Stronger youth-led development through research and learning
The challenge: In today’s digitally linked global landscape, many of the world’s 1.8 billion young people are addressing the world’s complex challenges through direct action, social movements, and networks, initiating dialogue and action to promote social justice. However, many youth still lack pathways to education, economic and civic engagement, access to health and mental health information and services, and opportunities to lead change. Youth who are leading change are often not taken seriously by decision-makers. COVID-19 has exacerbated distrust between youth and institutions, increased polarization and digital divides, multiplied dis- and misinformation, and increased exclusion and structural violence toward girls and women, minorities, and people with disabilities. Youth-led and youth-serving organizations lack resources and capacity to provide impactful services to young people across all sectors; and the development sector lacks sufficient information on what works in positive youth development programs, especially generated by young people.
Youth Excel will strengthen youth-led, local development by
- strengthening capacity of youth-led and youth-serving organizations to conduct quality implementation research and offer stronger positive youth development (PYD) programs,
- advancing local development systems, development policy, and development decisions through knowledge and data, intergenerational dialogue for collaborative learning, youth-led advocacy, and partnerships
- strengthening youth-led and youth-serving networks and systems to improve local development outcomes
- synthesizing and disseminating context-specific evidence to support cross-sectoral positive youth development.
For more information see the pdf attached.