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.

“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)

Participatory research can help build grass roots capacity for understanding how public policy is created and can be influenced, resulting in a more informed public. Combined with reputable research institutions, it can have a powerful and convincing impact on governments.

In 2005, the Brazilian government sought the expertise of research institutions to lead on a series of policy dialogues with young people. The institutions commissioned were the Brazilian Institute of Social and Economic Analysis (IBASE), the Polis Institute, the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and the Canadian Policy Research Networks. The Brazilian Youth Dialogue was an 18-month study51 that surveyed young Brazilians about their views on democracy and their role in society.

• 51. Funded by a Canadian research grant. Undertaken in seven metropolitan regions of Brazil and the Federal District of Brasilia. Co-ordinated by Ibase and Polis Institute and carried out by a network of NGOs and universities.

“It is clear that any proposed solutions to the youth employment challenge which do not take on board the expectations, frustrations and aspirations of young people in relation to the labour market will struggle to meet the needs of youth.” Youth Employment Network 2007

Funded by DFID and SDC, Helvetas Nepal’s employment fund provides skill training to economically poor and socially discriminated out-of-school youth. Private service providers help identify the market potential as well as train participants. The payment to the service providers is based on the type of category trained and linked to outcomes: the service provider does not get any payment for those trainees who do not achieve employment.

In order to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS, young people need confidence, awareness of gender issues and access to services and motivation, not just the raw facts.

Young Empowered and Healthy (YEAH) is a nationally recognised sexual health campaign for and by young people in Uganda, launched in 2004 under the auspices of the Uganda AIDS Commission. YEAH uses radio and other media to reach youth and produces an award winning national weekly serial drama, ‘Rock Point 256.’ YEAH is implemented by Communication for Development Foundation Uganda (CDFU) with technical assistance from Health Communication Partnership (HCP). Funding and support for YEAH has been drawn from USAID, PEPFAR (a special US presidential fund for SRH intervention measures), through John Hopkins Bloomberg University. Other funding is from Save the Children Uganda, UNICEF and the Uganda National AIDS Commission.

“Where local young people are involved in budgetary decisions there is the potential to develop creative solutions to issues that can result in cost savings and better value for money. Local young people are often very conscious of spending/allocating public money and can therefore be very careful about how they spend it.” Government official, Municipality of Rosario

Participatory youth governance can give youth a greater sense of civic pride and responsibility. The Municipality of Rosario undertakes an annual participatory youth budget, engaging youth from across its six districts in democratic processes to select representatives and decide upon budget allocations for youth services. An initial pilot in 2004 was funded by German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) and the necessary funds are now drawn from the municipal budget. Young people are able to have a say in the design of youth services in their city and in the allocation of resources to support their execution over the course of a six-month annual cycle.

Youth-led monitoring and evaluation (M&E) facilitates the design of realistic and practical tools, as well as building transferable skills and ensuring that young people’s input to decision-making is informed and consistent.

The Youth Empowerment Programme (YEP)60 has young people leading field- based M&E as part of their activities on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), livelihoods and conflict resolution with their peers in schools and communities. Their experiences were discussed and recorded during a youth guidance project workshop in Uganda.

• 60. 2010-2012 funding from DFID-CSCF