IMPLEMENT
Setting Up Operations
Though some organizations may have an abundance of resources, without effective coordination of staff, volunteers, interns, and participants programs will struggle to maintain consistency in attendance rates and program quality. Organizing your operational team to determine who is responsible for managing various activities so that it is clear how program objectives are being met is critical. Understanding the skills of the team to ensure that the issues can be resolved appropriately is essential.[1]
The most successful YSS/YC/ASPs consider the following:[2]
- Budgeting for activities that promote sustainability (e.g., cultivation of partnerships) starting at the design and implementation phases of the program.
- Investing in paid staff and leadership positions as well as in training of these employees; training should be implemented on an ongoing basis as a quality assurance mechanism in cases of staff turnover.
- Developing a Board of Directors, steering committee, or similar structure at the early stages of the program to support long-term sustainability.
Careful planning for the operational considerations of a YSS/YC/ASPs will pay dividends later when systems are in place to guide the effective management of resources and people. Considerations in this stage involve planning for people, policies, and finance (or resource) management. For people, consider strategies related to compensation, recruitment, training, and retention of staff and volunteers, along with recruitment of young people who will participate. Policies should be put in place that serve to protect staff and youth, manage risk, and guide decision making. Start with local or national policies or guidelines. Make sure a child protection policy is developed and adopted, and establish financial systems that build in accountability, effective controls, and can help guide decision making.
Here are some resources for getting started in operations:
- Volume 1: Urban Youth Centre Setup Guide | UN-Habitat
- Starting and Operating After-school Programs | Youth.gov
- Youth Program Manual (Operations p. 15-19) | United Advocates for Children of California
- Management and Operation of Outreach Centers (p. 13) l Creative Associates
See full list of Operations Resources for Youth Safe Spaces and Centers.
Staffing
Well-trained and high-quality staff and volunteers are essential to successful centers/programs. Research shows that a combination of full-time staff, youth interns, and volunteers make up a strong team for executing programs.[3] Before recruiting volunteers and youth to participate in your program, understanding the size and capabilities of your team is critical in determining how many youth you can support at any given time. Ideally:
- Paid staff should be used (particularly for finance, management, program coordination) to ensure continuity.
- Staff should be hired from the local community, including women (particularly for programs targeting girls) and older youth.
- If volunteers are engaged, these should be trained and closely managed by paid staff. Often recruitment from the local community or local universities can generate instructors for computer classes, music, sports, and other activities. Faith-based organizations (FBOs) can be critical partners as they may already have an active engaged volunteer community and may be already running youth groups or clubs. If young people volunteer to lead activities, the center should consider paying their travel costs.
While recruitment, orientation, and management of staff and volunteers are essential to an effective YSS/YC/ASP, thinking about the program components necessary to create life-changing, high-impact programs is also critical. The following checklist provides tangible standards on how to create physical and psychological safety, clear rules and expectations, and supportive relationships. Drawing from the Youth Development Centers and Programs in the Middle East and North Africa Region Report - USAID,[4];below are examples of what these expectations look like.
See List of Volunteer Management and Recruitment Templates and Resources here.
SAFE SPACES CHECKLIST
Adapted from The National Research Council’s Community Programs to Promote Youth Development:
Physical and Psychological Safety
- Staff understands that physical and sexual harassment, violence, and bullying are not tolerated.
- Staff members make all youth feel welcome, supported, and safe.
- Staff members encourage youth to be respectful of the rights and choices of others.
- Staff members are trained on privacy and confidentiality.
- Staff members understand group dynamics and how to create a safe environment for youth to discuss sensitive topics.
- Staff know how to recognize, prevent, and proactively resolve conflicts among youth.
Clear and Consistent Rules and Expectations
- Staff set ground rules and expectations for youth to create a culture based on trust and predictability.
- All are greeted warmly and made to feel welcome.
- A sufficient number of adults are always present to supervise activities, keep youth safe, and support positive relationships.
- Expectations on participation and behavior are explicitly stated and posted in visible places.
- Activities are age-appropriate.
Supportive Relationships
- Staff members are trustworthy and reliable.
- Staff members are comfortable discussing and addressing young people’s personal questions in a nonjudgmental manner.
- The program provides opportunities for youth to interact positively with one another through structured and unstructured activities.
- Staff members model healthy relationships and support youth in developing positive relationships.
- Staff members work to build on and enhance each youth’s unique strengths (e.g., artistic, musical, mathematical, interpersonal skills).
- Staff are trained and able to proactively and equally engage youth that are quiet and withdrawn, positively engaged, and acting-out.
- The program assists teens in building confidence and healthy communication skills.
Location, Physical Space
Finding an appropriate and accessible site is key to YSS/YC/ASPs success. As mentioned above, some models are flexible and can be moved from one building/site to another based on changing conditions.[5]
To ensure active participation, sites should be in a location that feels comfortable for the local community and youth. Good examples of this definition of safe are:
- Parents and youth are directly engaged (e.g., via house visits, focus groups, etc.) in the design and location selection.
- Other key community members (local officials, school principals, faith-based leaders, etc.) are consulted and involved in providing access or essential services for sites (e.g., electricity, water, protection), and engaged as volunteers as needed.
- Reasonable ability of youth to travel to and from the space, including walking safety and accessible transport for youth with disabilities.
- The space infrastructure itself is safe. For youth with disabilities, this may center on accessibility, while for girls privacy is a major consideration.
- The facilities have accounted for youth who have experienced crisis or trauma, have cognitive disabilities, are displaced, or from other marginalized or vulnerable groups by providing small meeting areas or space to protect confidential conversations.
- The site or center has divided spaces where various activities can go on simultaneously.
[1] Luken, S. Warner, A. What Makes For A Successful Youth Centre?. HeartWood Centre for Community Youth Development
[2] Youth Development Centers and Programs in the Middle East and North Africa Region Report - USAID 2020
[3] Youth Development Centers and Programs in the Middle East and North Africa Region Report - USAID 2020
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