, ‘Smoking habits among university students in Jordan: prevalence and associated factors’, Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal,

2008; 14(4): 897-904. PMid:19166173.6 Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 2013, Vol. 3, No.9, www.sciedu.ca/jnep .

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male cigarette smoking. The most common age at which Jordanian male adolescents started cigarette smoking behaviour was 11–12 years (49.1 per cent).

Many adolescents suffer from asthma but their symptoms often go undetected because health professionals are reluctant to diagnose asthma because it was historically perceived as a severe condition.9 Smoking is reported to double the risk of death among adolescents with asthma.

Poor management of asthma has been an issue, especially in schools, and needs to be tackled, particularly in Jordan, where asthma rates are relatively common in adolescence compared to some developed countries.10.11

The combination of smoking and asthma in adolescents further exacerbates health concerns. Smoking and asthma are potent contributing factors to chronic lung disease and the combination of the two can significantly hinder lung function. The burden of asthma is high,12 especially among young people. In the 12-15-year age group, the prevalence of near-fatal episodes of asthma and those who need hospitalization, intubation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation is higher than for younger children.13 Because smoking and asthma are interrelated, any smoking prevention programme should also address asthma-related issues.14

Peer influence has proven to be an important factor in the development of adolescent smoking behaviour and has been associated with higher smoking rates and lower self-efficacy to stop smoking in adolescents with asthma.15 Following this logic, peers also have the ability to positively influence adolescent smokers to quit this behaviour16 and increase awareness about the adverse health-related outcomes of smoking. Well-designed, school-based, peer-led education

programmes thus can potentially have a positive impact on asthma self-management in adolescents, and student peer leaders can be useful and responsible partners in health promotion programmes.17


Jordan University of Science and TechnologyThe mission of the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) is to provide undergraduate and graduate students with a broad, stimulating and rigorous education as well as professional skills, basic and applied research and knowledge that meets the needs of the labour market and enable graduates to compete nationally, regionally and internationally. The university promotes and fosters a multicultural university community to attract more Arab and international students. It is committed to academic excellence and community partnerships through curricula, teaching methods, scholarships and services designed to achieve sustained national comprehensive progress.18

World Health Organization

The WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that concentrates exclusively on health by providing technical cooperation, carrying out programmes to control and eradicate disease and striving to improve the quality of human life. WHO has 191 Member States that meet annually at the World Health Assembly in Geneva. The WHO mission statement includes the following objectives:19

• To act as the directing and coordinating authority on international health work;

• To promote technical cooperation;

• To assist Governments, upon request, to strengthen health services;

9 Abuekteish F, Alwash R, Hassan M, Daoud AS. ‘Prevalence of asthma and wheeze in primary school children in northern Jordan’, Ann Trop Paediatr 1996;16(3):227-31.

10 Interview with Nihaya Al Sheyab on 30 September 2014. 11 Abu-Ekteish F, Otoom S, Shehabi I., ‘Prevalence of asthma in Jordan: comparison between Bedouins and urban school-children using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood phase III protocol’, Allergy and Asthma Proceedings, 2009, 30:181–185.

12 Al-Akour N, Khader YS, ‘Quality of life in Jordanian children with asthma’, International Journal of Nursing Practice, 2008, 14:418–426. 13 Braman, 2006. 14 Elizer et al., 2007.

15 Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 2013, Vol. 3, No.9, www.sciedu.ca/jnep . Van De Ven, M.O.M., et al., ‘Bidirectionality in the relationship between asthma and smoking in adolescents: a population-based cohort study’, Journal of Adolescent Health, 2007. 41(5): 444-454. PMid:17950164 16 Patten, C.A., et al., ‘Reported willingness among adolescent non-smokers to help parents, peers, and others to stop smoking’, Preventive medicine, 2004; 39(6): 1099-1106. PMid:15539043 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.04.020.

17 Pediatrics, official journal of the American Academy of pediatrics, 24 August 2013. 18 JUST website, http://www.just.edu.jo/Pages/Default.aspx . 19 WHO website, http://www.who.int/trade/glossary/story096/en/ .

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• To provide technical assistance and, in emergencies, aid;

• To stimulate and advance work on the prevention and control of endemic diseases;

• To promote, in cooperation with other agencies, the improvement of nutrition, housing, sanitation, recreation, economic or working conditions and environmental hygiene;

• To promote and coordinate biomedical and health services research;

• To promote improved standards of teaching and training in health, to establish and stimulate the establishment of international standards for biological, pharmaceutical and similar products, and to standardize diagnostic procedures;

• To foster activities in the field of mental health and the harmony of human relations.

The Triple A programme

Triple A (Adolescent Asthma Action) is a peer-led, evidence-based and school-based intervention programme that is directed at improving asthma self-management and reducing the uptake of smoking among adolescents.20 The Triple A programme originally developed in Australia21 was adapted to suit non–English-speaking cultures in the Middle East. The programme has also been tested in Jordan, where it is known as Triple A in Jordan (TAJ) and has resulted in significant improvement in self-efficacy to resist smoking.22

Peer education occurs within the school setting and involves senior students delivering a health education programme to younger students (grades 7 and 8). The programme consists of four structured lessons about asthma, asthma management, avoidance of triggers, and how to resist peer pressure related to tobacco smoking, using

Bandura’s self-efficacy of social cognitive theory through a series of activities. These include the class ‘smoke-free’ pledge, which utilizes peer pressure in a positive way to motivate students to voluntarily sign a pledge to be smoke-free for a period of time. The programme is delivered through interactive teaching and learning activities, including role play, games, videos, group discussion and a quiz show, all of which are more effective than traditional didactic education for adolescents.23.24 The programme also helps students to develop their communication, leadership and teamwork skills.

Pilot phase/test of the intervention26

The pilot phase consisted of:

1. A focus group to understand the needs and experiences of students with asthma;

2. A mini run of the three steps of the Triple A programme to examine its acceptability and feasibility in Jordan;

3. Another focus group to determine the modifications needed to adapt Triple A to the Arab culture and school context.

20 Shah S., Peat JK, Marzurski EJ, Wan H, Sindhusake D, Bruce C, Henry RL, Gibson PG. Peer-led asthma education improves quality of life and asthma morbidity in adolescents: a randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2001; 322:583-5.

21 Shah, S., Mamoon HA, Gibson PG. Peer-led asthma education for adolescents: Development and formative evaluation. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 1998 8(3) 177-181.

22 Al-sheyab, N., et al., ‘Peer-led Education for Adolescents With Asthma in Jordan: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial’,

23 Ochieng BMN, ‘Adolescent health promotion: the value of being a peer leader in a health education/promotion peer education programme’, Health Educa-tion Journal, 2003, 62:61–72.

24 Feasibility of a peer-led, school-based asthma education programme for adolescents in Jordan’, Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal La Revue de Sante de la Mediterranee orientale, Vol.18, No.5, 2012.

26 Ibid.

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2. Goal and objectives 27

2.1. Goal

Triple A works to promote the health and well-being of students with asthma and create a supportive school environment.

2.2. Objectives

The intervention aims to empower 11-13-year-olds by encouraging them to interact with their peers and offer to help in case of an asthma emergency.

The long-term objectives are to:

• Improve self-management of asthma among adolescents;

• Decrease the uptake of smoking;

• Decrease smoking among vulnerable groups including females and pregnant women and their partners. This objective is not of direct relevance relevant to students in school, but can be achieved through the ripple effect of the programme, when students take the message home to their parents and relatives;

• Reduce environmental tobacco (second hand) smoke exposure and encourage a smoke-free environment in schools and at home.

The short-term objectives for educators, i.e., university students, are to:

• Consolidate knowledge about asthma and its management;

• Build confidence and skills in educating adolescents about asthma;

• Enhance communication and leadership skills.

The short-term objectives for high school students are to:

• Increase knowledge of asthma and its management (for all students and teachers);

• Promote avoidance of at-risk behaviour (for all students);

• Improve recognition of asthma in students (for all students and teachers);

• Take appropriate action in an asthma emergency (for all students and teachers);

• Use asthma medications correctly when required (for students with asthma);

• Take action to avoid exercise-related asthma (for students with asthma);

• Visit a doctor regularly for their asthma (for students with asthma).

27 The information in this section was provided during an interview with Nihaya Al Sheyab on 30 September 2014.

391

3. Target group28

3.1. Age group

The target age group for the Triple A programme is the 11-17-year age group, including peer leaders (senior students), recipients of the asthma and smoking messages (younger peers) and the wider school community.

It is important to note that the ages/grades of students in each step are flexible and can be negotiated with the school.


Four schools were selected randomly, two from all the eligible high schools for girls and two from all the eligible high schools for boys. Schools were stratified according to gender to ensure a balanced sample. The sample in Jordan included more males (53 per cent) than females (43 per cent).


The programme does not discriminate against students with a disability or based on ethnic background. All school students are eligible to participate in the programme if their parents consent.


The intervention focused on enhancing equity or decreasing inequities between groups by allowing all classes and groups of the community present in class to take the session together. Of the randomly selected schools, 90 per cent were public schools with low to middle socioeconomic status.


The intervention employed a human rights-based approach. Youth had an active voice in suggesting how to bet taught about asthma and smoking, and they can

choose the type of activities to deliver the necessary knowledge and skills. Young people were empowered by learning how to make informed choices.29


The Triple A programme was developed by Dr Smita Shah in Australia in consultation with students, staff and parents to complement the health curricula of the participating schools. Students were also consulted in the development of the programme resources and videos ‘Breath Easy’ and ‘Running Short’, which are used in the programme. These videos are used in Jordan and have been translated into Arabic with funds provided by WHO.

In Jordan, youth were actively involved in setting the objectives and the design of the intervention during the feasibility study, in which they were are asked what they would like to add to the programme in terms of activities and learning/teaching methods. The young people learn about asthma and the issues related to smoking by educating their young peers

. 4. Strategy and Implementation

4.1. Strategies / theoretical approaches / methodologiesTriple A is grounded in universally applicable theoretical concepts including peer leadership, self-efficacy30 and empowerment,31 suggesting its potential for use in different cultural contexts.32

The programme was based on the framework of empowerment education (Freire empowerment model), social cognitive theory, Precede-Proceed model and health locus of control. Triple A uses a peer-led approach, which has been proven to be effective

28 The information in this section was also provided during the interview with Nihaya Al Sheyab on 30 September 2014.

29 Interview with Nihaya Al Sheyab, 30 September 2014.

30 Bandura A., ‘Recycling misconceptions of perceived self-efficacy’, Cognitive Therapy and Research, 1984, 8:231–255.

31 Freire P., ‘Pedagogy of the oppressed’, New York, Continuum Books, 1970. Freire P, Reynolds R., ‘Pedagogy of the city’, New York, Continuum Books, 1993.

32 Shah S, Mamoon HA, Gibson PG. Peer-led asthma education for adolescents: Development and formative evaluation. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 1998, 8(3), 177-181.

392

especially with adolescents,33 as shown in figure 1. 34

The Triple A programme uses a three-step cascade process from senior to junior students to deliver asthma education (figure 2) and has well-developed resources, including standardized training manuals, educational videos, asthma-related models and devices and first aid kits (http://triplea.asthma.org.au). Trained health workers

provide the initial training of the peer leaders and facilitate the steps of the programme.

33 Interview with Nihaya Al Sheyab, 30 September 2014.

34 Green, J. (2001). Peer Education. IUHPE - Promotion & Education, 8(2), 65;

Figure 1. Framework for the Triple A model (Shah 1994)

393

(The Jordan programme was operated according to this flow chart.)

4.2. Activities

The Triple A programme uses a series of structured lessons to educate younger peers about asthma, asthma management and resisting peer pressure related to tobacco smoking. The university students are recruited and trained by Dr. Nihaya Al Sheyab from the JUST Faculty of Nursing.

The Triple A lessons are designed for trained peer leaders from grades 10 or 11 to deliver to younger peers in grades 7 and 8. The activities are implemented through the following three steps:

Step 1. Triple A educators, i.e., trained university students, coach volunteer year 10 or 11 students to be Triple A peer leaders for the programme during a one-day workshop. Peer leaders learn about asthma and its management and how to resist the uptake of tobacco smoking, and develop skills in group facilitation and leadership.

Step 2. Peer leaders deliver the Triple A lessons to target students in year 7, using the Peer Leader Manual as a guide. In three lessons, students learn about asthma and how to resist tobacco smoking through videos, games and activities. The students to critically analyse the challenges faced by adolescents with asthma and to propose strategies to address these challenges. (Sometimes Triple A could be extended to four lessons depending on the school timetable and

35 Feasibility of a peer-led, school-based asthma education programme for adolescents in Jordan’, Eastern Mediterranean health Journal, La Revue de Santé de la Mediterranée Orientale, Vol.18, No.5. 2012.

36 Ibid.

37 Triple A Program Peer Leader Manual 3rd Edition, 2013.

Figure 2. Implementation, student participation and evaluation of the Triple A programme36

394

arrangement with school teachers).

fact that trained university students in turn train school students creates a chain effect and gives the programme an advantage over other programmes, as shown in figure 5. This advantage occurs through the programme’s ripple effect.


In Jordan, WHO funded the programme. The total cost was approximately $8,000 for translation of the documents and implementation in four schools.

In Australia a cost evaluation was

Step 3. Wider dissemination of asthma and smoking prevention information occurs when target students relay what they have learned to other students and members of the school community through creative actions including songs, rap, drama, acting and poems containing key asthma and smoking messages.

Figure 4 below, from the Triple A Program Peer Leader Manual, illustrates these steps.

4.3. Innovativeness

Triple A is the first peer-led asthma

education programme in high schools

and was the first globally to use a peer-led approach to educate youth about asthma self-management skills and smoking. The

Figure 3. Triple A lesson plans 37

395

undertaken (Otim M, Jayasinha R, Forbes H, Shah S. Building evidence for peer-led

interventions: assessing the cost of the adolescent asthma action program in Australia, Australian Journal of Primary Health, 2014).

4.5. Sustainability

To ensure sustainability, schools need to adopt the programme and integrate it into their curricula and universities should offer it as an elective to students to engage with community, so that there will be a group of volunteer students to go to the schools each year.

The programme is deemed sustainable due to the following features:

1. The programme materials, which include a Peer Leader Manual, three DVDs (‘Breath of Life’, ‘Breathe Easy’ and Running Short’) and an Educator Guide are available on the website. 2. The lessons are designed to be practical and fun and can be easily integrated into a school’s curriculum.

3. WHO has funded the translation of all programme materials and resources into Arabic, so it can be replicated elsewhere in Jordan and possibly in other Arab countries if they are interested.

Figure 4. The Triple A steps

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4. In Australia, the program has been running for over two decades and is currently targeting schools with high numbers of indigeneous students in Australia and New Zealand.

4.6. Replicability

Since 2006, Triple A has been implemented in 16 schools in Jordan. It takes an average of one month to implement the three steps completely.

In Australia, over 25,000 secondary school students in Australia have completed the programme; 1,000 university students (medicine, pharmacy, nursing, public health and education) and 50 health and education professionals have participated in the training as Triple A Educators, and in turn have coached more than 2,500 senior students as Asthma Peer Leaders. This peer-led asthma education programme developed in Australia was feasible and acceptable in the Jordanian cultural and linguistic contexts.

The results of a relevant unpublished study; ‘Cluster RCT: Effect of Implementing a School-Based, Peer-Led, Asthma and Smoking Prevention Program on Breath Carbon Monoxide Levels Among Early Adolescents in Jordan’ are currently being analysed and will be published

Figure 5. Theoritical ripple effect of Triple A

397

soon. The objective of this study was to test the effectiveness of TAJ and of ‘TAJ-Plus’, which included the additional ‘class smoke-free’ pledge strategy, on breath carbon monoxide (CO) levels in male high school students in Jordan four months post-intervention. In this cluster-randomized controlled trial, four public male high schools in Irbid, Jordan were randomly assigned to receive the TAJ-Plus (n=215) or the TAJ alone (n=218). TAJ educators were third-year male undergraduate nursing students (n=9) who received training in a one-day workshop. These educators then trained senior students from the four schools to be Peer Leaders (n=53), who then taught peers in grades 7 and 8 (n=433). The Peer Leaders in the TAJ-Plus schools implemented the smoke-free pledge within the students in grades 7 and 8, who all voluntarily signed the pledge for four months. Data were collected from students in grades 7 and 8 using self-administered questionnaires and a smokerlyzer (a device that measures breath CO levels) at baseline and four months post-intervention. Students from the TAJ-Plus group reported significant reduction in breath CO levels (p<0.000) as compared to the TAJ group. Improvement in asthma control was greater (p=0.03) in non-smokers as compared to smokers. The group commitment to a ‘class smoke-free’ pledge is feasible, beneficial and an incentive to motivate adolescents to abstain from smoking. Using social influences approaches in schools can be useful in countering the aggressive tobacco marketing campaigns.


An evaluation plan was developed prior to initiation of the intervention. It included the

quality of life, knowledge and awareness of asthma and resistance to smoking. The evaluation data were disaggregated by sex, age, ethnicity, geographic region and socioeconomic status.

A process evaluation of the Triple A materials is conducted annually, with the peer leader groups from each school using semi-structured questionnaires, to ensure that the programme continues to be relevant. The programme’s resources have been updated accordingly over the years in Australia, with advice from students, school staff and Triple A Educators.

A secondary analysis of the cluster-randomized controlled trial of students with asthma (n = 259) in the four randomly selected high schools revealed the impact of this intervention. The evaluation was stratified for gender in Northern Jordan and used a closed-envelope technique.

Students with asthma (n = 261) in grades 8, 9 and 10 were surveyed at baseline in December 2006 and three months post-intervention on the main outcomes, which were asthma-related quality of life, knowledge of asthma management and self-efficacy to resist smoking.

The prevalence of smoking among students with asthma was 29 per cent. Male students (44 per cent) were more likely to smoke than females (6 per cent) (p<0.001). Compared to the control group, the peer-led intervention improved self-efficacy to resist smoking and understand asthma and asthma-related quality of life. Smokers within the intervention schools improved self-efficacy to resist smoking by 83 per cent (p=0.001), asthma

398

knowledge by 60 per cent (p=0.001) and demonstrated benefits within all the subdomains of asthma related quality of life when compared to controls (p=0.001).

Baseline Characteristics compared for smokers versus non-smokers

Characteristic Smokers Non-smokers p- level*

(n = 72) (n = 187)

n (%)

n (%)

Gender

Males

Females

65 (44)

7 (6)

83 (56)

104 (92) <.001

Class level

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

37 (33)

16 (20)

19 (29)

75 (67)

65 (80)

47 (71)

0.12

399

No. wheezing attacks

1-3 / year

4-12 / year

>12 / year

49 (26)

11 (31)

5 (29)

142 (74)

24 (69)

12 (71)

0.18

Asthma diagnosed by physician

Yes

No

48 (26)

23 (31)

135 (74)

52 (69)0.46

Family members smoke

Yes

No

59 (32)

12 (16)

123 (68)

62 (84) 0.009

Frequency of family smoking

Lightly

Heavily

5 (17)

58 (33)

25 (83)

117 (67) 0.07

*T-test or chi-squared test used according to the level of the variable.

The figures below illustrate the impact of Triple A:

400

Impact of Triple A on smokers’ knowledge (n=72)

Impact of Triple A on smokers’ quality of life (n=72)

Impact of Triple A on self-efficacy to resist smoking


5.004.003.002.001.000.00

Control intervention

6.007.008.009.00

pre SERSPost SERS

5.004.003.002.001.000.00


6.00

pre SERSPost SERS

10.008.006.004.002.000.00


12.0014.00

pre SERSPost SERS

401


The programme blends social influence with active learning methods that are relevant to young people, particularly in disadvantaged communities. The Triple A programme was developed specifically for high school students from communities with low socioeconomic status and thus aims to bridge the gap in educational and health inequities between rich and poor. The Triple A programme has the potential to greatly benefit the health of young people, who in turn can influence the health of their families and wider communities.

7. Challenges

A number of challenges were faced in the implementation and evaluation of the programme.

• Implementing the programme during school exam periods was a difficult task.

• In Jordan specifically, the school curriculum is very condensed, which meant there was not enough time for the programme to be implemented fully.

• During the evaluation, the implementers noted that some of the students were absent during the evaluation, which included only 72 students from the four schools.

• Some parents did not want their children to be present during the lessons, especially parents who smoke and are reluctant to quit or at least participate in any smoking cessation intervention.

• Transferring students from one school to another was a challenge in following up with students to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme.


In order for this practice to move forward and go beyond its original context, more motivation is needed to involve university students in the programme and go back to schools to train peer leaders. One way to motivate university students is through counting their involvement as an accredited assignment in one of their university subjects. In addition, more support is required from the Ministry of Education and school principals.

Modification to Triple A to focus more on smoking cessation/prevention

Systematic approaches are needed to reduce tobacco use in Middle Eastern countries such as Jordan so as to reduce smoking and the associated health burden among adolescents, particularly in relation to asthma. There is an urgent need to develop health education programmes and school-based anti-tobacco smoking interventions that target children in their early years in high school to prevent the uptake of tobacco use among this vulnerable age group, especially students with asthma. The class ‘smoke-free’ pledge was added to the TAJ programme to help high school students with and without asthma to be smoke-free through a group commitment in schools. The class smoke-free pledge is based on the concept of the ‘No Smoking Class’ competitions, which were developed in Finland in 1989. Grade 8 students aged 14 years volunteer to sign a ‘commitment form’ to be a non-smoking class for six months. Classes monitor their adherence by filling in weekly follow-up forms, and those that adhere are entered into a lottery. In the Finland study, there are four main and 10 secondary prizes of $2,000 and $200 respectively. This intervention is led by

402

teachers and health education on smoking is provided. A meta-analysis undertaken by Isensee and Hanewinkel (2012) on the ‘Smoke Free Competition’ in European countries, which is an adaptation of the ‘No Smoking Class’ competition, showed a significant pooled risk ratio of 0.86 (95 per cent CI 0.79–0.94; z = 3.44, p = 0.001) on current smoking at follow-up.


• The training manuals;

• Peer-to-peer approach;

• Partnership between academic institution and schools.

10. Resources

The Triple A lessons in the manual are designed for trained Triple A peer leaders from years 10 or 11 to deliver to younger peers, for example year 7 students.

• Triple A Program Peer Leader Manual 3rd Edition 2013

• The Triple A Kit includes the following resources:

o Triple A Train-the-Trainer Guide for health professionals

o Triple A Peer Leader’s Manual

o Triple A DVD (including three videos and programme resources)

Copies of the resources could be obtained by contacting Dr Smita Shah, Director of Primary Health Care Education and Research Unit, Australia. Information about the program is on the The University

of Sydney website: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/public-health/salsa-triple-a/ http://www.facebook.com/TripleAProgram

11. References

• Jordan University of Science and Technology http://www.just.edu.jo/Pages/Default.aspx

• http://www.asthma.org.au/Programs/TripleAProgram.aspx

• http://www.who.int/trade/glossary/story096/en/

Triple A (Adolescent Asthma Action) Program Publications1994-2014

1. Otim M, Jayasinha R, Forbes H Shah S. Building evidence for Peer-led interventions: Assessing the cost of the Adolescent Asthma Action program in Australia, Australian Journal of Primary Health, 2014.

2. Al-sheyab, N., Gallagher, R., Gallagher, P., & Shah, S. (2013). Cigarette smoking in adolescents with asthma in Jordan: Impact of peer-led education in high schools. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 3(9). Retrieved from http://www.sciedu.ca/journal/index.php/jnep/article/view/2018 doi:10.5430/jnep.v3n9p13

3. Donelly A, Shah S, Bosni-Anticevich S. Effect of two educational interventions on pharmacy students’ confidence and skills in dealing with adolescents with asthma. Health Education Journal, 2012 0(0) 1-8 DOI: 10.1177/0017896912438310.

403

4. Al-sheyab N, Gallagher R, Crisp J, Shah S. Peer-led Asthma Education for Adolescents with Asthma in Jordan: A Cluster-RCT. Pediatrics 2012; 129; e106-e112.

5. Al-sheyab N, Gallagher R, Shah S, Roydhouse J, Crisp J. Peer-led Health Education Program for adolescents with asthma: Does it work for high schools in Jordan? EMHJ. 2011; 18(5): 468-473.

6. Saini B, Shah S, Keary P, Bosnic-Anticevich S, Grootjans J, Armour C. An Interprofessional Learning Module on Asthma Health Promotion. Am. J. Pharm. Edu 2011; 75(2): Article 30.

7. Shah S, Roydhouse JK, Sawyer S. Medical Students go back to school: The Triple A Journey. Australian Family Physician 2008; 37(11): 952-4.

8. Kritikos V, Saini B, Bosnic-Anticevich, Krass I, Shah S, Taylor S and Armour C. Innovative asthma health promotion by rural community pharmacists: a feasibility study. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 2005: 16 (1) 69-73.

9. Shah S, Peat JK, Marzurski EJ, Wan H, Sindhusake D, Bruce C, Henry RL, Gibson PG. Peer-led asthma education improves quality of life and asthma morbidity in adolescents: a randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2001; 322:583-5.

10. Shah S, Cantwell G. Adolescent Asthma Action Project 1993-2000, Final Report, Commonwealth of Australia 2001. ISBN 0 642 73566 2.

11. Triple A Educator’s Kit, Commonwealth of Australia 2000. ISBN 1 876109831.

12. AAA Champion’s Guide, 2001.

13. Boulet LP. A peer led asthma education programme in adolescents was more effective than no programme for improving quality of life. Evid Based Med 2001;6 148.

14. Gibson PG, Shah S, Mamoon HA. Peer-led asthma education for adolescents: Impact evaluation. Journal of Adolescent Health 1998; 22: 66-72.

15. Shah S, Mamoon HA, Gibson PG. Peer-led asthma education for adolescents: Development and formative evaluation. Health Promotion Journal of Australia 1998; 8: 177-181.

16. Sawyer SM and Shah S. Improving asthma outcomes in harder-to-reach populations: challenges for clinical and community interventions. Paediatric Respiratory Reviews, 2004; 5:207-213.

17. Shah S. The Adolescent Asthma Action Program. Masters of Community Health Thesis University of Sydney Library, 1994

Photo credits: Triple A programme.

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Youth Employment Generation

Programme in EgyptUnited Nations Development

Programme, Egypt ICT Trust Fund and MCIT

405

MENA

Egypt

United Nations Development Programme, Egypt ICT Trust Fund, MCIT

Youth Employment Generation Program (YEGP) in Egypt

Skills development

2012201330 NGOs & youth centres, Ministry of Youth (MoY), SFD, MS Egypt, ITI (Edu Egypt program), ELCC.

UNDP

Maria Tarancon, Youth Poverty Reduction Specialist - Innovation and Creativity

for Development Team, UNDP Egypt

[email protected]

Marwa Mohamed Elnokrashy, Research and Planning Unit Manager, Egypt

ICT Trust Fund (MCIT/UNDP)

[email protected]

Region



UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region currently has the highest proportion of youth to adults in its history with over 30 per cent of its population between the ages of 15 and 29 years.2 This youth bulge is perceived as a demographic ‘gift’ for its potential for driving socioeconomic growth, but it is also a major challenge considering the bleak employment situation for this cohort. In the Middle East, the youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24 years) is 3.8 times the adult rate and 3.4 times the rate for North Africa. Overall, the youth unemployment rate stands at 27.2 per cent in the Middle East and 29 per cent in MENA, and it is estimated that the bleak trend will continue until 2018. An estimated 35.7 per cent of Egyptian youth are unemployed.3

Egypt is deeply affected by a mismatch between required job skills and those gained in the education system. Unemployment rates tend to be higher among educated youth; 600,000 young people enter the Egyptian labour market annually, but their skill sets are not aligned with the demands of the private sector.4

Youth Employment Generation

Programme in Egypt1

1 Desk review (May-September 2014), ); Interview (10 November 2014); Internal validation (20 December 2014-19 January 2015); Imple-menter validation (30 April 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

2 ILO (2013).

3 Ibid.

4 ILO (2014).

406

(CSOs). The project, titled ‘ICT for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises’, was implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Egypt ICT Trust Fund and the Islamic Bank Group for Development and included four phases:

Phase 1: Exploring the situation and

identifying the challenges;

Phase 2: Reaching out and professional

skills promotion;

Phase 3: Stepping forward towards

sustainability;

Phase 4: ICT for youth employment.

As a result of the knowledge acquired throughout the implementation of the project, YEGP covers the following four main components/activities:

(1) Technical and vocational training for

MSMEs;

(2) Youth Social Entrepreneurship

Programme (YSEP);

(3) Vocational training;

(4) Internship.

The Youth Employment Generation Programme (YEGP) is part of a multi-country initiative launched by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2012 to respond to the youth unemployment challenge in the Arab transition countries of Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen. This initiative is structured around several core components tailored to the specific needs of each country and market. Core components of the project included technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills training; on-the-job training in private companies; access to financial and guidance services for youth business ideas and micro-businesses; and job and internship placement programmes. Egyptian youth cannot easily gain professional experience, so the internship is short-term training that allows graduates to develop their professional skills and get to know the needs of the private sector.

YEGP was incorporated into the Egypt Information and Communications Technology Trust Fund, established by UNDP in cooperation with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. It focused on building the capacity of youth and their employability with an emphasis on information and communication technology (ICT).

YEGP builds on the work undertaken by UNDP and the Egypt ICT Trust Fund for building the capacity of Egyptian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to leverage ICT in generating employment and creating efficient, better connected and more competitive enterprises through utilizing ICT tools and applications in partnership with civil society organizations

1 Desk Review (May-September 2014); Inquiry Form (5 September 2014); Interview (2 March 2015); Write up (04 March 2015); Internal Validation (04 March 2015); Implementer Validation ().

2 Interview with Ms. Maria Tarancon and Ms. Hala Abd El Monem El Sadek.

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Components of YEGP implementation

The YEGP in Egypt was awarded the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Project Prize for 2014, a unique recognition of excellence. The contest reviewed 141 projects and initiatives from 44 countries for 17 categories. Projects were honoured, recognized and presented with an award during the WSIS Project Prizes 2014 Ceremony at the WSIS+10 High-Level event in Geneva, Switzerland on 10 June 2014.


UNDP “partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone”.5


2.1. Goal

The goal is to address the mismatch between the skills demanded by the private sector and the skills possessed by youth, enhancing their employability through vocational, ICT and soft skills training.6

2.2. Objectives

• Provide youth access to technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills training with an emphasis on ICT;

• Increase opportunities for internships in private sector companies.7

5 UNDP – About us: http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/operations/about_us.html

6 UNDP Egypt (2013).

7 Ibid.

408

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

The target of this programme was youth aged 18-35 years.


The project placed special emphasis in the inclusion and creation of opportunities for young women and aimed for a balanced participation of males and females, setting a minimum quota of 35 per cent females in each of the programme components.8 The participation of females was highest in the vocational training programme, 55 per cent, and lowest in the YSEP, 25 per cent. As for the MSMEs, 46 per cent of participants were females.


The programme did not devise a specific strategy for ethnic minorities or people with disabilities, but nearly 10 per cent of the beneficiaries of the MSME training were people with disabilities.9


The programme targeted marginalized youth, i.e., those living in remote/rural areas or having some kind of disability, and new graduates. A small percentage of participants in the MSME component, less than 2 per cent, were young people without university degrees or school dropouts.


The project is aligned with basic human rights principles. It is based on the premise of decent work and equal opportunities for all, and promotes youth economic empowerment.


Youth were consulted during the setting of objectives and in the evaluation. Youth were also involved in the needs assessments conducted at the start of the programme, doing surveys and interviews to analyse the needs of the community. Awareness-raising sessions were organized in the targeted communities to present the objectives and structure of the project. Feedback from beneficiaries and partners was incorporated into the final design of the project. Throughout the implementation, the monitoring process allowed any necessary changes in activities, in cooperation with the youth. For example, the first training session of social entrepreneurs was organized during a formal school vacation period to respond to the request of the college students.



The programme adopted a demand-driven approach and was designed as a comprehensive package of services for youth empowerment in the labour market. Local needs assessments were conducted among local ICT employers to understand the skills on demand. Several ICT companies took part in the study, and 36 job profiles were determined. Another study was conducted with the youth to understand their needs in terms of training and their expectations from the jobs. An assessment was conducted on how best to manage youth’s expectations and match them with the market.10

8 Telephone interview with Ms. Maria Tarancon and Mr. Hala Abd El Monem el Sadek, UNDP Egypt (date).

9 Egypt ICT Trust Fund (2013).

10 Interview with Ms. Maria Tarancon and Ms. Hala Abd El Monem el Sadek, UNDP Egypt.

409

The project has been implemented through a network of 30 CSOs in 16 governorates. These local organizations participated in training-of-trainers sessions, building their own capacities and improving the capacities of their trainers to train the final beneficiaries (see figure below). The partnership with local organizations maximized the outreach to young people.

Capacity-building and training of trainers

Forty trainers received training in ICT and business administration skills, and they in turn trained 1,852 youth.11 Trainers underwent an interview to evaluate their ICT background, soft skills and experiences. The selected participants received training on:• ICT skills (Windows XP, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, MS Project, Internet and

Outlook);

• Soft skills (presentation, negotiation and communication skills, problem-solving);

• Business skills (Business plan, accounting, marketing and e-marketing, human resources, finance and procurement, inventory control).

Pre- and post-training assessments were performed to evaluate the trainees.

4.2. Activities

Micro, small and medium enterprise training

The MSME component aimed to increase the effectiveness and productivity of the young owners and entrepreneurs through the integration of ICT in their operations. The training was

Figure (1) implementation mechanism

11 UNDP Prezi presentation - https://prezi.com/aoeza14h91yh/innovation-and-creativity-for-development/#

410

conducted through two modalities, face-to-face and online. Face-to-face training consisted of awareness sessions (one-day events introducing the project), training of trainers and capacity-building. Topics addressed included e-marketing, website development, e-accounting and basic ICT skills. Attendees were MSME staff and/or owners, ages 18-35 years, who had established an enterprise and demonstrated potential to develop and grow. Selection was based on interviews and information about the training was disseminated through youth centres, NGO partners, awareness sessions and online promotion.

The second modality was distance learning training. The programme developed the online platform ‘Kayanak’ to reach out to youth who could not attend the face-to-face training. At the time of implementation, the political turmoil in Egypt resulted in restricted mobility.

Kayanak mainly targeted youth aged 21-45 years with their own MSMEs. It addressed those who could not attend the face-to-face meetings or did not fulfil all the requirements for this training, which was the availability to attend and have a legally established enterprise. Registration and selection of participants was done online, and the self-learning toolkits were sent to the MSMEs. Promotion of the training programme included a social media campaign and awareness sessions with 15 local NGOs in 12 governorates, part of the partner organizations. These NGOs were selected based on the resources they possessed for mobilizing targeted beneficiaries.

The toolkit which the participants received consisted of two training packages. The

MSME skills package included CDs for planning and business administration skills, finance and accounting, sales, marketing, customer services and basic computer skills. The manufacturing and managing knowledge package included CDs on skills for digital photography, digital video, website development and management and basic computer skills.

Youth and Social Entrepreneurship Programme

The YSEP aimed to inspire youth to launch their own social entrepreneurship projects with high impact in their communities using ICT.

In Phase I (June-September), the ‘Tomouh’ competition was launched on the YSEP website12 to attract and select the best entrepreneurship projects; 17 awareness sessions about the competition were conducted in 14 universities with 1,200 youth. In Phase II (October-December), a training of trainers was designed and delivered, resulting in 11 entrepreneurship trainers who providing training to 137 other entrepreneurs. The majority of the entrepreneurship trainers were employees of Egypt ICT Trust Fund and two were project partner staff. The 137 entrepreneurs who followed the training were selected through an online competition and applications were filtered according to innovation, social impact and economic sustainability. Topics addressed included strategic social enterprise planning, social enterprise management and integration of ICT into business. In Phase III (January-February), a committee evaluated the competing proposals and selected five finalists. All participants accessed networking and mentorship services including invitations to events related to youth innovation

12 http://www.ysep.org.eg/

411

and entrepreneurship, conferences and workshops on social entrepreneurship, and one-on-one consultations. These activities served to enlarge the youth’s networks and increase their opportunities for success.

Vocational training and internship

Vocational training and internship were combined to provide young people the opportunity to connect with a private sector company at the end of their training. Vocational training was conducted for the partner NGOs and the internships took place in the private companies. The four governorates of Greater Cairo, El-Minya, Aswan and Dakahlia participated. The programme started with a labour market survey in each of the governorates to determine the targeted jobs. Four NGO implementing partners were selected and trained employing the training-of-trainers’ methodology. Beneficiaries were trained on skills that matched the targeted jobs and were linked to internship opportunities. The content of the training focused on ICT-related skills including design and graphics, personal computer (PC) maintenance and customer service.

A marketing demand analysis study conducted at the national level surveyed ICT companies of different sizes to identify both their employment demand and the main competencies and training course/programmes meeting the demand. The study also surveyed recently graduated youth to identify skills gaps.

4.3. Innovativeness

An innovative component introduced by the project was the distance learning training for MSMEs.


The multi-country YEGP project is funded

by the Government of Japan, with $500,000 provided for Egypt.

4.5. Sustainability

The project was implemented and operated by the ICT Trust Fund, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. Integrating the project under a ministry provides greater sustainability to the activities. As part of the sustainable components, the e-learning mechanism Kayanak was highlighted during the evaluation as a tool for systematically providing training to MSMEs.

The project promoted networking and cooperation among trained MSMEs with the purpose of building cascade training mechanisms for a transfer of experiences.

1- Desk Review (May-September 2014); Inquiry Form (5 September 2014); Interview (2 March 2015); Write up (04 March 2015); Internal Validation (4 March-); Implementer Validation ().

2- Interview with Ms. Magda Samy, Chairperson of Ebtessama Foundation, 2 March 2015.

412

This was done through the online website development and networking on the community development portals Kenanaonline,13 mainly through the ‘Ayadina’14 portal which focuses on MSMEs, the competitions, focus group discussions, graduations and final closing events. A

In Jordan, the programme focused on tackling youth unemployment to contribute to poverty reduction and social stability. It concentrated in the governorates where the private sector presence is minimal and youth have limited opportunities for linking with this sector. The governorates were selected based on their levels of poverty and unemployment. The project was implemented in collaboration with the government (Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Ministry of Interior, Vocational Training Corporation); NGOs (Ruwwad for Development, Jordan Career Education Foundation, Jordanian Center for Civic Education, ACTED); and the University of Jordan.

The final evaluation of the programme implemented in Jordan, conducted in October 2014, recommended replication of the project at the national scale given the results in terms of increasing employment opportunities and promoting entrepreneurship. It recommended that the scale-up be conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Ministry of Higher Education and Social Fund for Development with the aim of promoting the programme among youth, especially new graduates.

Expenditure USDActivity

110,130.56ACTIVITY1: Increased internship opportunities in private companies and/or other institutions for youth

389,864.72ACTIVITY2: Increased self-employment and employability of young women and men through access to technical, vocational and entrepreneurial

survey of MSMEs found that 50 per cent of MSMEs, 57 per cent of Kayanak users and 60 YSEP participants were able to transfer the training experience to colleagues.15

4.6. Replicability

The YEGP programme falls within the scope of a multi-country programme initiative implemented to respond to the immediate needs of youth in the Arab transition countries of Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen. It provides quick-impact tools to alleviate their unemployment. This multi-country programme is structured around five major components: (1) increased opportunities for vocational training in private companies for youth; (2) increased access to financial services for youth self-employment; (3) increased self-employment for youth through access to technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills training; (4) increased short-term job opportunities for the most vulnerable youth groups through improvement of public infrastructures and/or services and; and (5) support to the formulation of youth employment-generation policies. Each area of intervention is a stand-alone subcomponent of the programme, offering a package of development assistance which can be tailored to the specific needs of the beneficiary countries.

13 Kenanaonline is a group of seven knowledge sub-portals that provides specialized knowledge in the fields of small enterprise develop-ment, health, women empowerment, agriculture and farming, youth empowerment, educational and vocational training.

14 http://ayadina.kenanaonline.com/

15 UNDP (2013).

413

5. Evaluation of effectivenessThe final evaluation report of September 2013 concluded that the programme was “in complete relevancy to the needs of youth, MSME owners and entrepreneurs, in addition to its relevancy to the government policies and labour market requirements”.16 The programme was successful in achieving its targets and exceeded the number of trained youth in some of its components.

Beneficiaries demonstrated the ability to apply the acquired skills: 60 per cent of MSME trainees applied the acquired ICT skills (e-marketing, website development and e-accounting system); 38 per cent of MSMEs trained through the virtual portal Kayanak developed their own web pages and marketed their projects; 80 per cent of the entrepreneurs trained through the YSEP component applied their ICT and social entrepreneurship skills or used the available networking/mentorship services; and 57 per cent of vocational trainees had internship or job opportunities using their ICT skills.17

MSME component

The expected number of trained MSME youth owners was 1,500, but the programme managed to train 1,852 youth on ICT and business skills. A pre- and post-project assessment was conducted to test the acquisition of knowledge and skills among beneficiaries. The scale employed ranged from one to five. The trainees’ pre-project assessment scores on ICT skills ranged from 1.38 to 3.37 prior to training, and increased to 3.34 to 4.35 after the training. The scores registered for business skills ranged from 1.56 to 1.86 and improved to 3.67 to 4.18

Some 60 per cent of the on-site trainees applied their acquired ICT skills in the following ways: development of website; usage of Excel for accounts; set-up of electronic accounting systems; efficient usage of Microsoft Word; and electronic shopping skills.19

Some 38 per cent of the MSMEs that received training developed their own websites to market their projects; 80 per cent of trained entrepreneurs applied the acquired ICT and social entrepreneurship skills or used the networking and mentorship services; and 90 per cent of vocational trainees obtained employment opportunities requiring ICT skills.

Through the Kayanak portal, 320 MSME training packages were delivered and 2,000 training materials were printed and distributed among the implementing partner NGOs in the targeted governorates.

YSEP

Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted for the trainees who received the entrepreneurship training. Results showed significantly improved knowledge of participants on the topics they were trained on: strategic social planning; social enterprise management; and integration of ICT into business. The scores of pre-course testing were not high; 31 per cent of the attendants passed the test, scoring between 50 per cent and 69 per cent, while the remaining 69 per cent scored below 50 per cent. This shows that the attendees possessed moderate backgrounds about the business and management in general. The post-intervention assessment showed that 25 per cent of participants scored over 90 per cent; 27 per cent scored above 80 per cent; 17 per cent scored between 70 and 79 per cent and 31 per cent scored between 51 and 69 per cent.20

16 UNDP (2013).

17 Ibid.

18 UNDP (2013).

19 UNDP (2013).

20 Ibid.

414

In Phase III, ‘Tomouh’ competitors were filtered and of the 65 qualified business plans, the top 10 were selected and invited for the final arbitration event. The ideas selected were evaluated by an external committee to select the top five competitors, who received in-kind awards to support the implementation of their projects.

The results of the survey indicated the effectiveness of the ‘Tomouh’ website, with 50 per cent of those who responded to the survey saying they learned about the Tomouh competition from the website, 30 per cent from a partner NGO in their area and 20 per cent from the university seminar.

Vocational training and internship

Some 211 youth completed the basic level of vocational training, consisting of basic ICT and soft skills, and 234 youth graduates received advanced training on soft skills, engineering, web design, programming and graphic advertisement. In addition, 42 youth graduates completed a business skills training. Fifty-seven per cent of the trained youth obtained an internship (33 per cent) or job opportunity (22 per cent)

with ICT companies, while 45 per cent were not able to find a job.21


The programme developed a monitoring and evaluation manual to provide guidelines for the monitoring of results at various levels, as well as to help the monitoring and evaluation staff collect qualitative and quantitative data. The programme employed a monitoring and evaluation logical framework of output, outcome and impact.

Each of the activities of each of the components – MSMEs, YSEP, vocational training – were monitored through various methods including:

• Field visits to the training sites;

• Regular phone/e-mail communication with NGO implementers;

• Technical reports submitted weekly and monthly by the implementing NGOs;

• Observation and focus groups;

• Online tracking systems (for the YSEP, Kayanak, vocational training and internship).

21 Ibid

415


• The programme was adapted to local needs of the Egyptian MSMEs, which maximized the effect of the training programme and its impact on improving the practices of the MSMEs.

• Linkage with the private sector for on-the-job training and market needs assessment to tailor training and related materials. This was done through the partners NGOs, which conducted needs assessment in their local communities and linked with private sectors leaders from the start to identify their training needs. After the project helped to build the capacities of youth, the companies were satisfied with hiring qualified graduates.

• The use of distance learning methods helped to overcome the challenges posed by the political situation in Egypt and allowed young entrepreneurs in remote areas to access the training.

• The establishment of a partner network with over 30 CSOs in Egypt, which allowed YGEP to reach a larger target group of youth.

• The organization of the Tomouh competition encouraged entrepreneurs to launch and implement their projects.23

7. Challenges22

• Political challenges: the political turmoil in Egypt hindered the implementation of project activities, particularly in remote governorates, and constrained the participation of trainees. The effects were mitigated by the launch of distance learning (Kayanak).

• Delays in achieving set project targets. This was mitigated by ensuring regular meetings and communication with partners, clarifying goals and timelines.

• The limited time for the programme implementation made it difficult to reach out to youth beneficiaries. To overcome this, the project partnered with EduEgypt, a programme providing summer training workshops in 13 universities.

22 Summary of the challenges identified by the evaluation, UNDP (2013).

23 Email feedback by Ms. Maria Tarancon, December 2014.

416


In Egypt, the model is currently being replicated in six governorates in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO). In this new phase, there is a specific focus on persons with disabilities. Through ICT Trust Fund and UNDP, components featured in this project continue to operate and be delivered through other mechanisms and projects.


• Replicate the project at the national scale in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth, Ministry of Higher Education and Social Fund for Development to promote the programme among youth.

• Strengthen the capacity of CSOs in ICT and training skills in partnership with the Ministry of Social Affairs.

• Kayanak proved to be an effective tool for providing distance learning training.

• Increase cooperation with universities and the private sector through social corporate responsibility to promote entrepreneurship training and provide technical assistance to young entrepreneurs.

• Improve the tracking of beneficiaries and follow-up to capture long-term results of the programme.


• Increasing the diversity of vocational training and linkage with private sector for more internship opportunities.

• Distance learning entrepreneurship kits provided through portals such as Kayanak.

11. Resources

• Kayanak training package

• YSEP training curricula

• Success stories booklet

12. References

Egypt ICT Trust Fund (May 2013), Youth Employment Generation in Egypt Conference.

International Labour Organization, Global Employment Trends for Youth: A generation at risk, Geneva, 2013.

Barsoum, Ghada, Mohamed Ramadan and Mona Mostafa, Labour market transitions of young women and men in Egypt, International Labour Office, Geneva, 2014.

Available at:

http://ww.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/-- -dgrepo r t s / - - -dcomm/documen ts /publication/wcms_247596.pdf

Khoury, M.A. , Evaluation of the Youth Employment Generation Project in Arab Transition Countries – Jordan Component, 2013.

UNDP, Inception Workshop on the Youth Employment Generation Programme in the Arab Transition Countries, PowerPoint presentation, 2012.

UNDP , Youth Employment Generation Programme in the Arab Transition Countries, (Leaflet), January 2014.

UNDP , Training Helps Young Jordanians Turn Business Ideas into Reality – Youth Employment Generation Programme in the Arab Transition Countries – Jordan

24 UNDP (2013).

417

Component – Phase II. (March-April 2014).

UNDP, Labour Market: The Case of Vocational Training in Jordan, May 2014.

UNDP, Youth Employment Generation Programme in the Arab Transition Countries – Jordan Component – Phase II, Final Report, September 2014.

UNDP, Evaluation of Youth Employment Generation Project in Arab Transition Countries – Jordan Component, Phase II, Evaluation Report, October 2014.

UNDP, Youth Employment Generation Program: Final Evaluation Report, September 2013.

Telephone interview with Ms. Nadia Al Awamleh, Portfolio Manager and Ms. Eman Al Hourani, Project Manager, UNDP Jordan, 6 November 2014.

Telephone interview with Ms. Maria Tarancon, Youth Poverty Specialist and Mr. Hala Abd El Monem el Sadek, UNDP Egypt, date.

Photo credits: UNDP.

418

Youth Empowerment Program

Palestinian Counseling Center

419


Palestinian Counseling Center

MENA

State of Palestine

Palestinian Counseling Center (PCC)


Skills development1998Ongoing

Diakonia and Save the Children

Non-UN

Shadi Jaber, Consultant with PCC - [email protected]

Rima Awad, Acting Director for Programs - [email protected]

+972(2)6562272 / +972(2)6562627

Region



UN involvement

End date

Contact

Partners


Since 1998, the Palestinian Counselling Center (PCC) has been implementing an empowerment programme for youth. The program was developed in response to increased rates of school dropout, early marriage and child labour. The information about dropouts (specifically students from grades 9, 10, 11 and 12) is retrieved mainly from Israeli schools (as Palestinians attend those schools), and where the dropout rate is around 50 per cent (the highest among the different types of schools2), or from UNRWA or local Palestinian schools, but these sources do no provide accurate information on dropout rates. The programme evolved over the years. It began as a general programme for youth, and during 2005-2009, it was called ‘Youth at Risk’ as it became a programme for at-risk youth that targeted youth aged 12-18 years who were at risk of dropping out of school and getting married at an early age. Between 2009 and end-2010, the programme continued to operate and was restructured as the implementers realized that the behaviour of young people was affected by other indicators mainly related to the surrounding environment. Between 2011 and 2014, the programme was refocused to become a youth resilience programme called ‘Youth Empowerment Program’ (YEP) which targets youth at risk of developing psychosocial problems and focuses on building the resilience of youth aged 15-22 years by decreasing factors that may negatively influence youth. The programme focuses on developing young people’s identity and sense of self-worth, including their ability to take decisions and to plan for the future. The PCC also conducts recreational activities and

Youth Empowerment Program1

1 Desk review (May-September 2014); Inquiry form (1 October 2014); Interview (23 October 2014 and 5 February 2015); Write up (12 February 2015); Internal Validation (12 February 2015); Implementer Validation(18 march 2015); Final validation (October 2015).

2 Interview with Shadi Jaber, Consultant with PCC, 5 February 2015.

420


The PCC is a non-governmental organization that provides comprehensive services in the field of mental health, including therapy, psychological counselling, socio-educational services to prevent the development of psychological problems, capacity-building and consultations to organizations and individuals working in the field of mental health. The PCC also undertakes lobbying and advocacy to influence legislation and policies that enhance the right to a state of mental well-being in the State of Palestine.

The programme aimed to improve the psychological well-being of the youth. It is based on the premise that improving the coping skills and empowering youth improves their psychological well-being, which in turn increases their productivity and their ability to become active members of their communities.

awareness-raising workshops with youth, and works with their parents with the aim of empowering them to address the issues facing their children, understand the changes that adolescents experience and improve communication between parents and youth.

In light of the Israeli occupation, Palestinian youth struggle with their individual and national identities and are at risk of being alienated within their society and becoming increasingly violent due to social and economic factors. Moreover, the results of a survey on violence carried out by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics in 2011, indicated that 20.8 per cent of youth (19.4 per cent male, 33.2 per cent female) were exposed to at least one type of violence (the focus is on violence caused by their surrounding environment and own communities and not by Israelis). Some 31.4 per cent of them were exposed to psychological violence, 38.7 per cent to physical violence and 1.1 per cent to sexual assault.

In addition, research conducted by the PCC indicated that a sense of self-worth and a proper sense of identity positively affect young people’s mental health. It is important to provide youth with skills to adapt to the surrounding context and to be able to make decisions and plan the future. However, in order to ensure that they receive the necessary support, it is important to include parents in the process as they are the most influential people in the life of youth.4

3 Ibid.

4 Ibid.

421


2.1. Goal

The programme focuses on developing young people’s identity and sense of self-worth, including their ability to take decisions and plan for the future.

2.2. Objectives

1. To empower youth in marginalized areas to adopt alternatives to violence and develop their resilience in order to be able to deal with difficult life situations.

2. To raise the awareness of parents about the needs of youth and methods of empowering them.

any discrimination. Anyone can join the sessions as long as they are facing the issues that the programme aims to resolve.6


The programme targets youth who are currently in school or living in Nablus or Jerusalem and have at least one of the following problems: divorced parents; imprisoned parents; drugs; family problems; exposure to violence; and low socioeconomic status.7 The youth identified are not necessarily those with low grades but instead are those facing difficult living conditions as mentioned earlier.

Targeting of the participants was achieved through multiple methods:

• Members of the group of youth who are still attending school are reached through the schools. The school guides the selection of youth who fit the profile; 60 per cent of youth are recruited in this way.

• Organizations, specifically community centres, guide PCC in the selection of youth who meet the criteria of the target group. Around 30 per cent of youth are recruited through this mechanism.

3. Target group

The minimum number of youth who are enrolled is 120, but more can be enrolled when additional funding is provided, as for example in 2013, when there were around 180 participants.

3.1. Age group

15-22 years old.


The programme addresses both males and females, with 60-70 per cent females and 30- 40 per cent males.5 When recruiting youth, the programme implementers always aim to have an equal number of males and females. During some of the sessions, discussions revolve around gender equality challenges and attitudes towards gender roles, allowing the programme to promote values encouraging gender equality and the rights of women.


The programme has an inclusionary approach. Youth with disabilities can take part in the group sessions. In addition, members of some ethnic groups, e.g., Palestinians of African or gypsy descent, are included in the group sessions without

5 Ibid.

6 Ibid.

422

• Referrals through PCC itself. Because PCC implements other programmes, youth are referred to this programme by facilitators of other programmes.

• Finally, some parents come to the organization to ask that their children participate in the programme; 10 per cent of youth are recruited through referrals and parents.

After PCC identifies the youth who fit the criteria, it undertakes direct outreach by visiting the youth at home to inform them about the programme. Alternatively, some are informed about the programme if they visit PCC directly.8


The YEP promotes the participation of young people as active change agents in their communities. It promotes acceptance of others on the grounds of non-discrimination. The programme encourages youth to voice their concerns and express their feelings, fight for their rights without infringing on the rights of others, and use dialogue and communication as alternatives to violence.9


Starting in 1998, youth were involved in developing the objectives and planning prior to actual implementation of the programme by providing input through focus groups. For example, in 2010, a group of 44 youth (31 males and 13 females) met with PCC staff and evaluated the programme that had taken place from 2005 to 2009. They made suggestions regarding the topics that the programme should focus on during the next phase. Some of the suggestions were to: (1) provide the youth with chances to implement the programme’s activities and be engaged in community development;

and (2) empower and encourage youth who have spent a lot of time on the streets to return to school or refer them to institutions that would keep them off the street and rehabilitate them professionally and psychologically.10 As a result of this focus group’s input, the programme was changed during 2011-2014 to focus on building the resilience of the young people.

Youth also are continuously involved by providing feedback about the programme on a yearly basis through pre- and post-programme tests.

In 2014, youth volunteers from universities were heavily involved in implementing sessions with the youth. These volunteers were recruited either through the recruitment officer at PCC or were referred by their universities to the PCC student training programme, which provides university students of social work and psychology with opportunities to train and engage in practical experience in its various programmes.



The programme was developed based on the extensive experience of the PCC, which implements a vast array of programmes in the State of Palestine,11 including youth programming. The YEP is based on several theories12 which guide its implementation and continuous evolution. There is no stand-alone theory behind the programme, but rather various psychological theories are applied, including Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development which “considers the impact

7 Interview with Shadi Jaber, Consultant with PCC, 23 October 2014.

8 Ibid.

9 Ibid.

10 Report from PCC (2010).


423

of external factors, parents and society on personality development from childhood to adulthood”.13 This theory is manifested in sessions where there is a focus on finding one’s identity. In addition, youth are taught that they are not individuals living alone but rather are surrounded and affected by their environment and in return they need to positively influence this environment.14 This refers to Kurt Lewin’s force field analysis theory, which focuses on the individual and his/her interaction with the environment. In order for change to take place in a person’s life, the equilibrium between forces must be disturbed. Change happens either by strengthening the driving forces (those seeking to promote change) or weakening the restraining forces (forces that are attempting to maintain the status quo). This is why the PCC focuses on the individual as well as the environment, and the interaction between the two.15

4.2. Activities

Because the PCC has limited resources, each year 120 youth who are most in need of the programme are targeted to participate. This number can increase to 180-185 if funding is available. Youth who apply to the programme are shortlisted via the following process:

1. The selection is facilitated by schools, local NGOs and community centres in Nablus and Jerusalem. In addition, youth are nominated by school counsellors and social counsellors of the local NGOs and community centres. The youth are then contacted either through organizations or through house visits;

2. Youth are interviewed to make sure they fit the profile of the target group for YEP;

3. The final selection is made from those most at risk who fit the criteria (living in difficult conditions, being exposed to violence and having troubles at school). Those who are not selected are usually involved in other activities related to community service, e.g., they might be working with young children.

Youth enrolled in YEP attend sessions led by a team of social counsellors from the PCC and youth university volunteers (as described above). On average, each school year, a team of four individuals (including the programme coordinator) is responsible for implementing the programme with youth enrolled in YEP. The sessions revolve around the concepts of empowerment, ways to address psychosocial problems, expressive arts and group management.16

Over the course of a school year, a total of 24 group sessions are held approximately once a week, encompassing role playing, brainstorming activities, video screenings, interactive activities and group work. The first session is a needs assessment of the group in order to determine the members’ needs and properly plan the future sessions. The PCC believes that each group has particualr needs and priorities which should be reflected in plans as opposed to applying a convergent approach where one plan applies to all groups. One-on-one sessions are available for youth who ask for them or those who have manifested the need for individual counselling sessions.

The groups are formed in coordination with local community centres (cultural centres, social centres, etc.). An average of 12 young people (a mixture of ages and males and females) participate in the sessions, which focus on the following topics:17

12 Ibid.

13 Learning Theories.com (website)


16 Ibid.

17 Ibid.

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• Stages of growth: The ability of youth to communicate and negotiate; positive and negative traits of the youth’s age group;

• Resilience: Focusing on confidence-building and building on the youth’s strengths;

• What makes us unique as individuals;

• How society and social norms/attitudes shape our characters and personhood;

• Expressing emotions and alternative ways of self-expression;

• Changes during adolescence;

• Acceptance of the ‘other’, including people of different genders and cultures;

• Rights and responsibilities, obstacles to obtaining rights and how to overcome them.

PCC developed a manual for the programme which has three main parts: (1) a theoretical section explaining the basis for the programme; (2) a section about the process of operating the programme; and (3) a section which clearly describes the content and mode of delivery of each session. The manual will be disseminated publically in 2015 to anyone who wishes to follow the YEP model.18

In addition to the youth sessions, group sessions are offered to parents who wish to participate. On average, one session per month is held with parents and is mainly attended by mothers. Fathers sometimes join only in individual sessions. The group sessions aim to keep the parents informed about the programme and the progress of their children in general. The sessions discuss ways for parents to communicate with their children, understand their needs and how to deal with those needs, using techniques such as role playing,

movie screenings and open discussion. However, many parents prefer to have individual sessions to freely discuss their own cases through consultations. If the need for therapy arises, they are referred to a clinical psychologist who is part of the PCC counselling services department.19

In 2014, PCC began approaching youth in universities (as discussed earlier in the youth involvement sections). These youth volunteers receive a three-day intensive training course to prepare them for both, hand-on practical experience as well as theoretical approaches in working with youth. They are trained by a clinical psychologist to have the proper skills to co-facilitate sessions with programme staff. These volunteers receive monthly supervision and guidance in order to support them and ensure their preparedness in working with youth and families. Training sessions revolve around team building and theoretical concepts related to youth and addressing their issues. Many case studies are shared throughout the training.

Another aspect of YEP is recreational activities, including some workshops, which provide youth with much needed space to interact with one another in a non-formal setting, in a country where they lakc safe spaces and opportunities for interaction and exchange of information. Additionally, the winter camps present youth with challenging conditions that they must overcome creatively and think through; this helps to build the young people’s resilience and decision-making abilities.

4.3. Innovativeness

This programme gives young people the guiding tools to prevent them from developing

18 Ibid.

19 Ibid.

20 Ibid.

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psychosocial problems and to direct/support those who are already experiencing problems. Through the different sessions, the programme intends to build the capacity of youth to deal with their surrounding environment, become more confident, analyse the situation around them, develop skills that allow them organize their lives, understand differences and deal with emotions. These skills will help them to build a better future. The innovativeness in the Palestinian context is noteworthy because programmes targeting youth usually rely only on political culture and youth acquiring artistic or sport skills. YEP goes beyond these issues and is based on needs assessments that highlighted the needs of the youth. It thus responds to these needs and does not impose specific topics on the youth.


Funders for YEP are Diakonia and Save the Children. From 2010 to 2014 the programme’s overall cost was $459,700, 50 per cent of which is for personnel (one coordinator and two counselors in Jerusalem and one counsellor in Nablus, including transportation) and the other 50 per cent for preparation of activities (materials, workshop preparation and recreational activities), allowance and capacity-building trainings for the 30 recruited volunteers, and administrative costs (rent, utilities).

4.5. Sustainability

The programme started in 1998 and is still ongoing with the aid of funding from Diakonia and Save the Children. Additionally, starting in 2014, PCC adopted the peer-to-peer approach, through which youth from universities are trained by PCC to deliver the YEP sessions in their communities, which will allow the scope of

YEP to expand beyond PCC. The university youth are meant to act as role models for the youth groups. The YEP manual, which will be disseminated publically, will allow anyone to be able to replicate YEP with the necessary adaptation to context. Finally, the PCC undertakes an external evaluation of all its programmes every five years, after which it develops a strategic plan to ensure the continuity and adaptation of programmes, including YEP, based on assessments to ensure that needs of youth are being addressed.

4.6. Replicability

The programme has not been replicated.


The evaluation method is based on an assessment form that is given at the beginning and at the end of the intervention. It is a process evaluation and only changes in participants’ knowledge are noted. The results below are based on the evaluation in Jerusalem (evaluation results from Nablus are not included).

The following objectives were set for the years 2010-2014:

Specific objective 1: To empower youth to adopt alternatives to violence, and develop their resilience in order to be able to deal with difficult life situations in marginalized areas

Outcome 1.1: Youth have increased resilience and possess positive alternatives to deal with difficult circumstances through having a clear understanding of, and are comfortable with, their identity and are able

21 Report from PCC (2013).

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to participate actively in their communities.

Indicator 1: 120-180 youth participate in activities that empower them to face the difficult life stresses.

Achievement: In 2013, 185 youth participated in activities enabling them to face difficult life challenges.

Indicator 2: 120 of 180 youth have developed the ability to express themselves, accept the ‘other’ and understand the changes that occur during the adolescent years.

Achievement: In 2013, the PCC conducted an evaluation with 81 of the 185 youth who participated in the programme. Implementers did not reach out to all the participants because some of them had exams. Others did not attend the evaluation sessions. Those who continued to participate in the programme in 2014 will be evaluated following the completion of their group work.

Results of the evaluation:

• 38 of 81 youth (46.9 per cent) indicated improvement in their ability to express themselves.

This percentage is a bit low due to the fact that the youth were given some background on how to express themselves prior to filling out the pre-test, and had some understanding already of the concept of self-expression and how to communicate ideas to others.

• 46 of 81 youth (56.7 per cent) indicated a better understanding of the other and accepting others.

The concept of ‘the other’ and accepting people who are different was new to youth. Religious belief played a major role in preventing them from accepting people

from different faiths and from changing their attitudes.

• 47 of 81 youth (58 per cent) indicated a better understanding of the different physical and psychological changes that they undergo during adolescence.

The youth expressed a great need to understand the changes that they go through during adolescence, and this is where the greatest shift in attitude took place, even though it was also challenging due to the incorrect concepts the youth had about some issues.

Outcome 1.2: The youth have become more knowledgeable about and able to deal with difficult life situations.

Indicator 1: 29 of 50 youth who participated in workshops help in parallel to the group sessions are aware of alternative skills to deal with difficult life situations.

Achievement: One workshop was conducted, in which 15 youth participated. Results of the evaluation conducted during the workshop are as follows:

• 14 of 15 participants expressed gaining new knowledge as a result of the workshop, particularly with regard to identity, planning for the future and alternative ways of dealing with problems;

• 9 of 15 participants expressed gaining new information that helped them address their problems;

• 11 of 15 participants expressed gaining new tools to help them solve their problems.

Indicator 2: 29 youth have received individual consultations about specific issues in violence, identity and self-awareness.

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Achievement: 28 youth received consultations.

Specific Objective 2: To raise the awareness of parents with regards to the needs of youth and methods of empowering them

Outcome 2.1: Parties directly affecting the youths’ lives are aware of the needs and protection issues of youth and methods for empowering them

Indicator 1: 60 parents participate in awareness-raising activities that empower them to address the needs of their children. The number of parents is only 60 because it is very difficult to ensure the commitment of parents throughout this programme.

Achievement: the indicator was achieved as 60 parents participated in awareness-raising activities that empower them to address the needs of their children

Indicator 2: 40 of 60 parents are more aware of the needs and rights of the youth.

Achievement: Post-intervention tests were conducted with 59 parents, the results of which were :

• 53 of 59 participants (89.7 per cent) indicated that they gained new information as a result of the lectures;

• 45 of 59 parents (76.4 per cent) indicated that information gained will help them to deal with difficulties that they face;

• 56 of 59 parents (94.8 per cent) indicated that skills gained during sessions will help them solve their problems.


• Adopting a peer-to-peer approach through the young volunteers who deliver sessions to the targeted youth.

• Adopting a peer-to-peer approach through the recent work done in universities, through which youth could eventually target their fellow students.

7. Challenges

The challenges faced in the implementation phase were convincing the parents that the programme is beneficial to their children and ensuring the commitment of the youth to be active participants throughout the programme. The challenges faced in the evaluation phase revolved around the attendance of youth during the evaluation sessions, and developing the tools for proper evaluation. An outcome/impact evaluation was not possible and only a process evaluation could be conducted. Sustainability is considered a challenge since the programme needs to be continuously improved and expanded to ensure a wider circle of beneficiaries. Despite these challenges, PCC is making efforts to ensure that the programme continues.


The programme’s reach is expanding through the initiation of the volunteering mechanism through which university volunteers deliver sessions to their peers. This new mechanism is expanding and aims to cover other cities in the State of Palestine. In addition, an external evaluator will be asked to assess the effectiveness of the programme and offer recommendations for the coming five years.


428

Lessons learned:

The youth in a society are a power for change but they need the necessary tools and life skills to help them make that change. Even youth who have problems have a high degree of motivation for change and improvement.

The following were the recommendations for continuing the programme:

• Ability to properly address the needs of targeted youth;

• Building on the psychosocial positive mentality;

• Have a programme that intervenes on a long-term basis;

• Have a programme that is linked with many services (such as group-based activities, individual consultations, youth and parent activities, etc.) in order to meet the needs of the youth;

• View the youth within their context and environment, not only at the individual level.


• Strategy used for Peer to peer approach - a programme manual that allows anyone to implement with contextual adaptation;

• Strategy to develop a programme based on the identified needs of young people.

11. Resources

Youth Empowerment Program Manual

12. References

Interview with Shadi Jaber, Consultant with PCC on 23 October 2014 and on 5 February 2015

Palestinian Counseling Center (2010). برنامج الشباب خمس سنوات على التجربة

Palestinian Counselng Center (2013). Evaluation results. Jerusalem: Palestinian Counseling Center.

Palestinian Counseling Center (2014). Good practices documentation in adolescent and youth programming. Jerusalem.

http://www.learning-theories.com/eriksons-stages-of-development.html

Photo credits: PCC.

430

ANNEXES

431

Annex 1. Project Human Resources

Project Team

Faculty of Health Science, American University of Beirut

The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) is one of six faculties at the American University of Beirut. It was established in 1954 as the first independent, self-governed school of public health in the Arab world. FHS prepares professionals in the disciplines of public health and health sciences through undergraduate and graduate programmes, and introduces future physicians to public health. It contributes to knowledge and the improvement of the public’s health in Lebanon and the region by conducting scholarly and relevant research and by responding to priority health issues and training needs in collaboration with stakeholders. FHS has a long tradition of community-based research, training and service in Lebanon and the region. FHS is also actively engaged in advocacy efforts and policy dialogue in relation to public health priorities in Lebanon and the region. Students are actively involved in faculty- or student-initiated projects on a voluntary basis or as part of their practical training and course projects. FHS hosts three centres that work in synergy to respond to public health needs: The Center for Public Health Practice (CPHP); the Center on Knowledge-to-Policy for Health (K2P); and the Center for Research and Population Health (CRPH).

The Center for Public Health Practice – CPHP (previously known as the Outreach and Practice Unit)

As the practice arm of FHS, CPHP advances evidence-based public health practice in Lebanon and the Arab region while enhancing the academic experience of students and faculty. It builds solid community partnerships and develops human capabilities to impact the health of populations.

Since its inception in 2009, the CPHP has been leading a number of initiatives addressing the needs of various population groups, mainly young people and women of reproductive age. This has been made possible thanks to a rich pool of technical human resources. With respect to youth, the Center’s projects have focused on the development and implementation of a programme for active and community-engaged youth in Lebanon. In Iraq, a larger youth-focused project has included the revision and validation of a national youth strategy; the development and promotion of a package and process for adolescent and youth-friendly health services; the development of the process and materials for implementing life-skills education in schools and technical institutes; and the provision of a variety of levels of support for youth at risk. The CPHP has amassed rich experience in context relevant programmes for youth in the region.

The technical team for this project consists of:

• Rima Afifi (Resume attached) : Technical Lead ( March-December 2014)

• Aline Germani (Resume attached): Project Coordinator and Manager (March-December 2014)

432

• Three Research Assistants:

• Racha Adib Abdel Wahed (June-October 2014)

• Sarah Armoush (October –May 2015) – contributed by CPHP.

• Bayan Jaber (October- December 2014)

• 2 Graduate Assistants (September – December 2014) - contributed by CPHP:

• Clara Abou Samra

• Fatima Moussaoui

• 1 Intern – contributed by CPHP.

• Aaron Antonio Torres Mathieu (September – December 2014)

The project was conducted in close coordination and with the support of the UNICEF MENARO team, Ms. Veera Mendonca and Ms. Karin Schmidt Martinez.

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Annex 2. Members of the UNIATTTYP That Were Contacted

Name Title Organization

Muhamed Abdel-Ahad Regional Director UNFPAMaria Calivis Regional Director UNICEFHannan Sulieman Deputy Regional Director UNICEF

Aleksandar BodirozaTechnical Adviser, Youth, HIV/AIDS

UNFPA

Veera MendoncaRegional Adviser, Adolescent Development and Participation

UNICEF

Varsha Redkar-Palepu Regional Coordination Specialist R-UNDG SecretariatLinda Haddad Special Assistant to the Director UNDPKawtar Zerouali Regional Project Manager UNV

Patrick DaruSenior Specialist Skills and Employability / ILO Regional Office for Arab States

ILO

Rupa BhadriYouth and Social Organization Officer

UNAIDS

Raidan Al-Saqqaf Social Affairs Officer ESCWASarah Brun UN-WomenSugita Seiko UNESCOKatja Schaefer

Joanna RicartHuman Settlements Officer, Arab States

UN-Habitat

Liv Elin IndreitenAdolescent and Youth Specialist

UNICEF

Mona Moustafa Programme Specialist UNFPANathalie Bavitch Regional M & E Advisor ILOMarta Lanzoni Programme Analyst R-UNDG Secretariat

434

Annex 3. Online Survey

435

YOUTH SURVEY: Good practices in Adolescents and Youth Programming

436

Introductory page

What is this survey about? This

survey aims to explore youth-oriented

interventions which young people in the MENA region find effective and beneficial and document them to suggest good practices for the region. The interventions can be those implemented in the MENA region or globally. We are interested in interventions that focus on the following themes:

Employability, school to work transition, resilience building and comprehensive programming in humanitarian context, skills/competence building, innovations, social protection, youth policy development, civic engagement, education, sexuality education, health

How can you contribute? Just describe any experience you were involved in or heard about that was focused on one of the above thematic areas and that you felt was successful, and why you felt it was. Also provide us with the contact information of the people who implemented the program so we can follow up with them and document the program comprehensively. The programs can be those you were involved in/heard about within the region, as well as those outside the region and which you wish were implemented in our region.

Before you begin: Is this survey for YOU?

1. Are you aged between 10-30 years? YES/NO

2. Do you live in one of the BELOW LISTED countries of the MENA region? YES/NO

Algeria

Bahrain

Djibouti

Egypt

Iraq

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

Libya

Your rights

The survey is being conducted by the Faculty of Health Sciences at the American University of Beirut (www.aub.edu.lb/fhs) in collaboration with UNICEF MENARO. You have the opportunity to provide information on up to 5 programs that you feel have been successful in our region or around the world. The survey will take approximately ten minutes of your time to complete. You can choose to answer all or some of the questions and can discontinue your participation at any time. Discontinuing participation at any time in no way affects your relationship with AUB or UNICEF. The survey is voluntary and by completing any part of the survey, we assume that you have consented to providing the information. The survey is anonymous, no identifying information is requested, and no information can be traced back to you. All data resulting from this study will be analyzed, written, and published in aggregate form. There is no direct benefit to you from completing this survey. However, information you provide will help identify interventions that might make a difference in the lives of youth in the region. If you have any questions about this survey, please feel free to send an e-mail to [email protected].

Yemen

Mauritania

Somalia

Comoros

Morocco

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

State of Palestine

Sudan

Syrian Arab Republic

Tunisia

United Arab Emirates

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Click to begin the survey. Clicking this link indicates that you have voluntarily consented to respond.

Information about YOU

Are you

Male

Female

How old are you?

10-13

14-17

19-21

22-24

What’s your country of residence? (open)

Algeria

Bahrain

Djibouti

Egypt

Iraq

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

Libya

Good practices 1

1. What is the name of the first adolescent/youth program you’d like to tell us about? (One-line text box)

2. What thematic area(s) did this program focus on ? (you can check more than one box if it tackled more than one thematic area)

Employability

School to work transition

Resilience building and comprehensive programming in humanitarian context

Skills/competence building

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Innovations

Social protection

Youth policy development

Civic engagement

Education, sexuality education

Health

(Checkboxes)

3. Is this a program you participated in or heard about?

Initiated/Implemented

Participated in

Heard about

4. Where (in which country) was the program implemented? If the program was implemented in more than one region, check more than one region, and related countries.

In the Arab region (which country?)

In North America

In Europe

In Africa

In Australia

In Asia

5. When was the program implemented? Please include a start and end date (month, year) if possible.

Start date:

End date:

Don’t remember, not sure

6. What ages of young people participated in the intervention? Please feel free to check more than one box where relevant

10-13 years

14-17 years

18-21 years

22-24 years

439

7. Was the program for females or males or both?

Females

Males

Both

8. What is the name of the implementing organization? Also add a link to their webpage if you can. (One-line text box)

9. Please provide a brief description of the program (text box).

10.In your opinion, what made the program successful? What is a successful intervention? It can be defined in many ways, but for this survey, we are focusing on YOUR perceptions... if you felt it was successful in whatever way you define success, tell us! YOU are the best judges of what works and does not work. Your perceptions are those that count.

(text box)

11. In your opinion, what could have been improved in the program? (text box)

12. Please provide the contact information (name and e-mail if possible) of the people who implemented the program so we can follow up with them and document the program comprehensively (text box)

13. Can we contact you if we need more information about this program?

Yes – e-mail

No

I have no other example to suggest. I am done with the survey

I want to give another example of a best practice

Good practices 2

1. What is the name of the second adolescent/youth program you’d like to tell us about? (One-line text box)


Employment

Entrepreneurship

Protection of rights

Civic engagement

Political inclusion

Education

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Sexuality education

Health

(Checkboxes)



Participated in

Heard about



In North America

In Europe

In Africa

In Australia

In Asia


Start date:

End date:



10-13 years

14-17 years

18-21 years

22-24 years


Females

Males

Both

441



10. In your opinion, what made the program successful? What is a successful intervention? It can be defined in many ways, but for this survey, we are focusing on YOUR perceptions.. If you felt it was successful in whatever way you define success.. tell us! YOU are the best judges of what works and does not work. Your perceptions are those that count.

(text box)


12. Please provide the contact information (name and e-mail if possible) of the people who implemented the program so we can follow-up with them and document the program comprehensively (text box)


Yes – e-mail

No

I have no other example to suggest. I am done with the survey. I want to give another example of a best practice

Good practices 3

1. What is the name of the third adolescent/youth program you’d like to tell us about? (One-line text box)


Employment

Entrepreneurship


Civic engagement

Political inclusion

Education

Sexuality education

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Health

(Checkboxes)



Participated in

Heard about

4. Where (in which country) was the program implemented? If the prgoam was implemented in more than one region, check more than one region, and related countries.


In North America

In Europe

In Africa

In Australia

In Asia


Start date:

End date:


6.What ages of young people participated in the intervention? Please feel free to check more than one box where relevant

10-13 years

14-17 years

18-21 years

22-24 years


Females

Males

Both

8. What is the name of the implementing organization? Also add a link to their webpage if

you can. (One-line text box)

443


10. In your opinion, what made the program successful? What is a successful intervention? It can be defined in many ways, but for this survey, we are focusing on YOUR perceptions .if you felt it was successful in whatever way you define success.. tell us! YOU are the best judges of what works and does not work. Your perceptions are those that count.

(text box)




Yes – e-mail

No



Good practices 4

1. What is the name of the fourth adolescent/youth program you’d like to tell us about? (One-line text box)


Employment

Entrepreneurship


Civic engagement

Political inclusion

Education

Sexuality education

Health

(Checkboxes)


444


Participated in

Heard about



In North America

In Europe

In Africa

In Australia

In Asia


Start date:

End date:



10-13 years

14-17 years

18-21 years

22-24 years


Females

Males

Both



445

10. In your opinion, what made the program successful? What is a successful intervention? It can be defined in many ways, but for this survey, we are focusing on YOUR perceptions .. if you felt it was successful in whatever way you define success.. tell us! YOU are the best judges of what works and does not work. Your perceptions are those that count.

(text box)




Yes – e-mail

No



Good practices 5

1. What is the name of the fifth adolescent/youth program you’d like to tell us about? (One-line text box)

2. What thematic area(s) did this program focus on? (you can check more than one box if it tackled more than one thematic area)

Employment

Entrepreneurship


Civic engagement

Political inclusion

Education

Sexuality education

Health

(Checkboxes)



Participated in

446

Heard about



In North America

In Europe

In Africa

In Australia

In Asia


Start date:

End date:


6. What age group was the primary target of the intervention? Please feel free to check more than one box where relevant

10-13 years

14-17 years

18-21 years

22-24 years


Females

Males

Both




(text box)


447



Yes – e-mail

No

THANK YOU for participating in this survey. Please feel free to send the link to other young people who live in this region. We want to hear from as many young persons as possible.

ADULT SURVEY: Good practices in Adolescents and Youth Programming

Introductory page

What is this survey about? This survey aims to explore youth-oriented interventions which you believe to be effective and beneficial and document them to suggest good practices for the MENA region. The interventions can be those implemented in the MENA region or globally. We are interested in interventions that focus on the following themes:


How can you contribute? Just describe programs you have been involved in, implemented, or heard about that focused on one of the above thematic areas and that you felt were successful, and why you felt they were. Also provide us with the contact information of the people who implemented the program (and this might be YOU) so we can follow up and document the program comprehensively. The programs can be those you were involved in/implemented/or heard about within the region, as well as those outside the region and which you wish were implemented in our region.

Information about the survey

The survey is being conducted by the Faculty of Health Sciences at the American University of Beirut (www.aub.edu.lb/fhs) in collaboration with UNICEF MENARO (add link You have the opportunity to provide information on up to 5 programs that you feel have been successful in our region or around the world. The survey will take approximately ten minutes of your time to complete. You can choose to answer all or some of the questions and can discontinue your participation at any time. Discontinuing participation at any time in no way affects your relationship with AUB or UNICEF. The survey is voluntary and by completing any part of the survey, we assume that you have consented to providing the information. The survey is anonymous, no identifying information is requested, and no information can be traced back to you. All data resulting from this study will be analyzed, written, and published in aggregate form. There is no direct benefit to you from completing this survey. However, information you provide will help identify interventions that might make a difference in the

448

lives of youth in the region. If you have any questions about this survey, please feel free to send an e-mail to [email protected].

Click to begin the survey. Clicking this link indicates that you have voluntarily consented to respond.

Good practices 1

1. What is the name of the first adolescent/youth program you’d like to tell us about? (One-line text box)


• Employability

• School to work transition

• Resilience building and comprehensive programming in humanitarian context

• Skills/competence building

• Innovations

• Social protection

• Youth policy development

• Civic engagement

• Education, sexuality education

• Health

(Checkboxes)



Participated in

Heard about



In North America

In Europe

In Africa

In Australia

449

In Asia


Start date:

End date:



10-13 years

14-17 years

18-21 years

22-24 years


Females

Males

Both



10. In your opinion, what made the program successful? What is a successful intervention? It can be defined in many ways, but for this survey, we are focusing on YOUR perceptions... if you felt it was successful in whatever way you define success, tell us! YOU are the best judges of what works and does not work. Your perceptions are those that count.

(text box)


12. Please provide the contact information (name and e-mail if possible) of the people who implemented the program so we can follow up with them and document the program comprehensively (text box)


450

Yes – e-mail

No



Good practices 2

1. What is the name of the second adolescent/youth program you’d like to tell us about? (One-line text box)


Employment

Entrepreneurship


Civic engagement

Political inclusion

Education

Sexuality education

Health

(Checkboxes)


4. Initiated/Implemented

Participated in

Heard about



In North America

In Europe

In Africa

In Australia

In Asia

6. When was the program implemented? Please include a start and end date (month, year)

451

if possible.

Start date:

End date:



10-13 years

14-17 years

18-21 years

22-24 years


Females

Males

Both




(text box)




Yes – e-mail

No



452

Good practices 3

1. What is the name of the third adolescent/youth program you’d like to tell us about? (One-line text box)


Employment

Entrepreneurship


Civic engagement

Political inclusion

Education

Sexuality education

Health

(Checkboxes)



Participated in

Heard about



In North America

In Europe

In Africa

In Australia

In Asia


Start date:

End date:



453

10-13 years

14-17 years

18-21 years

22-24 years

7. Was the program forfemales or males or both?

Females

Males

Both




(text box)




Yes – e-mail

No



Good practices 4

1. What is the name of the fourth adolescent/youth program you’d like to tell us about? (One-line text box)


Employment

Entrepreneurship

454


Civic engagement

Political inclusion

Education

Sexuality education

Health

(Checkboxes)



Participated in

Heard about



In North America

In Europe

In Africa

In Australia

In Asia


Start date:

End date:



10-13 years

14-17 years

18-21 years

22-24 years


455

Females

Males

Both




(text box)




Yes – e-mail

No



Good practices 5

1. What is the name of the fifth adolescent/youth program you’d like to tell us about? (One-line text box)


Employment

Entrepreneurship


Civic engagement

Political inclusion

Education

456

Sexuality education

Health

(Checkboxes)



Participated in

Heard about



In North America

In Europe

In Africa

In Australia

In Asia


Start date:

End date:


6. What age group was the primary target of the intervention? Please feel free to check more than one box where relevant

10-13 years

14-17 years

18-21 years

22-24 years


Females

Males

Both



457

10. In your opinion, what made the program successful? What is a successful intervention? It can be defined in many ways, but for this survey, we are focusing on YOUR perceptions.. if you felt it was successful in whatever way you define success.. tell us! YOU are the best judges of what works and does not work. Your perceptions are those that count.

(text box)




Yes – e-mail

No

THANK YOU for participating in this survey. Please feel free to send the link to other young people who live in this region. We want to hear from as many young persons as possible.

458

)Survey in Arabic( أفضل املمارسات املتعلقة في برامج املراهقني والشباب

ما هي هذه اإلستمارة؟

تهدف هذه اإلستمارة إلى البرامج املوجهة للشباب و التي يجدها الشباب مفيدة و فّعالة بهدف توثيقها و تعميمها في منطقة

الشرق األوسط و شمال أفريقيا.

قد يكون مت تنفيذ هذه التدخالت في منطقة الشرق األوسط و شمال أفريقيا أو على الصعيد العاملي. نحن مهتمون في التدخالت

التي تركز على إحدى احملاور التالية:

العمالة، املرحة اإلنتقالية من التعليم العام إلى العمل، بناء املرونة و القدرة على التأقلم و تطوير برامج شمولية في إطار تفعيل

التربية، املدنية، املشاركة شبابية، سياسة تطوير االجتماعية، احلماية االبتكارات، والكفاءات، املهارات بناء اإلنسانية، اإلستجابة

التربية اجلنسية، الصحة.

كيف ميكنك املساهمة؟

أنها كانت ناجحة و أو سمعت عنها و شعرت التي شاركت بها و التي ذكرت أعاله املواضيع عليك مجرد وصف جتربة تركز على

األسباب لذلك. و كذلك أيضاً توفير لنا معلومات عن كيفية اإلتصال باألشخاص الذين نفذّوا البرنامج حتى نتمكن من متابعتهم و

توثيق البرنامج بشكل شامل. من املمكن أن تكون شاركت أومجرد سمعت عن هذا البرنامج من ضمن هذه املنطقة، أو حتى من خارج

املنطقة و و التي كنت تتمنى تنفيذها في املنطقة.

قبل أن تبدأ:

تأكد أن هذه األستمارة موجهة إليك عبر اإلجابة على هذه األسئلة.

إذا أجبت ب “ال” إلى أي من األسئلة التالية، سيتم توجيهك إلى صفحة الشكر و يطلب منك إرسال هذه اإلستمارة لآلخرين الذين

ينطبق عليهم هذه املعايير.

1. هل يتراوح عمرك بني 30-10 سنة؟ نعم / ال

2. هل تسكن في أحدى البلدان من منطقة الشرق األوسط املذكورة أدناه ؟ نعم / ال

اجلزائر، البحرين، جيبوتي، مصر، العراق، األردن، الكويت، لبنان، ليبيا، املغرب، عمان، قطر، اململكة العربية السعودية ، دولة فلسطني،

السودان، اجلمهورية العربية السورية، تونس، األمارات العربية املتحدة، اليمن، موريتانيا، الصومال، جزر القمر.

حقوقك

.MENARO يتم إجراء اإلستمارة من قبل كلية العلوم الصحية في اجلامعة األميركية في بيروت بالتعاون مع اليونيسيف

• لديك الفرصة أن توفر املعلومات حول 5 برامج تشعر أنكها كانت ناجحة في املنطقة أو جميع أنحاء العالم. من املتوقع أن تستغرق اإلستمارة 10 دقائق من الوقت إلكمالها.

• ميكنك اختيار الرد على جميع أو بعض األسئلة، وميكن التوقف عن املشاركة في أي وقت. عدم إكمال األستمارة لن يؤثر بأي شكل من األشكال على عالقتك مع اجلامعة األميركية في بيروت أو اليونيسيف.

إن مشاركتكم في هذه اإلستمارة هي مشاركة طوعّية و باستكمالك ألي جزء من األستمارة نفترض أنك قد وافقت على تقدمي •املعلومات. كل املعلومات التي يتم جمعها خالل املقابلة تبقى سرّية

من أجل احلفاظ على سرية أجوبتك، لن يتم الربط بني أجوبتك وإسمك أو أي معلومة أخرى ميكن أن تكشف عن هويّتك. •

سوف يتم حتليل البيانات التي مت جتميعها من مصادر مختلفة بشكل عام بحيث يتم احلفاظ على خصوصيتكم في كل التقارير •الناجتة.

459

• ال يحظى املشارك في هذه الدراسة على أيّة منافع مباشرة. غير أّن نتائج هذه الدراسة سوف تساعد في حتديد التدخالت التي قد حتدث فرقا في حياة الشباب في املنطقة.

[email protected] إذا كان لديك أي أّي تساؤالت حول هذه الدراسة، الرجاء إرسال بريد إلكتروني إلى

معلومات عنك

اجلنس

ذكر

أنثى

كم عمرك؟

من 10 – 13 سنة

من 14 – 17 سنة

من 19 – 21 سنة

من 22 24- سنة

من 25 – 30 سنة

أين تقيم؟

اجلزائر

البحرين

جيبوتي

مصر

العراق

األردن

الكويت

لبنان

ليبيا

املغرب

عمان

قطر

ااململكة العربية السعودية

دولة فلسطني

السودان

اجلمهورية العربية السورية

تونس

األمارات العربية املتحدة

460

اليمن

موريتانيا

الصومال

جزر القمر

أفضل املمارسات 1

1. ما هو اسم البرنامج األول املوجه للمراهقني / الشباب الذي ترغب في إخبارنا عنه؟

2. ما هو املوضوع الذي ركز عليه هذا البرنامج ؟ )ميكنك أن تختار أكثر من جواب واحد إذا كان البرنامج تناول أكثر من مجال(

العمالة

املرحلة اإلنتقالية من التعليم العام إلى العمل

بناء املرونة و القدرة على التأقلم و تطوير برامج شمولية في إطار تفعيل اإلستجابة اإلنسانية

بناء املهارات والكفاءات

االبتكارات

احلماية االجتماعية

تطوير سياسة شبابية

املشاركة املدنية

التربية و التربية اجلنسية

الصحة

3. هل شاركت في هذا البرنامج أم سمعت عنه؟

بادرت / نفذت

شاركت

سمعت

4.أين )في أي بلد( مت تنفيذ هذا البرنامج؟ إذا مت تنفيذ البرنامج في أكثر من منطقة، اختار أكثر من منطقة، و اذكر الدول ذات الصلة.

في املنطقة العربية

في أمريكا الشمالية

في أوروبا

في أفريقيا

في أستراليا

في آسيا

461

5. متى مت تنفيذ هذا البرنامج؟ يرجى حتديد تاريخ البدء و اإلنتهاء )الشهر والسنة( إذا أمكن.

تاريخ البدء:

تاريخ االنتهاء:

ال أتذكر، لست متأكدا

6. ما أعمار الشباب الذي شاركوا في البرنامج؟ ميكنك إختيار أكثر من إختيار واحد إن كان مناسبا

من 10 – 13 سنة

من 14 – 17 سنة

من 19 – 21 سنة

من 22 24- سنة

7. هل كان البرنامج موّجه لإلناث أو الذكور أو كليهما؟

اإلناث

الذكور

الذكور و اإلناث

8. ما هي اسم املنظمة املنفذة؟ أضاف الرابط لصفحة الويب اخلاصة بهم إذا استطعت.

9. يرجى تقدمي وصف موجز للبرنامج.

على نركز نحن الدراسة، لهذه ولكن بطرق كثيرة، الناجح البرنامج تعريف وميكنك ناجحا؟ البرنامج الذي جعل ما رأيك، في .10التصوراتك اخلاصة... إذا شعرت أنها كانت ناجحة بأي طريقة الرجاء قل لنا. أنك أفضل القضاة في ما يصلح وما ال يصلح. التصورات

اخلاصة بك هي التي نرتكز عليها.

11. في رأيك، كيف كان من املمكن حتسينه هذا البرنامج؟

12. يرجى تقدمي االسم والبريد اإللكتروني إن أمكن ملنفذي البرنامج حتى نتمكن من املتابعة معهم وتوثيق البرنامج بطريقة شمولية.

13. هل ميكننا االتصال بك إذا كنا بحاجة إلى مزيد من املعلومات حول هذا البرنامج؟

نعم - البريد اإللكتروني

ال

إن كنت تريد أن تعطي مثال آخر على أفضل املمارسات، إضغط نعم.

إن كان ليس لديك أي أمثلة لبرامج أخرى تقترحه و قد إنتهيت من اإلستمارة، إضغط ال.

462

Annex 4. List of Networks and Individuals

NetworksWorld Youth Alliance Middle East, FHS faculty, HPCH alumni, FHS alumni, Arab Youth Network for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Y-PEER Network, Advisory group

Organizations

UNRWA, MDM, International Planned Parenthood Association, AUB, Bella Health, Population Council, IDRAAC, PHAW, Mouvement Social, MSF, Beyond, YMCA, Masar, World Vision, Egyptian Family Health Society, Ford Foundation, Caritas Migrant, Jordan River Foundation, UNHCR, Howard Karagheusian Association for child welfare, Amel, Oum El Nour

Institutions

Australia India Institute, University of Kinshasa, AUBMC, University of London, McMaster, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University, Alexandria Center, The Royal Children’s hospital, Duke University, MOPH, Arabian Gulf University, Italian Cooperation for Development, Birzeit University

Individuals

80 individuals connected or affiliated to FHS ( Ahmed Metwal , Akihiro Seita, Alena Mack, Alexandra Irani, Alia Bilal, Alissar Rady, Amitabh Mattoo, Amr Awad, Antoinette Shefu ,Patrick Kiyambe,

Baptiste Hanquart, Bchara Choucair, Brigitte Khouri, Carla Daher, Carmen Barroso, Cedric Choucair,

Charles Harbv, Chris Bonnel , Colette Smith, Community tool box workshop participants,

Dakshitha Wickremarathne, David Lavis, Dr. Bruce, Ed Taylor , Elie Karam, Emily Field,

Fadi Maalou , Fadia AlBuhairan, Farzaneh Roudi , Fatma Geel , Fayrouz Salemeh, FHS alumni network

George Patton, Georgina Manok, Ghassan Hamadeh, Global health network of Maha damaj

Hala Alaouie, Hana Farra, Hanaa D. Arid, Hazzaa M. Al-Hazzaa, Hiam El Zein, HLA Advisory, Ismail El-Kharbotly , Jad Melki, Jilian Grisel ,Joe Awad, Joe Haddad, Joe Hallit, John Fayyad, Josephine Boland ,Kamal Shayya, Kikelemo Taiwo , Lara el Ghaoui, Leila Dirani, M.Magdy Ahmed El Khayat, Maha Houssami, Mamdouh Wahba, Manal Kloub , Manale Benkirane, Margareth MgGrath, MCF student for Syria, Mimie Richard , Mirna Choujaa , Mona Harb, Mona Osman, Montasser Kamal, Muna Khalidi, Nada Aghar, Nico Evers, Nihaya Al-sheyab, Niveen Abu-Rmeileh, Omar Ballan, Rabih Chammai , Rafic bedoui , Rami Khouri, Randah Hamadeh, Reno Papaggallo, Rita Giacaman, Rita Rohayem, Ritsuko Kakuma , Rowaida Al-Maaitah, Salma Jaouni ,Samar Abboud, Samar Zebian, Samer Jabbour, Sara Bitar,

Sazan Mandalawi ,Seraphine Zeitouni, Serop Ohanian, Shereen El Feki , Vikram Pattel, Walid Ammar, Wissam Hajj Ali, Yoke van der Meulen , Zeina Mhanna, Arab youth network for sexual and reproductive health and rights (Y-peer network)

463

JudgmentRegionCategoryUN / Non UNSummaryCountryOrganizationTitle of

Programme

droppedMENAcivic engagement

UNThe Citizens’ Participation and Accountability Project purpose is to contribute to the alignment between the development interests of citizens and the political and economic priorities of the State. The project strategy is to enhance the capacities of civil society, political parties, media, legislative assemblies and other relevant government bodies to contribute to pro-poor and gender-sensitive budget planning and to monitor public spending. The project’s activities focus on enhancing interrelationships between key actors in order provide institutionalized entry- points for citizens and their organizations in the budget process.

SudanUNDPAccountability and Citizens Participation


Non UNCivic engagement, leadership development, and relationship strengthening

MENAU.S. State Department in partnership with the American Council of Young Political Leaders

Active Citizen Summit for Young Middle East and North African Leaders

continue to explore

MENAcivic engagement

Non UNInvolvement of adolescents in these community projects, identified by them, provides an opportunity for meaningful participation; builds key life and livelihood skills tailored to the 14-18 age group; contributes to improving the communities in which they live; improves social cohesion and community acceptance by bringing together different nationalities in the same group.

LebanonSave the Children

Adolescent & Youth-led Community Projects

good practice


UNIn 2004, the UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office started coordinating a four-country programme with the overall goal to fulfil the rights to self-development, education, protection and participation of Palestinian adolescents (age 10-18 years) living in the State of Palestine and in refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic. Grounded in an approach based on positive adolescent development and participation, the AFS are housed in/by youth centres, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), sports clubs and centres run by community-based organizations (CBOs), where adolescents have the opportunity to meet in a space where they can feel safe to network and socialize with their peers. These spaces offered adolescents a diverse range of skills- building programmes and activities, including life-skills training and action research. The AFS also offered adolescents recreational sports, drama, theatre and arts, and the opportunity to engage with the community, identifying issues of concern and implementing solutions through their adolescent-led activities. The different programmes offered in the AFS aimed to build adolescents’ skills in critical thinking, creativity and collaboration, supporting them to become more resilient.

SoP, Lebanon,

Syria, Jordan

UNICEFAdolescent Friendly Spaces (AFS)

Annex 5. List of All Programmes Identified

464


Programme

promising practice


UNThe project aims at at helping and outreaching to youth (Adolescents and young adults) in Jerusalem and Hebron (H2 area) with initiatives that provide the opportunity to acquire professional basic and advanced skills by intensive training and capacity building courses in professional media including practical implementation. The project aims to teach and promote social media to inspire under-served young people to be an active part through engaging them in activities related to media and photography. YDD is to focus on communities living in conflict (Fragmented) by empowering young people to cope with their reality and overcome social tension.

PalestineUNICEFAdolescents Speak Up

promising practice


UNLaunched in May 2011, the aim of the programme is to facilitate young people’s participation in 5 Arab states through volunteerism as a positive and sustainable mechanism for social change. The programme’s specific activities are developed in a youth-led participatory approach. The programme strenghtens infrastructures necessary to build the skills and capacities of youth in the region. National consultations took place in 2012 with youth to shape the strategic directions of the programme.

Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia,

Morocco & Yemen

UNVArab Youth Volunteering for a Better Future


UNUNFPA supported Etijah in 2013 to incorporate youth aspirations and hopes throughout Egypt in the constitutional reforms. The initiative engaged closely with members of the constitutional committee. The 2 months initiative included placing constitution suggestion boxes in 100 secondary schools, mostly outside Cairo. School students with no voting power had an opportunity to get their voices out and clear on how they want the constitution to look like.Focus group discussions were held all over Egypt to ensure all suggestions are effectively discussed and agreed upon via consensus. In addition, questionnaires with close-ended questions were disseminated physically and via social media platforms (mainly Facebook).The discussions tackled all the sections of the constitution; namely, the basic constituents of the state, the rule of law, the social constituents, the economic fundamentals, rights and freedoms and public duties and the state’s policy towards young people.

EgyptUNFPABader le Dostourak (Initiate for your Constitution)

465


Programme


Non UNThe training package about youth civic engagement aims at informing young people all over Tunisia about citizenship, gender equality and human rights. This should result in the creation of a network of young educators in charge of promoting human rights including reproductive rights, and gender equality. The package includes a basic knowledge manual, a training of trainers manual and a peer educators manual. The basic knowledge manual called “Citizenship: what I have, what I give” has just been edited. It defines the concept of citizenship (principles and values, rights and guarantees) and gives some of the ways to practice an active citizenship (legal framework, civic places, ways and tools for an active participation). This initiative will be a way of empowering young people with necessary knowledge and skills to advocate for their needs and rights and to create positive change in their lives and communities.

TunisiaBus Citoyen (The Citizen Bus)

Building knowledge of active civic participation, gender and Human Rights among youth and adolescents at local and regional level”.

droppedGlobalcivic engagement

Non UNChild protectionLatin America

and Caribbean

World VisionChild protection Systems

promising practice


UNThe Civic Education programme was launched in Egypt in 2006 by the former Egyptian National Council for Youth (NCY), now Ministry of Youth and Sport. Targeting adolescents (13-18 years old) and youth (18-24 years old), the programme delivers civic education workshops to young trainees with the aim of developing their knowledge and attitudes to become active citizens. To deliver the programme, a civic education manual was prepared for the Egyptian context and tailored to the adolescent and youth needs. An estimated 28,762 adolescent and youth participants have taken the programme.

EgyptUNICEFCivic Education Programme

promising practice


UNTo support youth active participation and engagement in policy and decision making processes. The project aimed at identifying youth activists through outreach, understand the skills building needs of the youth, organize a conference to address those needs and enhance capacities, and connect youth through social media to continue the collaboration and networks developed as a result of the training camp.

IraqUNDPCivic Engagement and Political Empowerment of Youth


Non UNCYD initiatives, safe spaces for youths, citizenship, active participation, democracy, skills development

LebanonDPNA in partnership with Save the Children

Crossing the Bridges


Non UNProgramme in the areas of employability and civic engagement

South Africa

USAIDEducation for All (EFA) Youth Challenge Grant Program

promising practice


Non UNNaba’a’s mission is to empower local communities so that they can uphold the rights of children and young people; enabling them to play an active and healthy role within their society. In this project, it aimed to restore public education services in line with the minimum standards of education in emergencies, in a way to promote a child need and child rights centered education, in 10 villages of the Tyr district, though the empowerment and active involvement of youth

LebanonNaba’a: Developmental Action Without Borders

Education intervention in favor of war affected children in the district of Tyr, Lebanon (youth protection)

466


Programme


Non UNAssociation working with child protection issues in the areas of Beqaa and Beirut, Lebanon.

LebanonAmelEnhancing Child Protection in the Beqaa and Beirut

continue to explore


UNEmpowering adolescents with the needed business knowledge, 21st century skills and practical experience in which it enhances their opportunity to enter the job market as qualified employees or entrepreneurs, and to assure their active engagement within their communities. Implementing partner: Injaz

PalestineUNICEFEnhancing the Economic Opportunities for Palestinian Youth

not reviewed


Non UNImplemented by: Forum de la Citoyennete and supported by UNDP, working on youth participation issues.

MoroccoAgence du Development Social

Espace Dialogue des Jeunes dans le Maroc possible


Non UNChild wellbeingCambodiaWorld Vision Cambodia

For the Well-being of Children

promising practice


UNGet Online Egypt is a nation-wide campaign which aims to help young people benefit from computers and the Internet through digital literacy and internet citizenship training helping develop the engaged citizens needed to build Egypt’s future.The programme is a UNDP/Egypt ICT Trust Fund in partnership with Microsoft Egypt

EgyptUNDPGet Online Project


Non UNGlobal Platforms is a worldwide network of training hubs for empowerment and activism. It provides trainings and capacity building for organisations and young individuals who wish to take positive action in their societies.

Jordan, Palestine, Salvador, Kenya,

Tanzania, Nepal,

Myanmar, Denmark,

USA

ActionAidGlobal Platform


Non UNemployability, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement

AlgeriaInternational Youth foundation/USAID

IDMAJ program

continue to explore


UNThe project brought together youth through various social media tools as discussion platforms. 29 parties lists encompassing over 600 young Palestinian males and females which competed against one another in a democratic and transparent manner. They were casting ballots to elect a 132 seat Youth Palestinian Legislative Council. In the end, The Tahlef Al Watani Al Democratia (The National Democratic Union) party received the largest number of votes with 10.8% of the vote. With enthusiasm, the elected Parliament which includes about 35% females will be meeting soon and will establish a Youth Shadow Government.(Social Contract Conferences in the West Bank & Gaza Strip, Supporting young Palestinian Women Political Leaders, Establishment of the Youth Palestinian Legislative Council, Supporting Palestinian Student Councils, Youth and Social Accountability, and Strengthening the capacities of Youth Clubs)

PalestineUNDPInclusive and Participative Political Institutions

467


Programme

promising practice


UNThe joint United Nations Development Programme in Lebanon and Lebanese Parliament Project started in 1999, in the framework of a Cooperation Agreement signed by UNDP and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Since 2005, the project has also benefited from the support of UNDP’s Global Programme for Parliamentary Strengthening. This project supports the efforts of the Parliament in achieving its developmental objectives, reinforcing its structures, processes and human resources in order to improve the effectiveness of its legislative, oversight and representative functions. The project will support the Parliament for a period of 3 years. The project aims to implement an internship program, develop the capacities of employees and reform critical and crucial issues addressed.

LebanonUNDPInclusive and Participative Political Institutions in Select Arab States Project - UNDP Technical Support to the Lebanese Parliament

promising practice

Globalcivic engagement

UNThe Innovations Lab Kosovo is a unit within UNICEF Kosovo launched in 2010 and whose primary research direction is community engagement by making the lab an open, accesible and co-creative space. It encourages positive civic participation and professional development of youth through innovative project designs. The lab has three pillars: - BYFY (By youth, for youth). This is a mentorship programme where grants and guidance is offered to youth participants who had a project idea to make a difference in their communities. It supports youth-led ventures and experimental learning.- Design Center (in-house technology and design consultancy). Through this component, youth contribute to the development of an open-source technology hub for the region. Youth collect data and participate in the development of projects. Some include: birth registration system, a Kosovo Youth Map, a Vaccine Management, data visualizations on Kosovo municipalities. A partnership with the University of Prishtina was established for this. Through the design center, youth are offered internship opportunities in cooperation with government institutions, academia and non-profit organisations focusing on the development of open source technologies. They last three months. - YAP (Youth Advocacy Platform) It focuses on participation through youth-led public and public policy advocacy. Through this programme, youth are matched with social entrepreneurs to support the development of web-based apps and data visualization tools to amplify advocacy. An example of this is the Youth Advocacy Training Activities (in partnership with the European Youth Parliament. The training focues on advocacy skills (five days) and workshops. Each of these practices follows a model based on needs assessment.Partners of the lab are: government, NGOs, academia, private sector,

KosovoUNICEFInnovations Lab Kosovo


UNInvolve youth in policy and decision making. A forum of two days between youth and parliament representatives that took place in 2013.

AlgeriaUNICEFLes Jeunes et les Parlementaires: Youth and


UNThis is a manual summarizing the experience of building a youth consultative committee in two communities

AlgeriaUNICEFManual on youth consultative committees at decentralized level (popular and communal assembly)


Non UNUS assistance to the Moroccan government to enhance the employability of targeted youth; increase civic participation in governance and enhance educational attainment for children at the primary level.

MoroccoUSAIDMorocco Country Development Strategy

468


Programme


UNSupport for the development of a framework for the a National Youth Strategy

UAEUNDPNational Youth Strategy


Non UNInclusion of youth with special needsLebanonInclusion Network in partnership with Save the Children

Our Voice

promising practice


Non UNThe Reformists Platform provides a space for students, activists and young researchers from different backgrounds and regions in Lebanon to think, research, develop and advocate public interest related policies. The main output of the project is a booklet written by 63 young authors (individuals and NGOs). 293 people participated in the workshops, out of which 108 participants joined the follow-up panels to develop their own policies.

LebanonYouth Economic Forum

Reformists Platform - 33 Ideas to Modernize Lebanon

promising practice


UNThis project aims to strengthen national capacities to promote widespread participation in the transition process among the Libyan citizenry, focusing particularly on the role of youth & women. It will provide knowledge management, capacity building and technical support resources to government, civil society and religious institutions that have an existing or emerging organizational infrastructure and key role to play in bringing up the level of civic awareness and engagement in the country. The project will also support dialogue initiatives by providing expertise and technical tools necessary to improve and amplify their answer to immediate needs of the Libyan population, in particular for the electoral and constitutional processes.

LibyaUNDPSupport to Civic Engagement in Libya’s Transition


Non UNCivic engagement, skill building, expression, safe spaces

LebanonDPNA in partnership with Save the Children

Taabeer


Non UNSocial ProtectionPakistanPakistan Government

The Benazir Income Support Program (BISP)


Non UNSocial ProtectionPakistanPakistan Government

The Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF)

promising practice


Non UNTogether We Stand is a pioneer program through which youth in particular, the marginalized, are involved in the design, implementation, documentation and evaluation of their own led community initiatives that enabled youth to better engage in the community and felt appreciated by the surrounded community members. The program has been implemented in 9 provinces across Palestine: East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip, Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin, Toulkarem, Hebron and Jericho & the Jordan Valley.

PalestineSharek Youth Forum in the West Bank, Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association in Gaza, Burj Al Laqlaq and Palvision in East Jerusalem.

Together We Stand Program


Non UNA program to train and empower young people with various disabilities to articulate their ideas and demands and be their own self-advocates The core group originated for the Our Voice project (already on the list), which I was participated in initiating.

Lebanon and Egypt

Lebanese Association for Self Advocacy (LASA)

Training workshop

469


Programme

good practice


UNIn May 2011, UNICEF launched U-Report, a free SMS platform designed to give young Ugandans the opportunity to express opinions about issues happening in their communities and across the country. U-Report, powered by the RapidPro platform, operates in an interactive way as users respond to the weekly free SMS messages and polls they receive. In turn, they obtain results from the national polls and consultations as well as useful information for future action. The SMS communication is complemented with other traditional means of communication: radio programmes, newspaper articles and stories from the U-Report community, which are picked up and disseminated by the media. The successful experience of U-Report in Uganda inspired similar interventions in Zambia in December 2012 and Nigeria in June 2014.

UgandaUNICEFU Report

promising practice


UNUNICEF Change Agents Network (UCAN) is a youth-led network where young people can interact, learn, analyse and take actions on rights. As such, it is also a platform which builds capacity of members and prepares them to become active citizens and eventually effective change agents in their communities. The project is currently under modelling period (2014-2017)

JordanUNICEFUCAN

continue to explore


Non UNProtect human rights and gain technical skills that will help youth be an active part of society

LebanonAmelVideo Advocacy Action for Youth


Non UNThe vision of the program saw adolescent girls using participatory video to assess and evaluate existing projects and programs and contribute to their development and improvement; documenting the challenges and obstacles they face within their lives; sharing their experiences and perspectives; and communicating the solutions they devise and successes they achieved. The programme run during 2011 and 2012. InsightShare trainers made 3 visits to both Guatemala and Uganda over 12 months to deliver Stages 1 to 3 of the Initiative alongside Population Council Guatemala & BRAC Uganda. Stage 4 took place at the end of the program, in May 2012, bringing together representatives of the girl trainees and representatives of respective partner organizations with InsightShare trainers at the AWID 2012 forum in Istanbul. This program aimed to enable and support Nike Foundation partners and their staff to integrate participatory video as a dynamic, engaging and ground- breaking tool for monitoring and evaluating their projects. The starting point for the program was a process of affirmation and reflection looking inward at what already exists; next evaluating the evidence and results of past programming and then setting in place a monitoring system to track future interventions that will ensure girls’ ideas and insights are infused into programming, so that it is both driven by them and relevant to their changing needs.

Uguanda and

Guatemala

Population Council Guatemala, BRAC Uganda, Insightshare

Video Girls for Change

470


Programme

promising practice


UNWASL Project - Yemen is a national project seeking voicing the issues and rights of adolescents aged 15 – 17 years. Through an interactive and participatory process a consultation and hearing campaign was held in 10 governorates reflecting the key issues of different adolescents segments. Through adolescents’ empowerment initiatives, a public information campaign and consultations in the field with Yemeni adolescents, WASL gave them the opportunity to express their views, connect with other adolescents from across all Yemen, and to take the lead in change by becoming advocates of issues which affect their daily lives. The findings from consultations and hearing campaigns were compiled into a document “Basket of issues and rights”

YemenUNICEFWASL Project


UNA policy framework and practical guidelines for national action and international support to improve the situation of young people around the world. The WPAY covers fifteen youth priority areas and contains proposals for action in each of these areas.

MENAESCWAWPAY - World Program of Action for Youth

continue to explore


Non UNThis program was launched right after the Arab Spring in hopes of teaching and spreading the debate culture through organized debates and peer-education. Long term goals include encouraging Arab youth to take part in the shaping of their future by providing them with the tools they need for constructive debate and logical thought.

Jordan, Egypt, Libya,

Tunisia, Algeria

and Morocco.

British CouncilYoung Arab Voices

continue to explore


Non UNYouth Policy Development. Civic engagementLebanonMasar Association

Youth Advocacy Process (YAP) and Youth Forum for Youth Policy

continue to explore


Non UNA free-Arabic language Facebook game in Jordan aimed at entertaining young people while building their skills in civic engagement. The game, called Our City, focuses on growing and running a virtual Jordanian city. Players add buildings to the city and increase its population while managing challenges, such as controlling pollution; providing energy, education, and healthcare; and ensuring sustainable growth. They also participate in various “quests” exploring ways to improve the city and receive rewards for collaborating with other players online and in the “real world.”

JordanNetHope and USAID

Youth Capacity and Engagement (IYCE) Program

promising practice


Non UNThe Youth Civic Engagement and Dialogue (YCED) Program brings together Roma and non-Roma students in Romania and Moldova to lead local development projects in their schools and communities. Youth become active citizens who mobilize their peers to build tolerance across ethnic divisions. Using a “community schools” model, the program trains teachers and NGO leaders to support youth and manage ethnic tensions effectively, working to incorporate active citizenship and cross-cultural understanding in schools. In the short-term, youth gain valuable skills for and attitudes toward civic engagement and tolerance that will make them agents of positive change for the remainder of their lives.

Romania and

Moldova

IREXYouth Civic Engagement and Dialogue Program (YCED)


Non UNEmpower youth to make a difference as positive citizens in their community

LebanonSave the Children / INMA

Youth Civic Responsibility Project


Non UNcivic engagement; leadership training; capacity building, youth activism, and education

Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt,

Palestine

Ruwwad Al Tanmiya


471


Programme

promising practice


UNThis project aims at increasing youth political participation and civic engagement in local governance using an online portal and game on local governance. Project implemented by Higher Council for Youth. The project is implemented in partnership with UNV. Programme period: 2008-12, budget: 150,000.

JordanUNDPYouth Participation in local governance

good practice


UNY-PEER is a network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs) and young people that has evolved from a network focusing on the HIV pandemic among young people to one addressing other issues affecting this cohort. Today, Y-PEER is a global network of more than 2,000 non-profit organizations, governmental institutions, CBOs, institutions, youth activists, young peer educators and trainers. It has over 33,000 young members from 59 countries who work in promoting young people’s sexual and reproductive health, including physical and mental health related to HIV/AIDS, maternal health, gender-based violence, youth participation, civic engagement and development of a culture of citizenship. The network has developed a methodology with standards, tools and resources that are based on peer education and outreach and which are used by the members of Y-PEER.

GlobalUNFPAY-PEER

promising practice

GlobalhealthUNAction for Adolescent Girls is a 12 country initiative with the goal to protect adolescent girls’ rights, in particular delay age at marriage and childbearing, and empower the most marginalized girls. Purpose of the initiative is to support governments in making targeted investments at scale in 12 countries over 5 years to reach thousands of girls at risk of child marriage and adolescent pregnancy, through interventions (primarily community-level girl groups) that provide opportunities for social participation and leadership, gaining life skills and literacy, and accessing health services for including family planning and HIV services. Initiative will simultaneously create a more favorable environment for adolescent girls at the community and national levels.

Ethiopia. Mozambique.

Zambia. Guatemala. India. Niger. Sierra Leone

UNFPAAction for Adolescent Girls

promising practice

GlobalhealthUNUNICEF Iran Country Office, together with the Ministry of Health’s Centre for Disease Control and NGOs began the implementation of Adolescent-Friendly Services (AFS) in 2006 with the aim of empowering young people through the dissemination of information on HIV/AIDS, education, counselling and referral services.

IranUNICEFAdolescent Friendly Services

not reviewed

MENAhealthNon UNProgram focusing on two main concerns: substance use and sexual reproductive health, where youth were mobilized and trained to become agents of change and advocate for these two causes within their communities.

LebanonResearch Center La Sagesse University and World Vision Lebanon

Adolescent Health Program

promising practice

GlobalhealthNon UNEstablished in 2003 in Mae Sot, Thailand, ARHN consists of eight community-based organizations (CBOs) that collaborate to address the SRH needs of migrant adolescents from ethnic communities in Burma. Since 2008 ARHN members have collectively operated a youth center, where workshops for adolescents are held to cover the reproductive anatomy; physical and emotional changes during adolescence; family planning; sex and gender; HIV/STI transmission and prevention; and consequences of unsafe abortion.

ThailandUNFPAAdolescent Reproductive Health Network (ARHN)

472


Programme

droppedMENAhealthNon UNYouh-led organization working with Syrian youth refugees.

LebanonBasmeh & Zeitooneh

promising practice

GlobalhealthNon UNPhysical activity and healthy food choices for students in Pre K-Grade 8

USA and Canada

Primarily National Institute of Health

CATCH

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNDrug abuse, participatory theater performances, leadership, conflict management, collective responsibility

ChadInternational Relief and Development

Chadian Youth Fight Drug Abuse( part of PDEV II)

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNProgramme combatting sexual assault among youth

AustraliaEducation program to combat sexual assault among youth

good practice

GlobalhealthNon UNFamily Spirit is an evidence-based and culturally tailored home-visiting intervention delivered by paraprofessionals (trained aides who are not licensed professionals) as a core strategy to support young mothers. Initially, the programme was targeted towards parents aged 12-22 years, but now includes mothers of all ages. Through this programme, mothers are given 63 lessons from pregnancy to three years post-partum to learn the knowledge and skills needed for the optimal physical, cognitive, social-emotional and language development, as well as self-help.

USAJohns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health

Family Spirit

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNGirls Inc. Friendly PEERsuasion® develops girls’ skills to resist pressure to use harmful substances, such as drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and household chemicals. After learning healthy ways to manage stress and to deflect peer, media, and other pressures that contribute to substance use, girls become peer educators (PEERsuaders) for younger girls.

USA and Canada

Girls Inc.Girls Inc. Friendly PEERsuasion

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNGirls Inc. Mind+Body supports and promotes the whole health of girls ages 5/6 to 18, using a philosophy which recognizes that many factors, including physical and mental wellness, contribute to girls’ health. Consequently, the Initiative focuses on four critical content areas:

USA and Canada

Girls Inc.Girls Inc. Mind + Body

promising practice

GlobalhealthNon UNYouth Center established in the peri-urban setting in Gulu, where clients are internally displaced. Currently primarily returnees. Context is conflict transitioned to post-conflict setting.The Straight Talk Foundation (STF), a national NGO, established the GYC in 2004 to provide SRH information and services to adolescents amidst the conflict in northern Uganda. GYC in Gulu town receives roughly 70,000 clients annually, including referrals from many CBOs and government institutions such as Gulu prisons. 50,000 of the clients are reached by health dialogues, and 20,000 receive SRH information and services, including HIV counseling and testing (HCT), family planning, STI diagnosis and treatment, male circumcision, post-rape care and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV. While initially, the target group was 10-24 years, parents of adolescents and children of adolescents also seek services at GYC.Model: ‘Talk+Services+Livelihoods’Challenges mentioned: funding priorities, commodity security, community resistance, reduced clientele in a changing environment, low female attendance. Solutions are provided in the reportSuccesses: combination of prevention approaches, infotainment/edutainment outreach, motivated peers, catering to diverse needs, institutional capacity strengthening

UgandaStraight Talk Foundation

Gulu Youth Center (GYC)

473


Programme

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNHealth fair and interactive health lessonN/A0Health Education Program for Underserved Community Youth

promising practice

MENAhealthUNUtilizing social media to outreach young people on HIV, FGM, child marriage and breast self-examination. Utilizing animations (dynamic infographics) to enforce positive social norms among young people through social media and television in Egypt

EgyptUNFPAInfographics

good practice

GlobalhealthNon UNPATH-Program for Appropriate Technology in Health and the Population Council’s Frontiers in Reproductive Health Program (FRONTIERS) launched the Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Project (KARHP). The project tested a public sector, multisectoral approach to enhance young people’s knowledge and behaviour on reproductive health and HIV prevention through interventions in communities, schools and health facilities. In the pilot phase, which ran until 2003, KARHP was introduced in two districts of the Western province – Vihiga and Busia – and targeted adolescents aged 10-19 years. The design and implementation of this pilot phase involved and brought together three ministries: the Ministry of Health (MoH); the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST); and the Ministry of Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services (MGSCSS).As a multisectoral programme, KARHP intervened at the government level, working with the partner ministries and providing them with technical assistance on the introduction of adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) strategies and incorporation of life skills into the national curriculum. At the community level, it organized awareness and sensitization campaigns with community leaders, parents and out-of-school-youth peer educators. At the school level, it introduced the 34-part school curriculum known as Tuko Pamoja (We are One), extracurricular youth clubs, a life-skills curriculum for out-of-school youth and sensitization campaigns for parents and teachers. The establishment of spaces where youth could access youth-friendly services and information material on reproductive health was also part of the programme.

KenyaPATHKenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Program (KARHP) - Tuko Pamoja

promising practice

MENAhealthUNThe programme is a project within One World’s Mobile4Good portfolio. It is funded by the Ford Foundation and receives UNFPA support in financial/technical terms. Ma3looma provides young people, mainly in Egypt, with accurate and timely information on their sexual and reproductive health, through different social media platforms. These platforms include a short sms number at the normal sms price, a facebook page, a website, ask.fm, twitter, youtube, instagram and other platforms such as the utilization of radio spots. The initiative includes counselors from the Y-PEER network who have been trained as counselors (for sms and ask.fm services) and are provided with mentorship from SRHR experts. UNFPA supports the program technically and financially. The initiative started in late 2012 and was fomally launched in 2014.

EgyptUNFPAMa3looma

474


Programme

Continue to explore

GlobalhealthNon UNAn eight-hour, multi-module, sex decision-making intervention which was designed to be educational and, at the same time, entertaining and culturally sensitive. It was designed to provide young adolescents with the knowledge, confidence, and skills necessary to reduce their risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV, and pregnancy by abstaining from sex or using condoms if they choose to have sex. It is based on cognitive-behavioral theories, findings from focus groups, and the authors’ extensive experience working with youth. It is an adaption and extension of the Be Proud! Be Responsible! (BPBR) curriculum (also listed on PPN), integrating teen pregnancy prevention in addition to the HIV/STD prevention components.

USASelect Media Inc. and uPenn

Making Proud Choices!A Safer Sex Approach to Prevention of STDs, HIV and Teen Pregnancy

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNMaternal, newborn, and child healthGlobalSave the Children

Maternal child health Integrated Program

promising practice

MENAhealthUNEstablishment of youth friendly services in Egypt. A total of 12 YFCs were established in three batches in eight governorates. The clinics were planned to deliver both educational and medical services focusing on youth sexual and reproductive health. EFPA model of delivering YFS has several dimensions; physicians, peer educators, quality of delivered services, targeted beneficiaries, monitoring & evaluation and behavior change and communication. The objective was to increase young people’s access to appropriate sexual and reproductive health information and education through continue provision of both youth friendly health services, information and health services regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for young people. It also provided tools and methods to help adolescents through this critical transitional phase of life and to empower them, especially girls, through increased access to sexual and reproductive information and services, offering them community roles and increasing their knowledge of their bodies.

EgyptUNFPAMeeting Adolescents Reproductive Health Needs in Egypt

droppedMENAhealthUNThe project component on “Operationalizing Youth Friendly Services” will be implemented in partnership with the Centre Universitaire de Santé Familiale et Communautaire (CUSFC) at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ). It will aim at assisting selected pilot service delivery points in Mazaraa, Burj Hammoud, Tyre, Baalbeck, and Rashaya to provide youth friendly services (YFS) to young people, including Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH). Effective youth participation in the development and operationalizing the service package was ensured building on UNFPA’s support to the Y-PEER network in 2009 as well as partnership with key youth NGOs who played a major role in the assessment of the youth friendly characteristics of the service delivery points as well as the capacity development needs of the health care providers.

LebanonUNFPAOperationalizing Child Protection and Adolescent/Youth Friendly Services

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNIs a one day workshop to focus on the consequences of partying with alcohol /other drugs by senior high school students as they see it, and arriving at a communications / social marketing strategy to draw attention to ways to reduce these harms.

CanadaParent Action on Drugs

PASS it on – Peers&Parties And Senior Students

475


Programme

continue to explore

MENAhealthNon UNSexuality education sessions are given to youth by youth.

LebanonStanding Committee on Reproductive Health and AIDS Lebanese Medical Students’ International

Peer Education Sessions

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNSexual EducationPeer sexual health education: Interventions for effective programme evaluation

continue to explore

GlobalhealthNon UNReproductive health and family planningIndia, Dominican Republic, Jordan,

Kenya, the Philippines, Saint Lucia, Senegal, Sri Lanka and Tanzania


Planning for life

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNThe project encouraged victims of sexual assault to speak up and to show that they overcame the abuse and its consequences enough to face the words of their attackers and even show the world via a photograph what their attackers had said, hence showing they will not be silenced due to the shame or stigma surrounding such forms of abuse and that they are, as the project title suggests “unbreakable.”

GlobalIndependent (photographer Grace Brown)

Project Unbreakable

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNProject Voice hopes to establish a resource of sharing and support, and convey that abortion is a choice many women have made, and continue to make, for a variety of reasons.

Global0Project Voice

promising practice

MENAhealthNon UNSkill building intervention to promote mental health of Palestinian refugee children; community-based and participatory.

LebanonAUB FHSQadeeroon

continue to explore

GlobalhealthNon UNProfamilia has worked for over 25 years to deliver comprehensive SRH services for all persons, and specifically youth. Programs directed towards IDPs within Colombia started in 1995 with the national government’s creation of the National Program for Comprehensive Attention to the Population Displaced by Violence. In the late 1990s Profamilia, with support from the Reproductive Health Response in Crises (RHRC) Consortium (then Reproductive Health for Refugees Consortium), launched programs directed towards promoting SRH services among IDPs. In the early 2000s, the SRH program began targeting IDP adolescents and youth. Profamilia pooled knowledge of best practices from its 22 years of experience working with this age group to develop a health outreach and youth-led peer education model for this crisis-affected region. Profamilia provides mobile health brigades and adolescent-led peer education network in the coastal region, identified as an area most affected by conflict and displacement. Six health clinics were established to provide comprehensive SRH services.Model: mobile health brigades and community education (youth educators providing education and sensitization on ASRH to their peers. Recruitment taking place from within the communities.

ColombiaProfamiliaRaise Project Colombia

476


Programme

good practice

GlobalhealthNon UNThe program seeks to motivate and guide young people, the wider school community, and participants’ families, to make well-informed choices about general health, nutrition and physical activity levels, creating a “Ripple Effect” within the school and community . The program uses an innovative student-centered approach, whereby university students and high school students participating in the program become the drivers of both the teaching and the learning process. This occurs when SALSA Champions (e.g. General Practitioners) train university students (SALSA Educators) from Faculties of Health and Education Faculties to coach Year 10 students (15-16 year olds) as Peer Leaders, who then coach their younger Year 8 peers (13-14 year olds) through four structured lessons as part of the school curriculum. The coaching uses a video, interactive games and group activities to engage students of all abilities. Ultimately, the Year 8 students develop their own SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-frame) healthy lifestyle goal and create a School Action Plan.

Australia, Jordan,

China and Germany

Australia: Rooty Hill High School, the Mt. Druitt and Blacktown Medical Practitioners’ Association, the University of Sydney and Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD).Jordan: Jordan University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health.

SALSA (Students As LifeStyle Activists)

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNReduce neonatal mortalityGlobalSave the Children

Saving New Born Lives (SNL)

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNAwareness for health behaviors, health issues in community, and career options in health

USA (Nebraska)

Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions

Service learning: Health education program for community youth

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNIt is an interactive program of 6 sessions of 2-3 hours each. It aims to teach young women and men aged 16-25 years of age skills in ethically negotiating sexual relationships that are based on mutual consent, and pleasure. The program provides information and skills around sexuality and sexual assault prevention as well as other forms of gender based violence.

AustraliaUniversity of Western Sydney and Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia

Sex & Ethics Sexuality and Violence Prevention Program

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNThe SIHLE (Sisters Informing Healing Living and Empowering) intervention is a social-skills training intervention aimed at reducing HIV sexual risk behavior among African American teenage girls, ages 14 to 18, who have been sexually active. It consists of four 3-hour sessions delivered by 2 near-peer facilitators and an adult facilitator in a community-based setting. Near-peer facilitators are young women aged 18 to 21 who are more mature than the intervention target audience but share common experiences around popular culture. More info: https://www.effectiveinterventions.org/Files/SIHLE_Procedural_Guide_

USAMidwest Prevention Intervention Center of the African American Prevention Network (MPIC-APIN)

Sisters, Informing, Healing, Living, Empowering (SIHLE)

477


Programme

continue to explore

GlobalhealthNon UNThe Standing Committee on Medical Education (SCOME) is every medical students’ chance to have a voice in the educational system of his/her faculty and gain knowledge on different aspects of medical education. In many countries, the teaching methods are old-fashioned and based on a “teacher-centered education” rather than “learner-centered education”, the curriculum is old and not updated, the assessment methods are not made to improve students but rather to judge them, and the learning environment is not ideal. We, in SCOME realize that this is going to change by educating current students who will be the future healthcare educators. We organize workshops, webinars, sessions, and interactive talks at the international, regional, national and local levels to provide a sustainable, capacity building program that is reproduced in different areas in the world and modified slightly to fit every different countries unique needs. Such efforts introduce medical students to the basics of an effective medical education system, and what role they can play in creating change. We also have different programs with sub activities that address different concerns of youth such as students’ rights in universities, access to medical education, integration of extracurricular activities and non-formal education and their recognition by medical schools, and introducing global health education within the curriculum. We don’t stop at educating and training, but work on advocacy by influencing policies to ensure more youth representation in decision-making process of medical school and medical curricula. Finally, through our collaboration with international bodies like the World Health organization and the World Federation of Medical Education, create international activities and provide medical students an opportunity to attend conferences, or other provide them with opportunities in medical education such as internship and capacity building or networking events.

GlobalInternational Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA)

Standing Committee on Medical Education (SCOME)

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNSTARS for Families is a health promotion program that uses health care providers and parent prevention materials to prevent alcohol use among at-risk youth.

USACenter for Drug Prevention Research, University of North Florida, College of Health

STARS for Families (Start Taking Alcohol Risks Seriously)

good practice

GlobalhealthNon UNSFPY is an adapted, shortened variant of Dr. Karol Kumpfer’s 14-week Strengthening Families Program (http://www.strengtheningfamiliesprogram.org), a program that was originally devised for parents and 7-11 year olds. It takes a whole family approach (parent/caregiver and teen together) using a skills acquisition and practice learning model to improving family functioning, parent-youth communication and empathy, joint problem-solving and negotiation. The program operates weekly with a team of 4 professional facilitators, includes a family/communal meal followed by separate sessions where parents and teens focus on similar topics, and brings the parents and youth together for a final hour of activities and discussion on the theme of the evening. The SFPY variant was developed for and tested with Ontario families, to produce a curriculum with an increased degree of activity-based learning, particularly for youth and families. The learning model developed within the SFPY variant is “tell, show do” for parents with an emphasis on skill application while the youth model emphasizes 5 E’s: Engage, Explain, Explore, Experience, Empower.

CanadaParent Action on Drugs (PAD)

Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth (SFPY)

478


Programme

droppedGlobalhealthNon UNHealth educationUSANational Heart, Lung and Blood institute

The Minnesota Heart Health Program: Education for Youth and Parents

promising practice

GlobalhealthNon UNThrough the program, university students and high school students are able to learn through teaching, increase their health literacy around asthma and smoking and develop their communication, leadership, and teamwork skills. The program uses a series of structured lessons, to educate younger peers about asthma, asthma management and how to resist peer pressure related to tobacco smoking. Triple A educators and trained university students, choose volunteers from the students of high school to learn about the program during one day of work/shop and then the Peer leaders deliver four lessons to Year 7 students using the peer leader’s manual as a guide, so anyone who wants to learn about the program and then teach can do it but first have to pass that process, they try to make a chain effect. These lessons (around 45 min ech one) involve games, activities, videos and a quiz show.

Australia, USA,

Jordan and

Germany

Western Sydney Local Health District and the University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. Jordan University of Science and Technology through Deanship of Scientific Research Fund.

Triple A (Adolescent Asthma Action)

good practice

GlobalhealthNon UNThis program has been implemented in Lebanon, in Libya (Tripoli), in Iraq (Baghdad), and very soon in Mauritania. Also in Iraq, Palestine, Kuwait, Croatia, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Romania and Russia. In Europe has been implemented in Italy (Turin, Novara, L’ Aquila), Germany (Kiel), Spain (Bilbao), Austria (Wien), Sweden (Stockholm region, excl. Stockholm municipality), Greece (Thessaloniki) and Belgium (Gent).Unplugged is a school-based drug prevention program for the adolescents which uses the “life-skills” approach and integrates theoretical methods based on several related areas and studies. It provides key facts about alcohol, drugs and tobacco. It also includes methods for problem solving; enhancing critical thinking and effective decision making; communication and goal setting skills. It has shown effective outcomes in the delay of the onset of drug use among the age groups involved and a reduction in the use of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis among them. Are 12 seminars at which they learn how to socialize, develop critical and creative thinking, defend their own point of view, recognize the influence of their contemporaries and find out about the harm inflicted by the use of alcohol, tobacco and narcotics. The seminars are conducted by class masters, social pedagogues and psychologists who have received special education in 2.5 days seminars.

GlobalEU-DAPUnplugged

continue to explore

GlobalhealthNon UNWhat’s with Weed was developed from a project to develop and test an intervention for a peer-led approach to address problemative marijuana use in secondary schools in Ontario. The core activity is an assembly for senior students to recruit peer leaders followed by the delivery of a workshop by trained peer leaders from the senior grades to grade 9 students. The assembly, subsequent one day peer leader training workshop and the grade 9 workshop aimed to increase awareness among both senior and junior students of the risks associated with continued marijuana use. Peer leaders developed messages about marijuana based on their consideration of the risks and choices associated with the drug.

CanadaParent action on Drug

What’s with weed

479


Programme

continue to explore

MENAhealthNon UNProduction of Arabic user friendly kit addressing Arab preteens on issues of sexual, reproductive and social health from 2001-2003

Lebanon, Jordan,

Palestine, Yemen, Egypt

Arab resource collective and mawared

Youth and healthy living

promising practice

MENAhealthUNHealth services clinicMENAUNFPAYouth friendly health services

continue to explore

MENAotherUNThrough partnership with ASHTAR, Forum Theatre was used as a tool to empower adolescents (age 16-18) to lead dialogue with peers over cultural taboos; domestic violence; gender roles and substance abuse. Adolescents developed and presented 16 theatre performances in schools and community events on which gave the opportunity for exchanging ideas among adolescents and community members.

PalestineUNICEFAdolescent Community Engagement Through Drama

droppedMENAotherUNUNICEF Tunisia identified, trained and coached a group of young researchers who are responsible for conducting the analysis on the situation of adolescents and youth in a participatory approach in order to collect their views. Information collected will be considered in the process of planning for 2015-2019 that will be launched in September 2014. This consultation process has the aim of ensuring in all aspects of program components for adolescents and young people, particularly with regard to health, education, protection and social policy.

TunisiaUNICEFAdolescents and youth participation in UNICEF planning process 2015-2019

continue to explore

MENAotherNon UNSocial club - combining work with university students and youth from camp

LebanonBaddawi youth club

droppedMENAotherUNThe joint programme targets three regions that were selected based on their needs and potential development capacities. These are larger Tunis, Le Kef, and Gafsa governorates. In such areas, there is an urgent need to design new and innovative employment creation programmes. The programme’s priority is to target the neediest and those with the lowest employment opportunities. The purpose is to improve employment opportunities for the hardest to employ, who are the youth with few/least valued skills, and those who live in the most marginalized regions/zones. The programme proposes differentiated interventions adapted to the varying needs of two target groups i) unemployed university graduates and ii) unemployed unskilled youth. This will be achieved through: 1) enhancing national and regional capacities to develop, implement, coordinate and monitor regional employment and migration policies and programs; 2) innovative entrepreneurship promotion and job creation schemes including a circular migration mechanism for the targeted youth of the pilot regions. The UN will implement the programme through a network of governmental and non-governmental partners, with capacity building cross-cutting all interventions. Implementing agencies: FAO, ILO, IOM, UNDP, UNIDO

TunisiaJointEngaging Tunisian Youth to Achieve the MDGs

continue to explore

MENAotherUNIn cooperation with Palestinian Vision, adolescents are empowered to become a source of positive change by voicing their needs in a peaceful constructive method. A sense of ownership is created where national partners, including the private sector fund some of these initiatives.

PalestineUNICEFHarnessing the potential of youth in marginalized West Bank communities

480


Programme

promising practice

GlobalotherNon UNIn response to this history of political and economic instability, IYF proposes a holistic approach to youth development in Kyrgyzstan. IYF designed the package of services available through the Jasa.kg program to support young people to become leaders; to engage actively on pressing social issues; and to build sustainable livelihoods for themselves, their families, and their communities. Launched in 2011, Jasa.kg aims to catalyze a generation of youth to actively engage in building a stable, prosperous, and democratic Kyrgyzstan. They have the potential to usher in promising advances for the country, and Jasa.kg offers pathways and guidance.

KyrgyzstanInternational Youth Foundation

Jasa.kg

continue to explore

MENAotherNon UNSupport talented students into becoming entrepreneurs

PalestineAl NayzakJerusalem Talented Students Incubators by Al-Nayzak

good practice

MENAotherUNKnow About Business (KAB) is a classroom-based entrepreneurship education programme developed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and implemented in partnership with national counterparts – ministries of education and labour and relevant education institutions. The overall goal of the programme is to contribute to the creation of a culture of enterprise by strengthening the capacities of Governments and tripartite constituents to provide entrepreneurship education to youth, raise their awareness about the opportunities and challenges of entrepreneurship and promote self-employment as a potential career option. The KAB training package, which is designed to be delivered in 80-120 hours, comprises eight modules, each representing a key lesson in entrepreneurship, accompanied by support materials for the learner and instructors.

GlobalILOKnow about Business

droppedMENAotherNon UNCommunity youth centerBeqaa, Lebanon

Markaz AL Jaleel

Markaz AL Jaleel

droppedMENAotherNon UNCommunity youth centerLebanonMarkaz An-Naqab

Markaz An-Naqab

droppedGlobalotherNon UNFrom 2000-2011, Nokia and IYF managed a robust portfolio of youth development initiatives. The company’s investment of nearly US$50million has supported education, employability, and civic engagement programs in 68 countries. Country programs, each tailored to meet locally-identified needs, provide a means of achieving important youth development outcomes such as improved school performance, increased literacy, finding and maintaining employment, and active citizenship. Today, as a result, young people in Eastern Europe have fueled a wave of volunteerism in the region; formerly unemployed youth in Latin America now have the skills they need to get and keep jobs; students in the Philippines and Tanzania have improved access to science and math education through the introduction of mobile technology in the classroom; and young social entrepreneurs across the globe are exercising enhanced leadership skills. Outcomes: Over 11 years, the Nokia-IYF partnership reached more than 650,000 young people directly and another 5.4 million children, youth, adults, and community members indirectly, with a number of programs continuing their efforts to support positive youth development through pursuing new partnerships and funding opportunities.

GlobalInternational Youth Foundation

Nokia-IYF Global Youth Development Initiative

481


Programme

continue to explore

MENAotherNon UNSupport entrepreneurs in applied science, engineering, and technology

PalestineAl NayzakPalestinian Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Program by Al-Nayzak

droppedGlobalotherNon UNDuring the Peace Challenge the Fellows worked together to develop methods of telling stories of local peace builders from around the world. We know that grassroots peace initiatives are springing up like mushrooms all over the planet, yet only a minute fraction of them are visible through popular media. Western media tends to focus on violence and conflict and our Fellows aimed to shift some perspective of that coverage.

GermanyThe Do SchoolPeace Fellowship - Germany (The DO School)

promising practice

MENAotherUNThe project will adopt a locally-based approach to provide non-financial support services to young informal sector workers and other disadvantaged youth along the lifecycle of a micro-enterprise. The project will foster local public-private-NGO-partnerships that can provide an integrated support model for youth self-employment at the local level. Specifically, the project will bring together local civil society champions (NGOs and CBOs) with the relevant public sector institutions that have a strong local presence, such as the Ministry of Youth and Sports (through its “Maisons de Jeunes” and “Foyers Féminins”), Entraide Nationale(through its “Centres d’Education et Formation” and “Centres de Formation par Apprentissage”), and INDH (grants program), while also leveraging the local private sector in project delivery. In addition to increasing the opportunities for self-employment among youth beneficiaries, the project seeks to generate the necessary knowledge on how to best provide entrepreneurship support for disadvantaged youth and build the institutional architecture for a national program.

MoroccoThe World Bank

Strengthening micro entrepreneurship disadvantaged youth in the informal sector project

continue to explore

GlobalotherNon UNLaunched in May 2011, Tanzania Youth Scholars(TYS) is a five-year initiative funded by USAID and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the Youth: Work mechanism. TYS provides Tanzanian orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) with scholarships to help them to attend school or skills training and access to the job market, while equipping them with the education and life skills necessary to make positive contributions within the workforce, their families, and their communities. TYS provide capacity building support to local organizations to manage scholarship programs that support OVC and deliver comprehensive youth skills training.

TanzaniaInternational Youth Foundation

Tanzania Youth Scholars (TYS)

droppedMENAotherUNThe Taqeem Community of Practice (CoP) is a group of fifteen youth employment organizations pioneering new approaches to build capacity in the MENA region to measure and monitor the impact of national programmes. This is a PPP (public-private partnership)

MENAILOTaqeem Fund for Evaluation in Youth Employment

482


Programme

promising practice

MENAotherUNThis project supported Morocco in its ongoing endeavors to increase employability among young men and women, with a focus on poverty alleviation, young women’s economic empowerment, and overall the improvement of standards of living in order to advance human development and accelerate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Project supported this overall outcome through three entry points: (i) developing and implementing a nationwide green employment strategy and an operational plan in to-be-identified target areas with the highest unemployment rates and the best potential for the green economy; (ii) establishing a capacity development plan based on market demand for green jobs and implementing it with both direct young male and female beneficiaries and key employment-generation actors; and (iii) increasing access to financial services for green businesses benefiting the most vulnerable youth groups in target areas.

MoroccoUNDPYouth Employment Strategy Green (YES Green)

continue to explore

MENAotherNon UNEntrepreneurship, skills, employability servicesPalestineInternational Youth Foundation

Youth Entrepreneurship Development

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GlobalotherNon UNImplemented in: Afghanistan, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Malawi, Mexico, Moldova, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vietnam, Zimbabwe.YouthActionNet, the flagship of the International Youth Foundation’s citizenship programs, works to strengthen and expand the impact of youth-led social ventures around the globe. Over 13 years, it has created one of the world’s largest networks of young social entrepreneurs comprising more than 900 young leaders in over 80 countries. To identify and support the efforts of accomplished young change-makers, YouthActionNet operates a global and local Fellowship programs. At the global level, 20 young founders/CEOs are selected annually as Laureate Global Fellows. Each benefits from advanced leadership training, coaching/mentoring, advocacy, funding, and networking opportunities. At the local level, YouthActionNet maintains a network of national/regional youth leadership institutes that provide similar supports and services to emerging leaders, while developing the youth leadership sector in their respective countries.


YouthActionNet®

continue to explore

Globalresilience development

UNNon-formal education was provided to children and adolescents in 2008 in the regions affected by natural disasters - rivers, landslides, hailstorms etc. The emergency intervention was mainstreamed into regular programming.

BoliviaUNICEFAccess to Quality Basic Education for All Children in Emergencies

continue to explore

MENAresilience development

UNIn partnership with the Sahrawi Ministry of youth and Sports, UNICEF initiated its first programme towards youths to help break with idleness and reinforce their positive role in community. The International Committee for the Development of People (CISP) and Academie de Foot Amadou Diallo (AFAD), UNICEF made the camps’ five youth centres more attractive and safe for youths to meet, discuss and practice sports. Play areas were rehabilitated with adequate materials and sport equipment and film clubs were established.

AlgeriaUNICEFLife skills, HIV/AIDS and participation for Sahrawi adolescents

483


Programme

droppedMENAresilience development

UNNatural DisastersIranUNICEFAlternative paths to building the resilience of school children Project 1: Advocacy and Capacity Building for Psycho-Social Support before and During Emergencies.

promising practice


Non UNThe youth development programming aims to increase the commitment and capacity of youth to take action to promote peace and development. Through delivery of a comprehensive life-skills curriculum, the programme improves the conflict management skills and attitudes of diverse youth. Life-skills programming is implemented using the War Child Canada ‘Youth 2 Youth’ methodology (Y2Y), through which youth receive the above-mentioned training, in addition to training on how to design, implement and manage community and youth development. Following their training, youth are formed into groups and provided with small grants to develop, execute and manage projects which contribute to a culture of peace and trust within their communities. Projects have included sports days and community clean-up days. The educational programming targets out-of-school IDPs, nomadic and working youth.The skills-building programming provides youth with vocational training based on market assessments, in addition to basic financial training and business development skills.

SudanWar Child Canada


The Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program is a school-based group and individual intervention designed to reduce symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and behavioral problems; improve peer and parent support; and enhance coping skills among students exposed to traumatic life events, such as community and school violence, physical abuse, domestic violence, accidents, and natural disasters. CBITS employs many cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) strategies including: psycho-education, relaxation skills, cognitive restructuring, trauma narrative, safety planning, affect modulation, as well as in vivo mastery of trauma reminders. CBITS is delivered on school campuses to students who have been exposed to trauma and exhibit symptoms of PTSD in the clinical range (see Stein et al., 2003 for details). During one-hour weekly group sessions over the course of about 10 weeks, students learn the core components of cognitive behavioral skills. Approximately, one to three individual sessions with the child are provided. Additionally, separate psycho-educational sessions for parents and teachers are also offered. CBITS has been studied in a quasi-experimental trial (Kataoka et al., 2003) with students from fourth through eighth grade and a randomized controlled trial (Stein et al., 2003) with six grade students. In both trials CBITS was delivered by school-based clinicians. CBITS has been shown to result in improvements in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among pre-adolescent and early-adolescent students exposed to violence. It is also associated with improved school performance (Kataoka et al., 2011). CBITS has also been used with high-school aged students.

USARAND, UCLA, and LAUSD

CBITS - The Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools followed by Support for Students Exposed to trauma

484


Programme

droppedGlobalresilience development

UNNatural DisastersMyanmarUNICEFChild-Friendly School Reconstruction post-cyclone Nargis

continue to explore


UNThe programme is designed to address the challenges in Area C and East Jerusalem. Its objective is to empower local stakeholders, through the most suitable partners, to respond with resilience to threats that affect their sustenance on the land. To this end, the programme will contribute to: Preventing the erosion of living conditions of Palestinians in Area C and East Jerusalem that undermine their development capital; Protecting Palestinian land and property in Area C and East Jerusalem; and; Mitigating and ideally reversing migration flow from Area C and East Jerusalem by enhancing human security and livelihood of Palestinians.

PalestineUNDPCommunity Resilience Development Programme (CRDP)


UNA Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund (MDG-F) program on Conflict Prevention and Peace Building in Northern Lebanon was implemented by UNICEF with other UN agencies: ILO, UNDP, UNESCO, UNRWA and UNFPA) and in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, as well as other national partners between 2009 and 2012. The programme focused on conflict prevention and peace building techniques in primary public schools as well as UNRWA schools and with out-of-school Lebanese and Palestinian youth.

LebanonJointConflict Prevention and Peace Building in North Lebanon

continue to explore


UNNo information was providedPalestineUNDPConstruction of Youth Centers


UNNatural DisastersMadagscarUNICEFDisaster Risk Reduction in the Education system

promising practice


Non UNThe program is developed and implemented in Ein el Helweh refugee camp in Lebanon, but have had performances and workshops in both Saida and Beirut.Ajial SCC has the vision to support an influential, inspiring and aware youth movement within the Palestinian camps and gatherings who are able to fight for their social and civic rights in Lebanon, and through the implementation of the program Drama-theater the youth get experience and a chance to research on their situation, to practice various means of expression, to go through a period of group work and cooperation while developing the play in all its details, and finally getting a possibility to express themselves and their perspectives to a wide and listening audience.

LebanonAjial Social Communication Center; Ein el Helweh youth center.

Drama-Theater

continue to explore


UNThe current project, “Fostering Youth Resiliency”, is intended as a response to the increasing incidences of violence among school-age youth, with an ultimate goal of decreasing the dysfunctional behaviors, including violence and physical abuse, by encouraging more healthy lifestyles through self-awareness, and social skills enhancement.

KuwaitUNDPFostering Youth resilience

485


Programme

promising practice


UNGolombiao, an educational methodology based on a sports game, promotes peaceful co-existence and conflict resolution and gender equality among 14- to 25-year-olds. The strategy was developed in 2003 in partnership with governmental entities and international cooperation agencies. It uses football and other sports to strenghten the skills and territorial capacities, especially of adolescents and youth. The goal is to promote participation, gender equity, coexistence and peaceful resolution of conflicts, bringing the state closer to the young person and the young person closer to the state. In addition to the game itself, there is a dialogue committee that discusses key topics including the prevention of recruitment. Around 200,000 children and youth have participated since it began. The methodology is based on four modules: 1. establishment of coexistence agreements and agreement on players. 2. playing the game. 3. evaluation of the game. 4. complementary recreational activities (workshops, meetings, exchanges of experiences).

ColombiaUNICEFGolombiao - The Game of Peace


UNThe Humanitarian and Livelihoods program is designed to respond to the basic needs for humanitarian assistance and livelihoods creation and/or stabilization in affected areas, for both IDPs and hosting communities who have overstretched their resources. Additionally, the project is aimed at contributing to building the resilience of the Syrian people to cope with the consequences of the conflict.

SyriaUNDPHumanitarian and Livelihoods Programme


UNNatural DisastersZimbabweUNICEFHygiene Awareness and Cholera Prevention Training


UNNatural DisastersAngolaUNICEFIncreased education sector contribution to better ‘prediction, prevention and preparedness’ for emergencies


Non UNThe Magdalena Medio Peace and Development Programme (PDPMM) aims to create opportunities for peace and development in a war-ravaged area. The PDPMM sees peace and sustainable development as intimately intertwined, with the active participation of the local population crucial to both

ColombiaMagdalena Medio

Madgalena Medio Peace and Development Programme


UNNatural DisastersThe Philippines

UNICEFMaking school buildings safer; helping children, teachers reduce risk


UNTraining course and curriculum for community mobilization of young people in emergency and humanitarian context

MENAUNFPAMobilization of young people in emergency and humanitarian context

486


Programme

continue to explore


UNConstruction of a multi-purpose sports facility in the Ramallah district. Expected outcomes: advance peace by increased participation in positive recreational activities by Palestinian youth; enhance Palestinian cultural life and dynamics; improve gender equality; improve governance and peaceful community mobilization. Project from 2008-2009 and USD 1 million.Programme is part of a larger strategy to develop the individual and team sport sector in oPt. The center was used to start up the pilot Palestinian Youth Sports League

PalestineUNDPPalestinian Youth Sports League (PYSL).

promising practice


UNThe Peace Building in Lebanon Project was launched in 2006 and its aims at understanding the underlying causes of conflicts and initiating social structural change. It works on enhancing mutual understanding and social cohesion in a participatory approach with youth, educators, media, NGOs, municipal council members, mukhtars and other local actors. The project empowers these different key stakeholders and assists them in promoting reconciliation through conflict prevention and peace building skills training and supports these groups in developing both medium and long- term strategies for peace building. In response to the impact of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon, the project is implementing the third component of the newly developed programme by UNDP, the “Stabilization and Recovery Programme”, which focuses on promoting Social Cohesion. The project integrated in its already exiting outputs key activities aiming at alleviating growing tensions, whether between Lebanese themselves or between Lebanese and Syrians and which resulted from the high influx of Syrian refugees to the country. It creates “safe spaces” for local identity groups (youth, high school teachers, media, NGOs, municipal council members and mukhars) to discuss their concerns openly and enhance mutual understanding of the “other”. Social cohesion was enhanced at the local, community and national levels between civil society (youth, educators, media, NGOs and religious leaders) and relevant local public (municipal council members and mukhtars) actors. Through training programs, advocacy work and enhanced networking, stakeholders were better equipped to actively and harmoniously contribute to peace building, community dialogue and ensure a more effective bottom-up impact of efforts.The fourth phase has four outputs: 1. Education promoting social cohesion supported; 2. Media empowered to promote balanced and conflict sensitive media coverage; 3. Local level peace building

LebanonUNDPPeace Building Project (Phases I-III)

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Non UNThe Peace through Development II (PDev II) program works directly with vulnerable young men and women to empower youth, promote moderate voices, and strengthen civil society and local government. The program will directly benefit 500,000 people in targeted communities in Niger, Chad, and Burkina Faso. Communities were carefully selected using risk assessments, community-level interviews, and insights gained from other successful community stabilization programs. Dev II is funded by the USAID and implemented by IRD with partners Search for Common Ground, Equal Access International, and the Salam Institute for Peace and Justice. The program is scheduled to run from November 2011 through October 2016.

Chad, Niger,

Burkina Faso

IRDPeace Through Development II (Pdev II)

487


Programme


UNNatural DisastersAlgeriaUNICEFPrevention and Risk Reduction in the Education system


UNNatural DisastersJamaicaUNICEFProtecting School Children through Preparedness and Response Plans

continue to explore


Non UNProgram in the area of peace (Peace said) organizes across regions flaming publishes peace between addressing ethnic, religious and sectarian thought and dissemination of awareness among the youth program is a summer camp combines different spectrum of young people with a diversity of thought and culture

Peace and Friendship

Resilience building and comprehensive programming in humanitarian context


UNNatural DisastersUSAUNICEFSchool Resilience to Earthquakes

continue to explore


Non UNThe Concerned for Working Children is a not-for-profit secular, democratic development agency based in Bengaluru, India. Active since the late 1970s, it is one of the first organisations in India to focus on working children and their needs.

IndiaThe Concerned for Working Children

Child protection programmes


UNNatural DisastersUzbekistanUNICEFStrengthening Preparedness for Natural Disasters

continue to explore


Non UNThe aim of Tiempo de Juego is to fill up this free time with meaningful recreational activities grounded in the methodology of “Fútbol para la Paz” (Football for Peace), a psychosocial technique for building cooperation, critical thinking, confidence, and other skills necessary to counter negative societal influences.

ColombiaFundación Tiempo de Juego

Tiempo De Juego

continue to explore


Non UNPalestineCanaan Institute of New Pedagogy

Several programmes

continue to explore


Non UNWriting for Recovery’’ (WfR), a new manual-based group intervention developed by the Children and War Foundation, is aimed at adolescents between 12 and 18 years of age who have a history of trauma . The researchers planned to use the manual in a trial with adolescents affected by the war in Gaza.

PalestineChildren and War Foundation (Ida Lange-Nielsen), Child and Family Training and Counseling Center

Writing for Recovery in Gaza

488


Programme

promising practice


UNJoint programme between UNICEF, UNDP and ILO.Building on the Youth at Risk joint initiative implemented over 2011 and 2012, the Youth for Change (Y4C) joint initiative is a comprehensive multi-partner 24 month programme which includes twelve months of rehabilitation and reintegration activities with an additional 12 months of monitoring and follow up of the case management system. This joint initiative is aimed to contribute to longer term stabilisation of the three regions of Somalia. More specifically, it will empower Somali authorities and affected communities to have the means to sustainably reintegrate and rehabilitate children and youth caught in the cycle of vulnerability, crime and violence, resulting in a measurable reduction in crime and insecurity. It builds from the ‘Youth at Risk’ initiative through incorporating an improved programme design, customised per location and for needs of the various target groups. Further, the Y4C is designed with the longer term vision of strengthening the justice and security sectors within the wider communities it serves. Programme uses a community-led approach. Note as well that the name was changed on beneficiaries request as they felt the programme’s name had a negative perception. The programme uses a ‘staged approach’ of three processes: outreach and registration; rehabilitation and personal development; economic integration

SomaliaJointYouth for Change Initiative

continue to explore


UNNo information was providedPalestineUNDPYouth for Social Reconciliation.

continue to explore


Non UNResilience. Social protection. Health. Education + sexuality

MENAMentor ArabiaYouth to Youth


UNIn cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Finance “Darfur Development Programme”, UNDP, UNV, ILO and Sudanese Universities, this project provides an approach to fill the enormous business and financial skills capacity gap among youth and women in Darfur, while at the same time contributing to the employment of skilled graduates. It promotes self-employment, small business expansion and market participation for women and youth.The programme is training and equipping young graduates to work as trainers and business brokers in communities ofvulnerable groups. Additional youth volunteers will serve 45 communities, providing training in natural resourcemanagement, environmentally sustainable income generation and green business opportunities for women and youth.

SudanUNDPYouth Volunteers rebuilding Darfur

good practice

MENAskills development

Non UNThe program was implemented in Egypt in the following Governorates: Cairo Governorate, Giza Governorate, Suez Governorate, Red Sea Governorate, South Sinai Governorate. The Ebtessama Foundation was established in 2007 by Ms. Magda Samy with the aim of supporting people with disabilities and their families to acquire equal opportunities in life and tackle problems they face; raise the quality of needed services; and support their inclusion and integration in society. The programme aims at empowering and employing young adults (18-30) with mental disabilities, support their inclusion and integration in the work sphere, grant them decent jobs and help them to become productive members of society in order to secure their futures.

EgyptEbtessama Foundation

A Right for An Equal Life

489


Programme

promising practice


UNThe “Youth Access to Information Technology” (AJI) project is a joint initiative between the Multinational Dell, the Ministry of Youth (MoY) and UNICEF Morocco, to enhance vulnerable Adolescents and Youth competencies in ICT, which contributes to their social inclusion and integration. Since 2010, more than 15 000 vulnerable Adolescents and Youth, were trained and certified in MS office and web tools. The trainings started in 10 youth centers in Casablanca region, which were totally equipped by DELL IT material. Then the project was extended to 39 centers, in 4 regions: Casablanca, Rabat, El Jadida, El Gherb.

MoroccoUNICEFAJI Morocco - Acces des jeunes a l’Informatique

promising practice


UNAccelerated Learning is a systematic approach to teaching the whole person, containing specific core elements that, when used together, empower students to learn faster, more effectively and joyfully towards a fulfilled lifeFocused on lifelong learning and social inclusion; Linked to the formal system….minimum learning hours, exams, resources, practicality of transfer systemProvides shorter courses with less contact hours ….has the challenge of assuring quality in seeking to achieve the same outcomes in shorter time (work load and resources); Targets people who have time constraints or have other responsibilities (work, family, household chores, cattle herding etc); Is a temporary response to gaps and shortages/education system’s lack of capacity to respond to demand.An out of school programme was implemented in North Sudan with a good coverage of learners.

SudanUNICEFAlternative Learning Programme Sudan

continue to explore


UNThe project aims to reduce piracy off the coast of east Africa through local economic development, job creation, training, and business development grants on-shore in one of the world’s poorest countries. A shipping initiative made up of Shell, BP, Maersk, Stena, NYK, MOL and “K” Line have agreed to give $1.5 million to a United Nations’ Development Programme for an anti-piracy project in Somalia.Capacity building elements of the project include: social rehabilitation, employment skills and entrepreneurship training, micro-grants and start-up tools, infrastructure projects - “cash for work” schemes.

SomaliaUNDPAlternative Livelihood to Piracy

promising practice


UNUNDP ART GOLD Lebanon is being implemented in the four neediest areas where there are high poverty rates and enormous socio-economic problems, made worse by the combination of deprivation and the effects of the July 2006 war. ART GOLD Lebanon’s main aim, however, is to support the Lebanese national government and local communities in achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). UNDP ART GOLD Lebanon utilizes a local development methodology. This methodology relies on territorial networks and partnerships, which are extremely poor in the Lebanese target areas. To this end, the first steps of the programme aimed at building-up and strengthening the relational and social capital of the target territories. As part of its overall goal, there are youth-related activities, notably capacity building and youth activities supported

LebanonUNDPART GOLD Lebanon Programme

490


Programme

droppedGlobalskills development

Non UNPolicy development, awareness/civic responsibility; promoting employability of youth; information exchange/promoting partnerships

Southeast Asia

Association of Southeast Asian Nations

ASEAN Work Programme

promising practice


UNThe life skills programme imparted by UNICEF employ the basic life skills (BLS) manual, which uses a peer to peer approach. The programme is offered to Syrian youth in refugee camps and host communities in addition to Jordanian youth. Use of this manual will be linked with supporting joint youth actions and activities that promote social cohesion and resilience in host communities. UNICEF plans to roll out the manual through a training of trainers in Child and family protected places in both camps and in communities with an emphasis on inclusion of adolescent girls.

JordanUNICEFLife Skills Programme (BLS)

not reviewed

Globalskills development

Non UNFrom 2007 to 2012, Bridgeit improved the quality of teacher instruction and increases primary school student achievement in math, science, and life skills by leveraging the power of cell-phone technology. After a successful launch in the Philippines under the name text2teach, the Bridgeit model was adapted in Tanzania in 2007 with a three-year grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In Tanzania, Bridgeit, known as Elima kwa Teknolojia (Education through Technology), resulted from a dynamic public-private sector alliance led by IYF and the Tanzanian Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT). Through the program, teachers downloaded video content using cellular phones, which were connected to TVs in their classrooms, allowing remote schools and communities to access a vast range of locally-developed or adapted educational content. The videos, designed to enhance existing primary school curricula, were paired with learner-centered lesson plans.

Philippines Tanzania


Bridgeit

droppedMENAskills development

UNPrincess Al Anood Center for Youth Development (Warif), which was established under Princess Al Anood Foundation, has the mandate of empowering the youth to fully participate in development of their communities through volunteerism, which is deeply rooted in the national and traditional norms. Warif has sought UNDP’s support to provide assistance in building its individual and institutional capacities as well identifying new youth volunteerism niches.The strategy of the project is to build on institutional strengths of Warif, as a national NGO with a mandate to promote volunteerism among the youth and thereby boost socially inclusive development, and UNDP with a diversified portfolio of worldwide experiences in developing national capacities, particularly to create sustainable and efficient institutions and in delivering the national development priorities. In this respect, UNDP has also the capability to mobilize technical and substantive assistance from the UN System (namely, UNV) to ensure that the results of Warif’s work are in line with the best international practices. Start-end date: June 2012-May 2013.

Saudi Arabia

UNDPCapacity Development of Princess Al Anood Center for Youth Development (Warif)

491


Programme

promising practice


UNCBT is a methodology for developing training where instruction is linked directly to outcomes described as measureable competencies expected in the workplace - rather than training/education inputs measured with time, number of courses or grades. As a consequence, applying the CBT methodology requires extensive private sector involvement in specifying training outcomes and establishing criteria for assessment. While CBT was initially applied primarily in the trades (skilled manual labour), a number of education and training systems globally are extending CBT into higher levels of technical and professional training (degrees, advanced diplomas, etc). CBT in the MENA region has been implemented in Lebanon, oPt, Iraq, and a pilot project in Yemen. In the CBT initiatives in Lebanon, oPt and Iraq the courses were developed to respond to current market demand priorities identified through formal consultations with stakeholders. Defining specific skills and course content was informed by engagement with private sector firms and professional/trade associations and supported by technical expertise from the ILO and partners in development of CBT. Lebanon: project implemented post 2006 and after needs assessment, it was concluded that construction sector was the entry point for short-term training. The manual for the Arab region is under finalization.

MENAILOCompetency based training (CBT)


UNImplementing agencies: FAO, ILO, IOM, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNIDO, UNOPS, UNV. The project is the first initiative by IBSA countries in Sudan, in line with the South-South Cooperation’s framework. The project aims at creating a labor intensive model to avail rapid and sustainable employment opportunities for young unemployed and unskilled laborers through building capacities and availing employment opportunities for improved livelihoods.The programme was designed in 2007 when Sudan was still one country and was split into 2 programmes in 2011. The major revision of the approach was (i) shifting the focus from specific States to labour markets, (ii) shifting the focus from target groups such as Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs), returnees, ex combatants and children associated with armed forces to an inclusive approach focusing on all youth, and (iii) shifting from Accelerated Learning Programmes (ALP) to vocational and life skills training.

SudanJoint UN agencies

Creating Opportunities for Youth Employment in South Sudan

promising practice


UNAl Fakhoora dynamic Futures Programme aims at building a cadre of educated and trained leaders who are civic-minded, intellectually able, and professionally skilled to become the community, business, and national leaders of the future. The programme, which targets Palestinian postsecondary students of underserved backgrounds, avails opportunities for them to actualise their potential by overcoming socioeconomic, political and cultural limitations and enable them to become productive members in the society.Education and training is perceived to influence graduating students’ employment in three critical ways:•As levels of education rise, so do opportunities for labor force participation•The level and type (specialisation) of education affects the range of available job opportunities; and•Higher levels of education increase graduates’ earning capacity, and consequently improves the livelihood of their familiesAl Fakhoora Dynamic Futures Programme is worth USD 6.85 million and funded bilaterally by the State of Qatar’s Al Fakhoora Campaign and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).Start date: 2010. Expected end date: 2022

PalestineUNDPDynamic Futures

492


Programme


Non UNService learningUSASanta Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SAMO)

EcoHelpers program

good practice


Non UNThis intervention was designed to work with both the private and the pubic sectors. Concerning the private sector, the intervention aimed at deepen the knowledge of the private sectors organizations about the issues of professional engagement of physically handicapped people, to establish conferences inside the employment companies to increase the awareness of current employees regarding the importance of engaging people who are physically handicapped. The program works on doing training sessions, for the managers and for the employees in order to promote the idea of diversity in the workplace. The program works as well at detecting the needs of the private sector and working on meet these capacities. It works as well, on ensuring equipment for these companies to satisfy the needs of employees from different backgrounds. They work on establishing an organization that encourages the diversity in the workplace, and that can form a link between the program itself and the business world. People with disabilities: Developing the capacities of people with additional and specific needs. Establishing training sessions (illiteracy sessions, computer sessions, English literature sessions), preparing disabled youth to be ready to join the business world. As with people from civic society, there is work on changing the perceptions towards people with disabilities. As for the public sector this program tries to collaborate with official organizations like ministries and municipalities and the national office for employment and the cabinet of commerce, industry and trade and this is to encourage all these parts to work within a diversity work and to make a model for the other offices or businesses to accept the employment of disabled people. After the accomplishment of the three phases of this program, we are looking to accomplish phase 4.

LebanonLebanese Physically Handicapped Union

Economic and social inclusion project

continue to explore


Non UNFrom 2005-2010, EEA improved and expanded education and employment opportunities for disadvantaged and unemployed youth in six countries in the Middle East and Asia. Supported by USAID and a wide array of corporate, foundation, and other donors, EEA forged partnerships on multiple levels (global, national, and local), leveraging the expertise and resources of diverse partners to lay the groundwork for sustaining and scaling up interventions. In India, EEA supported innovative educational technology initiatives to improve the learning outcomes of students. In other countries, it offered comprehensive learning packages, combining technical/vocational and life skills, entrepreneurship development, on-the-job training, and job placement or enterprise development support. Programs focused on addressing the unique needs of out-of-school and at-risk youth.

Egypt, Morocco,

India, Pakistan,

Indonesia, Philippines

International Youth Foundation USAID

Education & Employment Alliance (EEA)

493


Programme

good practice


Non UNImplemented in: Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, VenezuelaThe Entra 21 model features comprehensive training in life and technical skills as dictated by the needs of the labor market, internships, job placement services, and the active involvement of employers in program design and execution. After a successful first phase, the program was expanded through 2011 in order to work at greater scale and with more vulnerable youth. A subset of Entra 21, which ran from 2008 to 2013, the Caribbean Youth Empowerment Program (CYEP) equipped youth at risk in four island nations with the technical, vocational, entrepreneurship and life skills needed to develop sustainable livelihoods through employment or initiate their own businesses. With support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), participants between the ages of 17 and 25 received job training and placement services and were supported in serving as positive agents of change in their communities. While preparing young people for sustainable employment remained the primary focus, CYEP also developed the capacity of partner organizations to deliver quality services to vulnerable youth, as well as facilitated the development of strong networks among youth-serving organizations and their public- and private-sector partners. Partners made important connections with private employers and strengthened their collaboration with government entities and other stakeholders.


Entra 21

continue to explore


UNThe project aims to reduce vulnerability and exclusion of youth by promoting a broader knowledge and a bigger access of youth to their rights with regards to employement, access to valuable training and revenue making activities through access to credit via microcredit and microfinance institutions. Three outcomes: 1) formulation of a national policy integrated on employment2) Access of youth to quality services in training (diploma/vocational) for employment3) Entrepreneurial capacities of youth are reinforced through access to

DjiboutiUNDPEntrepreneurial capacities of youth through access to credit /


Non UNProviding skills training and connections for youth wishing to set up new businesses (entrepreneurship).

MENAEFE - Education for Employment

Entrepreneurship


Non UNGirl Geek Camp is an initiative of Nasawiya, a collective of feminist activists in Lebanon who are committed to gender justice and equality. The programme empowers young girls through technology and fights the stereotype of only boys being tech-geeks

LebanonNasawiyaGeek Camp


Non UNLeadership skills, community action changeUSA and Canada

Girls Inc.Girls Inc. Leadership and Community Action

continue to explore


Non UNThe MENA-YES program offers technical, demand-driven training, assistance with internship and apprenticeship placement, as well as support for entrepreneurship and self-employment activities and assistance accessing credit to vulnerable youth in Jordan, Lebanon and Yemen. To implement the project, Global Communities has identified private sector industries with potential employment opportunities for the youth, partnered with local training providers and built relationships with government agencies. The target industries are selected according to the demand in each country, but the model of the programme remains the same across all countries.

Jordan, Lebanon,

Yemen

MENA YES Program

Global Communities

494


Programme

continue to explore


Non UNcivic engagement, skills development / a. The Humanitarian Traineeship programme involves youth (aged 18 to 24) with relevant interests and interpersonal skills being matched with local or international humanitarian organizations in their area who are seeking to expand their cadre of entry-level staff.

LebanonSave the Children

Humanitarian Traineeships

continue to explore


Non UNEnactus Egypt is part of Enactus, an international non-profit organization that brings together student, academic and business leaders who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need.

EgyptEnactusI Unemployment

promising practice


UNThe ILO is supporting Arab apprenticeship systems by upgrading informal apprenticeships through the piloting and adaptation of a methodology tested in Africa, strengthening the legal and policy frameworks related to apprenticeships, piloting new models, and documenting the impact of successful apprenticeship programmes.Three projects are being piloted in Jordan, Egypt and Tunisia to serve as a basis for an Arab version of this methodology. The Jordan pilot was carried out by ILO, in collaboration with the International Youth Foundation (IYF), between August 2013 and March 2014 The initiaitve was for the upgrading informal apprenticeships in 30 garages in Jordan. The initiative aimed at (a) developing the apprenticeship contents and process, (b) linking trainees with employers for on the job training, (c) improving the occupational health and safety conditions at the workplace, (d) improving the organization and workplace management, (e) organizing the testing for occupational licenses of the trainees.

JordanILOInformal apprenticeships

good practice


Non UNIn 2001, the Population Council, in collaboration with the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), Save the Children, Caritas and local NGOs, launched Ishraq (Sunrise), a multidimensional programme for girls aged 12-to-15 years who are out of school. The programme sought to transform girls’ lives by working with them at the individual level, providing them with safe spaces, functional literacy, life and cognitive skills and overall increased knowledge of their rights. At the community level, it worked with parents and community leaders to change gender norms and perceptions about girls’ roles in society, bringing them into the public sphere and raising awareness of issues that affect them. At the institutional level, the programme sought to increase local and national policymakers’ support for girl-friendly measures and policies. Implemented in three phases – pilot, scale up and expansion – between 2001 and 2012, the programme reached 30 villages in Upper Egypt and over 3,000 direct beneficiaries.

EgyptPopulation Council

Ishraq


Non UNEFE’s core programme, which targets unemployed university graduates and high school diploma holders. It provides students with the professional and vocational skills that are in demand by employers in the region, and places students in jobs upon graduation. It provides short-term, demand-driven skills training and workshops that typically last eight weeks. The training programmes on offer cover sectors such as banking, ICT, computer programming, e-commerce, sales, hospitality, garment making, construction management. The programme has developed relationships with business, from small-medium enterprises to multinational corporations in order to identify the skills that are important and needed by the employer, and secure job placements for students.

Egypt, Jordan,

Morocco, Palestine,

Tunisia and Yemen

EFE - Education for Employment

Job training and placement

495


Programme

continue to explore


Non UNThe project seeks to improve employability of at-risk youth by building their work experience and life-skills. In particular, the project aims to (1) support youth in the poorest regions (Priority I and II based on the official poverty map); (2) provide technical skills and increase youth awareness of safety in the workplace and environmental protection; (3) provide basic life skills to improve personal life skills and reduce risky behaviors (4) promote self-employment and entrepreneurship. The program was funded by the World Bank and evaluated.

Dominican Republic

Ministry of Labour

Juventud y Empleo

continue to explore


Non UNLOYAC runs several programs for the youth to develop their professional skills, enhance their personal growth and to help them find their sense of purpose by extending themselves to others.

Kuwait, Jordan,

Lebanon, Yemen

LOYACLOYAC


Non UNInitiated by the BDC and then funded by the USAID, the Maharat Program-funded Maharat Program, recruits and trains recent Jordanian graduates for internships and employment opportunities at Jordanian businesses, BDC has enriched and elevated the business knowledge and capabilities of several thousand Jordanian youth across the country. Local SMEs in turn benefit from a large-scale pool of business savvy and capable interns.

JordanBusiness Development Center

Maharat Program

promising practice


UNAs part of the global partnership between UNICEF and Barclays Bank tackling youth unemployment, UNICEF Egypt launched in 2008 Meshwary (My Journey) – Building Young Futures. The aim of this initiative is to increase the knowledge, skills and experience among adolescents and youth in order to empower them economically and socially, enabling them to make strategic choices about their future. The core components, a skills development programme and career counselling services, were complemented with work placements at Barclays bank, micro-enterprise support and skill-sharing activities with Barclays’ staff. Building on the achievements and lessons learned from the first phase, Meshwary Phase II was launched in 2012 with an expected end date in 2016. The current phase focuses on the institutionalization of an employability skills development programme and career guidance centres within government, which can support young people’s development and labour market preparedness beyond the duration of the programme.

EgyptUNICEFMeshwary - Building Young Futures


UNIn March 2013, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP Jordan) has kicked off a pilot project “Mitigating the Impact of Syrian Refugees Crisis on the Jordanian Vulnerable Host Communities”. The overall objective of this two-years project is to contribute to sustaining social and economic stability, with particular focus on the Northern governorates, namely Irbid and Mafraq, and enable Jordanians to continue to pursue their human development aspirations. In addition, the project works to respond to urgent needs of crisis-affected people in a timely and efficient manner, with emphasis on Jordanian host communities. It aims at supporting these communities in order to increase their absorption capacity and mitigate any possible tensions between Syrian refugees and hosting communities.

JordanUNDPMitigating the Impact of Syrian Refugees Crisis on the Jordanian Host Communities

496


Programme

promising practice


UNImplementers: Centre Sportif Moulay Rachid, Fondation Orient Occident, Ministry of Youth and Sports, IOM, UNHCR and UNICEF.UNHCR initiated a street basketball project to help integrate young refugees, and migrants aged around 8-25 to the Moroccan society. At first this project was organized just in one city “Rabat Playground” before it became “Morocco playground” and involved three more cities. The project was not exclusively about sport as it included workshops and activities inspired by the sport for development approach (S4D).

MoroccoUNICEFMorocco Playground

promising practice


Non UNPopulation Council developed an 18-month intervention program that adopts an integrated livelihood approach to female economic empowerment, entitled Neqdar Nesharek (Neqdar), or “We Can Participate”. It was implemented in 30 villages in the governorates of Fayoum, Sohag and Qena . Launched in September 2011, Neqdar targeted 4500 marginalized young women aged 16-29 in 30 villages in rural Upper Egypt. Unlike existing entrepreneurship programs, which usually focus on a single dimension of support such as micro-finance, Neqdar offered holistic mentoring that provided young women with the various skills and actual support they need to become economically and socially active community members. Neqdar combines business skills development with actual support in starting a business or in finding employment in an existing business, while placing an emphasis on life skills and community engagement, inseparable elements of building the capacity of female youth to become empowered economically, socially and politically.

EgyptPopulation Council

Neqdar Nesharek: We Can Participate

not reviewed


Non UNThe Kenya Youth Empowerment Program, known as Ninaweza, was a 24-month youth employability program targeting young women living in the informal settlements around Nairobi launched in January 2011. The purpose of the program was to improve the employability and earning capacity of young women living in the informal settlements of Nairobi. The International Youth Foundation (IYF) partnered with the Nairobi-based African Center for Women and Information Communication (ACWICT), which was the lead implementing organization. An impact evaluation on the Ninaweza program was coordinated by IYF under the Global Partnership for Youth Employment (GPYE) to test a comprehensive employability skills program model including Life skills training and its impact on employability and income-generation of youth. The GPYE was established in 2008 with support from the World Bank to build and dis-seminate evidence on youth employment outcomes and to test methods to improve them, with a special focus on Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

KenyaGlobal Partnership for Youth Employment

Ninaweza program

497


Programme

good practice


Non UNImplemented in: Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Bhutan, China ,Egypt, Grenada, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Mexico, Morocco , Mozambique, Namibia, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal ,Singapore ,South Africa , South Korea, Tanzania, Tunisia and Zimbabwe. PTS equips young people, ages 14 to 29, with the skills that help keep them in school and are in high demand by employers. At the core of the program is an 80-module curriculum developed and refined by the International Youth Foundation (IYF) over the past decade. PTS places a premium on high-quality instruction, and all PTS trainers must satisfy rigorous certification requirements. Prospective trainers are equipped to deliver innovative, interactive activities that capture young people’s imaginations and allow them to practice, question, and understand expectations.


Passport to Success ® (PTS)


Non UNThe programme addresses the gap between educational institutions and the job market through various ‘light touch’ initiatives. ‘Finding a Job is a Job’ is a ManpowerGroup training curriculum that focuses on the skills and the discipline needed to conduct an effective job search. The ‘Musharaka’ programme provides courses on civic engagement and results in an internship position with non-profit organizations. The ‘Intel Youth Enterprise Ideation Camps’ is a two-day camp where university studetns learn to ideate, innovate and imagine social entrepreneurship by coming up with solutions to the problems identified in their communities.

MENAEFE - Education for Employment

Pathways

promising practice


UNEmployment services match job seekers with job opportunities and are thus central to a well-functioning labour market. They are provided both by govern-ment through their Ministries of Labour and/or by private employment agencies. Close collaboration between public and private employment services is important because it results in the most positive outcomes for the labour market as was demonstrated during the global financial and economic crisis that began in 2008.Public employment services (PES) plan and execute labour market policies. Their major role is to cushion labour market transitions for workers and enterprises

EgyptILOPublic Employment Services in Egypt

continue to explore


Non UNULYP aims to fill the gaps that have been missed by living in an underprivileged community or having a disrupted or poor quality education. RARE encourages participants to focus on their futures with improved self-confidence, purpose and right’s awareness. Financial literacy, business skills and entrepreneurship were integrated with the human rights and child rights awareness component, as well as the skills of decision-making, teamwork, communication, citizenship and peace building that are at the core of all ULYP programs.

LebanonUnite Lebanon Youth Project (ULYP)

RARE (Rights and Responsibilities Empowerment)


Non UNProgressive integrated work experienceUSASanta Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SAMO)

SAMO Youth program


Non UNEducation and involvementUSASanta Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SAMO)

SHRUB program

498


Programme

promising practice


Non UNThe Skills4Life project addresses Palestinian refugee children concern in Lebanon(employability, succeeding in life) by providing Palestine refugee school students most at risk of school dropout with learning support to build the skills to succeed educationally and professionally.


Skills4life

continue to explore


Non UNEmployability, vocational training, soft skills, empowerment, One Stop Shops, work readiness

SomaliaSilatech, Shaqodoon and American Refugee Committee (ARC)

Somali Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Program (SYEEP)

continue to explore


UNThis intervention is part of an ILO/IOM project funded by UN PBF. The ILO component focuses on the provision of simple business skills including the development of an elementary business idea/proposal for 1,500 women and youth. The IOM component supports vocational skills training for 300 youth including the provision of start-up kits. In addition IOM manages the small business start-up kits and grants for the business skills graduates.The project builds upon a set of demonstration skills and enterprise training approaches that were piloted by the UN MDGF Achievement Fund Joint Programmes on Conflict Prevention and Peace Building and Youth Employment. These programmes piloted markets assessments linked to skills training needs for income generation, micro-enterprises and cooperatives in: dairying, seed multiplication, restaurants, street foods, and labour-intensive construction contracting in Wau, Western Bahr el-Ghazal and in Warrap State. The PBF Returnees project builds and expands on this work by: (i) scaling-up the business and vocational skills training components to better reach recent returnees from the Sudan; and (ii) linking the vocational, business skills and business plans/ideas to outreach and referral support including where possible work placements.The project seeks to ensure that livelihood opportunities and services are provided to address the increasing challenges that are negatively impacting reintegration in the peri-urban and urban communities of Wau, Aweil and Kwajok. These have become concentration points for returnee populations from the Sudan and there is an urgent need to assist both the authorities and the private sector to develop labour market and market place capacities for contracted employment, own account workers, and member-based enterprises.

SudanILOStabilization and early reintegration support for returnees in South Sudan


UNExponential growth of Qatar’s private sector with Qatari citizens lacking enterprise skills/training. The programme sought to strengthen Qatar’s control over partnered businessess with immigrant entrepreneurs and enable unemployed and undermployed citizens to start their small enterprises.With financing from Q-Tel, a Qatar telecommunications company, the ILO provided technical assistance for the establishment of a small enterprise development unit (SEDU) within the Social Development Centre (SDC) - an agency within the Qatar Foundation that supports Qatari families . The ILO provided capacity development to enable the new unit to adapt and implement the SIYB programme in Qatar.

QatarILOStart and Improve Your Business Project

499


Programme

promising practice


Non UNImplemented in: Beirut and Dibbiyeh, south of Beirut, Lebanon. ULYP offers disadvantaged Palestinian and Lebanese youth the SAWA program, which gives them the opportunity to enhance concrete artistic skills, develop key social skills, and meet and build friendships with children from different backgrounds. Children participated in many hours of artistic and creative activities, covering, art, handicrafts, music, drama, interactive workshops on gender equality and child rights, and some team sports.


Strengthening Amity With the Arts (SAWA)


UNThe ILO provided expertise in entrepreneurship and business development skills to a joint programme to improve livelihoods in poor communities in Upper Egypt: Pro Poor Horticulture Value Chains in Upper Egypt. The goal of the joint programme was transformation of existing farmers’ associations into business associations that increase farmers’ incomes through collective action to improve production technology and enhance product marketing and distribution. The programme included technical assistance in legal and policy reforms to facilitate this transformation as well as raising awareness and developing entrepreneurial and business skills for small farmers (members) and the associations. The ILO adapted and customized KAB, SIYB and Start Your Waste Recycling Business SYWRB. A network of trainers was established and five hundred small farmers received entrepreneurial training. While participants of the training did develop new capacities, application of these new skills was constrained by unresolved problems of the associations with respect to access to financial resources, inputs and technical assistance in production.Lebanon. As a component of a post-conflict recovery programme for South Lebanon; Local Socio-Economic Recovery in War-Affected Areas of South Lebanon (LSER), the ILO provided technical assistance for strengthening management practices and skills of existing cooperatives in South Lebanon. Training was provided to cooperative leadership in the areas of business development and cooperative management. A number of cooperatives were also provided technical assistance for participatory value chain analysis and other technical training for improving production. A number of consultative bodies were established (Bee keeper’s forum and Cooperatives forum) and a number of high level meetings and workshops for exchanging information regarding the cooperative sector were held with final

Egypt and Lebanon

ILOStrengthening entrepreneurial skills for social enterprise

Summer Trek is a six-week summer expanded learning program designed to engage middle school youth as community problem-solvers. Through a series of dynamic and highly motivating project-based activities, youth participants become “trekkers”, developing interests, skills, and expertise as they explore ways to make positive contributions to their communities and the world.

USAInnovations in Civic Participation (ICP)

Summer Trek


Non UNSummer EmploymentUSANYC department of youth & community development

Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)

500


Programme


UNUNDP and General Organization for Youth and Sports (GOYS) partnered in 2009 to update the National Youth Strategy reflecting the country emerging priorities and directions including the Vision 2030. The updated National Youth Strategy builds on the synergies created at the national level since 2005. This document was put together in a participatory approach through consultations with line ministries, youth NGOs, members of parliament and concerned national institutions. Through this new initiative, a draft NYS for 2011 – 2015 and an Action Plan was developed. The new version provides a focus, directions and an operational framework for all line ministries, agencies and organisations concerned with the development of Bahraini young men and women. A National Youth Action Plan 2011-2015 has also been developed, in consultative manner with different government and non-government entities, to provide a practical statement on the implementation of the National Youth Strategy, reflecting its priorities and thematic areas. The National Youth Action Plan builds upon the goals, strategic objectives and priority interventions of the National Youth Strategy (NYS).

BahrainUNDPSupport and Capacity Development for the Review and Implementation of the national Youth Strategy and Action Plan 2011-2015


UNUNDP launched, with the financial support of Japan, a pilot project entitled Força (“Support Youth Access to a First Job”) that aims at identifying job opportunities within the civil society at the local level. The project promotes arrangements to help first-jobseekers to access the labor market and to enhance their employability in the private sector on the one hand and in the civil society organizations on the other. The approach consists in placing youths for a year in civil society associations, where they develop their professional skills and gain a first work experience.In addition, a supplementary approach has been developed to promote the employability of young job-seekers that have a specific academic profile and have more difficulties in accessing the Algerian labor market (i.e. human and social science graduates). Despite their academic qualifications, they do not respond to current needs of the labor market, especially those of the private sector. This additional approach consisted in adapting their profile to the actual demands of the labor market by subsidizing a one to two year contract in the private sector. But more importantly, this approach engaged the private sector as a crucial partner and sector in job creation at all levels, and contributed as such to the inclusion of both CSO’s and private sector enterprises as equal partners in the fight against youth unemployment. In the Algerian context of limited private sector development and the need to move away from public sector employment this was considered to be a relevant step forward. The beneficiaries employed in a CSO or in a private sector company have both benefited from trainings to reinforce their capacities and soft-skills and to enhance their post-contract employability.

AlgeriaUNDPSupport to the access of youth to first employment

501


Programme


UNIn January 2010, Ministry of Economy and Planning (MOEP), on behalf of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed an agreement to develop the Saudi National Youth Strategy. As a respond to national priorities identified, the strategy highlighted many priorities that remain on top of the national agendas. Sustainable growth and job creation are among the national priorities, as the creation of a market for knowledge- based jobs for educated young job seekers. Funded by the Gvt of Saudi Arabia; 2009-2014.

Saudi Arabia

UNDPSupport to the Development of National Youth Strategy


Non UNEstablished under public-private partnership with the Government of Gujarat, TeamLease works in the areas of education, employment and employability, offering professional and vocational training.

IndiaTeamleaseTeam Lease Skills University

continue to explore


Non UNschool drop outs, life skills, career explorationIndiaCAP foundation India

Teen Channel – Community Learning Centre Initiative

good practice


Non UNBRIDGE), ULYP offers Underprivileged youth in Lebanon a highly varied program consisting of two major components :a University Preparatory Course (UPC) providing them with the skills to pass university entrance tests; and counseling sessions (workshops as well as individual sessions), during which students, and occasionally their parents, are informed of the importance of attending a good university and the majors and scholarships available. BRIDGE is an extensive university preparatory program, targeting all obstacles underprivileged youth encounter when they want to attend university. The program runs for two years. Moreover, the BRIDGE team assists second year participants during individual counseling sessions with the actual university, visa and scholarship applications.


The BRIDGE Program


Non UNCreates and incubates dynamic networks of leaders and leaderships that use a 21st. century mindset and civic activism to link with like minded colleagues in the Arab World.

Egypt, Jordan,

Lebanon, West

Bank and Gaza, and

Yemen.

Siraj in partnership with Save the Children supported by USAID

The Siraj Youth Leadership Program


Non UNImplemented in: (Cuddalore, Karaikal, and Puducherry) Thailand (Pang-Nga, Ranong, Krabi, and Phuket), Sri Lanka (Seenigama and Hambantota District) and Indonesia (Aceh Province).Launched by Nokia and IYF, the TRI provided critical livelihood support to affected youth through enabling them to access trainings, jobs apprenticeships, and/or loans. TRI was carried out in tsunami-affected areas of India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand and reached over 12,400 youth between 2006-2009.

IndiaInternational Youth Foundation (IYF)

The Tsunami Reconstruction Initiative (TRI)

continue to explore


Non UNlife skills, livelihood training for children and youth, employment skills

IndiaGoodwill Social Work Centre (GoodwillSWC)

TME Technology and Goodwill Social Work Centre Life Skills

502


Programme

good practice


Non UNINJAZ develops and delivers a series of curricular and extracurricular programmes and activities for adolescents and youth through a network of partnerships with the private sector, civil society organizations and governmental institutions. The overall goal of INJAZ is to build the skills of Jordanian youth, help them find jobs and prepare them to be competent and productive members of society. The organization has a series of programmes that have been implemented with university students.

JordanInjazSkills building for university students


Non UNStaffing, training, and technical supportCanadaCanadian government

Wire Nova Scotia (WiNS)


UNThe Work4Youth Project is a five-year partnership between the ILO and The MasterCard Foundation that aims to promote decent work opportunities for young men and women through knowledge and action. It will build a knowledge base on the nature of youth employment. Specifically, it will generate a database on the results of the SWTS survey (school-to-work transition), applied in a large scale to 28 countries. The project serves as an intermediary tool from which ILO and colleagues can work with constituents in the area of policy design.

GlobalILOWork 4 Youth (W4Y)

continue to explore


Non UNEducation, experience, and guidanceUSAYear UpYear Up

promising practice


Non UNThe Palestinian Counseling Center has been implementing an empowerment program for youth 2002. The program evolved over the years from a general program for youth, to a youth at risk program from 2005-2009, which targeted youth in the 12-18 age groups that were at risk of dropping out of school and getting married at an early age. From 2011-2014, the program has taken the shape of a youth resilience program, which still targets youth at risk of developing psycho-social problems, but focuses on building the resilience of youth (15-22 years old), by enhancing the youth’s strengths while at the same time eliminating the factors that promote failure. The program focuses on developing youth’s identity and sense of self worth, including youth’s ability to take decisions and to plan for the future. The PCC also conducts recreational activities as well as awareness raising workshops with youth, and works with parents of youth with the aim of empowering them to address youth issues, understand the changes that adolescents experience, and improve communication between parents and youth.

PalestinePalestinian Counseling Center

YEP (Youth Programme)

good practice


Non UNThe Young Researcher Program is a three-year programme where adolescents develop new ways of thinking through problem solving, critical and creative thinking skills as well as scientific research skills, and new ways of working and tackling problems by applying innovative initiatives that solve researched problems at the community level. The programme has turned into a platform which allows Palestinian adolescents to explore and question their environment, to search for information and create positive solutions which can improve their daily lives and the future of their community.

PalestineAl NayzakYoung Researcher Programme

503


Programme

continue to explore


UNThis initiative aims to increase employment for youth in Morocco. The International Labour Organization (ILO) aims to provide technical assistance to: strengthen entrepreneurship education and training; improve the services of local public employment centers and business development service providers; and involve young women and men in policy dialogue to help inform national youth employment policies.

MoroccoILOYouth @ work: Employment for young men and women

good practice


Non UNYCI was created to empower disadvantaged and vulnerable youth from households facing economic challenges that hinder their academic advancement and may prevent them from enrolling in higher education. Many of the youth who joined the programme are from areas identified by Jordan’s Department of Statistics as ‘poverty pockets’. YCI opens the door for these youth to join the work force by equipping them, through a six-month training programme, with relevant life and work skills and exposing them to a successful business environment and successful professionals, enabling them to make informed career choices and become employable. The JRF implements YCI in coordination with local businesses in the community and the Jordan Tourism Board and in partnership with five-star hotels.

JordanJordan River Foundation (JRF)

Youth Career Initiative (YCI)

good practice


UNIn 2012 the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Yemen launched the Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (YEEP) to support the Government in employment generation for youth during the transition period, providing improved livelihoods for people and contributing to conflict prevention by addressing the high unemployment rates that fuelled young people taking to the streets. The project adopted and adapted the ‘3x6 approach’, a methodology used in post-conflict Burundi for rapid, temporary employment generation while at the same time laying the ground for long-term employment. Implemented in three phases – inclusiveness, ownership, sustainability – the method creates emergency, temporary employment for populations affected by conflict and in transition, while building the basis for sustainable and long-term employment.

YemenUNDPYouth Economic Empowerment Program (YEEP II)

good practice


Non UNThe Youth Employability Skills (YES) Network is a five-year project implemented by the Education Development Center (EDC), and funded through the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The main goal of the project is to enhance the employability skills of youth in Macedonia and to strengthen the vital connections between labor market needs and skills developed through the educational system.

MacedoniaEducation Development Center, Inc.

Youth Employability Skills (YES) Network Project (Macedonia)

promising practice


UNEgypt: It responds to the urgent need to address prevailing unemployment figures of youth in Egypt. As business leaders expresses that youth often lack the required skills by different industries operating in Egypt. The program works on empowering three main pillars: 1) The MSMEs component that aims to improve the competitiveness and profitability of local MSMEs, 2) The Social Entrepreneurship component which works towards inspiring youth to be champions leading their business, 3) The vocational Training-and-Internship component that focuses on setting up a mechanism to connect private companies with youth fo joining the job market. This is part of the more comprehensive Empowering Youth through ICT programme

Jordan and Egypt

UNDPYouth Employment Generation Programme in Arab Transition Countries (YEGP) Egypt

504


Programme

continue to explore


Non UNStrengthening vocational skills and reducing unemployment

IraqDepartment for International Development (DFID)

Youth Employment Pilot Programme (YEPP)

continue to explore


Non UNIn Sub-Saharan Africa, one in five young people is jobless. From 2007 to 2010, the Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) worked in close partnership with local organizations in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania, to offer African youth training in life skills, employability and entrepreneurship as well as received hands-on experience through internships. An initial grant of US$1 million from Microsoft was leveraged to over US$6 million, and used to expand youth employability activities within the targeted countries.

Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal,

and Tanzania



promising practice


UNIn its first year, the project drew on UNDP expertise to prepare an integrated programme for cultural, scientific and knowledge-exchange dialogue between participating national youth delegations. By 2014 the project had conducted a series of visits that have involved six partner countries: Brazil, China (3 rounds, with the 2nd round held in Saudi Arabia), Germany, India, South Korea, Spain and Tanzania. Participants are between 17 and 27 years of age; the Saudi Arabia country groups have been composed of 20-26 Saudi youth, with equal numbers of women and men. (The gender breakdown of partner country groups may vary, depending on the country’s capacity to create a team with equal numbers of women and men.)Each dialogue visit takes up a theme, and visits are organized around these themes. Themes have ranged widely from issues of trade, slums management, and architectural identity, to renewable energy, ICT for development, medical research, e-education and smart cities, and the preservation of biological diversity. Participants meet national specialists and visit sites that are key to the dialogue theme. Discussions among participants have been completely untrammelled by direction from officials, and have produced creative and original exchanges and proposals. Each dialogue forum in its final days prepares two proposals in the form of letters: a “bilateral letter” to the government on each side, and a “multilateral letter”, which is transmitted to an international agency.

Saudi Arabia

UNDPYouth Exchange Programme for MOFA

continue to explore


Non UNImplemented in: Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Congo, Grenada, Guatemala, Jamaica, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Palestine, Peru, Saint Lucia, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.Youth for the Future (Y4F), formerly known as Youth: Work Jordan, is a program of the International Youth Foundation (IYF) carried out in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development and the Government of Jordan. Its goal: to support youth at-risk in realizing productive and rewarding roles in society, while helping Jordanian society maximize the energy, talent, and enthusiasm of today’s young generation. Y4F takes internationally-recognized best practices in the field of youth development and adapts them to address the needs of the nation’s underserved youth. At the same time, it unites diverse segments of society – government entities, companies, civil society organizations, academic institutions, parents, and others – in a concerted effort to serve young people’s needs.


Youth for the Future formerly known as Youth Work Jordan

continue to explore


Non UNYouth Leadership, Entrepreneurship skills, life skills

South Africa

ABSAYouth Leadership & Entrepreneurship Development

continue to explore


Non UNLeadership skills, empowerment, participatory; implemented in Johannesburg and Soweto

JordanJordan River Foundation

Youth Leadership Program

505

Annex 6. Advisory Group

Adolescent Good Practices

Advisory team: An advisory team will be established to provide guidance to the project. This advisory team will consist of experts in the area of youth employment, youth education, youth policy, civic engagement/participation of youth, humanitarian contexts, skills-building for youth, social protection for youth, social entrepreneurship among youth, disabled youth, gender issues among youth in the region, youth health and well-being (sexual and reproductive health, mental health, injuries, Non-Communicable diseases(NCDs)). This advisory team will also include three young persons from the region.

Terms of Reference

(i) Provide insight into good practices they know of for adolescents and youth globally and in the region in their area of expertise;

(ii) Provide their expert opinion on a set of indicators developed by the core team that will be used to prioritize the good practices.

Mode of communication: The advisory team communicates virtually – by Skype once per month starting in May and through September. E-mail communications will be more frequent, but no more than one every two weeks.

Given this mode of communication, we would like to suggest a large advisory group, consisting of experts in Beirut as well as experts from United Nations and international organizations.

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Advisory Group Members

Name Area of expertiseCurrent position

and affiliationRelevant experience

Based in

Maha Damaj

Social protection

and disability

Assistant professor of public health practice at the department of Health Promotion and Community Health at the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) at AUB

President of the Moussawat NGO; facilitating access to rehabilitation to the disabled in the Palestinian refugee camps

Member of the Board of the Lebanese Down Syndrome Society

Former Child protection programme officer at UNICEF Lebanon (2006-2009).

Extensive previous experience with Save the Children on Children with Disabilities, Inclusion and Non-discrimination, Children’s Participation, Children’s Rights (from 2000 till 2005).

Lebanon

Lubna Izzeddine

Participation Founding member and Volunteer President of SANAD - Home Hospice Organization of Lebanon

Former Youth and Child Protection Programme Officer -UNICEF Lebanon/Country Office (2004-2007) mainly working on National Youth Policy formulation, youth participation in decision-making and in public life. Represented UNICEF as Chair of the UN Youth Taskforce

Former Acting Youth Programme Officer -UNICEF Jordan/Country Office (1999-200)

Has consulted with several UN offices and NGOs on National Youth Policies and Youth programmes: UNICEF Iraq and Jordan; UNDP; UNESCO; UNODC

Lebanon

Rindalla

Abdul Baki

Policy Community Service Programme coordinator- Student Community Life Advisor at International College Ras Beirut

Former Project Coordinator - Youth Empowerment and Participation Project- UNESCO Beirut (2008-2010); mainly coordinating all activities related to the elaboration and adoption of a National Youth Policy in Lebanon

Consultant on Development of a Best Practice Documentation on “HIV/AIDS prevention among youth and high risk groups”- UNFPA Lebanon

Lebanon

Nabil

Hassan

Social entrepreneurship

Partner and consultant at Beyond Reform and Development

Has held leading positions in a number of NGOs and coalitions over the past several years. Served as an Advocacy Specialist with the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), a special bureau within USAID where he supported a nation-wide programme building the capacity of youth and civil society groups. He provided oversight, project development, and management support services to over 60 community-based groups who are conducting advocacy campaigns on issues of public health, environment, media freedom, elections, and youth policies across the country.

Lebanon

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Nizar

Rammal

Civic engagement CEO and Managing Director of “....for development”; A collective workshop providing services for NGO’s, UN, International

organizations, Public Sector in the fields of: Training, Resources Production

and Consultancies.

Social animator, Community organizer, Trainer and Facilitator on community development tools, non-violent action, advocacy and lobbying, participatory local development planning, research and mobilization. Has consulted on many projects, the most recent being: Peace Building School Toolbox/UNDP Lebanon; Peer Education Initiative,/UNICEF Oman; Strengthening the Capacity of Local Leaders/UN Habitat Lebanon

Lebanon

Adib

Nehme

Youth Participation, civic engagement, employment

Lebanon

Mayada

Kanj

Skills-building/ life skills

Instructor at the Department of Health Promotion and Community Health at FHS

Has served as technical advisor for youth component of the project Promoting Civic Values and life skills for Adolescents (UNFPA Iraq); Supervised life skills training and developing a training manual for school health educators to teach HIV and AIDS education in Lebanon (UNESCO regional office); Coordinating PETRI (Peer Education Research and Training Regional Institute) (UNFPA/ ASRO)

Lebanon

Ghanem

Bibi

Youth participation and capacity-building

Founder of the Arab Resource Collective and the lead coordinator of several projects such as the arabization of the works of Paulo Freire, capacity building for children’s rights, participation of children and youth and the development of the Arab civil society, among other similar initiatives

Lebanon

Jocelyn

De Jong

Gender and youth Professor at the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at FHS

Special research interest in Reproductive health and HIV/AIDS in the Middle East and Linkages between reproductive health and development

Has authored many articles on Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV aids in the MENA region with a special focus on equity

Lebanon

Kathryn

Becher

Humanitarian Save the Children Lebanon

Name Area of expertiseCurrent position

and affiliationRelevant experience

Based in

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Annex 7. Minutes of Advisory Group Meetings

UNICEF MENARO Good Practices documentation

Minutes of Advisory committee meeting 1

July 8th 2014; 4pm

Present: Advisory cmt members: Kathyrn Becher, Ghanem Bibi, Rozanne Chorlton (by skype), Maha Damaj, Jocelyn De Jong (by skype), Nabil Hassan, Lubna Izziddin,Mayada Kanj, Adib Nehme. AUB/FHS/OPU team 26: Racha Adib, Rima Afifi, Aline Germani

Minutes:

• Introductions: Committee members introduced themselves to each other. Jocelyn and Rozanne were joining by skype but the connection was very poor and they both eventually signed off.

• Update on the process of identifying best practices: The OPU team described the process to date of identifying best practices including (i) soliciting programmes from the UN interagency team and from colleagues, partners and networks; (ii) engaging in a wide search online (web) and in academic search engines; (iii) soliciting input through a survey developed for young persons aged 12-30 years old; (iv) creating a Facebook page as an information mechanism. This process is identifying both potential ‘good practices’ (those that have some form of evaluation of ‘impact’) and promising practices. Good practices will be documented as part of this effort. UNICEF also has a person (Karin Martinez) dedicated to working on documenting promising practices. The OPU team shared the list of programmes found to date noting that this list did not yet include those suggested by youth through the youth survey.

o Advisory committee members asked for the purpose behind documenting good practices. The OPU team responded that the intent was to highlight practices that are contextual and raise them up so that we can learn from each other’s successes and learn lessons of challenges. Also, the intent is to highlight other programmes globally that have successes and may be worth considering if they are able to be adapted to the region.

o Advisory committee members also stressed the need to define each of the thematic areas:

• For example, when we say ‘civic engagement programmes’.. What is intended? There were many youth civic engagement efforts during the Arab uprisings. They had strong impact (indeed some say they toppled governments and what more impact are we asking for) – are these part of the civic engagement programmes we want to document? If not, why not? Definitions for each thematic area are necessary.

• For example … What are ‘resilience’ programmes? What does ‘resilience’ mean anyway? Can we deconstruct it? Do we really want to build resilience? Is resilience not an outcome of an empowerment process so any programme that has empowerment as part of it, creates ‘resilience’?

o Advisory committee members quickly reviewed the list of programmes found and

26 OPU stands for Outreach and Practice Unit. This Unit has been renamed the Center for Public Health Practice- CPHP, and this latter term is used throughout this report. We kept the OPU nomenclature in these minutes as they were written and distributed prior to the change in name.

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commented that they seem to be the typical international programmes funded by traditional donors (USAID, UN, INGOs) and that perhaps it is missing the more contextual, local, low budget, grass roots, informal / non formal sector programmes. The OPU team clarified that the Facebook page as well the list of specific individuals targeted were meant to identify such types of programmes.

o Advisory committee members also stressed the importance of the language we are communicating in and terms used. The OPU team clarified that – other than the youth survey – the language we have been using is English. Advisory committee members felt that this was marginalizing many programmes in the region, and particularly programmes that are not funded by International agencies as well as programmes that may be more grass roots and innovative. Yet these are exactly the type of programmes we want to capture. Advisory committee members urged the team to consider re-soliciting programmes using Arabic communication and using different types of networks.

o In order to address the last two concerns raised, the OPU team asked how to reach those networks, and advisory committee members promised to share information about some programmes/individuals that may be helpful. The list of partners/individuals to whom we have sent requests for identification of good practices will be shared with advisory committee members and they will suggest other persons.

o Based on all the above, advisory committee members urged that we take our time in identifying programmes. The project is large and should not be rushed. It defeats the purpose to do this work and come up with the same old types of programmes. Indeed if the intent of this project is to influence practices in our region (and to show something different, to have a report that is unexpected and new, rather than a document that everyone reads and feels is a repeat of what they have heard time and time again), then we should take our time to find those programmes that are different and innovative and highlights those. Since there are already many programmes that have been found, this should allay the concern regarding timeline and one can begin to look at those, while at the same time, keeping the search open and extending timeline.

• Review of minimum criteria: The proposed minimum criteria to identify a good practice were shared with the advisory committee members. As stated in the draft, criteria 1-5 are required; others will be noted but not required.

o Advisory committee members felt that all the criteria listed were important but that all were also required. In fact, they overturned the order of the criteria.

o Advisory committee members suggested dividing the criteria into two main components: (i) equity, values, and youth participation (includes current components 4, 7, 8); and (ii) technical aspects (includes the current criteria 1,2/3, 5, 6). They felt that the former was as important if not more important than the latter. In fact they thought we should start with the criteria of values. The equity analysis should be under ‘values’. As such we should rate each programme on ALL these criteria and they are all required for a programme to move forward to being listed as a good practice.

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o For youth participation, committee members felt that the current definition was too broad and that we should develop a typology or participations for example: youth as founders or leaders, youth in decision making roles.

o For equity, the most at risk category should be expanded to include chronic vulnerabilities.

o Efficiency should also be part of the criteria for a good practice. Part of this could be measured by the ratio of human capital to physical capital (equipment). This issue of efficiency may also be related to replicability. Under replicability, the ‘seems’ replicable category should be removed as it is too subjective.

o Advisory committee members stressed the importance of capturing context specific programmes in our region (programmes that are related to our social and political context)… that start from context, that are defined by context, and not only those that are suggested by international agencies.

o Advisory cmt members anticipated that the information gathered from the survey and/or the programme documents will be insufficient to allow the rating of the practices against the minimum criteria; they foresee that most of the programmes identified will need data collection through the interview guide in order to classify them.

• Engaging youth: Advisory committee members also deliberated on how to involve youths more clearly in this process and recommended that young people be involved in collecting information from other young people about good practices. With this in mind, committee members suggested that workshops be held in more than one city of the region (perhaps at the same date and time – to build momentum) where youth would be asked about programmes that they were involved in and felt were effective. Advisory committee members can send names of persons in various countries that can be the liaison for setting up this kind of workshop. Live feeds were also suggested.

o This was felt to be critical as part of the process –even if it delays the final product.

• Other comments:

o Advisory committee members commented on the need not only to highlight programmes that have worked, but also programmes that have not .. So that we also learn from our ‘failures.’ A project called ‘fail’ was highlighted. This project actually created a website where people share the projects that have not worked so that they are not repeated.

o Veera Mendonca, UNICEF regional advisor for adolescent development, is visiting FHS next week. It would be a good idea for the advisory committee to meet with her while she is here.

• Next steps:

o We did not have time to review the interview guide. Advisory committee members will send their comments by e-mail.

o OPU team will revise the minimum criteria as per the suggestions of the advisory cmt members

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o OPU team to send out the list of individuals / organizations that were solicited for good practices.

o Advisory cmt members will add to the above list.

o Advisory cmt will also send ideas of programmes that they think are good practices and are contextual, local, low budget, grass roots, informal / non formal sector programmes. We have specific gaps in emergency and ‘resilience’ (if we decide to keep this in) but all programmes are welcome.

o Advisory cmt members will share names of young persons to involve in various countries of the region.

UNICEF MENARO Good Practices documentation

Minutes of Advisory committee meeting 2

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Attendees: Kathryn Becher- Maha Damaj-Nabil Hasan- Aline Germani-Rima Afifi-Ghanem Bibi- Mayada Kanj-Clara Abou Samra ( GA)- Sarah Armoush (RA)-Bayan Jaber ( RA)- Karin Martinez ( on skype)

Rima Afifi gave an overview of what had been discussed previously:

• Reaching small NGOs with youth programmes and using Arabic language to reach some of them

• For the first phase this is difficult due to lack of time and the overwhelming process that is already taking place.

• Suggestion to write up in Arabic: AUB team had discussed this with UNICEF but at this point not sure if there is funding to support translation but it is an important matter to push for.

• Inclusion of Youth was discussed with UNICEF and 3 mechanisms were proposed:

1) Identifying students from public and private universities in the region and let there be nomination of a pool of students to take part of review and assessment.

2) The youth networks that suggested programmes that did not make the cut for the project can be included to give advice.

3) Through the Facebook page.

A big challenge that was faced in this project is the time needed for the mapping of programmes and getting accurate information to compare with the criteria being followed and the scope of the project.

Aline described the current process being followed for the project and the power point presentation revealed the current numbers of programmes identified and rated.

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Discussion:

One point that was raised is that there is an organizational culture/trend that prevails which is affecting the length of the process, since most information about programmes cannot be retrieved from their websites or desk review. It is also very important to document the challenges encountered in this project.

Rima Afifi pointed out also that during rating of programmes there are 2 items that are a bit controversial: youth involvement and innovativeness. It is really important to check the extent of youth involvement and perhaps give it as a recommendation in case a programme was judged as good practice (for having all the other criteria) but lacked this. As for innovativeness, there should be consideration of the context where the programme is taking place because what is innovative in one setting might not be in another.

Another point that was raised was the need to estimate the length of time needed to be able to process a programme from the moment it is identified up till reaching the write-up phase. In addition, another suggestion that was made is to document the funding sources and number of staff for each of the identified programmes especially those that make the cut and illustrating that through graphs.

Based on this project, there needs to be a way forward, either by tackling the challenges faced in youth programing or working on capacity building or working at the policy level or through research.

Next Steps:

To Share a folder on drop box with the advisory that contains the necessary documents of the UNICEF project.

Meeting up at the end of the process to review and discuss the write ups of the programmes that were identified as good practices.

Annex 8. Minutes of UNDG Arab States/MENA Region Meeting

UNDG Arab States/MENA Region

Inter-Agency Technical Task Team on Young People

Working Meeting

14 August 2014

Amman, Jordan

Participants

UNICEF: Veera Mendonca, Liv Elin Indreiten

UNFPA: Aleksandar Bodiroza

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UNDP: Linda Haddad

UNESCO: Seiko Sugita

Participation via Lync:

UNAIDS: Rupa Bhadra

ILO: Nathalie Bavitch

UNV: Stephanie Laryea

Observers:

UNICEF: Karin Martinez, Howayda Dakhallah

UNESCO: Dareen Abulail

Apologies:

UNHabitat: Katja Schaefer

ESCWA: Raidan Al-Saqqaf

UNDG Secretariat: Varsha Redkar-Palepu

Session 1: Good Practices and Learning from Global and MENA Specific Good Practices

Session chaired by UNICEF and rapporteur by UNDP

Aline Germani, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut (FHS, AUB) provided an overview of the process followed in the good practice documentation and highlighted key findings.

Discussion: The summary given below is not exhaustive of all the points covered. See presentation for the full details of FHS, AUB presentation.

- Objective of the good practice documentation exercise is to document at least 30 good practices (20 for MENA and 10 global in the four thematic areas of skills development,

civic engagement, resilience (humanitarian – development continuum), Health and well-being and other.

- 10-24 yrs is the target age for the interventions, however Aline clarified that projects reaching above that age are still included and considered if submitted by one of the UN agencies

- Advisory team of practitioners and experts was formed to guide and provide external oversight for the documentation in addition to providing information on non-UN interventions. Ts.he group includes 14 people both UN and non-UN members. Suggestion was to maintain the advisory group as strictly non-UN to eliminate any bias on the selection and review process. Wrt interventions – interventions which have current active engagement of AUB not to be included within the analysis.

- Young People were included in the process through a Facebook page (AUB hosted)

- The advisory group and Facebook visitors were linked to a short survey to identify/nominate interventions for review.

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- 48 programmes were identified by UN agencies (some were not UN programmes) and not all provided detailed documentation.

- Desk review and online survey was conducted by FHS through the Youth Forum and networks. 542 responses by only 80 were completed. 26 from these were identified as relevant.

- More programmes then expected were identified, FHS expected to identified 50, but thus far 178 have been identified according to the following thematic areas: Civic engagement: 42, Skills development 6, resilience 18, health 41, other 21.

- Intervention were then shortlisted, however limited documentation available online for most of the interventions. Shortlisting for further analysis was based on criteria developed by UNIATTTYP and further enhanced based on feedback from advisory group and AUB inputs.

- 62 interventions have been rated as of 14 August. Out of the first 45, only 3 had sufficient data to be rated. This has had serious implication on the resources. 5 additional research assistants were added to speed up the process.

- The third part of this review process was the interview of possible good practices. This interview process is very important for scalability. This however takes a lot of time- each interview taking 2 hours. Shorter version was made to speed up the process. 7 were interviewed only due to various factors. To move forward, FHS sent e-mail to the 178 asking for documentation and/or to complete a short form.

- There are very few programmes that have been evaluated / of have documentation related to effectiveness, which has been a major obstacle and many programmes didn’t meet the cut for this reason. Most evaluations that did exist were process evaluation vs. impact. Main recommendation is to put a stronger effort on monitoring and evaluation.

- Most of the UN submitted projects did not meet the criteria. Sasha suggested that important for FHS to explain underlying reasons (root causes) for lack of documentation.

- Due to the limitations and ability to do an exhaustive search globally and the MENA region, it is possible that not all good practices will likely be identified.

- Main problem: lack of documentation and data. 41 needed further exploration, 6 good practices were identified, 8 promising practices, 7 were not good or promising (real no equity dimension).

- Summary against the good practice criteria: 24 were found to be effective, 28 sustainable, 22 equitable, 20 innovative, 19- evidence based, 27 values oriented, 18 involved youth (but not necessarily in design and planning).

- Examples of Good Practices identified to date (Identification is based on documentation they have at this point, but may change when full in-depth information is collected and reviewed):

• Resilience: War Child, Canada in Sudan. Based on the intervention, community projects were developed was a good impact, however it is not known if the projects lead to long term social cohesion.

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• CATCH (Health) from US. However as the approach is very American the team advised

that it is important to review relevance for the MENA region. We have two options within the global ones: identify those that are potentially replicable to the Arab context and those that may not be and why, but how we can learn from them.

• Naba’a (Civic engagement): Education intervention in favor of war affected children in the district of Tyr, Lebanon.

• Being implemented in Tyr and replicated in the Pals communities in Tyr

• Empowerment of local communities

• Recruit youth from school and out-of-school – they undergo training; they create clubs. Youth develop projects and implement them.

• Lebanese Physically Handicapped Union (Skills Development)

• Targets disabled; develop skills of disabled and finds jobs for them

• Employ for 70 disabled youth – skills development and advocacy to employees

- Common threads:

• Evaluations of programmes from MENA were mainly process not impact.

• Programmes were dependent on external funding or were not sustainable.

• Most NGO programmes identified were designed with international NGOs and implemented in partnerships with local NGOs with limited involvement of national governments or local authorities.

• Youth involvement on designing and planning is limited.

- Most of the projects selected thus far are by NGOs, not all of the UN projects identified were rated until yet.

- Revised timeline. FHS would like to continue collecting data until the end of August and then start prioritizing good practices beginning of Sept and developing the results of the best practices. Finalize the review and give results by early October.

- FHS would like to make findings thus far public (on the youth forum) in order to motivate practitioners to provide more supporting documentation on the interventions identified.

- Revised timeline: taking into consideration the existing challenges, there is a request for a no cost extension to October (from August 20th 2014) to identify the required set of good practices. Extensive involvement of youth beyond the face book page (young people involved in interventions etc) will delay the research process. FHS will explore what is most feasible with time constraints in terms of involving youth in this research process.

- Scaling-up: Often projects don’t scale-up for reasons related to resources, commitment, etc. FHS not only looking at the potential to scale-up but human resource willing to scale up equally important- by in by those that will make it sustainable. Scaling-up should include the likelihood of youth sustaining the projects, not just governments.

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Action

- FHS, AUB to suggest a few names for the Advisory Board that are non-UN related and understand best practices, (moving beyond Lebanon to Arab and international experts). Advisory group to be strictly non UN. (Responsible: AUB / Timeframe: 25th August 2014)

- Recommendation: There has to be a strong evaluation and routine monitoring to capture data continuously to be able to document. (Responsible: UNIATTTYP (ongoing)

- FHS to discuss the creation of a reference group which would include youth that were part of the respective programmes (Youth to be recommended by the technical team). (Responsible UNIATTTYP to recommend to AUB / Timeframe: 30th August 2014)

- Resource mobilization for joint initiatives – Lessons learned from previous joint resource mobilization should be addressed prior to any new initiative. (Responsible UNFPA to provide feedback on previous experiences/ Timeframe: 30th August 2014)

- Create shared drop-box for technical team to have access to key research documents. (Responsible AUB / Timeframe: 30th August 2014)

- FHS, AUB to share via the drop-box:

o Matrix of the 178 programmes, and the selection criteria which was created, with the technical team. (Responsible AUB / Timeframe: 30th August 2014)

o The list of agencies (country level) that did not respond to request for documentation for UN agencies to follow up with their focal points. (Responsible AUB / Timeframe: 30th August 2014) .The interview guide as well. (Responsible AUB / Timeframe: 30th August 2014)

o FHS to amend the table for the potential good practice youth involvement column to differentiate levels of youth involvement, include one pager on each of the practices explaining rationale of practices. (Responsible AUB / Timeframe: 30th August 2014).If any of the global practices that has not been replicated in developing countries, it requires further research if it can be replicated in the Arab States context. More information will be requested on Catch’s project before making a final decision. (Responsible AUB / Timeframe: 30th August 2014)

- Technical team agreed to support FHS with further documentation and to provide contacts for the projects. FHS to provide the details on the contacts that have been recommended by the technical team, but have not responded. FHS to also share the list of NGOs they need contacts for technical team to explore if they have possible contacts. (Responsible AUB in partnership with UNIATTTYP/ Timeframe: 30th August)

- UNIATTTYP invited to join the weekly skype call with AUB (Every Tuesday at 9.00 am Amman time)

- Based on the recommendation of the UNIATTTYP process a no cost extension of the AUB Contract (Responsible UNICEF / Timeframe: Immediate)

27 Developed taking into consideration the ‘MENA R-UNDG Youth Theme Group Good Practice Documentation, March 2013’28 we define evaluation here to mean any approach or method that results in an assessment of effectiveness or impact on knowledge, at-

titudes, behaviors, or outcomes. The approach does not have to be methodologically robust. Non experimental (case studies), quasi experimental or fully experimental evaluation designs are acceptable. There is no requirement for a pre and post assessment nor for a comparison group and either quantitative or qualitative approaches are encouraged and acceptable. The main determination of whether a practice fits the ‘effectiveness’ criteria is the presence of some evidence that it has ‘impact’.

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Annex 9. Rating Scale Criteria

Minimum criteria to consider a programmatic effort a potential ‘Good Practice’ 27

These criteria will be used to rate programmes that fall into one of the following thematic categories:

Employability, school to work transition, resilience building and comprehensive programming in humanitarian context, skills/competence building, innovations, social protection, youth policy development, civic engagement, education, sexuality education, and health.

Note: In order for the programme to be considered a potential ‘good practice’, it must meet criteria 1, 2 or 3, 4, and 5. Criteria 6-8 are not necessary but are preferable.

1. Effectiveness: Presence of an evaluation28 that measures the extent to which the project attained its objectives/outcomes –change in attitudes, behavior, or outcome. Process/implementation evaluation is a plus but not enough to qualify.

2. Sustainability – indicators of sustainability include that (i) the programme must have been implemented more than once in the original ‘target population’; (ii) the programme is still ongoing, or (iii) the programme has been absorbed within the NGO or governmental system (has become institutionalized) OR

3. Replication – the programme has been replicated with another group in another region of the same country, another setting (from schools to communities as an example), another country, etc OR the programme has components that ‘seem’ replicable (relevant to any population group)

4. Equity analysis – the programme must have been targeted to most at risk or most vulnerable populations. “Most at risk’ (MAR) or ‘most vulnerable’ (MV) can be defined differently for each thematic area, and can even be defined differently for each country, region. When identifying each programme, the MAR/MV population will be specified.

5. Innovative – the programme should add value or be innovative. An innovation has been defined by E Rogers (Diffusion of Innovation Theory) as “an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption”. This does not mean it has never been implemented anywhere, it is innovative if it is implemented for the first time in a particular social system. Innovative also can mean a programme that has been implemented in a social system already, but new techniques, methods; approaches are being used to implement it.

6. Evidence base – the programme is based on evidence: previous experience with the programme, theoretical constructs, an identified need

7. Values orientation – the programme must promote dignity and implement a human rights based approach to programming. Questions in the interview guide will query re (i) the extent to which the needs assessment included analysis of variables linked to a human rights based approach, (ii) the extent to which the needs assessment explored determinants beyond the individual level; (iii) the programme’s encouragement of welfare, access, conscientisation, participation, control29

29 Women’s Equality and Empowerment Framework (WEEF) http://www.bigpond.com.kh/users/gad/glossary/gender.htm30 We understand that accountability is beyond an M&E framework and encompasses governance, transparency and corrective actions.

For our purposes, we will focus on the M&E process as one aspect of accountability.

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, (iv) the programme’s attention to factors beyond the individual level – distal upstream factors - in implementation (components that target parents, school systems, policy and decision makers, community leaders, etc); (v) the programme’s focus in on the most in need; (vi) the programmes limitations on participation by gender, disability, geographic location, ethnicity/religion, socio-economic status (costs are low and affordable to all): (vii) the programme being responsive to the needs of the country /region where it is implemented and being culturally appropriate; (viii) the programme having considered (and promoted) the topic of environmental sustainability as it implemented its programme; (ix) the programme having an accountability30 mechanism through an M&E process and that process providing data that is disaggregated by sex, age, SES, geographic region, ethnicity.

8. Youth involvement – the programme has involved youth in its planning or implementation or evaluation (not only as programme participants and not only as providers of data about the programme)

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Annex 10. Interview Guide

Good practices in adolescent programming

OPU/ FHS and UNICEF MENARO

Date:

Interviewer:

Interviewee:

Name

Position

Phone Number

Address

Introduction

I. General Information about the intervention:

1. What is the name of the intervention?

2. In which country and region did it take place?

3. How many times was it implemented? In what time frame (years)?

4. What is the number of staff (both paid and unpaid) that were involved in the intervention?

II. Organization

1. What is the name of the organization? Does it have a web address? If yes, add the www.

2. What is the mission of organization?

3. How does this intervention fit into the mission?

III. Description of intervention/characteristics of the intervention

1. Can you briefly describe the intervention?

2. What are the long term objectives of the intervention? What are the medium term objectives? What are the short term objectives? What outcomes does the intervention focus on changing?

a. Did you have a target for each of the objectives? Was the target meant to be achieved within a specific time frame?

3. Which of these components are addressed by the intervention?

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4. What was the need (issue) that was documented that led to this intervention and how was it detected? (Briefly (2- 3 paragraphs) describe the initial situation (context) and the problem/ issue which prompted the implementation of this good practice)

5. Once the issue was documented, was there an analysis of the causes/determinants of the issue? In other words, did you document behaviors, contextual factors that influence the issue or social, cultural and policy factors? If so, how was that analysis conducted?

a. Did the needs assessments analyze determinants of the issues/problem beyond the individual level? Did it analyze distal/upstream factors? How did it do so, and what were the results?

b. Did the needs assessment collect and analyze data separately (disaggregated analysis) by sex, age, ethnicity, SES, geographic location?

6. How did you make the decision that this intervention was the right one to tackle the need?

a. Was the intervention based on previous experience from other projects or based on research that was done? Explain how.

b. Did you use theoretical models (theory) to understand the issue and develop the intervention? If so, which ones and how were they used?

c. How well does the project/intervention contribute to national development frameworks? Explain.

d. Does the programme design reflect international standards/conventions/etc? Explain.

e. If there a specification of the mechanism which will bring about the intended change? The theory of change? If so, explain.

f. How is the intervention aligned with the objectives? What parts of the intervention help to achieve the objectives?

g. How is the intervention innovative? 31

7. Can you describe the target group of this intervention? Please indicate the demographic and socioeconomic factors of the target group: age, gender, income/socioeconomic status, education, occupation, ethnicity, geographical location, other…

a. Are there any restrictions on participation by gender? Disability? Geographic location? Ethnicity/religion? Socio-economic status (cost of the programme?)?

b. Does the intervention have a specific focus on most at risk or most vulnerable groups (socioeconomically disadvantaged people, ethnic minorities, refugees, stigmatized populations, most at risk etc…)?

31 An innovation has been defined by E Rogers (Diffusion of Innovation Theory) as “an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption”. This does not mean it has never been implemented anywhere, it is innovative if it is implemented for the first time in a particular social system. Innovative also can mean a program that has been implemented in a social system already, but new techniques, methods; approaches are being used to implement it

521

c. Does the intervention aim to empower the target group? How so?

8. How did you reach the target group? What methods did you use to inform them of the intervention and encourage them to join?

9. Value-orientation:

a. Did the intervention focus on issues of enhancing equity or decreasing inequities between groups? If so, between what group (age, sex, geographic location, SES, disability level, etc) and how?

b. Does the intervention employ a human-rights based approach? Explain

c. Does it focus on promoting dignity? How?

d. Did the intervention enhance participating youth welfare, access, conscientisation, participation, and control?

10. Does the intervention address distal upstream factors (i.e. beyond individual control) such as parent, teachers, community leaders, policy and decision makers, laws, community norms …? Is so, how and which ones?

11. Can you describe the structures within which the intervention was carried out?

• Existing structures (e.g. part of the administration, non-governmental organization, etc…)

• Newly created structure that will continue to exist (or continued to exist) after the intervention is concluded

• Newly created structure that will not continue to exist (or did not continue to exit) after the intervention is concluded

• No specific structure (e.g. project team).

12. Were youth involved in setting the objectives and designing the intervention?

a. Did this involvement ensure youth welfare, access, conscientisation, participation, and control?

13. Prior to implementing the intervention, did you consider how the intervention might lead to potentially harmful outcomes? If so, what did you do to minimize such ‘harms’?

14. As the intervention was being implemented, did you encounter any sensitive issues? If so, can you explain?

15. Who were the stakeholders of this intervention and were they involved in the planning phase of the intervention?

16. Who implemented the intervention? How did you select those individuals? What minimum competencies were you looking for? How did you assess those? What type of capacity building/training were they given to do so?

522

17. Was there a budget plan for the intervention? Were funding resources easily identified?

18. Where was the intervention carried out? What are the minimum requirements for space and other non-financial resources including personnel?

19. Were you able to sustain the intervention?

a) How were you able to sustain it?

b) What was the level of support needed to maintain the initiative?

20. Was this intervention coordinated or linked with other relevant interventions that you carry out or others in your country/region carry out? Is this intervention complementary to existing interventions?

21. Was the intervention replicated with another target group? In another region of the country? In another country? If yes, can you describe this?

22. How was this intervention documented?

a. Please provide soft copies or links to document related to studies, documentation, evaluation and reports that can provide additional information

23. Did you consider environmental sustainability (attention to environmental resources) in implementing the intervention (recycling, use of water, use of electricity, use of plastic, how were wastes taken care of)? If yes, what were some steps taken?

IV. Monitoring and Evaluation:

24. Was a pilot phase/test of the intervention carried out prior to launching it? If so, can you describe this pilot?

25. Was an evaluation plan developed prior to initiation of the intervention? If so, what did it include?

26. Was a process/implementation evaluation carried out? Describe it methods (indicators used). Describe its results.

27. To what extent have the objectives of the intervention been achieved?

a. Were evaluation data disaggregated by sex, age, ethnicity, geographic region, SES?

28. Was an outcome/impact evaluation carried out? Describe its methods (indicators used, control group, pre-post assessments, etc). Describe its results.

a. Were evaluation data disaggregated by sex, age, ethnicity, geographic region, SES?

29. To what extent were the objectives of the intervention been achieved?

523

35. What challenges faced the implementation and evaluation of this intervention?

36. How would you do things differently if you were implementing it again today? Evaluating it again? What were the key lessons learned?

37. What are your recommendations for others who would like to implement it?

30. Was the planned target group participation reached?

31. Was the intervention sustainable to the culture, knowledge, customs, role, views, and context? If yes, how was that assessed? If not, what would you change?

32. Was a long-term follow up carried out after the end of the intervention?

33. Were opinions of stakeholders taken into account in evaluation and monitoring?

34. Please provide soft copies of links/document related to evaluation process and results that can provide additional information.

524

Annex 11. Form Sent to Programmes’ Implementers for Information

Good practices documentation in adolescent and youth programming – July 2014

1. Name of programme/intervention:

2. Who was the implementing organization (please provide name or organization and link to website if one is available):

3. Please describe the programme/intervention in one paragraph.

4. In which countries or regions of countries was this programme implemented?

5. What was the target age group for this programme? Please expand on how it meets the needs of ‘most at risk’ or ‘most vulnerable’ adolescents/youth. We realize that ‘most at risk/most vulnerable’ will depend on the context and programme so please describe your perceptions of how your programme meets needs in your context.

6. What was the need that led to this programme being developed/ implemented?

7. What are the short and long term objectives of the programme?

8. When did the programme begin? Is the programme still ongoing? If ongoing, how are the activities being implemented?

9. Were youth involved in the development or implementation of this programme? If so, how?

10. Was the programme replicated in other regions of the country or with other organizations or in any other way?

11. Was this programme evaluated? Please provide the results of the evaluation in one paragraph and attach any reports written. We are interested in evaluations that indicate scope of the programme (how many youth reached, how many sessions conducted, etc) but more importantly about the impact related to the objectives (whether there were changes in attitudes, behaviors, outcomes). So for example, if the objective was to increase employability, is there data about whether more of the participants got jobs.

12. How does your programme promote human rights, and dignity of adolescents and youth?

525

MENA or Global or MENA/Global

Name of the organization

Name of the programme (same as title)

Choose: civic engagement; skills development; health; other; resilience development2010Start date of the programme

End date or Ongoing

List name of partnersNon-UN or UN (specify which agency)Contact name (use Mr / Ms / Mrs, e-mail and telephone with country code)

RegionOrganization NameCategory

Start date

UN involvementUN involvement

End datePartners

Annex 12. Good Practice Write-up Template

Good Practice in Adolescent and Youth Programming


A brief description of the initial situation (context), the significance of the problem/ issue which prompted the implementation of this practice and a description of the programme.

This section should also provide a summary of the good practice allowing the reader to understand the context, rationale of implementation and the way in which the programme responds to the issue.


The mission or mandate of the organization. Use integral text – quote and reference.


2.1. Goal

Main goal of the practice

2.2. Objectives

Short, medium and long term specific objectives (where applicable)

526

3. Target group

3.1. Age group

This section will describe the target group of this intervention in terms of demographic and socioeconomic factors: age, gender, income/socioeconomic status, education, occupation, ethnicity, geographical location, other…


This section will describe how the intervention accounted for and addressed specific gender characteristics of the target group and whether it succeeded in reaching out to both genders.


If applicable, this section will describe how the intervention accounted for and addressed specific characteristics of the target group such as ethnicity and disability and whether it succeeded in reaching out to all groups and in being inclusive.


To what extent does the intervention have a focus on most at risk or most vulnerable groups (socioeconomically disadvantaged people, ethnic minorities, refugees, stigmatized populations, most at risk etc…)?


If applicable, this section will describe how the intervention incorporated human right values into the program.


If applicable, this section will describe how youth were involved in the planning, implementation, and /or evaluation of this program.



A description of the strategy or theoretical approach upon which the program is based (if any). Strategies could be regarding to advocacy, participation, gender equity, ownership, capacity building, coordination and partnerships, monitoring and evaluation and replication/scaling up.

4.2. Activities

Activities implemented to achieve the objectives outlined before.

4.3. Innovativeness

A description of the innovation in the program: focus, approach, or activities. What is the advantage of this practice over other programs with similar objectives and goals?

4.4. Cost and Funding

A description of the total cost of the program as well as the cost per activity. In addition to a detailed listing of the sources of funding.

4.5. Sustainability

If the program is still ongoing, this section will describe the resources used to sustain it: staff; space; capacity building; organizational structure; coordination and supervision mechanisms; involvement of local actors and stakeholders; absorption into local structures if applicable.

If the program ran for a long period of time and stopped, this section will describe the resources used to implement, etc. (as per above) and the reasons why it stopped.

4.6. Replicability

If the program was replicated in another region, country, setting, target group: a full

527

description of the context with a justification of relevance and the characteristics of the population will be provided.

The resources used to replicate it: staff; space; capacity building; organizational structure; coordination and supervision mechanisms; involvement of local actors and stakeholders; absorption into local structures if applicable, etc.

5. Evaluation of effectivenes

This section will include the monitoring and evaluation plan with the methods if available.

The results will be classified at output, outcome and impact level, if applicable. Quantitative and/or qualitative evidence on reach, effectiveness, change in attitude, change in behaviour.

Process evaluation results will be included as well.



A description of the internal and external enabling factors: culture of the organization, values of the community, assets of the community, policy making, legislation, etc.

7. Challenges

A description of the challenges faced and how they were overcome. If still persistent, why?


A brief description of the potential application of this practice to programming beyond the original context: nationally, regionally, in

emergency situations, etc.? What are the issues that need to be considered?


This section will summarize key recommendations, highlight limitations and issues for consideration.


List the components for scaling up. No detailed information is needed, as this will feature in the rest of the write up.

11. Resources

A list and access to toolkits, guidelines on training, technical assistance, implementation etc. (obtain resources and validation from implementer).

12. References

Harvard style of referencing

528

NameImplementer or Organization

Region Category UN or Non-UNDate of

Initiation Source of funding

Budget (breakdown

of cost)

Number of Staff involved in the implementation

Number of

Beneficiaries

Age group of beneficiaries

1U-Report United Nations Children’s

Fund UgandaGlobal Civic engagement UN 2011 UNICEF 100,000$ Not Available 275,000 15-29 years old

2Y-PEER United Nations Population

FundGlobal Civic engagement UN 2001 Not available $400,000 Not Available 846 peer

educators; 107 new trainers

15-24 years old

3

Adolescent-Friendly Spaces (AFS)


MENA Civic engagement UN 2005 The Government of Norway

Not Available Not Available 149,348 10 to 24 years old; however primarily beneficiaries were 10-18 years old

4

Family Spirit John Hopkins Center for American Indian Health (JHCAIH)

Global Health Non-UN 1995 US Department of Health and Human Services (Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Programme)

Tailored Training

Development and Implementation Affiliation Fee: $9600

Initial Site Training: $3000

Advanced Training for Supervisors: $4,000

New Trainee Training: (only available for sites that have completed the initial training): $1800

Refresher Training: (only available for home visitors that are already certified): $1300

Additional Costs: Lesson hand-outs and worksheets are included in the workbook to reinforce key teaching points. Each workbook costs $100.

Not Available 53 12-22 and their children from pregnancy (28 weeks of gestation) through 36 months postpartum or the child’s third birthday. Recently they accept women of all ages.

Annex 13. Table 5. Characteristics of Good Practices

(Scope, date start/finish, category analysis)

529




Budget (breakdown

of cost)


Number of

Beneficiaries


1U-Report United Nations Children’s

Fund UgandaGlobal Civic engagement UN 2011 UNICEF 100,000$ Not Available 275,000 15-29 years old

2Y-PEER United Nations Population

FundGlobal Civic engagement UN 2001 Not available $400,000 Not Available 846 peer

educators; 107 new trainers

15-24 years old

3

Adolescent-Friendly Spaces (AFS)


MENA Civic engagement UN 2005 The Government of Norway

Not Available Not Available 149,348 10 to 24 years old; however primarily beneficiaries were 10-18 years old

4

Family Spirit John Hopkins Center for American Indian Health (JHCAIH)

Global Health Non-UN 1995 US Department of Health and Human Services (Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Programme)

Tailored Training

Development and Implementation Affiliation Fee: $9600

Initial Site Training: $3000

Advanced Training for Supervisors: $4,000

New Trainee Training: (only available for sites that have completed the initial training): $1800

Refresher Training: (only available for home visitors that are already certified): $1300

Additional Costs: Lesson hand-outs and worksheets are included in the workbook to reinforce key teaching points. Each workbook costs $100.

Not Available 53 12-22 and their children from pregnancy (28 weeks of gestation) through 36 months postpartum or the child’s third birthday. Recently they accept women of all ages.

530




Budget (breakdown

of cost)


Number of

Beneficiaries


5Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Program (KARHP)


Global Health Non-UN 1999 USAID Not Available Not Available 177,945 10-19 years old

6

Students as Lifestyle Activists (SALSA)

Primary Health Care Education and Research Unit, Western Sydney Local Health District, University of Sydney

Global Health Non-UN 2004 The Commonwealth Department of Health in Australia and the Ministry of Health in Jordon

$12 per student per year

Not Available 7,108 13-16 years old

7Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth (SFPY)

Parent Action on Drugs Global Health Non-UN 2009 Health Canada $5,000-7,000 per cycle

4 91

12-16 years old

8

Unplugged European Union Drug Addiction Prevention Trial (EU-DAP)

Global Health Non-UN 2009 Budget is allocated by the national organizations of each country

100,000-300,000 euros for adaptation and translation and 200 euros running cost once programme initiated

50 to 80 Not Available 12-14 years old

9

The Cognitive Behavioural Intervention for Trauma in Schools

The Treatment and Services Adaptation Center for Resiliency: Hope and Wellness in Schools

Global Resilience development

Non-UN 2001 Different types of financing schemes: (1) external funders such as charitable organizations in the US e.g. The United Way, (2) federal and state government grants, and (3) some sites were able to bill for the provision of CBITS using Medicaid dollars (government insurance for low-income families) referred to Medicaid.

The primary costs associated with CBITS are the training cost and the cost/salary of the clinician(s) implementing the intervention. CBITS trainings cost $4000 for a two day training of 15 trainees.

Training Staff (13) & Onsite Training Staff (Not Mentioned)

126 8-15 years old

531




Budget (breakdown

of cost)


Number of

Beneficiaries


5Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Program (KARHP)


Global Health Non-UN 1999 USAID Not Available Not Available 177,945 10-19 years old

6

Students as Lifestyle Activists (SALSA)

Primary Health Care Education and Research Unit, Western Sydney Local Health District, University of Sydney

Global Health Non-UN 2004 The Commonwealth Department of Health in Australia and the Ministry of Health in Jordon

$12 per student per year

Not Available 7,108 13-16 years old

7Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth (SFPY)

Parent Action on Drugs Global Health Non-UN 2009 Health Canada $5,000-7,000 per cycle

4 91

12-16 years old

8

Unplugged European Union Drug Addiction Prevention Trial (EU-DAP)

Global Health Non-UN 2009 Budget is allocated by the national organizations of each country

100,000-300,000 euros for adaptation and translation and 200 euros running cost once programme initiated

50 to 80 Not Available 12-14 years old

9

The Cognitive Behavioural Intervention for Trauma in Schools

The Treatment and Services Adaptation Center for Resiliency: Hope and Wellness in Schools

Global Resilience development

Non-UN 2001 Different types of financing schemes: (1) external funders such as charitable organizations in the US e.g. The United Way, (2) federal and state government grants, and (3) some sites were able to bill for the provision of CBITS using Medicaid dollars (government insurance for low-income families) referred to Medicaid.

The primary costs associated with CBITS are the training cost and the cost/salary of the clinician(s) implementing the intervention. CBITS trainings cost $4000 for a two day training of 15 trainees.

Training Staff (13) & Onsite Training Staff (Not Mentioned)

126 8-15 years old

532

10

Building the Resilience of Youth War Child Canada - Sudan Global Resilience development

Non-UN 2005 Common Humanitarian Fund for Sudan, the Canadian Government (Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada), Darfur Community Peace and Stability Fund, UNFPA, UNHCR and UNICEF

Education

$512,000

(2013-2014)

Youth Project

$328,067

(2013-2014)

Youth/Education

$502,076

(2013-2014)

Not available Since 2005:

-Over 5,000 students graduated per year;

100,000 youth have been reached through youth development activities

-22,000 out-of-school children and youth have been reached through ALP activities;

-250,000 basic school students have been reached through provision of textbooks, classroom rehabilitation and construction and teacher training;

-4,400 youth have been trained in vocational skills

15-30 years

11

ENTRA 21 International Youth Foundation (IYF)

Global Skills development Non-UN 2001 Overall, implementers received $20 m in seed funding and leveraged an addition $69m. In phase 1(only), for a total estimated investment (from MIF, USAID and other local and global companies) was $29 million through 35 programmes.

Not Available Not Available 19,600 16 to 29 years old




Budget (breakdown

of cost)


Number of

Beneficiaries


533

10

Building the Resilience of Youth War Child Canada - Sudan Global Resilience development

Non-UN 2005 Common Humanitarian Fund for Sudan, the Canadian Government (Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada), Darfur Community Peace and Stability Fund, UNFPA, UNHCR and UNICEF

Education

$512,000

(2013-2014)

Youth Project

$328,067

(2013-2014)

Youth/Education

$502,076

(2013-2014)

Not available Since 2005:

-Over 5,000 students graduated per year;

100,000 youth have been reached through youth development activities

-22,000 out-of-school children and youth have been reached through ALP activities;

-250,000 basic school students have been reached through provision of textbooks, classroom rehabilitation and construction and teacher training;

-4,400 youth have been trained in vocational skills

15-30 years

11

ENTRA 21 International Youth Foundation (IYF)

Global Skills development Non-UN 2001 Overall, implementers received $20 m in seed funding and leveraged an addition $69m. In phase 1(only), for a total estimated investment (from MIF, USAID and other local and global companies) was $29 million through 35 programmes.

Not Available Not Available 19,600 16 to 29 years old




Budget (breakdown

of cost)


Number of

Beneficiaries


534



InitiationSource offunding

Budget (breakdown

of cost)


Number of

Beneficiaries


12

Passport to Success® International Youth Foundation (IYF)

Global Skills development Non-UN 2003 Multiple Funders Depends on setting

Depends on country 110,000 young people worldwide and over 4,000 youth educators and teachers

14-29 years old

13Youth Employability Skills (YES) Network Project

Education Development Center Inc.

Global Skills development Non-UN 2010 USAID Not Available 373 4,476 15-27 years old

14A Right for an Equal Life Ebtessama Foundation MENA Skills development Non-UN 2007 Mobinil 1,500$ per

beneficiary15 1,000 18-30 years old

15

The BRIDGE Programme Unite Lebanon Youth Project (ULYP)

MENA Skills development Non-UN 2010 The HaniKaddoumifoundation, Qatarand the WelfareAssociation,as well as fromfund raisingactivities and frominstitutional funding

The value of the programme for one year was $1.2 million

12 760 students 16-18 years old

16

Economic and Social Inclusion Lebanese Physically Handicapped Union

MENA Skills development Non-UN 2005 EU and Christian Aid

250,000 Eurosoverall

Staff:100000 euros

Transportation andconsumables:

30,000 euros

Administrativecost:15,000 euros

Publications andResearch:

20,000 euros

Job seekers trainingand roundtablesfor the privatesector:45,000 euros

Vocational Training30,000 euros

15-20 3,000 18-24 years old

17

Ishraq Population Council MENA Skills development Non-UN 2001 USAID, the Embassy of Netherlands in Cairo and the Population Council, and the Kingdom of Netherlands

Not Available 225 project staff from 30 youth centres, 6 NGOs and a group of cadres from ministries.

3,321 girls

1,775 boys

5,000 parents

12 to 15 years old

18Know About Business International Labour

OrganizationMENA Skills development Non-UN 1996 Not Available Not Available Not Available 184,330 14 to 25 years old

535




Budget (breakdown

of cost)


Number of

Beneficiaries


12

Passport to Success® International Youth Foundation (IYF)

Global Skills development Non-UN 2003 Multiple Funders Depends on setting

Depends on country 110,000 young people worldwide and over 4,000 youth educators and teachers

14-29 years old

13Youth Employability Skills (YES) Network Project

Education Development Center Inc.

Global Skills development Non-UN 2010 USAID Not Available 373 4,476 15-27 years old

14A Right for an Equal Life Ebtessama Foundation MENA Skills development Non-UN 2007 Mobinil 1,500$ per

beneficiary15 1,000 18-30 years old

15

The BRIDGE Programme United Lebanon Youth Project (ULYP)

MENA Skills development Non-UN 2010 The Hani Kaddoumi foundation, Qatar and the Welfare Association, as well as from fund raising activities and from institutional funding

The value of the programme for one year was $1.2 million

12 760 students 16-18 years old

16

Economic and Social Inclusion Lebanese Physically Handicapped Union

MENA Skills development Non-UN 2005 EU and Christian Aid

250,000 Euros overall

Staff:100000 euros

Transportation and consumables:

30,000 euros

Administrative cost:15,000 euros

Publications and Research:

20,000 euros

Job seekers training and roundtables for the private sector:45,000 euros

Vocational Training 30,000 euros

15-20 3,000 18-24 years old

17

Ishraq Population Council MENA Skills development Non-UN 2001 USAID, the Embassy of Netherlands in Cairo and the Population Council, and the Kingdom of Netherlands

Not Available 225 project staff from 30 youth centres, 6 NGOs and a group of cadres from ministries.

3,321 girls

1,775 boys

5,000 parents

12 to 15 years old

18Know About Business International Labour

OrganizationMENA Skills development Non-UN 1996 Not Available Not Available Not Available 184,330 14 to 25 years old

536




Budget (breakdown

of cost)


Number of

Beneficiaries


19


INJAZ MENA Skills development Non-UN 1999 USAID then became an independent non-profit organization and established a donor base with significant contributions from the Jordanian private sector

Not Available 75 Since its inception: 850,000

14 to 25 years old

20

Young Researcher Programme Al Nayzak for Supportive Education and Scientific Innovation

MENA Skills development Non-UN 2007 UNICEF, Science and Technology House, and others

Not Available Overall: 37 volunteers. NO mention of number of staff.

2,627 10-14 years old

21Youth Career Initiative (YCI) Jordan River Foundation MENA Skills development Non-UN 2007 Multiple Funders Not Available Not available 174 18-22 years old

22Youth Economic Empowerment Program (YEEP II)

United Nations Development Programme Yemen

MENA Skills development UN 2012 Embassy of Japan and South Korea

$10.5 million USD Not available 641 18-30 years old

537

NameImplementer or

OrganizationRegion Category UN or Non-UN

Date of Initiation

Source of funding

Budget (breakdown

of cost)


Number of

Beneficiaries


19


INJAZ MENA Skills development Non-UN 1999 USAID then became an independent non-profit organization and established a donor base with significant contributions from the Jordanian private sector

Not Available 75 Since its inception: 850,000

14 to 25 years old

20

Young Researcher Programme Al Nayzak for Supportive Education and Scientific Innovation

MENA Skills development Non-UN 2007 UNICEF, Science and Technology House, and others

Not Available Overall: 37 volunteers. NO mention of number of staff.

2,627 10-14 years old

21Youth Career Initiative (YCI) Jordan River Foundation MENA Skills development Non-UN 2007 Multiple Funders Not Available Not available 174 18-22 years old

22Youth Economic Empowerment Program (YEEP II)

United Nations Development Programme Yemen

MENA Skills development UN 2012 Embassy of Japan and South Korea

$10.5 million USD Not available 641 18-30 years old

538

ANNEX 14. Good Practices – Analysis by Overarching Elements of Success

Table 6. Analysis of each good practice by overarching elements of success*

Overarching elements of successGood practice (name) Total /13 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (YEEP II)

13 x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Ishraq 13 x x x x x x x x x x x x xKenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Program (KARHP)

13 x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Students as Lifestyle Activists 12 x x x x x x x x x x x x The Young Researcher Programme

12 x x x x x x x x x x x x


12 x x x x x x x x x x x x

Know About Business 11 x x x x x x x x x x x Strengthening Families for Parents and Youth

11 x x x x x x x x x x x

Passport to Success® 11 x x x x x x x x x x xUnplugged 11 x x x x x x x x x x xA Right for an Equal Life 11 x x x x x x x x x x xEconomic and Social Inclusion

11 x x x x x x x x x x x

Youth Career Initiative 11 x x x x x x x x x x xThe BRIDGE Programme 10 x x x x x x x x x xFamily Spirit 9 x x x x x x x x xSkills-Building for University Students

9 x x x x x x x x x

Cognitive Behavioural Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS)

9 x x x x x x x x x

Adolescent-Friendly Spaces 9 x x x x x x x x x Youth Employability Skills (YES) Network Project

9 x x x x x x x x x

U-Report 7 x x x x x x x ENTRA 21 7 x X x x x x x Y-PEER 11 x x x x x x x x x x x

Total score for each element 20 12 13 17 21 22 21 16 21 19 16 20 14

*1=need is documented, 2=had pilot phase, 3=had different phase, 4=Detailed implementation guide is available, 5=Used community human resources, 6=Partnerships forged and stakeholders involved, 7=Intervention implemented in already available areas, 8=Institutionalization was planned or thought of during the implementation, 9=Have used Skills building techniques, 10=Created safe spaces for youth, 11=Youth ‘presence and voice’ felt or stated, 12=Programming was flexible, 13=Funding was diversified

539

Table 7. Distribution of good practice by overarching theme

Number of overarching

elements of success

present in the good practice

Number of good

practices Names of good practice

7 2 U-Report, ENTRA 21

9 5Skills Building for University Students, Youth Employability Skills (YES) Network Project (Macedonia), Family Spirit, AFS, CBITS

10 1 The BRIDGE Programme

11 8

SFPY, Know about Business, Unplugged, Passport to Success® , Youth Career Initiative, A right for an Equal Life, Economic and Social Inclusion, Rebuilding the resilience of youth , Y-PEER

12 3 SALSA, The Young Researcher Programme

13 3Youth Economic Empowerment Program (YEEP II), Ishraq; Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Program (KARHP)

22

Table 8. Analysis by type of good practice: UN/Non UN and Global/Regional by overarching element of success*

Overarching elements of successType of Practice 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13UN/MENA 3 2/3 2/3 2/3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2/3 3 1/3UN/Global 1 /2 1 /2 0 1/2 2 2 2 1/2 1/2 2 2 2 1/2Non-UN/MENA 7 4/7 5/7 5/7 7 7 7 4/7 7 5/7 6 7 6/7Non-UN/Global 9/10 5/10 6/10 9/10 9/10 10 9/10 8/10 10 9/10 6/10 8/10 6/10

*1=need is documented, 2=had pilot phase, 3=had different phase, 4=Detailed implementation guide is available, 5=Used community human resources, 6=Partnerships forged and stakeholders involved, 7=Intervention implemented in already available areas, 8=Institutionalization was planned or thought of during the implementation, 9=Have used Skills building techniques, 10=Created safe spaces for youth, 11=Youth ‘presence and voice’ felt or stated, 12=Programming was flexible, 13=Funding was diversified

540

Annex 15. Promising Practices – Analysis by Overarching Elements of Success

Table 9. Promising programmes divided UN/Non-UN and per category

Promising

Programmes

UN/Non-UN

Civic engagement

SkillsResilience

developmentHealth Other Total

by ratingMENA Global MENA Global MENA Global MENA Global MENA Global

UN 10 1 12 0 2 1 4 2 2 0 34Non-UN 3 1 4 0 2 0 1 4 0 1 16Subtotal 13 2 16 0 4 1 5 6 2 1

Total 15 16 5 11 3 49

Table 10. Good Practices divided UN/Non-UN and per category

Good practices

UN/Non-UN

Civic engagement

Skills development


Health Other Total by

ratingMENA Global MENA Global MENA Global MENA Global MENA Global

UN 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 5Non-UN 0 0 7 3 0 1 0 5 0 0 16Subtotal 1 2 8 3 0 1 0 5 1 0

Total 3 11 1 5 1 22

Table 11. Percentages of Promising and Good practices divided UN/Non –UN / MENA-Global and per category

Promising vs. Good

UN/Non-UNCivic

engagement engagement

Skills Resilience development Health Other

Promising

UN 11/15=73.3% 12/16=75% 3/4=75% 6/11=54.5% 2/3=66.6%Non-UN 4/15=26.7% 4/16=25% 1/4=25% 5/11=45.5% 1/3=33.3%MENA 13/15=86.6% 16/16=100% 3/4=75% 5/11=45.5% 2/3=66.6%Global 2/15=13.4% 0/16=0% 1/4=25% 6/11=54.5% 1/3=33.3%

% promising 15/18=83.3% 16/27=59.2% 4/6=66.6% 11/16=68.8% 3/4=75%

GOOD

UN 2/3=66.6% 1/11=9% 0 /2=0% 0/5=1% 1/1=100%Non-UN 0/3=0% 10/11=91% 2 /2=100% 5/5=100% 0/1=0%MENA 1/3=33.3% 8/11=72.7% 0 /2=0% 0/5=0% 1/1=100%Global 2/3=66.6% 3/11=27.3% 2 /2=100% 5/5=100% 0/1=0%

% good practice 3/18=16.7% 11/27=40.8% 2/6=33.4% 5/16=31.2% 1/4=25%

541

Table 12. Promising practices by criteria

Criteria

Theme EffectivenessSustained

and/or replicated

Meets equity criteria

Innovative

Based on documented

need or evidence-

based intervention

Meets values

orientation criteria

Youth involved

Civic Engagement

4/15=26.6% 7/15=46.6% 9/15=60% 11/15=73.3% 14/15=93.3% 14/15=93.3% 14/15=93.3%

Health 3/11=27.3% 7/11=63.6% 10/11=91% 8/11=72.7% 9/11=82% 8/11=72.7% 8/11=72.7%

Resilience 3/4=75% 3/4=75% 2/4=50% 2/4=50% 3/4=75% 4/4=100% 4/4=100%

Skills development

8/16=50% 12/16=75% 13/16=81.25% 9/16=56.25% 15/16=93.75% 14/16=87.5% 9/16=56.25%

Other 1/3=33.3% 2/3 3/3=100% 1/3=33.3% 3/3=100% 2/3=66.7% 1/3=33.3%

Overall 19/49=38.8% 31/49=63.3% 37/49=75.5% 31/49=63.3% 44/49=90% 42/49=86% 36/49=73.5%

Overall UN MENA

7/30=23.3% 19/30=63.3% 20/30=66.6% 16/30=53.3% 28/30=93.3% 27/30=90% 23/30=76.6%

Overall UN Global

3/4 = 75% 2/4=50% 4=100% 3/4 =75% 4=100% 4=100% 3/4= 75%

Overall Non-UN MENA

6/10=60% 6/10=60% 9/10=90% 7/10=70% 8/10=80% 9/10=90% 9 /10=90%

Overall Non-UN Global

3/5=60% 3/5=60% 4/5=80% 2/5=40% 3/5=60% 2/5=40% 2/5=40%

PRACTICES - | MENA Adolescent and Youth Hub

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