Youth Participation Guidance Workshop Summit Hotel, Kathmandu 17 April 2009 DFID-CSO Working Group

Youth Participation Guidance Workshop

Summit Hotel, Kathmandu17 April 2009

DFID-CSO Working Group

Aims of the workshop

• To inform key partners regarding the aims of the Youth Guidance Project.

• Increased awareness on youth participation issues and commitment built towards taking action in this area.

• Collaborative discussion on scoping the potential strategic opportunities for youth participation.

Youth Guidance Project

SPW volunteers in Sierra Leone training youth on women’s

rights

First-ever mock Youth Parliament held in Nepal after

16 years of civil conflict, organized by SPW

Definitions: Youth Participation?

• For this project focusing on one aspect of youth: UN legal definition young people aged 15-24

• What is youth participation? What words come to your mind? Brainstorm with partner…


Definitions: Youth Participation?

Participation is an ongoing process of … active involvement in decision making (at different levels) in matters that concern them. It requires information sharing and dialogue between children and adults, which is based on mutual respect and power sharing. Genuine participation gives children [youth] the power to shape both the process and outcome. Participation is proactive.’ (Source: Save the Children’s UK Regional office in South and Central Asia, 2001)


Why this project?

• Identified as a need by:– DFID as a component of their increasing work

and attention on young people – By other NGOs as part of the DFID-CSO

Youth Working Group– Direct partnership between donors & CSOs to

prove youth participation works!


What we’re aiming to achieve:

• Creation of youth participation guidance materials for bi-lateral and multi-lateral donor agencies

• Uniquely tested and developed in partnership with those agencies during two pilot phases (in Uganda and Nepal)


Structure

Bilaterals and multi-lateral support at HQ level (input of resources and case studies) from:

UNICEF, World Bank, UNFPA, GTZ, NZ Aid

The Project is led by Students Partnership Worldwide (SPW) on behalf of the DFID-CSO Working Group on Youth.

Key members of the UK Project Committee (7) from this Group are: Plan International, UNICEF, SPW, British Youth Council (BYC), the Commonwealth Youth

Exchange Council (CYEC), Peace Child international (PCI) & International Alert.

DFID Equity & Rights Team in London

UK Project team: Project Manager & 3 P/t Youth

Participation Officers

Co-ordinated by SPW Uganda:

SPW Director & Ugandan Youth

Participation Officer

Co-ordinated by SPW Nepal:

SPW Director, & Nepal Youth Participation

Officer

Supported Project Committee (support

team to set up)

Supported Project Committee (support

team to set up)

SMART piloting of resources that add value to

selected in country partners

work

SMART piloting of resources that add value to

selected in country partners

work

The Guide….

• Part 1 - Rationale for working with and for youth

• Part 2 – Generic resources and case studies on youth policy and programming, including specific tools for:- Sexual and Reproductive Health, HIV and AIDS- Governance, Voice and Accountability- Post - Conflict Transitions and Youth Civic Participation (link to employment)

• Part 3 - Process of producing the Guide itself: a project in youth participation.


An example case study….

How to involve young people as researchers• The WRC sought to improve services and protection to adolescents affected

by armed conflict: Kosovo; Sierra Leone; and northern Uganda.• Experiences of adolescents affected by war and persecution, and the

international and local responses. They were designed and led by young people, which included individual interviews & focus group discussions.

How did Donor Agencies benefit? • The United Nations Security Council incorporated recommendations of

adolescents in Sierra Leone on HIV/AIDS & sexual exploitation of children by aid workers into Resolution 1460 (on Children and Armed Conflict).

• Danida responded to the recommendations by working with young people and community leaders in northern Uganda to design and implement a new Education Initiative (secondary schooling).

• Young people gained access to high-level policy discussions at the Winnipeg Conference on War-affected Children in September 2000, the United Nations Special Session on Children in May 2002

WRC, 2005, “Youth Speak Out”


The Pilot…

Proving it works: Testing youth participation through a number of discrete, time-bound initiatives identified as a group of partners

• 10 months in Uganda and Nepal

• Coordinated by SPW Nepal in partnership with donor agencies and other CSO’s

• Adding value to and providing an additional resource and support to donor agencies


SPW Uganda Former Volunteer Richard Wanzala addressing MPs in the UK Houses of

Parliament on the need to engage young people in development.

Mr Uday Raj Pandey

Coordinator

National Youth Policy Drafting Task Force


Draft National Youth Policy

ObjectiveMake youth accountable and responsible towards nation, Nationality and Federal Republic Structure

Ensuring the fundamental rights of youth engage them in productive sector for the economic, social and political development of the Nation by their meaningful participation at all levels.

Instate dignity of labor, develop intellectual and physical capabilities among youth whereby the youth can remain safe from ill practices hence develop capable youth.

Major AreasEducation: Formal and Informal Youth Empowerment and Leadership Development Employment: Domestic and ForeignParticipation: Social and Cultural Youth Mobilization Health and Family Well being: HIV/AIDS, Malnutrition, healthy lifestyle, mental health, Culture, Sports and Entertainment Drug abuseHuman TraffickingEnvironment and Sustainable Development Science and TechnologySustainable Peace Building and Conflict transformation

Implementation Mechanism

STRUCTURE OF NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCILPresident (Youth Minister)

Executive Vice President

Director

Deputy Director

(At Central Level)Counseling Information Skill development and Employment

(At District Level)

Office Secretary Counseling Information Skill development and Employment

Thank You!

Mr Uday Raj PandeyCoordinator

National Youth Policy Drafting Task Force

Themes from meetings…

• Consensus amongst partners on engaging young people as a priority at government, CSO & donor level

• Consensus there is a need for co-ordination to avoid duplication & sharing of lessons learnt

• Possible areas to engage youth as partners (not just as beneficiaries)…


Potential menu of activities

Policy• The new National Development Plan• National Youth Policy• National Plan of Action for Youth Employment



Research• Mapping of donor youth interventions & policies in Nepal (& CSOs?)• Youth led Research:

• Are youth interventions actually benefitting target groups? • Gender based violence• Linkages between child and youth clubs: What next for child

club members?• What are the best structural mechanisms for youth governance

(national youth councils, local and district committee representation)?

• Life skills packages for adolescent girls in the employment fund: what’s needed?

• Youth & security• Transparency & accountability• Other thematic areas?



Coordination & donor organisational development

• Guiding framework for donors (principles/ ‘do no harm’)• Co-ordinating mechanism/body (involving donors and

CSOs?) • Youth on donor project advisory committees/ proposal

review panels• Creating a Bank of donor youth fellowships• Greater direct contact with senior staff and youth• Youth adult partnerships/mentoring



Programmatic processes

• Development of donor proposal guidelines (for youth interventions)• Involving youth in donor/national youth audits/assessments (what

are young people’s needs?)• Youth led Monitoring & Evaluation (e.g. UNFPA & youth score card

or age disaggregation in wider M&E interventions)• Celebrating the success of youth (recognition & reinforcement: local,

district & national levels)• Youth adult partnerships/mentoring (e.g INGOs mentoring youth

NGOs)• Youth Access to Information: consultations; dissemination; policy

into practice


Questions for discussion

1. In addition to the potential areas identified are there other existing and future areas of donor work where youth participation could add value?

2. Identify any potential activities that your organisation may be willing to pilot?

Youth Guidance ProjectYouth Guidance Project

Next Steps

• Write up of workshop and discussions

• Prioritising areas to take forward

• Feedback to wider donor agency network

• Development of work plan

• Next group meeting


…http://blog.ygproject.org/

Documents

Youth Participation Guidance Workshop Summit Hotel, Kathmandu 17 April 2009 DFID-CSO Working Group