Organisational Development
1. Adviser Field Visits (DFID Tanzania)
Field visits enable a diverse range of community members, including community leaders, youth club members and young women to express their viewpoints to decision-makers.
In 2007 DFID Tanzania’s key advisors were brought into direct contact with target beneficiaries. The two-day ‘reality check’ consultations and visits were an important part of assessing local government accountability mechanisms, building on the aims of the DFID Tanzania Country Assistance Plan 2006-10.
Youth Engagement Lens: Beneficiaries
Operational Area: Organisational Development
2. Youth Audit (UNFPA/UNCT Nepal)
By conducting a youth audit, donor agencies are applying a mechanism that will enable them to track and evaluate the ‘value added’ of working with and for young people over time. This internal data is often not recorded.
In 2009 UNFPA Nepal began the process of developing their country-level strategy for young people. This began with making an assessment of how they are currently engaging youth, both through their programmes and also within the organisation. The Youth Guidance Project (YGP) team assisted with this initial audit by developing a questionnaire. The UN Country Team (UNCT) and UNFPA then assisted the Nepal United Nations Youth Advisory Panel (UNYAP) to develop a more detailed assessment tool, referred to as a youth scorecard. The UNYAP is advocating use of the youth scorecard as a standard guideline for UN country teams in Nepal to develop a co-ordinated country youth action strategy.
Youth Engagement Lens: Beneficiaries, Partners
Operational Area: Organisational Development
3. Youth Fellowships (UNFPA)
“We need you and your ideas, because the difference between our world today and our world tomorrow rests with you. You are the future, and more so, you are the present.” Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, UNFPA executive director.45
UNFPA’s Special Youth Programme (SYP) addresses the need to engage youth at various levels of the organisation: as trainees, advisors, and consultants. Young fellows have brought many new ideas. Guidelines place emphasis on recruitment from excluded groups.
- 45. 2007 Fellowship report
Youth Engagement Lens: Beneficiaries, Partners
Operational Area: Organisational Development
4. Young Consultants (Save/Ministry of Youth, Nepal)
“Young people are often more provocative and can bring fresh new research methodologies or steer an unforeseen but highly informative avenue of a research project.” Rebecca Calder, Social Development Advisor, DFID Nepal
Involving young people in research can allow a greater depth of information to be gathered, and builds their skills. The Ministry of Youth and Sports, Save the Children, the Association of Youth Organisations Nepal (AYON) and Nepal Planning Commission carried out a situation analysis of young people by young people in the newly emerging post-conflict country. The case study was discussed and recorded by a Youth Guidance Project46 workshop. Young professionals can act as role models for other youth, and participants of the study aspire to be like the researchers.
- 46. Sharing and Learning Network (SLN)
Youth Engagement Lens: Beneficiaries, Partners
Operational Area: Organisational Development
5. Allocating Urban Youth Funds (UN-HABITAT)
Donor agencies can play a lead role in demonstrating young people’s capabilities in allocating resources, enhancing the capacity and interest of local and national governments to address youth issues.
Young people and adults share joint responsibility on the advisory board to The UN-HABITAT Opportunities Fund for Urban Youth-led Development. Established in 2009, the fund will award between USD $5,000 and $25,000 to organisations led by young people, aged 15 to 32 years, over two years (from the end of 2009), targeting youth-led initiatives in slums and squatter settlements that are in urgent need of financial support. The initial funding has been provided by the Norwegian Government.
Themes: Governance, Voice and Accountability, Post-Conflict Transition and Livelihoods, Sexual and Reproductive Health
Operational Area: Organisational Development
