YOUTH PARTICIPATION MANUL
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- YOUTH PARTICIPATION MANUL
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I
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Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
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Human Resources Development Publications
The Human Resources Development Section, Social Development Division, ESCAP, is
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Youth Participation Manual
[ST/ESCAP/2036]
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Chief
HRD Section
Social Development Division
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
United Nations Building
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ST/ESCAP/2036
UNITED NATIONS PUBLICATION
Sales No. E.00.II.F.43
Copyright © United Nations 2000
ISBN: 92-1-119992-1
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08392
PAI
ION
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
Contents
Page
1
Introduction
Chapter
I.
II.
A.
Introduction
5
B.
Background
C.
Why youth participation?
5
11
D.
Youth participation as a foundation for
responsible citizenship
15
E.
Incorporating effective youth participation
17
F.
Youth participation: a process of empowerment
18
Youth Participation Indicators
21
A.
Why indicators?
21
B.
Principles behind youth participation programmes
C.
General data on youth
D.
Sets of general youth participation indicators
22
23
26
E.
Example of use of general youth participation indicators:
health
29
F.
G.
III.
5
Youth Participation: A Closer Look
Youth participation indicators for assessment of youth
participation at project level
Assessment sheet
31
37
Conclusion and Recommendations
39
A.
General recommendations
39
B.
Local policies, programmes and projects
C.
Research
D.
Education
E.
Conclusion
40
41
41
42
References
Annex:
43
Examples of best practices
47
p*
• **•
V
.J.
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
Introduction
"Youth participation is about developing partnerships between young
people and adults in all areas of life so young people can take a valued
position in our society and the community as a whole can benefit from
their contribution, ideas and energies.”
(Australia Youth Foundation)
The United Nations has long recognized the important role played by
youth in the continuing development of the world in which they live. The
Organization drew worldwide attention to the importance of youth in observing
the 1985 International Youth Year: Participation, Development and Peace.
Recognizing the need to expand the opportunities available to young people
to participate fully in society, the General Assembly adopted the World
Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond (General
Assembly resolution 50/81 of 14 December 1995) as a framework for nations
to increase their capacities to address youth needs and issues.
Youth are at the forefront of global, social, economic and political
developments.
In addition to their intellectual contribution and their
ability to mobilize support, young people bring unique perspectives that
need to be taken into account. The progress of our societies is based,
among other elements, on each society’s capacity to involve young
women and men in building and designing the future.
(United Nations Youth Unit, 1997: 3)
The fact that youth constitute a significant proportion of the population
of the Asia-Pacific region highlights the importance of fully integrating youth
into society through youth participation. The United Nations defines youth as
the age group between 15 and 24 years old, which represents approximately
one fifth of the total population of the Economic and Social Commission for
Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) region. The premise of youth participation is
that if youth are encouraged to participate fully in society they can become
more knowledgeable about their rights and more responsible citizens. It is
envisaged that once young people have the opportunity to realize their
potential, be respected by society and fully participate in their community,
consistent with their human rights and responsibilities, society at large will
benefit. Young people are the key to the future and are thus placed at the
core of human resources development.
Youth Participation Manual
ESCAP recognized the importance of youth participation by adopting
resolution 52/4 on promoting human resources development among youth in
Asia and the Pacific, in April 1996. This was a response to the adoption by
the United Nations General Assembly of the World Programme of Action for
Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond. That resolution highlighted 10 priority
areas including “the full and effective participation of youth in society and
decision-making”.
The capacity of each society to progress is based, among other
elements, on its capacity to incorporate the contribution and responsibility
of youth in the building and designing of its future. In addition to their
intellectual contribution and ability to mobilize support, young people
bring unique perspectives that need to be taken into account. Youth
organizations can be important forums for helping young people to
develop the skills necessary for effective youth participation in society.
(World Programme of Action for Youth to
the Year 2000 and Beyond, Priority 10)
ESCAP notes that there are three key issues in providing a voice for
youth in society: access and benefit, the ability to influence and equity.
These are the three pillars of youth participation. They refer to the rights of
all youth to have access to opportunities and to play an active role through
out society. This applies to all youth, including girls and young women, rural
youth, youth with special needs and other marginalized youth.
In many
situations, youth are the first group to be denied opportunities. One example
is employment, where youth are often the first to lose their jobs in a
restructuring effort. The recent economic crisis has highlighted the dispropor
tionately high level of unemployment among young people. In addition, young
people often do not have easy access to information. In the Asia-Pacific
region, this is especially true for information on sexual and reproductive health
and access to appropriate services.
ESCAP advocates a shift in attitudes to youth and recognition of them
as active participants and agents of change, capable of making the decisions
which affect their lives and society as a whole. Youth are capable of shaping
the world of today and tomorrow.
The problems facing youth challenge today’s societies and future
generations as well.
They include: limited resources available for
funding youth programmes and activities; inequities in social, economic
and political conditions; gender discrimination; high levels of youth
unemployment; armed conflict and confrontation; continuing deterioration
of the global environment; increasing incidence of disease, hunger and
malnutrition; changes in the role of the family; and inadequate opportu
nity for education and training.
(United Nations Youth Unit)
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
E
Introduction
It is critical that youth concerns and issues are understood and
addressed. The best route to understanding youth is to give them a voice
through facilitation of their active participation, hence empowerment, in society.
ESCAP has shown its commitment to the full integration of youth in society by
its decision to develop youth participation indicators (YPIs), as called for by
the Asia-Pacific Meeting on Human Resources Development for Youth and the
Pacific, held at Beijing in October 1996. At that meeting, the governments of
the Asia-Pacific region urged ESCAP “to develop a series of youth participa
tion indicators to facilitate the analysis of, and thereby promote youth participa
tion in the planning, implementation and evaluation of national youth and
related policies”. (Beijing Statement on Human Resources Development for
Youth in Asia and the Pacific, Beijing, 22-26 October 1996, p. 20.). These
YPIs are intended to address the problems that impede the effectiveness of
programmes and policies that encourage youth participation, namely:
1.
The lack of standardized data on youth development and partici
pation to serve as a basis for policy-making and planning;
2.
The inadequate analytical basis for national
planning for youth.
policy-making
and
(Beijing Statement on Human Resources Development
for Youth in Asia and the Pacific)
The present Manual is intended to assist in promoting effective youth
participation. It contains four chapters and an annex. Chapter I introduces
the principle of youth participation and discusses the value of youth participa
tion indicators. Chapter II explains the rationale for enabling youth participa
tion and the need to assist young people in fulfilling their responsibilities in
society and in obtaining their rights as citizens. Indicators to help measure
levels of youth participation are also introduced. Their value is highlighted
through discussion of a case study on adolescent reproductive health.
Chapter III contains recommendations for policy makers and programme
managers at the local and national levels.
References for further study,
including recommended readings and Web sites are given after Chapter III.
The annex contains examples of best practices in promoting youth partici
pation in the Asia-Pacific region.
This Manual, together with its counterpart, the Youth Policy Formulation
Manual, provides guidelines for those involved in formulating and imple
menting youth-related policies and programmes at all levels. By proposing a
set of youth participation indicators, this Manual attempts not only to ensure
youth participation, but also to measure its effectiveness.
In addition, the
Manual aims to encourage the inclusion of young people in decision-making
at the local, national and regional levels, in order to encourage partnerships
between young people and adults. It is hoped that it will provide the means
to improve access and benefit, the ability to influence and the equity of young
people.
3
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
D
Youth Participation:
A Closer Look
A. INTRODUCTION
The present chapter first explains the development of the principles of
youth participation by exploring conventions, forums and declarations. Then
the rationale for incorporating provisions for youth participation in policies,
programmes and projects will be established by highlighting five considerations:
1.
Ensuring the success of youth programmes through youth partici
pation;
2.
Understanding the benefits of youth participation;
3.
Linking youth participation with responsible citizenship;
4.
Incorporating the cornerstones of youth participation:
(a) Access and benefit;
(b) Ability to influence;
(c)
5.
Equity;
Viewing youth participation as a process of empowerment.
B. BACKGROUND
As yet a convention focusing specifically on youth issues and concerns
does not exist. There are, however, conventions, conferences and declara
tions that highlight the concept and principles of youth participation. It is
interesting to explore the key statements on youth participation of such
documents, which include:
1.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990)
2.
The World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and
Beyond (1995)
3.
The Braga Youth Action Plan (1998)
4.
The Lisbon Declaration on Youth Policies and Programmes (1998)
5.
The Hague Forum (1999)
An overview of the sections of these documents which highlight the
importance of youth participation is given below.
E
Youth Participation Manual
1.
Convention on the Rights of the Child
The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely ratified
human rights treaty in history.1 The drafting of the Convention began in 1979
during the International Year of the Child. It was adopted and opened for
signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 44/25 of
20 November 1989, and entered into force 2 September 1990, in accordance
with article 49. The Convention sets the minimum legal and moral standards
for protecting children’s rights. States parties to the Convention are bound
legally and morally to protect and promote the cause of child rights, through
administrative, legislative, judicial and other measures.
The Convention is
unique in being the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate
the full range of human rights: civil and political rights as well as economic,
social and cultural rights.
The Convention highlights child and youth participation throughout its
text. In the preamble, it is recognized that children “should be fully prepared
to live an individual life in society, and brought up in the spirit of the ideals
proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations, and in particular in the spirit
of peace, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality and solidarity”.
Article 12
states that “States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming
his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters
affecting the child” and that “the child shall ... be provided the opportunity to
be heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child”.
Article 13 states that the child “shall have the right to freedom of expression
... The exercise of this right may be subject to certain restrictions, but these
shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary: (a) For respect
of the rights or reputations of others; or (b) For the protection of national
security or of public order ... or of public health or morals”. Lastly, article 29
asserts that education should be directed to developing children’s respect “for
human rights and fundamental freedoms ... for the child’s parents, his or her
own cultural identity, language and values, for the national values of the
country in which the child is living, the country from which he or she may
originate, and for civilizations different from his or her own ...” and to
preparing the child “for responsible life in a free society”.
2.
World Programme of Action for Youth
to the Year 2000 and Beyond
The World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and
Beyond was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1995, the
tenth anniversary of International Youth Year, to provide a policy framework
i
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
See suggested Web site:
crc.htm)
6
Convention on the Rights of the Child,
(www.unicef.org/crc/
I. Youth Participation: A Closer Look
and practical guidelines for action to improve the situation of youth in society.
The themes of participation, development and peace, identified by the
General Assembly for International Youth Year, are also the general themes
of the Programme. The Programme targets the global youth population of
1,030 million people or 18 per cent of the world’s population, according to the
United Nation’s definition of youth as individuals between the ages of 15 and
24. The ten priority areas of the Programme are:
1.
Education;
2.
Employment;
3.
Hunger and poverty;
4.
Health;
5.
Environment;
6.
Drug abuse;
7.
Juvenile delinquency;
8.
Leisure time activities;
9.
Girls and young women;
10. The full and effective participation of youth in the life of society
and in decision-making.
In particular, the tenth area discusses the need for the full and effective
participation of youth in the life of society and in decision-making:
The capacity of each society to progress is based, among other
elements, on its capacity to incorporate the contribution and responsibility
of youth in the building and designing of its future. In addition to their
intellectual contribution and ability to mobilize support, young people
bring unique perspectives that need to be taken into account. Youth
organizations can be important forums for helping young people to
develop the skills necessary for effective youth participation in society.
The Programme thus proposes action:
1.
To develop and strengthen opportunities for youth to learn their
rights and responsibilities;
2.
To promote the social, political, developmental and environmental
participation of young people, and remove obstacles that affect their
full contribution to society;
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
Youth Participation Manual
3.
To encourage youth associations and their activities through
financial educational and technical support;
4.
To foster national, regional and international cooperation
exchange between youth organizations;
5.
To strengthen the involvement of young people in international
forums, for example by considering the inclusion of youth
representatives in the national delegations to the United Nations
General Assembly.
3.
and
Braga Youth Action Plan
The Braga Youth Action Plan was adopted at the Third World Youth
Forum, held at Braga, Portugal from 2 to 7 August 1998.
The Plan
highlights the importance of youth participation and provides a comprehensive
list of youth policy recommendations that both incorporate and encourage
such participation. Representatives of youth and youth-serving organizations,
the United Nations System and other intergovernmental organizations
stressed their joint commitment to youth participation for human develop
ment:
“We have gathered here to promote Youth Participation for Human
Development, convinced that the participation of youth is a prere
quisite for the development of humankind as a whole”.
“The Braga Youth Action Plan is a joint commitment to Youth
Participation for Human Development made by youth NGOs, the United
Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations in partner
ship.
As participants at the third World Youth Forum of the United Nations
System, we pledge our personal and unwavering commitment towards
Youth Participation for Human Development.
We now call upon all youth, governments of the world and the
international community to work together with us to carry out these
commitments and make our vision of Youth Participation for Human
Development a reality.’’
“On the threshold of a new millennium, young people are full of hope
and commitment. We are convinced that in partnership between youth
and youth-serving organizations, national governments, the United
Nations System and other intergovernmental organizations, we can
shape our world for the creation of a better future for all.”
8
I. Youth Participation: A Closer Look
In addition, it notes that real and sustainable solutions to social and
economic problems that affect youth can only be found at the global level
through the development of new partnerships between all the parties involved.
The Plan highlights the following requirements of youth participation for
human development:
1.
Young people should be adequately financed by both government
and the private sector in order to become full and active partners in
the development process;
2.
Young people’s stake in the development process should be recog
nized;
3.
Young men and women should participate on equal terms;
4.
Young women should be empowered;
5.
All young people should be enabled to participate in the develop
ment process without any form of social exclusion;
6.
Young people should participate in the decisions taken today about
the resources of tomorrow;
7.
Young people should participate in political decision-making on all
levels and should be enabled to organize themselves in youth
NGOs, student unions, trade unions, political parties, and in the
creation of mass media in order to fully participate in political,
economic, social and cultural life;
8.
Youth issues should be mainstreamed into all policy-making.
4.
Lisbon Declaration on Youth Policies
and Programmes
The Lisbon Declaration on Youth Policies and Programmes was
adopted at the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, held at
Lisbon from 8 to 12 August 1998. The World Conference of Ministers was
the first global meeting on youth to be held at ministerial level since the
founding of the United Nations in 1945. It was held as a follow-up to the
World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond and
focused on strengthening national capacities regarding youth and increasing
the quality and quantity of opportunities available to young people.
Over
100 government leaders participating in the Conference committed them
selves to take action in the eight key areas affecting youth: national youth
policy, participation, development, peace, education, employment, health, and
drug and substance abuse.
9
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
Youth Participation Manual
In the section on participation, government leaders committed them
selves to the following seven key actions:
1.
Ensuring and encouraging the active participation of youth in all
spheres of society and in decision-making processes at the
national, regional and international levels;
2.
Promoting education, training in democratic processes and the
spirit of citizenship and civic responsibility of young women and
young men with a view to strengthening and facilitating their
commitment to, participation in and full integration into society;
3.
Facilitating access by youth to legislative and policy-making bodies;
4.
Upholding and reinforcing policies that allow independent and
democratic forms of associative life;
5.
Giving higher priority to marginalized, vulnerable
advantaged young women and young men;
6.
Giving priority to the building of communication channels with youth;
7.
Encouraging youth voluntarism as an important form of youth
participation.
5.
and
dis
The Hague Forum
The International Forum for the Operational Review and Appraisal of the
Implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference
on Population and Development, known as the “Hague Forum”, held in The
Hague, Netherlands from 8 to 12 February 1999, aimed to provide
recommendations for the next phase of implementation of the Programme of
Action of the International Conference on Population and Development.2 The
Forum was preceded by three meetings of key partner groups committed to
the implementation of the Programme of Action, including the Youth Forum,
held at the same venue from 6 to 7 February 1999.
The Youth Forum consisted of 132 young people from youth and other
organizations from 111 countries. Their recommendations led to key actions
in the Programme of Action aimed at meeting the needs of young people and
which were adopted by consensus as a resolution.3
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
2
Approved by consensus by 179 countries in September 1994 as endorsed by the
General Assembly in its resolution 49/128 of 19 December 1994.
3
Report of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whcle of the Twenty-first Special Session of
the General Assembly (A/S-21/5/Add.1).
10
I. Youth Participation: A Closer Look
Hague Forum key action 21b:
“Priority should be given to programmes such as education, income
generating opportunities, vocational training, and health services, includ
ing those related to sexual and reproductive health. Youth should be
fully involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of such
programmes and plans.”
6.
Addressing youth concerns
It can be seen from the above that although there is no current youth
convention, declarations do exist which stress the importance of youth
development and the need for youth participation. All the above-mentioned
declarations express the commitment of governments to implementing youth
policies and programmes and to involving youth in their development and
implementation.
C.
WHY YOUTH PARTICIPATION?
Youth is generally agreed to be the transitional phase between
childhood and adulthood. There is, however, considerable variation in the
official definitions of youth in the Asia-Pacific region.
Definitions of youth in the Asia-Pacific region
Country
Age range (years)
Australia
Bangladesh
Brunei Darussalam
China
India
Malaysia
Maldives
Micronesia, Federated States of
New Zealand
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Republic of Korea
Samoa
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Thailand
Tonga
Vanuatu
Viet Nam
15-25
15-30
15-25
14- 28
13-35
15- 40
16- 35
6-35
15-24
15-29
12-35
15-30
9-24
15-35
15-29
15-29
15-24
12-25
15-24
15-35
United Nations
15-24
ION
Youth Participation Manual
For the purposes of this paper the definition of youth of the United
Nations has been adopted. However, regardless of the definition adopted,
youth should be recognized as a distinct group with specific needs that
should be taken into account when projects and policies affecting youth are
being formulated and should participate in the formulation process. Although
affected either directly or indirectly by these programmes, youth are rarely
provided with the means of making any significant input. In most countries,
national policy on areas such as education, welfare, defence, health, environ
ment and justice is formulated and implemented without consultation with, or
input from, youth.
1.
Ensuring the success of youth programmes
In order to ensure that the needs and interests of youth are addressed
effectively in programmes that affect youth, it is crucial that youth participate
at every stage of the policy-making process: consultation, formulation, design,
implementation and evaluation.
The World Bank advocates the use of
stakeholder analysis in planning participatory activities and provides guidelines
for identifying and involving stakeholders (World Bank 1996: 126-127). The
following questions can help identify stakeholders:
1.
Who might be affected (positively or negatively) by the deve
lopment concern to be addressed?
2.
Who are the “voiceless” for whom special efforts may have to be
made?
3.
Who are the representatives of those likely to be affected?
4.
Who is responsible for what is intended?
5.
Who can make what is intended more effective through their
participation or less effective by their non-participation or outright
opposition?
6.
Who can contribute financial and technical resources?
7.
Whose behaviour has to change for the effort to succeed?
The premise for the stakeholder analysis is how the degree of influence
of a certain party on policy is derived from the extent of participation of that
same party in formulating the policy. Youth should gain the most from any
youth policy as they are the primary stakeholders or beneficiaries.
The
influence of the secondary stakeholders, which can include government
organizations, NGOs, professionals or the community at large, should be
indirect. However, since influence on policy depends largely on the extent of
a party’s participation, and youth participation, if any, is minimal, the influence
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
12
I. Youth Participation: A Closer Look
of the secondary stakeholders is generally greater than that of the primary
stakeholders. This underlines the importance of increasing the influence of
the primary stakeholders, thus increasing youth participation.
Programmes and services for young people function better with young
people’s participation. Youth should be given a say in the formulation of
policies affecting them, rather than having them dictated by adults.
If
consultation with and participation by young people is lacking, the projects,
programmes and policies designed for young people can be inappropriate.
Young people should help to generate, share and analyse the information
used in formulating youth policies.
2.
Youth participation defined4
Youth participation is a process through which youth influence and share
control over initiatives and the decisions and resources that affect them.
Youth participation takes two main forms:
1.
Social participation: influencing policy which directly affects daily life
at a neighbourhood level or through education, work or health
programmes;
2.
Political
process.
participation:
influencing
the
political
decision-making
(de Winter 1995: 25)
Youth are capable of transforming needs into policy, especially in an
atmosphere of trust and respect. In a supportive environment, young people
are better able to identify their own needs. When youth set priorities, specify
objectives and develop tactics, a sense of ownership is generated. This can
provide more incentive to youth to provide fresh and meaningful insight, and,
with the collaboration of the other stakeholders, can lead to the invention of
practices and the adoption of institutional arrangements that can achieve the
desired aims. The resulting youth policy is more likely to be relevant to the
needs of youth.
Youth participation and empowerment have numerous benefits, including:
4
1.
Voice and influence: provides a level of influence and choice about
the types of services and helps young people clearly understand
their own desires and needs;
2.
Child development: provides an exploration of youth’s own potential;
In the World Bank’s definition of participation “stakeholders" is replaced with "youth"
(World Bank 1996)
13
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
Youth Participation Manual
3.
Social and political education: provides opportunities to acquire skills
in debate, communication, negotiation and individual or group
decision-making and to learn how individuals, groups and even
national politics work;
4.
Creators not consumers: encourages young people to be active in
creating the services they use, rather then being passive consumers
of services provided for them, and highlights that any such service
must be an agent for social change and not for social control;
5.
Updated services: enhances services that reflect the interests and
problems defined by young people;
6.
Participation in wider society: helps prepare
participate in wider societal decision-making:
7.
Democracy: promotes the use of open and accountable services
which encourages respect for democratic principles.
young
people to
(Save the Children 1997)
Youth can be seen as a positive factor and as an opportunity
rather than a problem. The inclusion of young people not only benefits
the young people themselves, but also results in better projects,
programmes, policies and a better society as a whole.
3.
The advantages of working with youth
Adults should be aware of the advantages of working with youth and
how the creation of a supportive environment encourages greater youth
participation. Youth will be more receptive to the idea of working with adults
when they become aware of their potentially pivotal role in society and they
discover that their participation can take place in a supportive environment. It
is therefore important that youth work hand-in-hand with adults: “Capitalising
on this force for change calls for young people to work in partnership with
adults who encourage their participation and are receptive to their ideas”.
(UNAIDS 1999b).
Advantages of working with youth
PAI
14
1.
Young people’s expertise on their own social and cultural conditions
can be consulted;
2.
Young people can bring new perspectives, influencing outcomes in
new and unexpected ways;
3.
Participatory mechanisms for services can be tailored to be more
responsive, understanding and considerate of young people;
I. Youth Participation: A Closer Look
4.
Policies and programmes incorporating young people in their design
and delivery are likely to be more efficient and effective;
5.
Active and productive youth involvement can improve the image of
youth and challenge negative stereotypes of young people perpe
tuated in the community.
(Adapted from the Youth Participation Strategy
of the Australia Youth Foundation)
Creating a supportive environment
1.
Support young people’s right to participate in decisions affecting
them;
2.
Assist young people in developing skills, confidence and awareness
to enable them to take initiatives and tackle issues on their own;
3.
Create more awareness of young people’s broader rights to
citizenship and participation in society.
(Adapted from the Youth Participation Strategy
of the Australia Youth Foundation)
D.
YOUTH PARTICIPATION AS A FOUNDATION
FOR RESPONSIBLE CITIZENSHIP
In most countries young people become legal adults at the age of 18
and answerable for their own actions, like other adults.
Young people’s
status is suddenly changed from “child” to “adult”: they gain the right to vote,
to start a business, to drive a car and to defend their country. Although the
age of majority varies from country to country, the lack of training to help
young people adapt to the responsibilities of adulthood is general. Below the
age of majority young people have minimal rights and few legal responsi
bilities; above it their situation changes dramatically. This legal transformation
from non-adult to adult is a sudden one and youth are frequently inadequately
prepared for their new roles.
Youth participation can help children become more responsible adults
and citizens by easing the transition from childhood to adulthood. Two key
functions of youth participation should be highlighted:
1.
Democratic citizenship. This is instrumental in giving young people
a chance to develop into competent, independent and responsible
citizens;
2.
Empowerment,
young people.
This strengthens the social influence and power of
(de Winter 1995)
15
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PARTICIPATION
Youth Participation Manual
In other words, “participation by young people is not only a way of
enlarging the influence on their own living situation and living environment,
but also a way of shaping and strengthening their commitment to society”,
(de Winter 1995)
An interpretation of citizenship: adulthood
1.
versus citizenship
Two interpretations of citizenship follow:
1.
Minimal
(a)
Emphasizes civil and legal status, rights and responsibilities to
society;
(b) Citizenship is gained when civil and legal status is granted;
(c)
2.
A good citizen is law-abiding, public-spirited and exercises
political involvement through voting for representatives.
Maximal
(a)
Consciousness of oneself as a member of a shared democratic
culture;
(b)
Emphasizes a participatory approach to political involvement;
(c)
Considers ways to overcome the social disadvantages that
undermine citizenship by denying people full participation in
society.
(Evans 1995)
The minimal interpretation focuses on adulthood, while the maximal
interpretation incorporates all members of society. The minimal interpretation
envisages passive, well-behaved voters, who exercise their democratic rights
only through voting.
The maximal interpretation of citizenship, however,
encourages citizens to be active, to participate fully and be politically involved.
The interpretation of citizenship has direct and important implications for
youth policies in all fields, including health, education, employment, media and
leisure:
“Education for citizenship in its minimal interpretation requires only
induction into basic knowledge of institutionalized rules concerning
rights and obligations.
Maximal interpretation requires education or
training to develop critical and reflective abilities and capacities for selfdetermination and autonomy.”
(Evans 1995)
Y<'OUTH
PARTIICIPATION
16
I. Youth Participation: A Closer Look
Citizenship is often equated with adulthood and the rights, roles and
responsibilities assumed by adults after the age of majority. A distinction
between these two should be made, however, in order to highlight to young
people that they have their own rights as citizens and therefore have
responsibilities to society even before reaching majority.
Citizenship and
adulthood can be distinguished in the following way:
“If citizens are those of us with equal standing and protection within our
community, with the right (and obligation) to vote, to stand for political
office, to serve as part of jury and so on, then it becomes difficult to
understand why citizenship should be viewed by young people as other
than something that will happen ‘later’. This view of citizenship neces
sarily pushes us towards redundant pedagogies that focus on training
people for future roles, rather than equipping them with skills and
understandings that can and must be given expression immediately. It
reduces young people to either non-citizens or, at best, apprenticecitizens, Neither status is likely to provide an appropriate starting point
for learning.
If, however, our concept of citizenship goes beyond the legal status and
focuses on the array of roles that individuals can play in forming,
maintaining and changing their communities, then young people are
already valuable, and valued, citizens to the extent that they participate
in those roles. This means recognizing that eligibility to vote, serve on a
jury etc derives not from citizenship as such, but from a combination of
citizenship and adulthood. We should still engage in debate about just
what adulthood is and when it should apply, but this must not stand in
the way of a recognition that young people must be understood as
citizens.”
(Quoted by Owen, D. 1996: 20-23)
E.
INCORPORATING EFFECTIVE YOUTH PARTICIPATION
To ensure that youth participation is incorporated effectively in society,
three fundamental foundations need to be recognized and established.
They are:
1.
access and benefit;
2.
ability to influence;
3.
equity.
17
ION
Youth Participation Manual
1.
2.
Access and benefit
(a)
Young people, as citizens, have the right to participate fully in the
social, cultural, political and economic spheres of their country;
(b)
Services need to be accessible to young people to enable
them to participate in such areas as education, training,
employment and politics;
(c)
Young people must benefit from the services made available to
them;
(d)
Youth with special needs, such as young people with disabili
ties, should also have access to services and be enabled to
participate in society.
Ability to influence
(a)
Young people should be included in decision-making;
(b)
Programmes and policies should be designed to ensure full
youth participation, including advisory or management roles for
youth;
(c) Youth should be given the power to influence the outcome of
different situations.
3.
Equity
(a)
All youth should be enabled to participate;
(b)
Equity for females and males, youth of varying levels of mental
and physical abilities, and for all ethnic, national or religious
groups should be ensured;
(c) It should be recognized that subgroups of youth that may
require special attention are diverse and can range from rural
youth, street children and young women, to young people with
HIV/AIDS;
(d)
F.
Discriminatory laws and practices, for example in employment
opportunities or food allocation, should be removed.
YOUTH PARTICIPATION: A PROCESS OF EMPOWERMENT
The ability to provide an economic and social base to empower youth is
largely dependent on the availability, accessibility and quality of opportunities
and services offered. It is crucial that youth have access to education, medical
and social services, information and work and leisure activities. Furthermore, it
is imperative that these opportunities and services reflect and embody the
interests and needs of youth. Incorporating genuine youth participation at all
levels of society should effectively lead to youth empowerment.
YOUTH
PAIRTICIPATION
18
I. Youth Participation: A Closer Look
1.
Levels of youth participation 5
Youth participation is a process whereby young people gradually
increase control over their own environment. Based on various theories, the
various levels of youth participation can be categorized as follows:
1.
Non-participation
(a)
Lack of information sharing;
(b)
Adults are in full control and make no effort to change the
situation;
(c)
Adults’ agenda takes precedence over that of the youth;
(d) Adults define and implement policy without any youth input;
(e)
2.
Various nuances of this level are:
i.
Manipulation. Youth may be engaged only for the benefit
of the adults and may not even understand the implica
tions;
ii.
Decoration. Youth may be called in just to embellish adult
actions, for instance through song, dance and other
entertaining activities. Adults acknowledge these activities
may not always be in the interest.
Passive involvement
(a)
Lack of information sharing;
(b)
Minimum effort is made to inform and involve young people;
(c) Young people are only listened to superficially;
(d)
3.
5
Tokenism. Youth may be given a voice merely to create a
child-friendly image for adults.
Influence
(a)
Information sharing is a two-way flow;
(b)
Young people are consulted and involved, and taken seriously;
(c)
Youth have a sense of influence which encourages ownership;
The material in this section has been taken from various youth participation theories:
Roger A. Hart’s levels of participation (Hart 1992), the theories of Roger Holdsworth,
manager of the Youth Research Centre in Australia and of Gill Westhorp of the Youth
Sector Training Council in Australia, and the World Bank’s levels of community
participation (World Bank 1996).
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Youth Participation Manual
(d)
4.
Sub-stages of this level are:
i.
Assigned but informed. Adults take the initiative to inform
youth.
Only after the young people understand the
project’s goals and their own role do youth decide whether
to become involved;
ii.
Consulted and informed. Youth are extensively consulted
on projects designed and run by adults.
Partnership
(a)
Collaboration,
making;
Youth have increasing control over decision-
(b) Adults make a concerted and structured effort for genuine
youth participation;
(c) Adults and young people form a meaningful partnership with
negotiation on and delegation of tasks;
In the case of
(d) Adult-initiated, shared decisions with youth.
projects concerning community development, initiators such as
policy makers, community workers and local residents
frequently involve interest groups and age groups.
5.
Self-mobilization
(a)
Empowerment. Transfer of control over decisions and resources
to youth;
(b)
Young people are in full control and may choose to seek adult
assistance, if necessary and desired;
(c) Nuances of this stage are:
i.
Youth-initiated and directed. Youth conceive, organize and
direct projects themselves, without adult interference;
ii.
Youth-initiated, shared decisions with adults. Influence is
shared between youth and adults as the final goal of
participation.
These definitions of levels of youth participation can be used to judge
the extent to which programmes and policies are successful in utilizing and
promoting youth participation. Chapter II will focus on how these levels can
be used to monitor and evaluate the quality of youth participation in policies,
programmes and projects.
YOUTH
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20
YOUTH
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Bl
A.
Youth Participation
Indicators
WHY INDICATORS?
Indicators have been developed to ensure that programme objectives
and activities are realistic and feasible, as well as to monitor progress
towards objectives.
Indicators must be established at the outset of the
programme to incorporate any preliminary information in the design of the
programme. They can either be quantitative, that is measured using figures,
or qualitative, that is measured using qualitative questions. The two main
types are impact and process indicators.
1.
Types of indicator
1.
Impact indicators, These measure the progress made in reaching
the objectives and goals of programmes, as well as the impact of
activities and outputs on different stakeholders.
2.
Process indicators.
These measure whether and how planned
activities are implemented. They reflect the volume, efficiency and
quality of work and can also provide insight into the daily operation
of programmes.
Youth participation is a key factor in ensuring that the interests and
needs of youth are taken into account in any project or policy directly or
indirectly affecting youth.
Depending on the programme in question, the
degree and level of youth participation may have a significant impact on its
effectiveness. In the present chapter the values and principles behind youth
participation strategies are first outlined. Then two sets of YPIs, designed to
facilitate the analysis and promotion of youth participation, are introduced.
These two sets comprise both impact and process indicators.
The first set of YPIs given reflects general background data that should
be gathered to better understand the status and position of the youth
population. It can therefore help assess whether certain programmes should
be more focused on young people.
The information gathered can also
provide an overview of the services available for youth in such areas as
health, education and employment.
21
Youth Participation Manual
The second set of YPIs measures the degree of youth participation at
the different stages of projects and policies thaUbave an impact on youth.
These YPIs take into account the three cornerstor^s of youth participation:
1.
2.
3.
Access and benefit;
Ability to influence;
Equity.
PRINCIPLES BEHIND YOUTH PARTICIPATION
PROGRAMMES6
B.
Strategies to incorporate youth participation are predicated on a belief in
the benefits of such participation. To ensure youth participation is success
fully incorporated into programmes, the following principles should be used as
guidelines in programme formulation:
6
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
1.
Definition of benefits. All benefits for young people should be
defined. They may simply be that involvement is enjoyable or
educational; in other cases payment for consultation on specific
issues may be involved.
2.
Democracy. Youth must adhere to democratic principles such as
personal choice, fairness in the political process and respect for
minorities and ethnic groups.
3.
Development. Activities should raise young people’s awareness
of the social, political, economic, cultural and personal aspects of
the issues affecting them.
4.
Education. Activities should provide opportunities for both formal
training and informal skills development.
5.
An enabling environment. In setting up youth participation, the
surroundings and chemistry should be conducive to youth culture
and lifestyle. Care should be taken to avoid formality and official
bureaucratic processes, which can hinder creativity.
6.
Enjoyment.
challenging.
7.
Informed choice. Young people should be informed about what is
involved in participation and should not be forced to participate.
8.
Real power. The youth council or parliament should have power
to influence decision makers so that young people perceive their
efforts as worthwhile. Adults should be prepared to let youth
take control.
Participatory activities should be fun, exciting and
This section has been taken from the Australia Youth Foundation (see suggested Web
sites) and from Woollcombe 1998.
22
II. Youth Participation Indicators
9.
Focus on relationships. Activities should provide opportunities for
building active and supportive working relationships between
young people and other members of the community. Respect
and open communication should be stressed.
Activities should address issues
10. Relevance.
perceived as real by the young people involved.
and
needs
11. Adequate resources. Sufficient time, space, funding, and infor
mation should be allowed for activities. These resources should
be incorporated into the normal budgeting process.
12. Support and supervision. Young people should be provided with
the support necessary to promote success and deal with setbacks.
13. Ownership.
to them.
Youth should feel that the work being done belongs
14. Time alone. Youth should be given time alone without adults,
preferably in small groups. This gives quieter members of the
group an opportunity to express their ideas.
C.
GENERAL DATA ON YOUTH
General data on the youth population should be gathered to better
understand the needs of a country’s youth. This list of data includes general
demographics, health, education, employment, leisure activities and general
indices. The data should focus on the main sociocultural characteristics of
youth, such as sex, marital status, urban/rural residence, usage of the formal/
informal school system, work status and ethnic background. YPIs can help
evaluate the effectiveness of any existing programme by functioning as
signals to policy makers on two levels:
1.
Need for more youth-oriented programmes
Signal:
2.
youth proportion in relation to the general population
or availability of services;
Quality of services provided
Signal:
utilization of services by youth.
YPIs can signal whether programmes need to be created or should be
targeting youth more. The data for youth should be evaluated in comparison
with the data for the entire country’s population to determine the impact of
the programme or policy on youth. This should help assess whether certain
programmes should be implemented specifically for youth. For example, in
categories such as unemployment or drug use, if youth figures make up the
s
YOUTH
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Youth Participation Manual
greatest proportion of the population statistics, programmes that focus more
on youth could be created. If youth programmes in these categories already
exist, than their effectiveness should be reassessed and the programmes
should be further evaluated in terms of youth participation. The level of
youth participation in designing the programmes has a strong correlation to
the success of youth and youth-related programmes.
This data can also serve as a signal to policy makers on the quality of
services. If statistics show, for example, high literacy levels among a certain
age group or frequent use of libraries or sports facilities by youth, this may
indicate that programmes have been effective in taking into account youth’s
interests and needs.
The level of youth participation in the design and
implementation of these programmes should be evaluated and they can serve
as models for less effective programmes.
General guidelines can be given for assessing the two main categories
for interpretation of YPIs:
1.
Youth-oriented programmes
(a) The statistics can give an insight into the situation of youth
such as the prevailing problems. If a statistic is dispropor
tionately higher or lower for youth, is there a programme that
is directed towards youth?
(b) Is youth participation incorporated into the design and imple
mentation of that programme?
2.
Quality of services: level of utilization of services
(a) What is the level of utilization of services by youth?
(b) Are services tailored to the needs and interests of youth?
(c) Is youth participation incorporated into the design and imple
mentation of services?
1. Youth participation indicators:
individual and organizational levels
The indicators used should be both quantitative and qualitative.
Although some information may be readily available, most will have to be
researched and collected. The qualitative data can be assessed through
large-scale focus group discussions, interviews or questionnaires. In addition,
the information should be gathered at both individual and organizational
levels. These indicators can help provide a better understanding of young
people on two levels in the following areas:
YOUTH
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24
II. Youth Participation Indicators
1.
Individual
(a)
Discrimination;
(b)
Expectations;
(c) General well-being (happiness, loneliness);
2.
(d)
Optimism;
(e)
Peer pressure;
(f)
Power;
(g)
Relationships;
(h)
Satisfaction;
(i)
Security;
0)
Self-esteem.
Organizational
(a)
Ability to influence;
(b) Access;
(c) Availability;
(d)
Benefit;
(e)
Involvement;
(f)
Youth-friendliness.
2.
Age breakdown of youth
Since the age definition of youth varies widely (15 to 24), so do young
people’s experience and needs. Ideally, therefore, background data on youth
should be broken down into three age groups: adolescents, core youth and
young adults. The recommended age breakdown is:
1.
Adolescents
15-18
2.
Core youth
18-21
3.
Young adults
21-24
This age breakdown should be adjusted according to the situation in
each country. The following general characteristics of these age groups can
be used as a guideline for the age breakdown:
1.
Adolescents (15-18)
(a) Are legally children;
(b) Are treated differently under criminal law;
BE]
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Youth Participation Manual
(c)
Require parental consent for marriage;
(d) Are financially dependent;
(e) Cannot vote.
2.
Core youth (18-21)
(a) Have increased legal status;
(b) Are undergoing a period of transformation;
(c) Are making the transition to working life.
3.
Young adults (21-24)
(a) Have more legal rights;
(b) Are commencing legal adulthood;
(c) Are financially independent;
(d) May be entering parenthood;
(e) Are starting to have civic responsibilities.
D.
SETS OF GENERAL YOUTH PARTICIPATION
INDICATORS
The following YPIs have been developed to understand and assess the
status of young people better and are signals of their participation in a
particular community or country. These YPIs should not be used, therefore,
as a measuring tool to compare the status of youth in different communities
or countries. These YPIs require significant input from youth themselves on
their situation and circumstances in specific communities or countries.
YPIs can be organized to form a country monograph, an overview or
snapshot of the current youth situation. These details can be used to better
define the needs of youth and reveal any gaps in the system. Surveys using
YPIs should be conducted separately for males and females in order to better
define the needs of the population. The set of YPIs proposed here is divided
into the following categories: general demographics, social contacts, health,
education, employment, rights/laws/politics, activities in other spheres and
general indices.7
1.
General demographics
(a) Age;
(b) Ethnic minorities;
(c) Sex;
(d) Urbanization ratio.
7
YOUTH
PAIiRTICIPATION
These general indices were developed by the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) and are used in their annual human development reports.
26
II. Youth Participation Indicators
2.
Social contacts: frequency and intensity of time spent with:
(a) Family;
(b) Peers;
(c) Adults;
(d) Children.
3.
Health
(a) Age of entering into sexual relationships;
(b) Age of initiating childbearing;
(c) Forms of contraceptive used;
(d) Drug use;
(e) Prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV/AIDS
and other diseases;
(f)
Life expectancy;
(g) Fertility rate;
(h) Perceived influence on and control over own health matters;
(i)
Range of health services focusing on youth available;
(j)
Evaluation of services available;
(k) Public expenditure as percentage of gross national product
(GNP).
4.
Education
(a) Literacy level;
(b) Enrolment at first, second and third levels;
(c)
Public expenditure as percentage of GNP;
(d) Range of education services and opportunities;
(e) Years of school enrolment;
(f)
Drop out rate;
(g) Participation in student government;
(h) Perceived influence/power in school/educational matters;
(i)
5.
Evaluation (enjoyment/expectations/benefits).
Employment
(a) Range of work opportunities;
(b) Range of referral services available;
(c) Unemployment rate;
PAI
Youth Participation Manual
(d) Income/financial circumstances;
(e) Job security;
(f)
Work hours;
(9) Social security, leave, holidays and other benefits;
(h) Health and safety issues;
6.
(')
Membership/participation in labour union;
G)
Perceived influence in work matters;
(k)
Evaluation
benefits).
of
services
available
(enjoyment/expectations/
Rights/laws/politics
(a) List of ratified conventions and national laws relevant to youth
rights;
(b) Range of government activities to promote youth rights;
(c) Voting age;
(d) Age to hold political office;
(e) Age of consent for sexual relations;
(f)
Legal age for marriage;
(9) Youth opinion on laws;
(h) Perceived influence in societal matters.
7.
Activities in other spheres (individual/membership/organization)
(a) Leisure (sports, clubs, events);
(b) Cultural;
(c) Religious;
(d) Political;
(e) Media;
(f)
8.
Evaluation of activities (enjoyment/benefit/youth friendliness).
Indices
(a) Human Development Index (HDI);
(b) Human Poverty in Developing Countries (HPI);
(c) Gender-related Development Index (GDI);
(d) Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM).
YOUTH
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28
II. Youth Participation Indicators
E.
EXAMPLE OF USE OF GENERAL YOUTH
PARTICIPATION INDICATORS: HEALTH
An example will be provided below on how YPIs and the participation of
youth can be applied to better understand the needs and issues of youth in
Some findings and recommendations regarding
the Asia-Pacific region.
adolescent reproductive health (ARH) needs from a Joint United Nations
Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) briefing paper on Young People and HIV/
AIDS in the Asia-Pacific region will be outlined to illustrate how the participa
tion of youth in studies and assessments can help provide more insightful and
relevant recommendations. (UNAIDS 1999b)
1.
Summary of findings about young people
1.
At least 50 per cent of the people affected after infancy with HIV/
AIDS are young people under the age of 25;
2.
Approximately half the annual 333 million new STD cases are found
in young people under the age of 25;
3.
Young women’s vulnerability:
(a) The HIV infection rate has been found to be higher among
girls than boys between 13 and 19 years old;
(b) Girls often start having sexual relationships at a younger age
than boys;
(c) Rape and unwanted pregnancies are common;
4.
Abuse and exploitation:
(a) Cases have been found of girls and boys becoming infected with
HIV through sexual abuse by relatives, family friends, teachers,
co-workers, employers and strangers;
(b) Forced prostitution also fuels the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the
region;
5.
AIDS education is a major challenge. Reaching marginalized young
people is impeded by access, time, mobility and language con
straints, as well as taboos. Categories of marginalized youth include:
sex workers; young residents of urban slums or remote rural areas;
and refugees and migrants;
6.
Need for youth-friendly services:
(a) Youth-friendly information is often lacking;
29
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Youth Participation Manual
7.
(b)
Under the guise of morality, culture or religion, young people
are often denied their right to sex education and information on
general risk behaviour, as well as tools and services for
protection from such risks;
(c)
Counselling services are rarely available;
Some reasons why youth are reluctant to use health clinic services,
if available, include:
(a) Access to family planning clinics is often restricted to married
women and couples;
(b) Youth fear that their confidentiality will not be respected;
(c)
Services are often unwelcoming and unattractive;
(d)
Financial constraints prevail;
(e)
High risk of being treated with disdain or being refused service
altogether;
(f)
Difficulty in discussing questions related to drug use, sexuality
and birth control methods.
Based on these findings on ARH needs, a clearer assessment could be
made of the ARH programmes in the Asia-Pacific and the measures required
to improve the situation could become more apparent. Through interpretation
of the YPIs, a thorough analysis of the lessons from and policy implications
for the Asia-Pacific ARH programmes could be made.
A summary of lessons from and
policy implications for the Asia-Pacific
ARH programmes
2.
YOUTH
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30
1.
There is a need for comprehensive sex education programmes that
target various adolescent groups.
Culturally sensitive family
planning education which can reach adolescents both inside and
outside of school should be promoted. Various studies show that
high-quality, comprehensive sex education does not necessarily lead
to increased sexual activity among adolescents, but can help them
avoid engaging in risk-taking behaviour;
2.
Further advocacy and awareness-raising is needed in settings
where ARM needs are still not recognized, and where sexual
violence, including harmful traditional practices, prevails;
3.
There is a need to increase access to services for all young
people. The majority of adolescents do not have access to the
information and services they need to protect their health;
*
I
>A
• \ V'
■
II. Youth Participation Indicators
4.
A full range of accessible, acceptable and affordable ARH services
should be provided. These services should emphasize adolescent
friendly care by focusing on the following key issues: privacy,
confidentiality, non-judgmental attitude from service providers and
consideration of gender concerns;
5.
Efforts should continue to be made to further integrate gender
concerns in all projects and programmes;
6.
ARH training programmes on the special needs of ARH pro
grammes, such as the values and attitudes of the providers, should
be made available for all service providers in regular contact with
adolescents;
7.
There has been a strengthening of networking among organizations
and individuals and an increase in information sharing and best
practices;
8.
There has been a recognition of the benefits of involving adoles
cents in all project phases which has resulted in increased youth
involvement;
9.
Continuous improvements should be made in the quality of
programmes to meet the needs of adolescents, with emphasis on
improving programme evaluations by utilizing refined indicators.
3.
The value of using indicators
The value of the indicators has been shown by the above example on
the use of YPIs in the area of health. YPIs were useful not only in assessing
the needs and situation of the youth, but also in pointing out the gaps in the
system, such that the formulation of subsequent programmes and policies can
be improved.
F.
YOUTH PARTICIPATION INDICATORS FOR ASSESSMENT
OF YOUTH PARTICIPATION AT PROJECT LEVEL
Establishing the motivation and rationale for incorporating youth
participation in programmes can help to assess the value of youth partici
pation. Once it has been accepted that youth participation is essential for
certain programmes or projects, it is important that the level of participation
of young people is measured. The following method is proposed with a set
of YPIs based on the five levels of youth participation of the youth empower
ment process (see Chapter I, section F).
31
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1.
Formalization of youth participation into
projects, programmes and policies
The process of involving young people in decision-making should be
incorporated into the constitution of an organization and institutionalized
through the formalization of relevant policies. The following issues should be
addressed when formulating policy:
1.
Benefits for young people;
2.
Continuity
changes;
3.
Involvement of young people from the start;
4.
Objectives of youth empowerment;
5.
Openness of organization to criticism;
6.
Expectations of the organization;
7.
Long-term commitment of the organization;
8.
Transparency and honesty with youth of the organization;
9.
Reasons why the process of empowerment was not achieved
before;
of youth
empowerment process when
personnel
10. Resource implications for the organization;
11. Willingness of the organization to relinquish some power.
The policy statement should arise from discussions with professionals at
all levels of the organization in order to involve all those concerned in the
process. The youth contribution to the policy is crucial for credibility. The
policy document should:
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
32
1.
State the aims and perceived benefits;
2.
Highlight links with other documents and build on them, such as the
equal opportunity policy of the organization or the Convention on
the Rights of the Child;
3.
Address specific objectives towards developing the empowerment of
groups and individuals;
4.
Identify barriers within the organization and show how they will be
overcome;
5.
Identify the staff, training and financial resources
implement the policy;
6.
Explain the methods to be used to monitor and evaluate the
policy’s progress;
7.
Identify the person responsible for coordinating the policy and their role.
needed to
II. Youth Participation Indicators
A policy coordinator should be appointed to be the conduit of commu
nication between the professionals and the youth.
This person will be
responsible for providing young people with important information, training
special workers and the young people themselves, and will also provide the
organization with progress reports. The person who takes on this role must
therefore have a strong connection with the youth.
2.
Summary of levels of youth participation
Youth participation levels will be outlined below in summary before the
guidelines for interpretation of these YPIs are given.8 The indicators shown
have been developed to allow for the quick measurement of youth participa
tion and are intended to serve as discussion points to show how youth
participation can be incorporated at the project level.
Levels of youth participation
0
Non-participation
(a) Adults are in full control of the project;
(b) Young people only receive information.
1
2
3
4
Passive involvement
(a)
Meagre efforts are made to inform/involve young people;
(b)
Young people are listened to only superficially.
Influence
(a)
Young people are consulted/involved and taken seriously;
(b)
Sense of influence and subsequent ownership can develop.
Partnership
(a)
Concerted and structured effort towards genuine youth partici
pation is made;
(b)
Meaningful partnerships are developed between adults and
young people.
Self-mobilization
Allows young people full control and offers the option of adult
assistance if necessary and desirable.
8
The following proposed set of indicators and scores was developed by Gerard de Kort,
based on a review of existing youth participation theories and applications.
33
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
T\ y
Youth Participation Manual
3.
Sets of indicators proposed and scores
The following YPIs may be applied to various types of projects. Since
the range of projects youth can participate in is so wide, the ideal level of
youth participation may not necessarily be the highest, which is level 4, self
mobilization. Projects will therefore not necessarily score the full four points
on each indicator. The extent of youth participation and its usefulness vary
according to the area of work, the characteristics of the target group and
the circumstances.
The target of youth participation is often defined as
“partnership” or “shared decision-making”, which is designated above as
level 3. At level 4 the initiative and decision-making power rests with young
people, who might subsequently choose to share this control with adults.
Since youth may be involved in a wide variety of projects at different
stages and with different aspects, nine sets of indicators and scores have
been proposed for the evaluation of youth participation.
The number of
indicators used will vary according to the type of project being administered.
Only those indicators relevant to the project should be used and the
interpretation should be adjusted accordingly. Indicators should not be left
out if a low score is anticipated. The wide variation in types of project might
require that certain indicators be refined or that more indicators be developed.
If so, the suggested procedures and guidelines for interpretation would have
to be adjusted.
1.
2.
YOUTH
PAIkRTICIPATION
34
Analysing needs and setting objectives
0
Adults design and execute the project and might inform youth
as the target group
1
Young people are consulted in the early stages but ignored
later
2
Young people are consulted and involved in the execution of
the project, but the objectives are set by adults
3
Young people are consulted, define the objectives
project and execute it together with adults
4
Young people plan and execute the project and can choose to
involve adults
of the
Information and communication
0
Young people are not informed or consulted
1
Information is easily accessible and youth-friendly (one-way
information)
II. Youth Participation Indicators
3.
4.
5.
meetings
are
organized
(two-way
2
Regular consultative
information)
3
Meaningful exchanges occur between young people and adults
(collaboration)
4
Young people inform each other and possibly adults
Decision-making
0
Young people are not consulted
1
Young people are consulted but not taken seriously
2
The views of youth are listened to and acted upon on a
regular basis
3
Shared decision-making and action occurs and feedback from
young people is sought
4
Young people have power over the allocation of resources and
the direction of the project but can seek the assistance of
adults
Administration
0
No young administrators
1
Young people occasionally help by doing menial tasks on a
voluntary basis
2
Young people are structurally involved in administrative
activities ranging from bookkeeping and typing to conducting
research and collecting data
3
Young people play an integral part in the day-to-day running of
the project
4
Administration is effectively
possibly aided by adults
controlled
by
young
people,
Design and implementation of activities
0
Designed and run by adults
1
Young people are consulted in the design
2
Young people partly design and run some of the activities
3
Young people design and run all activities in cooperation with
adults
4
Young people design and run all activities, possibly aided by
adults
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
Youth Participation Manual
6.
7.
8.
9.
YOUTH
PAIRTICIPATION
36
Advocacy
0
No involvement of young people
1
Young people are present at public campaigns, but are not
involved as organizers
2
Young people are encouraged to provide input on running a
campaign
3
Young people take a significant role by forming unions or
participating in public rallies and campaigns or contributing to
policy papers and public debates
4
Young people handle advocacy issues, possibly aided by adults
Service, support and education personnel
0
Support is provided only by adults
1
Young people are consulted on support-, service- and educa
tion-related issues
2
Young people are occasionally consulted or made counsellors
or educators of other young people
3
Young people from the target group are trained to become
counsellors or educators of other young people and work
alongside adult counsellors or educators
4
Young people are the only counsellors or educators available
to the target group, possibly trained or assisted by adults
Employees
0
No young employees
1
Young people are employed in jobs not related to project
objectives
2
Some young people are employed as experts in a peer-related
project
3
Young people are employed as experts and may be managers
4
The project is effectively managed by young professionals
Monitoring and evaluation (M&E)
0
Undertaken by adults only
1
Young people are involved in M&E
2
Young people are involved in M&E and its outcomes
3
Young people design M&E tools and work with adults
4
Young people initiate, design, execute and report on projects,
possibly aided by adult experts
G.
ASSESSMENT SHEET
Indicator number
Youth
score
Adult
score
Comments
Proposed
action
1. Analysing needs and setting
objectives
2.
Information and communication
3.
Decision-making
4. Administration
5.
Design and implementation
of activities
6. Advocacy
7. Service, support and education
personnel
8. Employees
9.
Monitoring & evaluation
s
c:
Total score
'O
o
■O’
QJ
O’
S33
o
Qg
2
o
a
6
z
S'
9:
Youth Participation Manual
4.
Assessment procedure
Young people and adults should separately use the nine indicators to
evaluate youth participation on projects. This can be done in focus group
discussions after everyone has assessed the project individually.
Ideally,
agreement should be unanimous in both groups. Any differences should be
discussed at a joint meeting and a plan of action to improve scores that
may be perceived as too low can be adopted.
Once the total score is agreed upon, the following list of assessments
can be used as a reference to evaluate the level of youth participation in the
project.
This table is intended to serve only as an example, especially if
more indicators are developed or if the descriptions of the various levels are
refined.
Total
score
Level
0-7
0
Project is completely adult driven.
8-15
1
Project is adult driven, but young people are informed
and possibly consulted at crucial stages and on
important aspects of it. Young people do not have a
real voice.
16-23
2
Young people are significantly involved in the project
and are likely to develop a sense of ownership.
24-30
3
Young people are involved at all stages and in all
aspects of the project and have a strong sense of
ownership. A meaningful partnership with adults is
achieved.
31-36
4
Young people initiate and are in charge at all crucial
stages and of all important aspects of the project.
Adults play a minor role, if any.
Assessment
It should be noted that the premise of these indicators is that youth
participation benefits both the project and the youth involved.
These
indicators measure the extent of youth participation, but do not measure the
effect youth participation may have on the project or target group. Measuring
the effect of youth participation on a project is complicated and requires time
consuming research, data analyses, extensive focus group discussions and
indepth interviews and observations.
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
38
□
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
Conclusion and
Recommendations
The present chapter contains recommendations for the use of youth
policy makers introducing or improving youth participation in youth policies,
programmes or projects. Although a distinction has been made between the
national and local levels, this might not be necessary for every country, as
each country is likely to have its own unique situation.
Youth participation is about developing partnerships between young
people and adults in all areas of life so that young people can take a valued
position in society, and the community as a whole can benefit from their
contribution, ideas and energy. The recommendations on developing these
partnerships are divided into four groups: (1) general recommendations, (2)
local policies, programmes and projects, (3) research, and (4) education.
A.
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS9
1.
The three foundations, access and benefit, ability to influence and
equity, should be incorporated in a national youth policy and action plan;
2.
Policies and programmes should embrace the democratic principles of
freedom, openness of government and information, clarity of procedures,
peace, security and safety to create a platform for the genuine participa
tion of citizens, especially young citizens;
3.
National and local governments should be open to the involvement of
all citizens, especially youth.
Policies and programmes should be
decentralized, flexible, loosely defined and open to change. Central
government should focus on enabling and promoting participation in all
spheres of society, at all levels;10
4.
Commitment should come from the highest political levels, including the
provision of adequate levels of resources in the policy formulation,
implementation and follow-up processes;
9
Some action points have been taken from the United Nations World Programme of
Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond and the Lisbon Declaration on Youth
Policies and Programmes.
10
Taken from Gert Jan Rietveld. In his article on youth participation in the Netherlands he
describes the current Dutch youth policy in similar terms. (See suggested Web sites.)
39
Youth Participation Manual
YOUTH
PAIkRTICIPATION
5.
Government departments should be responsible for ensuring that young
people are involved in the consultative processes, in which youth
actively contribute to the formulation, implementation and evaluation of
national and local youth policies, programmes and action plans; (Based
on Save the Children 1996)
6.
Government departments should coordinate action to oversee the impact
of policies on young people and to prioritize their needs and interests.
Mechanisms and structures to implement, monitor and evaluate these
policies should be put in place; (Save the Children 1996)
7.
Formal and informal coalitions and networks of youth should be
empowered.
Partnerships should be strengthened between youth
networks, non-governmental youth institutions and other NGOs, as well
as youth, their families, governments, international agencies, educational
institutions, civil society, the business sector and the media, to create
synergies both at the national and local levels;
8.
Policies and programmes should include deadlines for the improvement
of living standards for youth, and measurable time-bound goals and
indicators should be established to provide a common basis for the
national evaluation of the implementation of youth-related policies;
9.
Priority should be given to building communication channels with youth
to give them a voice at all levels, helping to prepare them for
participation and leadership roles.
Youth should have access to
legislative and policy-making bodies through their representatives;
10.
Obstacles to youth participation and freedom of association should be
eliminated.
Priority should be given to marginalized, vulnerable and
disadvantaged youth through programmes and actions, and adequate
funding should be supplied for these.
Gender-sensitive measures
should be included in projects, programmes or policies to ensure equal
access for young women and men;
11.
Youth programmes and policy should be mainstreamed into national
policy and international development plans;
12.
Youth should be encouraged to volunteer.
B.
LOCAL POLICIES, PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS
1.
Central government should encourage local government to involve
young people in local matters, by helping them understand the needs
and problems of youth;
2.
National youth organizations should be encouraged to cooperate with
municipalities in persuading young people to become more involved at
the local level.
Integrated approaches require genuine collaboration
between all stakeholders: young men and women, governments, NGOs,
the private sector, civil society and the media;
40
III. Conclusion and Recommendations
3.
Action plans establishing clear objectives should be developed and
revised on an annual basis. Plans should provide a coherent frame
work for maintaining existing services and initiating new projects. Youth
policy objectives should be clear and achievable and start with the
identification of existing services.
Responsible parties, existing or
potential relationships, performance targets and indicators should be
identified;
4.
Institutional support and awareness should be built by developing and
implementing monitoring and evaluation strategies. Awareness of youth
using both generic and targeted services should be increased;
5.
Local council youth services should be publicized widely. For example,
an annual report should be published, identifying all services and
facilities available to and used by youth. This raises the awareness of
youth issues within the local council and in the wider community. This
could be an effective marketing tool as well as an audit;
6.
Service units that target youth should evaluate their effectiveness and
customer satisfaction. Those that do not target youth should identify
their clients under the age of 25;
7.
Youth policy reviews should involve extensive youth and community
participation. Young people and their communities need to develop a
sense of ownership towards the council’s youth policy and youth services.
C.
RESEARCH
1.
National governments should ensure that research, monitoring and
evaluation of youth development and participation are promoted and
incorporated in policies and that sufficient resources are provided for
this;
2.
Collaborative research should be promoted between national and inter
national universities, government agencies, NGOs and the public sector
in order to facilitate research on the status and development of youth;
3.
Research, needs analyses and evaluation of services, programmes and
projects should be promoted at the local level.
D.
EDUCATION
1.
Education and training for youth on democratic processes and the spirit
of citizenship and civic responsibility should be promoted.
Student
councils should help create an environment in which democratic
principles can flourish; this can only be done with the support of a
majority of the teachers and school administrators.
Links should be
created between the student council, teachers, parents, and the board
of governors of the school.
UlI
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
Youth Participation Manual
2.
Structures should be created that allow all students a voice in class or
in the whole school. Such structures could take the form of meetings in
which feedback and discussion are encouraged.
(Hannam 1999)
E.
CONCLUSION
Youth are the cornerstone of society and their input is vital to the
formulation and implementation of projects, programmes and policies that
address their needs and concerns. Youth must be better integrated into
society through youth participation. The Youth Unit of the United Nations
paints a gloomy but accurate picture of the situation of the world’s youth today:
The situation of youth worldwide remains precarious. In both developing
and developed countries, the needs and aspirations of young people are
still largely unmet. Economic difficulties experienced in many developing
countries are often more serious for young people. Youth are also
affected by a growing incidence of substance abuse and juvenile
delinquency. In addition, in many developing countries, unprecedented
numbers of young people are migrating from rural areas to urban
centres. Although young people in industrialized countries comprise a
relatively small proportion of the total population due to generally lower
births and higher levels of life expectancy, they comprise a social group
that faces particular problems and uncertainties regarding the future problems due in part to limited employment opportunities.
(United Nations Youth Unit, 1997)
Attention should also be given to the fact that youth participation can
help to smooth the transition from childhood to adulthood. Youth participa
tion, the key to youth empowerment, can not only help youth to fulfil their
responsibilities as young citizens, but can also prepare them to lead and
manage the world in the future as adults.
Empowering youth can help to bring about development and
peace, for young people everywhere:
1.
Have aspirations and the desire to participate fully in their society;
2.
Are key agents for social change, economic development and
technological innovation;
3.
Should live under conditions that allow their imagination, ideals,
energy and vision to flourish for the benefit of their society;
Are faced with a dilemma, to seek to be integrated into
society or to be the force that transforms it;
Represent society’s greatest hope for the future, yet their own
future is uncertain because of their vulnerability as a social
and demographic group.
4.
5.
YOUTH
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42
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
References
Commonwealth Youth Programme, 1998.
ment to the Year 2005.
Plan of Action for Youth Empower
Children as Fellow Citizens: Participation and
de Winter, Micha, 1995.
Commitment (ISBN 1 85775 179 5).
Ducherer, D., 1997.
Approaches.
Programming for Participation in UNICEF Health
Evans, K., 1995. “Competence and citizenship: towards a complementary
model” (for times of critical social change) in British Journal of Educa
tion and Work (Autumn).
Hannam, Derry, 1999. “Address to the 10 Years of the Convention on the
Rights of the Child Conference”, Connect, vol. 118 (August).
Hart, Roger A., 1992.
(UNICEF ICDC).
Children’s Participation: From Tokenism to Citizenship
Holdsworth, Roger, 1998. “Schools that create real roles of value for young
people”, paper presented at the Fourth UNESCO-ACEID Conference:
Secondary Education and Youth at the Crossroads (November).
Owen, D., 1996. “Dilemmas and opportunities for the young active citizen”, in
Youth Studies Australia, vol. 15, No. 1 (March).
Report of the Fourth UNESCO-ACEID Conference: Secondary Education and
Youth at the Crossroads, Bangkok, 10-13 November 1998.
Rifkin, S. and others, 1988.
tion.
Primary Health Care: On Measuring Participa-
Save the Children, 1996. All Together Now: Community Participation for
Children and Young People (ISBN 1 899120 53 X).
Save the Children, 1997: 70-71. Empowering Children and Young People:
Training Manual (ISBN 1 899120 47 5).
UNAIDS, 1999a.
Summary Booklet of Best Practices (Issue 1).
—, 1999b. “Young People and HIV/AIDS”, updated briefing paper for
the 1998 World AIDS campaign (April).
43
Youth Participation Manual
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), 1998. “The Sexual and Reproduc
tive Health of Adolescents: A Review of UNFPA Assistance”, technical
report, vol. 43.
United Nations Youth Unit, 1997.
“The United Nations Youth Agenda:
Promoting the Participation of Young People”, brochure (November).
Woollcombe, David, 1998. “Youth participation”, Peace Child International.
World Bank, 1996. The World Bank Participation Sourcebook (Washington
DC, ISBN 0-8213-3558-8).
World Bank, 1997. A Resource Kit for Participation and Social Assessment
(Social Policy and Resettlement Division, June).
Suggested readings
Brown, C., 1991: 41-46.
“Marginalized young people and the power of
decision-making”, Youth Studies, vol. 10, No. 4 (November).
Dwyer, P. and others, 1997.
Participant Pathways and outcomes in
vocational education and training, Research Report No. 14 (ISBN 0
7325 1532 7).
Ewin, J., 1994: 13-20. “Youth participation: concepts and structures”, Youth
Studies Australia, vol. 13, No. 3 (Spring).
Hetzel, 8., 8. Watson, and L. Sampson, 1992: 33-36.
partnership”, Youth Studies, vol. 11, No. 2 (Winter).
Hoyne, A., 1993: 3-5.
(Spring).
“Participation and
“Involving young people”, YACWA News Bulletin
Kaplun, M., 1995.
“Promoting youth participation: a rights perspective”,
discussion paper (National Children’s and Youth Law Centre, Sydney).
Senderowitz, Judith, 1997. “Involving young people in reproductive health
programmes”, Focus on Young Adults (Washington DC).
, 1997.
“Making reproductive health services friendly for young
people”, Focus on Young Adults (Washington DC).
Westhorp, G.,1987. Planning For Youth Participation: A Resource Kit (Youth
Sector Training Council of South Australia).
Wilkins, V. and others, 1993: 49-52. “Youth participation in youth-focused
research”, Youth Studies Australia, vol. 12, No. 3 (Spring).
YOUTH
PAIRTICIPATION
44
References
Suggested Web sites
Australia Youth Foundation.
http://www.ayf.org.au/ayf/participation_strategy.htm
A useful site for obtaining
Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO,
statistics; also contains links to other sites.
http://accu.topica.ne.jp/
Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies.
http://www.acys.utas.edu.au/ncys/topics/particip.htm
Braga Action Plan.
http:/www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/library/byaptxt
Canada World Youth (new uniform resource locator (URL)).
http://www.cwy-jcm.org
Coalition Against Prostitution, Child Abuse & Trafficking (Thailand).
http://www.capcat.ksc.net/
Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF Web site
http://www.unicef.org/crc/crc.htm
Hague Forum
http://www.undp.org/popin/icpd/icpd5/hague.htm
Info Xchange (Australia). Contains links to other sites on youth issues.
http://www.infoxchange.net.au/ixlinks/Youth/
Institute on Governance. A research paper on youth and governance is available
from this Canadian Web site. It is entitled Refocusing the Lens: Assessing
the Challenge of Youth involvement in Public Policy.
http://www.iog.ca
International Child and Youth Care Network (CYCNET).
http://www.cyc-net.org
International conference web-site.
www.youthchallenges-conf.net
International Labour Organization Web site.
http://www.ilo.org/
International Young Christian Workers Movement (IYCW).
http://www.jociycw . net
International Young People’s Participation Project (IYPPP) of End Child Prosti
tution, Pornography and Trafficking in Children for Sexual Purposes
(ECPAT). Includes extensive resource list.
http://www. ecpat. net/iy ppp/content. htm
International Youth Foundation. Contains links to national youth foundations.
http://www.iyfnet.org/
45
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
Youth Participation Manual
Lisbon Declaration on Youth Policies and Programmes.
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/library/ldypptxt.htm
Netherlands Institute for Care and Welfare,
policies.
http://www.knoware.nl/nizw/Youth_Policy/
Information on Dutch youth
New South Wales (Australia) Office of Children and Young People: contains
many interesting links.
http://www.youth.nsw.gov.au/
Office of Youth SA GPO Box 1152, Adelaide, South Australia 5001 Queens
land State Government’s youth Web site.
http://www.generate.qld.gov.au/
Rietveld, Gert Jan.
www.knoware.nl/nizw/Youth_Policy
South Australian Children’s Services Act and Education Act. Information from
Australia regarding the review of the Children’s Services and Education
Act supplied by Adam Kilvert, project officer from the Legislation Review
Unit in the South Australian Education Department.
http://203.147.210.34/legnreview/
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF): includes statistical data.
http://www.unicef.org/
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Institute for Statistics.
http://unescostat.unesco.org/
United Nations Youth Unit.
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin
World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond,
www. un. org/ecosocdev/geninfo/youth/youth. htm
Youth Field Express (YFX) is the email newsletter of the Australian
Clearinghouse for Youth Studies (ACYS). YFX is also available online.
http://www.acys.utas.edu.au/ncys/yfx/99_09.htm
Youth Forum Online (Australian, developed by people previously attached to
the Australian Youth Policy Action Coalition).
http://www.youthforum.net/
R A
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Annex:
Examples of best practices
INTRODUCTION
Many youth programmes around the Asia-Pacific region have successfully
incorporated the participation of youth. A diverse group of 14 programmes has
been chosen to show how youth participation has been incorporated in their
processes. These programmes range in focus from reproductive health and
drug use to education and youth participation. They have been categorized
according to what appears to be the main goal, but it should be noted that,
because they vary in nature and objectives, categorization is difficult. It should
also be noted that, although one group made up of programmes focusing on
involving youth in the political process is labelled youth participation, all the
programmes listed exhibit best practices in youth participation.
One of the objectives of this Manual is to create a platform for the
dissemination of information on best practices which can serve as examples
for the planning of other programmes. It is hoped that it can also serve as a
networking forum for those interested in the promotion of youth participation,
and that the achievements, lessons learned and challenges of the following
programmes will provide new insights into youth participation best practices.
Centres of best practice in youth participation
Country
Organization
Period
A. Reproductive health
1. AIDS, reproductive health,
education
Philippines
1994
to date
2.
HIV/AI DS-prevention
Thailand
3.
HIV/AIDS, sexually
transmitted diseases
China
Asian Red Cross/Red Crescent/
World Scout Youth Peer Educa
tion Programme (International)
Thai Youth AIDS Prevention
Project
Yunnan/Australian Red Cross
Youth Peer Education for HIV/
AIDS Prevention Project (PRC)
Thailand
Duang Prateep Foundation
Viet Nam
International Organization of
Good Templars - Vietnam Club,
The Education and The Times
newspaper
1971
to date
1998-99
Field
B. Drug use
1. Drug- and substance-use
prevention, media
2. Drug- and substance-use
prevention, media
1995
to date
1996
to date
(continued)
47
Youth Participation Manual
(continued)
Country
Organization
Period
Cambodia
Human rights, Democracy, Voter
Education and Government Watch,
Khmer Youth Forum Association
Butterflies Programme of Street
and Working Children
1998
to date
1998
to date
New
Zealand
New Zealand Conservation
Corps
1988
to date
Philippines
ChildHope Asia
Thailand
Child Workers Club
1995
to date
1982
to date
1. Political participation
Cambodia
2.
Youth participatory
research, leadership
skills
3.
Policy work and involve
ment of young people
Organizing, psychosocial
intervention, peerfacilitation,
research and advocacy
Lao
People’s
Democratic
Republic
New
Zealand
Philippines
Encouraging and Promoting
Young Women in Political
Participation, Khmer Youth
Forum Association
Listening to the Voice of
Young People, Lao People’s
Revolutionary Youth Union
and Save the Children (UK)
Ministry of Youth Affairs
Field
C. Education and training
1. Human rights, education
2.
3.
4.
5.
Non-formal education,
health care, recreation,
savings schemes
Literacy training, first aid,
health, including alcohol
and drug education, environ
ment, outdoor recreation
Education for street
children
Employment, health,
education, training,
finances, media, leisure
India
D. Youth participation
4.
Child-Centred Programming for
Street Girls in Davao City,
Tambayan Center for the Care
of Abused Children, Inc.
1998
to date
1998-99
Ongoing
19992001
CATEGORY A: REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
1.
Asian Red Cross/Red Crescent/World Scout Youth
Peer Education Programme (International)
(Philippines) (1994 to date)
Background
The Asian Red Cross/Red Crescent AIDS Task Force (ART) initiated
the Youth Peer Education Programme on Reproductive Health, STDs and
HIV/AIDS as a collaborative effort in 1995. Since then 12 countries have
joined the programme: Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao People’s
Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Republic of
Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam.
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Annex: Examples of Best Practices
Objectives
1.
To combine clear and accurate information on reproductive health,
STDs, and HIV/AIDS with participatory activities to equip and
empower young people with skills and motivation.
2. To support existing safe behaviour and change unsafe behaviour.
Activities
1.
The key training tool for the youth peer education programme is a
common core manual developed with the participation of young
people. Topics, which reflect each country’s language and culture,
include sexual health and reproduction, personal capacity-building,
support from friends, societal norms, STDs and HIV/AIDS, other
health issues and factors affecting risk behaviour.
2.
In each participating country, young people are selected and trained
as core trainers, facilitators, and peer educators to implement the
training programme among their peers, with emphasis placed on
equal participation of men and women.
Achievements
1.
Three hundred core trainers, 1,206 facilitators and 9,002 peer
educators have been trained.
2.
Forty two thousand and thirty one young people have been
educated on reproductive health, STDs and HIV/AIDS.
3.
Training manuals have been pre-tested and produced in nine
countries.
4.
Collaboration and the exchange of experiences among Red Cross/
Red Crescent organizations in the region have increased.
5.
The commitment to encouraging
beneficiaries has increased.
6.
Regional and local capacities have been increased, also selfreliance, together with a growing sense of ownership of national
programmes.
the
participation
of
project
Lessons learned
1.
Large-scale peer education training for young people using a
common but adaptable approach is effective.
2.
Pre-testing manuals with different youth groups in various settings is
essential. The pre-testing helped clarify the training approaches and
methodologies appropriate for each group. For example, words
used to describe sensitive issues must be chosen in a culturally and
socially acceptable manner.
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Youth Participation Manual
3.
Constant evaluation and review of core trainers following their own
training is important, along with follow-up workshops and practice
sessions. Ongoing monitoring of the needs of youth core trainers
and facilitators permits provision of appropriate incentives and
rewards.
4.
Flexible timing for training sessions is essential while working with
volunteers, since they may have a difficult time scheduling the rest
of their activities around the training.
5.
Effective ways to recruit youth volunteers include:
(a)
One-day AIDS awareness workshops that give an opportunity
to assess participants and select those with potential to be
core trainers/facilitators;
(b) Advertising through posters, which can provide valuable
publicity for the AIDS programme if attractively designed;
(c)
Peer motivation: core trainers can encourage their friends to
become facilitators.
Asian Red Cross/Red Crescent/World Scout Youth
Peer Education Programme
Contact person
Name:
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
ART Secretariat
+63 2 527 8384
+63 2 527 0857
pnrcnhq@pdx. rpnet. com
Address
ART Secretariat
Philippines National Red Cross
Bonifacio Drive, Port Area
Manila 2803, Philippines
Thai Youth AIDS Prevention Project (1995 to date)
2.
Background
Founded by three young foreigners, graduates of an American
university, the project is now entirely run by Thai nationals. It has obtained
funding from a variety of sources, including international NGOs, a television
company and many individual donors.
Objectives
1.
To promote HIV/AIDS prevention and care among young people in
Northern Thailand.
2.
To encourage behaviour that protects young
infection.
3.
To reduce discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.
4.
To build peer support networks among young people.
people from
5 -Ur S
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* /IAX
50
V
HIV
Annex: Examples of Best Practices
Activities
1.
HIV/AIDS training for young people as a mechanism for leadership
building.
2.
University and vocational school students as well as street youth
are trained to lead workshops on HIV/AIDS.
3.
Comprehensive training on life-skills, gender issues and human
rights.
4.
Training for planning workshops on HIV/AIDS prevention and care
for school and street youth.
5.
Preparing youth to initiate own projects.
6.
Young educators and workshop participants are involved in the
evaluation process, both in designing the evaluation strategy and in
analysing the responses for curricular development.
7.
Organizational decision was taken to prioritize the hiring of young
staff members and to have at least one young person on the board
of directors.
8.
Three-hour training for peer educators (vocational school, university
students and street youth) every day for three weeks, followed by a
weekend training session.
9.
Weekly three-hour training sessions during peer educators’ first
eight weeks of facilitating workshops.
10. Training on specific issues.
11. Feedback is obtained from school workshops and problems are
solved if necessary.
12. Planning for the following week’s training.
13. Creating a group support network of young people.
14. Workshop topics include:
(a) Community-building;
(b) AIDS in the community;
(c) Sexual and reproductive health;
(d) Decision-making and negotiation skills;
(e) Gender issues.
15. Workshops use interactive techniques such as games and role
plays.
16. Technical support is always available.
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O<
118332
Youth Participation Manual
Achievements
1.
Shy youth have become more communicative.
2.
Gender sensitivity has increased.
3.
Changes in attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS and
homosexuals have occurred.
4.
Educators have learned to budget with a fixed sum of money.
Some have done their own fundraising to raise more money.
Lessons learned
YOUTH
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52
1.
It is useful for educators to invent their own games based on the
knowledge and skills acquired from training, as well as using
traditional games played in their childhood. Many new ideas were
generated from these exercises.
2.
It is important to listen to what educators have to say, through both
formal and informal evaluation.
3.
It is important for educators to listen to feedback from their groups
in schools.
4.
A brief evaluation after each session was helpful.
5.
Following eight weeks of school workshops, students were asked
to do a project of their own, which proved valuable. They could
choose their own project on their own initiative, either to produce
HIV prevention materials or to teach others in their communities.
Projects ranged from calendars on HIV/AIDS, specially designed
T-shirts, workshops in rural communities, radio programmes, and
an inter-school group of 12- to 14-year-old educators.
6.
Educators were paid for their work, not only in order to provide
them with a source of income but also to give a financial value
to their work so that it would be perceived as professional
training, rather than merely volunteerism. This had the effect of
giving them pride in their work and helped to convince the
parents of educators still living at home of the value of the
work.
7.
Networking with university professors, schoolteachers and ministries
of education proved valuable.
8.
It is valuable for young people in schools to start discussing sex
and sexuality with their parents. Some activities include homework
assignments requiring discussion with parents.
Annex: Examples of Best Practices
Thai Youth AIDS Prevention Project
Address
Contact person
Name:
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
Amporn Boontan
+66 53 274517
+66 53 808493
tyap@chmai. loxinfo. co. th
Thai Youth AIDS Prevention Project
P.O. Box 287
Chiang Mai University
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Yunnan/Australian Red Cross Youth Peer Education
for HIV/AIDS Prevention Project (China)
3.
(1996 to date)
Background
This project is implemented by the Yunnan Red Cross and Australian
Red Cross, and funded by AusAID, the Australian Red Cross and the United
Nations Children’s Fund. It is modelled on the peer education programme
developed by the Asian Red Cross and Red Crescent AIDS Task Force
(ART), based on participatory workshops with life-skills development as a
framework. Staff monitor youth facilitators and peer educators and provide
feedback in order to make the workshops consistent and accurate.
Objectives
1.
To prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among young people in six
prefectures of Yunnan Province by providing information and
teaching life skills that lead to safe behaviour.
2.
To develop effective
materials.
3.
To implement a training programme.
4.
To implement a peer education programme.
5.
To implement a public awareness programme.
6.
To increase the management and implementation skills of the
Yunnan Red Cross.
information,
education
and communication
Activities
1.
Core trainers, usually project staff, provide five days of training for
youth facilitators aged 15 to 30.
2.
Training includes
facilitation skills.
3.
After training, regular in-service training and meetings are held to
enhance confidence and skills.
HIV/AIDS
technical
knowledge
and
basic
53
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Youth Participation Manual
4.
After the training session, youth facilitators work in teams of two to
present two-day workshops to other young people on HIV/AIDS and
the life skills needed to make healthy life decisions.
5.
All workshops use participatory methodology and a life-skills frame
work to cover the following:
(a) Adolescent health;
(b) The care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS;
(c)
Communication skills;
(d)
Drug-use prevention;
(e)
HIV/AIDS prevention;
(f)
Negotiation skills;
(g)
Peer pressure;
(h)
Reproduction:
(i)
Sexual responsibility;
(j)
STDs.
5.
Youth facilitators are trained to use a manual entitled Protect
Ourselves from HIV/AIDS.
6.
The manual for the HIV/AIDS prevention peer-education programme
was developed during workshops.
7.
Workshops are supported and monitored by core trainers or project
staff to assist facilitators.
Achievements
Based on individual interviews and a survey, an independent appraisal
group noted the following points on the project in its report published in
January 1999:
YOUTH
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54
1.
Seventy eight young project facilitators had been trained: they had
shown great commitment and performed their duties in close
cooperation with the project office.
2.
One thousand three hundred participants had been educated, over
90 per cent of whom had gained a keen understanding of AIDS.
3.
Participants had gained a greater awareness of the need for
self-protection and a more compassionate attitude towards AIDS
patients.
4.
Participants had spread AIDS prevention
friends, families, colleagues and others.
5.
The project had had a social impact: tens of thousands of people
had been reached.
information to
peers,
Annex: Examples of Best Practices
6.
The goals of the ‘Project on Youth Education for AIDS Prevention’
had been achieved.
7.
Red Cross societies in Kunming, Oujing and Simao had made
major contributions in terms of funding, manpower and staff training.
Lessons learned
1.
Disseminating information via young people is an effective way of
raising awareness of and increasing knowledge about HIV/AIDS.
2.
Realistic expectations and time frames must be set. It is best to
implement and monitor the project on a small scale, allowing staff
to improve planning and management skills.
3.
Exposing project staff to programmes outside China through study
tours and international conferences broadened staff awareness of
issues and initiatives, thereby strengthening commitment and capacity.
4.
Project success requires the active involvement of the local
community in planning and implementation, in collaboration with
governmental and non-governmental organizations.
5.
Planning processes such as developing and pre-testing the training
manual and information, education and communication materials
allow youth to practise facilitation skills as well as gain knowledge
about HIV prevention.
Yunnan/Australian Red Cross Youth Peer Education
for HIV/AIDS Prevention Project
Contact person
Name:
Fax:
Email:
Audrey Swift and Li Guozhi
+86 871 319 6550
hivyrc@elephant. isty.yn. cn
Address
6th Floor, 246 Renmin East Road
Kunming 650051
Yunnan, People’s Republic of China
CATEGORY B: DRUG USE PREVENTION
1.
Duang Prateep Foundation (Thailand)
(1971 to date)
Background
Started in 1971 with a primary focus on poverty alleviation among
Bangkok slum dwellers, Duang Prateep currently administers over 20 projects,
with outreach activities in both urban and rural areas.
It covers many
aspects of community development and has worked with youth groups in
Bangkok slum communities for many years. The United Nations Drug Control
Programme funded the programme of activities with youth groups in Bangkok
slum communities for one year from 1 August 1998. The primary objective of
this project was to reduce drug demand among slum youth.
s
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Youth Participation Manual
Objectives
1.
To teach youth about other ways of life apart from the slums.
2.
To discuss the drug situation with youth and listen to their input on
addressing the problem.
3.
To build good relations among youth groups through joint activities.
4.
To foster a sense of responsibility towards the community.
5.
To increase understanding of community problems and the benefits
of working together to solve them.
6.
To link lessons on easing drug problems with community problems.
7.
To teach youth leaders how to write work plan proposals for
financial support.
8.
To promote knowledge and understanding of the Internet among
Klong Toey slum community youth.
Activities
YOUTH
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56
1.
Coordinates activities with target youth groups, supervising and
advising youth in each community.
2.
Encourages youth to organize group activities to improve their
attitudes and build their experience.
3.
Raises awareness on community drug problems by participating in
an anti-drug campaign on World Anti-Drugs Day (26 June),
together with community committees and youth groups.
4.
Works with community residents and guardians of youth to empha
size the importance of supporting and encouraging young people.
5.
Educational Trip for Youth: exposed slum youth to the way of life of
rural people living on the edge of a river.
6.
Youth training camp to develop society in Ratburi Province,
attended by 63 people from six communities, 10 people from Klong
Toey Youth Association, and seven supervisors.
7.
Educational training on the Internet.
8.
Klong Toey Anti-Drug Campaign week for World Anti-Drugs Day, 26
June:
(a)
Coordinated with Anti-Drugs Volunteer Association, community
youth groups, and government agencies;
(b)
Emphasized group and community participation from the start;
(c)
Support for youth group activities: 17 projects prepared and
presented by target youth groups for their groups and communities.
Annex: Examples of Best Practices
Achievements
1.
Some of the youth targeted did not have any strong groups at the
start of the project, but formed groups more systematically later.
Youth’s role and importance in the community and society is now
better understood. Community residents, government and private
sector agencies have recognized the groups and supported youth
by organizing community activities such as an educational trip and
camping.
2.
Youth have learned about the rural way of life and how the
people’s strength is crucial to overcoming problems.
3.
Understanding of complex community problems such as addictive
drugs and the powerful role of youth groups in alleviating problems
has increased.
4.
Youth participants have become role models to friends, providing
advice and assistance to those with drug problems.
5.
Youth have learned to coordinate activities with private organiza
tions and government agencies working with drug addicts.
6.
Guardians and community committees have been provided with a
basis of information and understanding.
Lessons learned
1.
The importance of youth groups in building the community and
facing challenges such as the solving of drug problems has been
proved
2.
Community residents and committees have recognized the
importance of youth groups and welcomed the youth development
activities.
3.
Community participation helped the project be more effective.
Duang Prateep Foundation
Contact person
Name:
Prateep Ungsongtham Hata
Tel:
+66 2 671 4045, 249 4880
Fax:
+66 2 249 5254
Email:
dpf@internetksc. net. th
Web site: www. capcat. ksc. net/org/duang. htm
Address
Duang Prateep Foundation
Lock 6, Art Narong Road
Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110
Thailand
E
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Youth Participation Manual
2.
International Organization of Good Templars - Vietnam Club,
The Education and the Times newspaper
(Viet Nam) (1998-1999)
Background
The International Organization of Good Templars (IOGT) - Vietnam Club
was established in October 1996 under The Education and The Times
newspaper, with the support of the International Organization of Good
Templars, Sweden. A pilot educational project from January 1998 to February
1999, mainly for students between the ages of 18 and 22, consisted of five
small hobby groups in art, sports, tourism, social science and literature. The
current areas of work are drug- and substance-use prevention and media.
Objectives
1.
To raise awareness of
especially among youth.
2.
To promote healthy living with no drugs, alcohol or tobacco.
drug-
and
substance-use
prevention,
Activities
1.
Film series
A series of six films entitled Drugs Around the World was shown to
Vietnamese students:
(a)
20 key members of IOGT - Vietnam Club were chosen to be
trained to show the film series and organize study circles
among the audience;
(b)
A knowledge base on drugs and the drug-abuse situation in
the world with a special focus on Viet Nam was established, to
provide the audience with updated information;
(c)
Leaflets were distributed at schools and universities and in
Most shows were presented in the evenings since
Hanoi.
students were at university during the day;
(d) After showing the film at the IOGT - Vietnam Club for a few
weeks, members showed the film in different schools and
universities in Hanoi, with strong support from school leaders.
2.
Discussions after films
(a) The audience
discussion;
(b)
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was
divided
into
small
groups
to
facilitate
Questionnaires on knowledge of drugs were distributed and
students were encouraged to provide suggestions on drug
prevention;
Annex: Examples of Best Practices
(c) Most questions on drug knowledge were answered correctly
and many innovative suggestions for action plans were given.
This signifies young people are concerned about drug abuse
and genuinely want to do something good for society.
3.
Database and publication
(a) Information from questionnaires was
database;
placed
in
the club’s
(b) Samples of suggestions made by respondents to question
naires were published in a newspaper during the project period.
4.
Follow-up
(a) To further extend the educational efforts, the newspaper
collaborated with other provinces in Viet Nam to mobilize
young people in the country to participate in the campaign
against drugs;
(b) Members organized film shows and study circles at universities,
schools and youth unions;
(c) A large number of young people were attracted, raising their
awareness on drug-use prevention and helping them to
persuade other people around them not to use drugs;
(d) Although project activities have ended, schools from other
localities continue to seek support from IOGT - Vietnam Club
in the form of exchange meetings between club members and
local students to teach them how to organize study circles for
drug-use prevention effectively;
(e) Schools and universities continue to show the film series and
organize study circles;
(f)
Interest in becoming IOGT - Vietnam Club members among
young people committed to fighting drug, alcohol and tobacco
use has increased.
Achievements
1.
Hundreds of students have seen the film and have actively taken
part in the film show activities.
2.
Most students expressed a desire to expand the exchange activities
on drug prevention between IOGT - Vietnam Club and their
universities.
3.
Most universities in Hanoi were given the six-film series and books
free of charge for internal use.
4.
Youth unions in these universities used the film series in their anti
drug activities.
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Youth Participation Manual
Lessons learned
1.
Organization of creative activities heightened youth’s interest and
encouraged youth participation.
2.
After the film show young people openly discussed drug issues.
Students were confident in expressing their opinions on the drug
situation in their communities and provided practical suggestions to
improve the situation.
IOGT - Vietnam Club, The Education and
the Times newspaper
Contact person
Name:
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
Dang Nguyen Hong Hanh
+84 4 5633547 (office)
+84 4 5633548
sonkim. hn@fpt. vn or
hanhdang76@hotmail.com
Address
A2 P28 Tap the Ban Kinh Te
Cong Vi
Hanoi
Viet Nam
CATEGORY C: EDUCATION/TRAINING
1. Human Rights, Democracy, Voter Education and
Government Watch, Khmer Youth Forum Association
(Cambodia) (1998 to date)
Objective
To strengthen and extend human rights and democracy in Cambodia.
Background
Training sessions were conducted by specialists from the International
Human Rights Law Group, the Ministry of Justice, human rights organizations,
the United Nations Centre for Human Rights and Ambassador Golden
Longmuir from the Canadian Embassy. The areas of work are human rights
and education.
Activities
1.
Training of trainers (five sessions)
(a)
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60
64 participants, including 13 trainers from the Khmer Youth
Forum Association, attended the first session, but only 13
attended the next four;
Annex: Examples of Best Practices
(b) Training focused on how to teach human rights; democracy;
voter education; government watch (see below); and laws
including the penal code, civil code, labour code and electoral
and political party law.
2.
Voter education
(a) Training organized before the national election;
(b) Nineteen training sessions on election education in three
provinces (Siem Reap, Svay Rieng and Takeo);
(c) One thousand and seventy eight participants, including 660
women;
(d) Training focused on registration, election campaign, voter
rights, how to vote, secret ballots, how to monitor the political
platforms of political parties, vote-buying and - cheating;
(e) The election was observed within the framework
Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia.
3.
of the
Human rights and democracy
(a) Topics included:
(i)
What are human rights?
(ii)
Definition of human rights;
(iii)
Division of rights;
(iv)
Understanding your rights;
(v)
Human rights and Buddhism;
(vi) The rule of law;
(vii) The constitution of Cambodia;
(viii) Democracy.
(b) One hundred and ten training sessions for 110 villages in three
provinces: Siem Reap, Svay Rieng and Takeo;
(c) Total participants 4,135, including 2,415 women;
(d) In addition to organizing the training courses, the Association
also investigated human rights violations in cooperation with the
Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee.
4.
Government watch;
5.
Training in monitoring the government and politicians’ campaign
promises;
6.
People were taught how to file complaints with their members of
parliament.
61
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Youth Participation Manual
Achievements
1.
After the training, some field authorities held regular meetings with
villagers prior to taking action;
2.
Some field authorities were afraid of complaints and consequently
became more sensitive to people’s concerns;
3.
Human rights violations and land violations have been reduced in
these villages;
4.
People in these villages now file complaints with NGOs, human
rights groups, high-ranking officials, members of parliament and the
courts if they are faced with a violation of their rights:
(a)
A village in Takeo Province obtained a new road and wells
after people filed a complaint with the political party that had
promised these during the election campaign;
(b) Two new roads and bridges were built by field authorities in
cooperation with the people in a village in Siem Reap Province;
(c) A land dispute in Siem Reap Province was effectively solved
by field authorities after intervention by an Association coordi
nator.
Lessons learned
1.
Participants in the sessions to train trainers should continue to
educate relatives, friends, families and people in their villages,
communes, districts and provinces through courses to raise aware
ness of elections and increase incentives to rebuild Cambodia;
2.
Trainers are fully equipped to conduct important seminars in their
own provinces;
3.
The importance of mobilizing Cambodia’s youth by projects such as
this has been recognized.
Human Rights, Democracy, Voter Education
and Government Watch, Khmer Youth
Forum Association
Contact person
Name:
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
YOUTH
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it:.
62
Khmer Youth Forum Association
+855 12 845 762
+855 12 845 762
kya@forum. org. kh
Address
#135A, Gr. 33, st 259
Sankat Toek La-ak I
Khan Toul Kork
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Annex:
2. Butterflies Programme of Street and
Working Children (Delhi, India) (1998 to date)11
Background
The programme targets children and young people in Delhi and the
areas of work are non-formal education, health care, recreation and savings
schemes. Street educators are in contact with 800 street children and working
children aged from five to eighteen. They meet children on the streets at
eight contact points where street children and working children are concen
trated. There is a special emphasis on girls.
Objectives 12
1.
To empower street children by giving them the knowledge and skills
necessary to protect their rights;
2.
To support and assist children to reintegrate into their families
where possible;
3.
To help children to become respected and productive citizens;
4.
To use the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to
ensure government and public accountability for the well-being of all
vulnerable children;
5.
To organize support services (non-formal education, health care,
recreation, savings schemes) for working children and street
children;
6.
To protect children from exploitation;
7.
To organize children for collective action (cooperatives, credit union,
child workers’ trade union);
8.
To counsel children;
9.
To provide facilities for skills acquisition and vocational training;
10. To raise public awareness and promote social mobilization activities
on issues of child exploitation and abuse.
ii
Taken from, adapted to fit the format: Save the Children and Children’s Rights Office;
Empowering Children and Young People 1997. Further information on this project can
be found in a recent publication by the International Save the Children Alliance, Jan
1999.
12
More information on the Butterflies Programme can be found in the publication of
Save the Children and the Children’s Rights Office Empowering Children and Young
People 1997.
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'articipation Manual
Activities
1.
Street educators establish contact with street children and build
relationships based on equity and respect;
2.
Mobile health team conducts preventative health work;
3.
Organizing the community and promoting child education in slum
areas;
4.
Vocational trainers develop vocational opportunities;
5.
Researching and documenting unrecognized and
dimensions of child abuse, exploitation and neglect;
6.
Publishing a quarterly publication for children;
7.
Creating children’s councils (Bat Sabha) to instil the principles of
democracy and participation in decision-making;
8.
Organization of monthly council meetings: between 50 and 80
children aged from 5 to 18 usually attend the meeting, where they
discuss matters that are important to them, give feedback on
ongoing activities and plan future activities. The children and young
people elect their own chairperson and one of the literate children
to record minutes and decisions.
unexplored
Achievements
1.
Has enabled children to organize themselves for collective action;
2.
Has created a forum where children can speak, share ideas and
give feedback on the orientation of the programme. Children and
young people have also learned the principles of democracy and
community participation in decision-making;
3.
The children’s council has provided a true child-centred mechanism,
allowing children’s participation in decision-making to be a guiding
force in programme orientation;
4.
The council has guided children to initiate their own projects:
(a) Started their own restaurant, running since 1990;
(b) Created a credit union;
(c) Researched street life;
(d) Formed street theatre groups;
5.
Was instrumental in the formation of the Bal Mazdoor Union (child
workers’ trade union).
Problems encountered
1.
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Participation by young people from New Delhi has been low
because meetings have been held in Old Delhi;
Annex: Examples of Best Practices
2.
The attention span and level of understanding of children has
tended to vary, due to the wide variation in age of the children
involved. For example, the debate over rules for the credit union
was difficult for some children to understand;
3.
Adults have interfered: street educators attend the children’s council
meetings and have occasionally taken over the agenda.
The
children and young people are encouraged to be critical of undue
adult interference.
Lessons learned
1.
The children’s council works as a mechanism
programme orientation and development;
2.
Council meetings ensure that children are active participants in
discussions on all issues that are important to them and help to
ensure that programmes and activities are planned in line with
children’s needs and wishes;
3.
The most
Children have gained the confidence to speak out.
commonly discussed issues are: police harassment, the non-payment
of wages, the need for better jobs, wages, education, savings
schemes, gambling problems and drugs. Some children have gone
on to participate in conferences, events and press meetings;
4.
The children’s council provides child-centred mechanisms that allow
children’s participation in decision-making to be a central guiding
force in programmes.
for
monitoring
Butterflies Programme of Street and Working Children
More information on the Butterflies Programme can be found in the
publication of Save the Children and Children’s Rights Office;
Empowering Children and Young People, 1997
3. New Zealand Conservation Corps
(Ministry of Youth Affairs) (1988 to date)
Background
The New Zealand Conservation Corps is a community-based youth
development programme.
Although projects are administered through the
Ministry of Youth Affairs, each project is run by a variety of “sponsor”
organizations in local communities such as polytechnics, government agencies
and community organizations. The work involves the following: training in
literacy skills, first aid certificates, health issues including alcohol and drug
education, Maori language and cultural issues, environmental work and
challenging outdoor recreation.
Each Conservation Corps project lasts 20
weeks and usually involves ten participants.
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Objective
To provide young people between the ages of 16 and 25 with opportu
nities to develop their work skills, self-esteem, confidence and qualifications.
Activities
1.
Protecting the environment: working with agencies such as the
Department of Conservation and local authorities to undertake
conservation work that enhances and protects the environment;
2.
Practical education involving participants in challenging recreation;
3.
Teaching Maori language and cultural issues;
4.
Providing opportunities for work experience;
5.
The programme is currently being tested in three prisons as a pre
release programme for young men aged 17 to 25 years of age.
Contracts for the service are between the Ministry of Youth Affairs
and a community organization working with a prison.
Achievements
1.
Over 1,700 young people have participated in the Conservation
Corps programme in the last year, with 132 projects operating
throughout New Zealand. Conservation Corps members contributed
over half a million hours of conservation work throughout New
Zealand in 1997;
2.
Over 80 per cent of past project members have moved into
employment or further education and training within six months of
leaving the Conservation Corps.
Lessons learned
1.
The mix of environmental work,
recreation benefits participants;
2.
Trained supervisors get the best out of young people;
3.
The skills acquired during the programme
confidence to try new things on its completion;
4.
Prospective employers recognize the value of the skills acquired by
young people who have been members of the Conservation Corps.
skills training and challenging
give
participants
New Zealand Conservation Corps (Ministry of Youth Affairs)
Contact person
Sandra Hamilton, Manager
Name:
+64 4 471 2158
Tel:
+64 4 471 2233
Fax:
hamilton@youthaffairs. govt, nz
Email:
Web site: www.youthaffairs.govt.nz
YOUTH
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66
Address
Ministry of Youth Affairs
PC Box 10-300 The Terrace
48 Mulgrave Street
Wellington
New Zealand
Annex: Examples of Best Practices
4.
Education on the Street (Philippines)
(1995 to date)
Background
A team of street educators working throughout Metro Manila educates
street children on child rights, legal rights, values, health, sexual health,
substance abuse, life-goal planning and educational assistance. The team
helps children to rebuild relationships with their families and trains child
participants to become junior health workers and educators themselves.
Children are engaged in project activities from the outset by defining the kind
of education sessions they require, Participating children encourage other
children to come along to sessions.
Objectives
1.
To develop and enrich education work with street children in Metro
Manila;
2.
To reach a total of 800 children directly in each of the eight
different areas;
3.
To facilitate the reconciliation of street children with their families;
4.
To facilitate referrals to shelters when children are at risk;
5.
To organize children into coherent and strong groups so they can
begin to advocate and act on their own behalf with a unified voice;
6.
To train selected street children to act as peer educators, passing
on information to other children on issues such as health, education
and legal rights.
Activities
1.
To assist children in organizing themselves into groups to combat
exploitation and danger on the streets and in supporting and
protecting each other;
2.
Street Educators group children who share common concerns or
interests, for example through common work activities;
3.
Street educators promote child-to-child education amongst street
children:
(a) Street children who have demonstrated an interest in taking on
educational and leadership responsibilities and have developed
relevant skills may become junior educators, who then play a
role in values clarification and health education;
(b) Junior educators focusing on health issues are called junior
health workers. They help the street educators in educating
their peers on and assisting them with personal hygiene, drug
use and nutrition;
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(C)
To become junior educators and junior health workers, children
must undergo a screening process, attend several alternative
education sessions and receive three days’ training on drug
abuse prevention, child rights and values education;
(d) Junior educators first assist the street educators in conducting
PHC sessions after the education sessions. They then work
with groups of younger children under the supervision of a
street educator;
(e) Junior educators and health workers submit regular reports to
the street educators and participate in monthly meetings
facilitated by the latter to discuss their issues and concerns.
Some later conduct sessions independently.
Achievements
1.
ChildHope presently employs three street educators who are former
junior educators;
2.
Junior health workers can now perform basic first aid on younger
children;
3.
Junior health workers provided individual and group sessions on
health to younger children;
4.
Junior health workers accompanied street children to clinics and
hospital for consultation;
5.
Junior health workers helped monitor the intake of medicines by
children;
6.
Junior educators assisted street educators at sessions on substance
abuse and children’s rights and values. They also encouraged
children to attend these sessions.
Problems encountered
1.
It was difficult to monitor the progress of the junior educators and
junior health workers who lived on the street;
2.
Street-based junior educators were not always good role models for
younger children as they were still involved in occasional drug use;
3.
Not all health facilities were willing to recognize these children.
Lessons learned
1.
YOUTH
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Junior educators and junior health workers can identify with other
street children and can therefore resolve certain issues and
problems;
Annex: Examples of Best Practices
2.
When children are involved in the service delivery they can provide
important information to project workers, enabling the programme to
be more responsive to children’s needs;
3.
Children should not be seen as passive recipients of services.
They can contribute significantly to the efficient delivery of
programmes, by, for example, providing information to help the
programme be more responsive to children’s needs;
4.
Enabling children to help others builds their self-esteem.
Education on the Street (Philippines)
Address
Contact person
Name:
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
Web site:
5.
Eleanor Jackson, ChildHope
+44 171 833 9549
+44 171 833 2500
chuk@gn.apc.org
www.childhopeuk.org/
Nancy Agaid
Programme Coordinator,
ChildHope Asia, Philippines
Fax:
+ 63 2 563 2242
Email: chsea@vasia.com
Child Workers Club (Bangkok) (1982 to date)
Background
Begun in 1982 to encourage child workers to meet, arrange activities,
and develop their own organization, the Child Workers Club provides a
platform for its 350 members to communicate and exchange experiences with
friends and co-workers. It is operated by 10 committee members, elected
annually, and by a few volunteers. The staff of the Centre of Concern for
Child Labour provides assistance and guidance to the volunteers and the
committee members. Its areas of work are employment, health, education,
training, finance, media and leisure.
Objective
To encourage child workers to meet, arrange their own activities,
develop themselves and develop their own organization.
Activities
1.
Monthly newsletter
(a)
Provides up-to-date information about the Club’s
news, health-related issues and vocational guidance;
(b) Volunteers work together to
distribute it to club members.
publish
the
activities,
newsletter
and
YOUTH
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Youth Participation Manual
2.
Health care programme
(a) Club members and other child workers are given a medical
check-up twice each year, provided by local doctors and
personnel;
(b) Exhibitions on various aspects of health problems.
3.
Skills development
(a) Youth leadership training programme;
(b) Core members who actively take part in preparing the Club’s
activities are further trained to develop leadership qualities.
4.
Educational and vocational services
(a) Library services at the centre and at the workplace;
(b) Scholarships for children to attend non-formal school in the
evenings after work;
(c) Centre organizes non-formal education classes on Sundays in
different parts of Bangkok, which the children can easily
access.
5.
Savings cooperative
In July 1992 an experimental savings cooperative was created.
Members of the Club, child workers, were encouraged to become
shareholders in order to save some of their income. A single
deposit was 5 Baht (US$ 0.13); the cooperative has accumulated
7,555 Baht (about US$ 200). Members borrow when in need.
6.
Recreational activities
(a) Sports and games are regularly provided for members who visit
the centre on weekends;
(b) On special occasions and holidays, celebrations are generally
organized for club members to meet, enjoy themselves and
relax;
(c) Special activities for child workers to increase awareness and
involvement in various social issues;
(d) Activities such as tree planting, camping trips, and a trip to
clean up the Chao Phraya River.
7.
Public campaigns
Club members have been taking an active part in the public
campaign activities of the Centre of Concern for Child Labour. The
child workers themselves are the speakers.
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Annex: Examples of Best Practices
Achievements
1.
Young people’s personal development has been enhanced: club
members have received training, services and social and recrea
tional opportunities;
2.
Active participants have developed a sense of responsibility and
leadership qualities;
3.
As well as child-child communication, the views of children have
been heard at national and international levels, where they have
influenced national and international policy.
For example, some
recognition by national and international agencies of children’s right
to work is partly the result of listening to the views of child
labourers.
Lessons learned
1.
Various factors that affect children’s ability to participate include:
working conditions that leave children little time or energy to
participate; employers forbidding involvement; the transient nature of
the child worker population; the difficulty of accessing children in
hidden or dispersed working situations; and the attitudes of adults
who do not value children’s participation;
2.
Given these constraints, volunteers and staff require special skills
to promote children’s participation.
There is a need to develop
children and youth participation at all levels of society through
training, education and awareness raising.
Child Workers Club (Bangkok)
Contact person
Name:
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
Khemporn Wiroonrapun
+66 2 433 6292
+66 2 435 5281
fcdr@internetksc. th. com
Address
143/109-111 Muban Pinklapattana
Arunamarin Bangkoknoi
Bangkok 10700
Thailand
CATEGORY D: YOUTH PARTICIPATION
1. Encouraging and Promoting Young Women in
Political Participation (Cambodia) (1998 to date)
Background
The Khmer Youth Forum Association implemented this project in 1998
with the sponsorship of Forum Syd. Training coincided with the Cambodian
national election, which provided a good opportunity for young women to
rethink their role and participate in national development.
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Objective
To encourage young women in Cambodia to participate in the commw
nity, political life, civil society and national development to aid their future and
that of the nation.
Activities
1.
On March 26, 1998, 17 trainers were trained by the Khmer Youth
Association in Phnom Penh on:
(a)
The methodology of teaching;
(b)
Leadership;
of
(c) The
Convention on the Elimination
Discrimination Against Women;
Forms
of
(d)
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
(e)
The constitution of Cambodia (focusing on articles relating to
women’s interests);
(f)
Electoral law, the labour code and political party law;
(g)
The importance of women in political participation and the
main role of women in the electoral process, the history of
Cambodian and foreign women leaders in the world, and “What
is a free and fair election?”;
(h) The sharing of experiences among
women’s situation and settlement).
2.
All
women
(focusing
on
After training the trainers, the Khmer Youth Association organized
four training courses for young women from the age of 18 to 24 in
Siem Reap town:
(a)
Four courses were held at weekends;
(b)
Each course had 25 participants, giving a total of 100 young
women for the four courses;
(c) Participants came from Siem Reap Pedagogical School, high
schools and NGOs in the province,
Provincial Women’s Affairs Committee.
as well as from the
Achievements
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1.
Young women from the Pedagogical School often included the
knowledge gained from this programme in their lessons and gave
advice to other women in their villages;
2.
Participants played an important role in reporting violence or abuse
against women to the Khmer Youth Association office and other
human rights organizations in Siem Reap;
Annex: Examples of Best Practices
3.
100 young women in this province formed a strong network of the
Khmer Youth Association and often held meetings with field
authorities to settle women’s issues in their villages.
Encouraging and Promoting Young Women
in Political Participation
Contact address
+855 12 845 762
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
+855 12 845 762
kya@forum. org. kh
#135A, Gr. 33, st 259
Sankat Toek La-ak I, Khan Toul Kork
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
2. Listening to the Voice of Young People
(Lao People’s Democratic Republic) (1998-99)
Background
In 1997, the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union, Vientiane
Municipality and Save the Children (UK), with the support of the Lao Women’s
Union and Vientiane Municipality, submitted a proposal to the United Nations
Development Programme to conduct research on the needs and hopes of
young people in Vientiane Province. The project consisted of using participa
tory techniques to gain a “snapshot” view of the lives and activities of young
people. It was hoped that the research could be conducted by and with young
people. Young people were to be trained in leadership skills.
Objectives
1.
To elicit the views of young people;
2.
To train a group of young people in focus-group leadership skills;
3.
To provide a “snapshot” view for decision
people’s views on topics that affect them;
4.
To introduce the concept of participation and present a model for
participation by young people;
5.
To assist in identifying responses of and services for young people.
makers
on
young
Methodology and achievements
Participatory techniques are not commonly used in research, especially
amongst youth researchers. The first task was to develop a set of tools and
methodologies using participatory techniques that could be used by young
people with their friends. A working committee was set up to oversee the
process: two members of the committee were drawn from the Lao Youth
Union of Vientiane Municipality, two from the Lao Women’s Union of
Vientiane Municipality, one from the Department of Education at municipality
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level and two from Save the Children Fund (UK).
A larger, advisory
committee was also formed. The chair of this committee was the mayor of
Vientiane and it included representatives from most of the departments of the
Vientiane Municipality. The advisory committee met on average once every
two months, while the smaller, working committee met at least every week,
and more often in the beginning
The working committee listed six topics to be covered in the course of
the research and they were approved by the advisory committee:
1.
The good and bad things in life;
2.
Relationships with families and friends;
3.
What it means to be a Lao;
4.
Money and the future;
5.
Crime and punishment;
6.
The environment.
The committee developed draft materials for discussion groups on these
topics. Four young people were then asked to join the committee to give
their input on the choice of topics and methodology, which were subsequently
incorporated in the training manual.
The research was carried out through a variety of discussions led by
key trained young people with their peers. Four districts of Vientiane and one
rural district were chosen. Six villages were chosen according to perceived
needs and the committee’s assessment of the community’s openness to the
research. Also, the district Lao Youth Union officials were asked to nominate
four young people, two girls and two boys, from each district according to the
following general criteria:
1.
Age: between 18 and 25;
2.
Education: to secondary school;
3.
Financial status: neither rich nor poor;
4.
Personality: outgoing and confident.
Most of the researchers were aged between 17 and 22, the youngest
was 15 and the oldest 28. These young researchers were trained and asked
to run a variety of group sessions with other young people. The training
lasted one week.
In each village, the groups were divided into two age groups, 13-15 and
16-18, by sex and according to whether the young people were in or out of
school, making a total of eight groups per village. Each group met six times
and on each occasion discussed one of the six topics. There were a total of
280 group discussions, held with around 300 young people. The information
was collected in several ways:
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Annex: Examples of Best Practices
1.
By tape recorder, if the group gave permission;
2.
From notes taken by one of the trained young people in each
group;
3.
From forms consisting of various exercises, to be completed by the
participants;
4.
From cards and drawings done during the group sessions by the
young participants.
Meetings were held with the young researchers every week, At these
sessions, problems encountered were discussed, information from the groups
was collected and material for future groups was given out. These meetings
were also very important for boosting morale and for keeping the young
researchers interested.
Once the data was collected, the part of it that was amenable to
statistical analysis was entered into the computer using the Statistical Package
for the Social Sciences and the rest was analysed manually. Most of the
material was translated into English and the final report was written in English
and Lao. The report presents the facts and statements of the young people
who joined the groups and allows the readers to draw their own conclusions.
In addition to the primary purpose of training 20 young researchers to
run group discussions for this project, the secondary motive of the project
was to develop a core of young people with the skills to work with other
young people and who could develop group sessions with their peers on
particular themes.
The young researchers were keen and showed a
particular interest in life skills and HIV/AIDS. It is hoped that other projects
will follow.
Listening to the Voice of Young People
Contact person
Name:
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
Chittaphone Santavasy
+856 21 216286
+856 21 216285
scflao@laonet.net
3.
Address
3/6 Ban Haysok, Sihom Road
P.O. Box 1146
Vientiane
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Ministry of Youth Affairs (New Zealand)
(1989 to date)
Background
The Ministry of Youth Affairs was established in 1989 to provide a voice
for youth aged 12 to 25, and to promote the development of young New
Zealanders.
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Objectives
To promote the development of young New Zealanders by:
1.
Advising on policies in the best interests of young New Zealanders;
2.
Involving young people in decisions that affect their lives;
3.
Promoting youth development programmes
partnership with other organizations.
of high
quality
in
Activities
1.
Youth parliament
(a) The Youth Parliament was organized by the Ministry of Youth
Affairs in 1994 and 1997;
(b) Young people were proxy members of parliament for one or
two days, doing what ministers would normally do, including
select committee processes and question time in the House
(the parliamentary chamber). They also participated in a major
debate on student allowances;
(c) Officials assisted the proxy members of parliament by
developing a mock bill, taking minutes at meetings, recording
proceedings and preparing final documents of the event;
(d) The next Youth Parliament is scheduled for 2000. Officials
and parliamentary staff are already meeting to begin planning
for the next event.
2.
Youth councils
(a) Thirty youth councils in New Zealand;
(b) Youth are generally 16 to 25 years of age;
(0 Report youth issues of concern to their adult counterparts at
city or district council level.
3.
Prime Minister’s Youth Advisory Forum
(a) The Prime Minister has a youth advisory forum, with whom she
meets three times a year;
(b) Members of the group are aged from 12 to 25;
(c) Members of the group work on developing their views on key
issues and talk to the relevant cabinet ministers;
(d) The Ministry of Youth Affairs provides administrative support to
the group;
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Annex: Examples of Best Practices
(e) The Prime Minister also has one of her officials present;
(f)
4.
5.
There is generally a dinner on the first or second day, hosted
by the Prime Minister at her residence. The young people are
encouraged to provide free and frank advice on youth issues.
School student representatives scheme
(a)
Schools throughout New Zealand are invited to nominate a
student contact to receive mail, questionnaires and general
information about youth affairs work;
(b)
Information is sent to representatives, who in turn talk to their
fellow students about issues and respond in writing;
(c)
Communication staff hold regional meetings or local meetings
in isolated rural communities to meet student representatives
face to face;
(d)
The scheme enjoys considerable support and the number of
schools participating has grown since its inception.
Peer support programmes
Elected older students offer basic support and guidance to younger
students.
6.
Church youth groups
Youth groups attached to churches have very active youth that run
holiday programmes and music festivals and provide basic support
to peers.
Achievements
1.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs has provided opportunities for young
people to contribute to the development of policies that affect young
people. Examples include the proposed change in the legal age to
purchase alcohol and tobacco products; the review of the school
day and school year; policy on the youth radio network and the
national drug policy;
2.
Since the inception of the programme the number of school student
representatives who have a direct link to the Minister of Youth
Affairs has been increased;
3.
Participation in the youth parliament has given 120 young people
from around the country the opportunity to experience first hand the
work involved in being a politician;
4.
The Prime Minister’s youth advisory forum has been developed;
5.
Regular regional forums for young people and community organiza
tions have been held to discuss key youth issues.
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Lessons learned
1.
Involving young people in policy development can improve results;
2.
Young people have good ideas and can explain what impact
policies are likely to have on them;
3.
Youth ideas
policies.
can
contribute to the
development of successful
Ministry of Youth Affairs (New Zealand)
Contact person
Name:
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
Sandra Meredith
+64 4 471 2158
+64 4 471 2233
info@youthaffairs.govt.nz or
Meredith@youthaffairs.govt.nz
Web site: www. youthaffairs, govt, nz
4.
Address
Ministry of Youth Affairs
P.O. Box 10-300 The Terrace
48 Mulgrave Street
Wellington
New Zealand
Child-Centred Programming for Street Girls in
Davao City (Davao, Philippines) (1999 to date)
Background
In Filipino, “tambayan” means a place for relaxing, which in a sense, is
what the organization strives to be. The Tambayan Center for the Care of
Abused Children, Jnc. is a partner NGO of Save the Children Fund. It provides
programmes and interventions for abused street girls in Davao City (Southern
Mindanao). Its areas of work are organizing, psychosocial Intervention, peer
facilitation, research and advocacy.
Objective
To provide a venue and environment conducive to facilitating the
restoration of children’s self-esteem, building their capacity to form self-help
groups, and reducing the stigma attached to street girls.
Activities
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1.
Encouraging the formation of children’s self-help organizations and
community-based action groups that respond to cases of abuse and
exploitation;
2.
Therapy and counselling to help children conduct and rebuild their
lives by strengthening their coping mechanisms, enhancing their life
skills and building their resilience, competence and self-esteem;
Annex: Examples of Best Practices
3.
Education to equip children with information on issues relevant to
their lives, such as children’s rights, STD/HIV/AIDS prevention,
gender and sexuality, reproductive health, family planning and
substance abuse;
4.
Running an alternative school to enhance the children’s skills in
basic and functional literacy and numeracy, preparing them to
adjust to more structured formal schooling;
5.
Running a drop-in centre where the children can meet, relax, have
fun, find people to talk to and satisfy their basic needs for food and
hygiene;
6.
Providing medical assistance to meet the basic medical needs of
the children and especially for their reproductive health and the
treatment of minor illnesses;
7.
Providing legal assistance to facilitate the filing of cases against
child abusers, including counselling, and when necessary, seeking
placements for children with security problems;
8.
Research and advocacy.
Achievements
1.
The attitude of the girls towards themselves and others has been
improved;
2.
The knowledge and skills of children in the protection and care of
their bodies has been increased;
3.
The children’s knowledge of their rights as children has been
increased;
4.
The children’s skills in conflict-resolution and problem-solving have
been developed;
5.
Relations with peers and other people have been improved;
6.
A deep level of trust has been established with the children;
7.
Good working relations have been established with critical govern
ment agencies and other child-focused NGOs;
8.
A referral system for basic services has been established;
9.
The media has been sensitized to the plight of the street girls;
10. Female police personnel have been employed as a result of
advocacy by the section dealing with children and youth relations.
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Lessons learned
1.
Tambayan’s work with the street girls is anchored in the belief that
for meaningful changes to take place in the children’s lives their
active and conscious participation in the process of change is
essential.
Therefore, Tambayan works towards ensuring and
strengthening a relationship with the children based on mutual trust
and continuous dialogue, a partnership nurtured by the staff and
children;
2.
From the beginning, there was a conscious effort to ensure the
children’s views and opinions were taken into consideration in the
development of programmes, from planning and implementation to
the evaluation of activities,
This was achieved through regular
meetings where the childreni made the centre’s policies and
planned, assessed and evaluated activities;
3.
Towards the third year, it was noted that the children naturally
“facilitated” the participation of their peers.
This was evident in
their organizing and outreach work in the streets. The new children
who came to the centre were either introduced or invited by the
first batch of children to attend the centre’s activities.
Regular
participants also began refer and accompany their peers for therapy
or medical and legal assistance.
Child-Centred Programming for Street Girls in Davao City
Contact person
(for Save the Children Fund)
Rowena D. Cordero
(Programme Officer)
+63 2 372 3483
Tel:
+63 2 372 3484
Fax:
scf2@psdn. org.ph, scf1 @psdn. org.ph
Email:
100440.1500@compuserve.com
Web site: www. childprotection, org.ph
Name:
Contact person
(for Tambayan Inc.)
Name:
Tel/fax:
Email:
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Pilgrim Bliss Gayo-Guasa
(Coordinator)
+63 2 222 1025
tambayan@davao.fapenet.org
Address
30 Scout Tuason Street
Bgy. Laging Handa
Quezon City
Philippines
Address
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HOW TO OBTAIN UNITED NATIONS PUBLICATIONS
United Nations publications may be obtained from bookstores and distributors
throughout the world. Consult your bookstore or write to: United Nations, Sales
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depositsires du monde entier. Informez-vous aupres de votre libraire ou adressez-vous
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COMO CONSEGUIR PUBLICACIONES DE LAS NAC1ONES UNIDAS
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Printed in Bangkok
July 2000 - 900
United Nations publication
Sales No. E.00.11.F.43
Copyright © United Nations 2000
ISBN: 92-1-119992-1
ST/ESCAP/2036
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