Photo of Kenyan mechanic, Rose Luturia, working on a car taken by Silvano Ateka

Welcome!

A Message from the Director

Welcome to the first official YouthPower quarterly newsletter under YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation (YP2LE), the USAID-funded follow-on activity to YouthPower Learning. Building on the accomplishments of YouthPower Learning, we are expanding on Positive Youth Development (PYD) evidence, sharing our learnings within and across multiple sectors, and providing leadership in promoting PYD best practices as well as supporting USAID missions and operating units to incorporate PYD approaches into the design, implementation, and evaluation of youth development programs.

In May, I took the reigns as the YP2LE Project Director, and I am thrilled to be leading such a dedicated team, who have all been working to adapt to the new realities of living and working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to collaboration with our partners, both local and abroad, we have been able to safely continue our activities. Together, we are furthering USAID’s commitment to youth and advancing the PYD agenda globally. This work is near and dear to my heart as I have spent 25 years working to improve the lives of the world’s at-risk children and youth.

Through this newsletter, we will share YouthPower2 achievements and PYD-related events, networking opportunities, research, and resources. In this issue, we will have a special focus on the documents resulting from the technical support we provided to USAID missions and operating units thus far.

In the next year, we look forward to growing our broader learning network, advancing knowledge in and awareness of global PYD activities and research, increasing engagement of youth globally, and further incorporating the PYD framework and principles in youth development activities.

I hope that you will take the time to read through our accomplishments thus far, and I invite you to, not only follow along in our journey, but become involved. Future editions of the newsletter will include opportunities for you to join us through different activities, events, and groups. I am looking forward to collaborating with all the dedicated individuals in our network committed to ensuring youth are empowered to reach their full potential by building skills, assets, and competencies; fostering healthy relationships; strengthening and creating youth-friendly environments; and transforming systems.

Sincerely,

Christie Scott

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Updates

Gaining a Better Understanding of What Youth in Madagascar Need

Despite the many obstacles they face, it is clear that youth in Madagascar present an enormous opportunity for the country to achieve economic, health, and educational progress. Yet, most Malagasy youth encounter almost insurmountable challenges in achieving a better future in every aspect of their lives including lack of access to quality education, limited diverse formal workforce opportunities, and exposure to domestic and community-based violence. To gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities for supporting meaningful programming for youth between 10 and 24 years old, USAID/Madagascar commissioned YP2LE to conduct a Cross-Sectoral Youth Assessment (CSYA) that will be used to inform their Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS). Using a Positive Youth Development (PYD) lens, the assessment team used a desk review and key informant interviews to produce the CYSA and its recommendations. Learn more.

Taking a Look at the Opportunities and Challenges Facing Youth In Mauritania

This spring, CSYA was conducted at the request of USAID/Mauritania to assist in understanding the opportunities and challenges for supporting youth in Mauritania. For a majority of youth, their experience is largely framed by poverty, weak infrastructure, high unemployment rates, and lack of access to education and other services.

However, young people believe these challenges can be addressed through a variety of individual and group engagements, such as peer-to-peer counseling, peer role models, peer mentors, and group activities (e.g., sports and/or community clean-ups and patrolling). The CSYA, which was conducted from March to May 2020 via in-person and virtual key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and validation session activities, explores these recommendations and a host of others provided by youth, youth leaders, and stakeholders.

For a summary of key findings and to access the full report, visit YouthPower.org.

Kenyan Youth Play a Role Guiding, Designing, And Recommending Solutions

Understanding the status and aspirations of youth in Kenya from a comprehensive and holistic perspective is essential for determining impactful and sustainable programmatic and policy interventions. With this objective in mind, USAID Kenya East Africa sought to conduct a systematic and contemporary assessment of prioritized needs of marginalized youth through a participatory research methodology that included directly guiding youth in the design, implementation, analysis, and development of recommendations.

The resulting Cross-Sectoral Youth Assessment (CSYA) produced by the USAID YouthPower Learning team will also be used to inform USAID/Kenya East Africa’s new Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) as well as a new youth program that will achieve sector-specific, and cross-sector, strategic objectives. To be impactful and sustainable, the design is intended to be co-led, co-owned, and co-managed with youth. Read the assessment.

Shaping the YP2LE Learning Network

YP2LE spent the last six months listening to and co-creating with former YouthPower Learning Network members in order to develop an enhanced structure for the YP2LE Learning Network. We wanted to hear from members how we can ensure that network activities continue to stay true to the interests and needs of members. Based on this input, the network will align to the following guiding principles:

  • Foster meaningful connection by paying attention to group size and dynamics which shape engagement;
  • Map the network “engagement” route because members want to know how, when, and where to participate;
  • Create and curate practical resources, which are at the heart of the network;
  • Weave inclusion into the fabric of the network by taking into account that the PYD community is increasingly diverse;
  • Ensure agency and agility by recognizing that community structure influences member agency;
  • Empower champions, who play an important role in network success, to facilitate.

We thank all network members who participated in this extensive co-creation process. The new Learning Network structure and activities will be announced within the next few weeks.

Setting the Priorities for the PYD Learning Agenda

To advance the research priorities identified by YP2LE stakeholders, YP2LE research partners are undertaking a series of studies to provide evidence to USAID. Our research partners initiated two systematic reviews focused on what works in designing systems and scaling PYD programs and impacts on marginalized and vulnerable youth during our first year.

The Task 1 Learning Agenda Advisory Group (LAAG) identified these topics as priorities and the studies will be completed in the fall of 2020. Our team will also complete at least two additional studies focused on youth engagement and cross-sectoral programming in the coming year, along with a series of short-term products related to USAID’s identified needs. In addition to these studies, we convened the LAAG for two meetings, drafted an initial concept note related to a youth civic engagement index, and created a “how to” brief for managing the quality of WORQ throughout the program cycle.

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YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Youth Advisory Group

Launch

Introducing the YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Youth Advisory Group

Dedicated to engaging youth at all levels of the activity, YP2LE recently launched its new Youth Advisory Group (YAG). This seven-member group is made up of young changemakers from Bolivia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Nepal, Palestine, and Uganda.

We received nearly 1,300 applications that showcased the talents, leadership, and commitment of young people in our YouthLead network. The newly selected YAG will play a vital role in ensuring that meaningful youth engagement and leadership occurs across all YP2LE tasks and related activities including research, communications, advocacy, mentoring, capacity strengthening, learning networks, and the YouthPower.org and YouthLead.org platforms.

They will provide strategic input and support, amplify youth voices, offer recommendations, advise on development and dissemination of learning products, and ensure inclusive approaches. Meet the YAG members.

Now Available

An Actionable Social Norms-Shifting Intervention for Young Adolescents: The Growing up GREAT! Implementation Guide

The Passages Project is pleased to announce the launch of the Growing Up GREAT! Implementation Guide, a step-by step resource for organizations who wish to adopt a scalable, multilevel intervention that is demonstrated to improve gender equity and reproductive health for young adolescents.



This publication offers guidance, tested tools, and materials for planning, implementing, supervising, and monitoring this successful norms-shifting intervention.



Get access to the full package of materials.

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Upcoming Events



September 2020

October 2020

New Resources on YouthPower.org

YouthPower Learning Resources

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL)

Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance

Economic Growth, Education, and Environment

Gender

Health

Agriculture

Find more resources and events at YouthPower.org.

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