The Drum Beat 394 - Youthful Participation
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The Communication Initiative (CI) website is replete with summaries highlighting strategies for, examples of, and resources related to how and why to engage children and young people as central players in a variety of social change efforts. While the range of approaches, activities, and materials falling under the rubric of youthful participation goes beyond the capacity of any one publication to capture it, this issue is an attempt to provide a glimpse into how this strategy has been understood, used, assessed, and referenced in various communities and contexts around the world.
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THEORIES & THINKING
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1.Ladder of Participation
This is a model for thinking about youth participation. The bottom 3 rungs describe youth involvement that is not true participation (they include: Rung 1: Young people are manipulated; Rung 2. Young people are decoration; Rung 3: Young people tokenised), whereas the top 5 rungs describe true participation (Rung 4: Young people assigned and informed; Rung 5: Young people consulted and informed; Rung 6: Adult-initiated, shared decisions with young people; Rung 7: Young people lead and initiate action; Rung 8: Young people and adults share decision-making).
2.Theory of Change for Comprehensive Clusters
Comprehensive clusters are built on a framework that proposes 2 key drivers for community change:
3.Youth and the Millennium Development Goals: Challenges and Opportunities for Implementation
This report is part of a process designed to catalyse further dialogue, collaboration, and action in the direction of youth inclusion in the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It was formulated by an international team of over 350 young leaders from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who participated in a 3-week online consultation, the focus of which was on how young people's contributions can be acknowledged - and how they can continue to be included and empowered - as part of the strategies that Member States and the United Nations (UN) system are creating for the achievement of the MDGs.
4.Youth in Governance: Supports and Resources Are Critical Components for Youth Success
by Anne Hipskind and Christine Poremski
This article is based on the experience of the Youth Development Initiative (YDI) of San Mateo County, California, in the United States. YDI includes 4 different projects: a community outreach and awareness campaign, peer mentorship and a youth advisory board at a local high school, a student governance and youth-led after-school project, and the Youth Commission, which places youth on county commissions and non-profit boards of directors. According to the article, involving youth in governance can be both an important way to ensure that their needs are being met by the community and an opportunity for positive development for the participating youth. However, it is proposed that young people need appropriate supports and resources; otherwise, they may not be fully engaged, and can end up feeling isolated or bored. They must also feel that their input is valued, and must be provided with meaningful ways to get involved.
5.Youth Participation from Inspiration to Action
by Ali Raza Khan
This paper describes the author's personal experience of working with young people living in under-resourced communities throughout Pakistan. Ali Khan sets out to define youth participation and offers, in his words, "strategies for promoting Youth Participation, tools to measure Youth participation and key lessons learnt during the implementation of Youth participatory projects." Khan presents 10 integrated phases associated with fostering youth participation; according to him, these phases need to be part of a "cultivating and engaging process, which enable young people to take complete ownership of the program gradually."
6.Spatial Planning and Opportunities for Children's Participation: A Local Governance Network Analysis
by Hilde Lauwers and Wouter Vanderstede
This article explores how children can be involved in urban planning projects, based on a one-year investigation of the development of a local spatial urban planning project in a municipality in Flanders, Belgium. One suggestion is that, each time a spatial project is discussed, the children's advocate should raise the question: "What are the implications for children and teenagers?" The strategy of involving or consulting children and young people directly in the planning process is discussed here. According to the authors, children's discourse is generally based on their actual use of space and their direct experiences of the environment; long-term planning is not often their way of thinking. Thus, special attention and competency is required to translate children's user experiences into relevant planning information. This kind of translation can be done in cooperation between youth and town planners by geographically mapping the community's provisions for children.
7.Youth Speak Out: New Voices on the Protection and Participation of Young People Affected by Armed Conflict
This report presents the findings of a series of adolescent-led field studies carried out to explore the rights and roles of youth in conflict-affected areas including Kosovo, northern Uganda, and Sierra Leone. According to the report, young people in all areas felt that their opinions were not taken into account. Where they did participate, this involvement in "decision-making and program implementation helped young people overcome feelings of social dislocation and build self-esteem, self-reliance and a new sense of identity that allowed them to heal and even thrive. Over time, their involvement in programs produced a much broader social impact, as young people applied the skills and experiences they gained in new ways, forming organizations that significantly improved the lives of their peers and whole communities."
8.Youth with Influence: The Youth Planner Initiative in Hampton, Virginia
by Cindy Carlson
This field report introduces Youth Planners - high school students in Hampton, Virginia (in the United States) - who work as city planners by creating policy, tackling issues considered important to the city's youth, staffing a commission of young people who serve as the voice of local youth, and championing their own component of the Hampton Community Plan. According to the article, this initiative has dramatically increased the opportunities for youth to have a voice in local government and the way community leaders and government officials view them. This article shares lessons about the benefits and challenges of working within an extensive system of youth civic engagement, and within a youth and adult partnership. For example, youth need guidance and support to be effective, not adults who dictate how things will be or abdicate all responsibility to them. Also, engaging young people must be an inclusive process; strategies are described for facilitating this.
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For more information related to the topic of youth participation, please click here to use our custom search tool.
In addition, archived Drum Beat with themes and/or content related to children and youth may be accessed by clicking here. For instance, youth participation as a strategy is reflected in the following issues:
Issue #158 - Voices of Youth on Unemployment
Issue #243 - Media for Children & Adolescents
Issue #359 - Youth & Sustainable Development
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THE STRATEGY, IN ACTION
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9.Youth Unite for Victory on AIDS (YUVA) - India
Inaugurated by a high-profile government official, this 5-year HIV/AIDS social mobilisation programme nonetheless relies on youth participation. For instance, more than half a million volunteers from the 7 participating youth organisations were expected to travel to different corners of the country in buses as part of a "Youth Caravan" whose goal was to spread awareness to 30,000 village clusters. Such activities rely on the full involvement of youth volunteer networks in the country, youth-led and -oriented NGOs, youth clubs, and youth development centres. These organisations are being supported and strengthened to provide youth health- and HIV-related information and services through peer education, counselling, and behaviour change communication (BCC) activities by integrating HIV education programming into their regularly scheduled and special activities. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) also figure prominently in YUVA plans; rural youth who may not have ready access to this type of media or technology are being reached through youth clubs and youth development centres, institution-based programmes, and community-based organisation (CBOs) linkages.
Click here to contact YUVA.
10.Through the Eyes of Children: The Rwanda Project - Rwanda
This photography project involves children orphaned by the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Participants, ranging in ages from 8 to 18 and hailing from the Imbabazi Orphanage, were given disposable cameras and guided to use these tools to photograph themselves and their community. The goal of the project is to share with the world the perspective of the children, to demonstrate to participants that their vision is meaningful, and to provide an opportunity to reflect on the tragedy of the genocide.
Contact Jenifer Howard or Joanne McKinney info@rwandaproject.org
11.European Youth Portal - Europe
In May 2004, the European Commission launched the European Youth Portal. Youth networks of the Commission in Europe and beyond helped to provide links to national, regional, and local websites; the portal has been updated and expanded over time. Closely associated with and supported by this portal is the YOUTH programme, EU's mobility and non-formal education programme open to young people between the ages of 15 and 25 years of age in 30 European countries. Through mobility actions, the European Voluntary Service, and actions to improve the quality of support structures for young people, the programme promotes the active participation of young people in civic society, the values of tolerance and solidarity among young people, and intercultural dialogue. One section of the portal is designated for information and exchange on this programme, which supports young people in undertaking activities together, exchanging experiences, acting as European Volunteers, and seeking training and support.
Click here for contact details.
12.Global Youth Service Day - Global
Each April, young volunteers from more than 100 countries around the world gather for a weekend-long event in their own communities to celebrate their role in, and to mobilise for continued action around, community service. Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) is a public education campaign that highlights the contributions youth make to their communities through year-round by volunteering to address community problems such as school reconstruction, environmental degradation, ethnic and religious conflict, HIV/AIDS, and violence. As part of an effort to discredit the myth of youth apathy, GYSD highlights the power of youth action by connecting with so-called "National Lead Agencies" around the world that work to involve youth as full participants in social change in their communities and countries. For instance, In China, the regional office of TakingITGlobal (TIG) is coordinating activities designed to increase youth awareness and activism towards global warming. TIG China plans to increase engagement of students in decision-making on the climate change issue, conduct awareness surveys, distribute educational booklets on college campuses, and collect signatures for a petition calling for actions to prevent the impact of climate change. It hopes to use these activities as a starting point for continued advocacy and increased awareness in the region.
Contact Benjamin Quinto benjamin@youthlink.org OR info@gysd.net
13.Millennium Development Goals - "They Are about Children!" - Ghana
This is a project developed by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to get children in the country more involved in the achievement of the MDGs. UNICEF Ghana has been working on a child-friendly printed booklet which will eventually be distributed to public schools in an effort to facilitate children's inclusion in dialogue and action on the MDGs.
Contact Dan Dzide ddzide@unicef.org
14.Youth Development and Outreach Program - Latin America and the Caribbean
Created in 1995 by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), this programme seeks to promote the participation and leadership of Latin American and Caribbean young people in the development process. The purpose is to highlight the role that young people can play in the effort to build a region with stable democracies, sustainable economies, and equitable societies. By establishing alliances with the public and private sectors, NGOs, and youth, the programme emphasises participation and leadership, entrepreneurial development, technology, and community service. One of the many activities involves facilitating communication among a regional network of youth leaders and social entrepreneurs actively engaged in socio-economic activities who serve as agents for development in their communities and countries.
Contact bidjuventud@iadb.org
15.Youth Leadership for Development Initiative (YLDI) - United States
In 1999, the Ford Foundation and the Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development set out to explore how young people benefit from involvement in civic activism and to discover new strategies and practices for youth development organisations. One of the approaches used entails group processes and consensus building; in this context, youth and adult leaders within YLDI organisations note that leadership is embodied in the ability to listen, empathise, and cooperate. Art forms like rap and hip hop music and poetry have also been used as mediums for discussion, critique, and expression, as well as to help create a shared sense of identity. In addition, youth have presented at conferences, spoken in front of city councils, and contacted community leaders. "These efforts not only built young people's knowledge, they contributed to real community change."
Contact info@theinnovationcenter.org
16.Youth OUTLOUD!! - Global
This network of youth, media, and organisations shares stories by youth for distribution in the mainstream media. Individual youth reporters work with Youth OUTLOUD! editors to communicate about life in their communities as it happens. These young reporters hail from countries throughout the world and provide timely perspectives of major events and insight into today's issues facing young people. Modelled after a syndicated news service, Youth OUTLOUD! plans to offer weekly youth-generated print stories, television packages, and radio programming.
Click here to contact Youth OUTLOUD! through an online form.
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PULSE Poll
Do you agree or disagree?
Government agencies, international organisations, and donor agencies have lost sight of the power and relevance of traditional and folk media.
[For context, please see The Drum Beat #393.]
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EVALUATING YOUTH PARTICIPATION
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17. Understanding and Evaluating Children's Participation: A Review of Contemporary Literature
by L. Ackermann, T. Feeny, J. Hart, and J. Newman
"This document examines current approaches to the evaluation of children's participation in development. Its principal focus is on children's participation in local level activities, both child-led initiatives as well as community development processes involving adults and children together. It has been undertaken as a starting point for field-based research focussed on the identification of viable quality standards for organisations implementing participatory projects and a conceptual and practical framework for the monitoring and evaluation of such projects. The discussion is based on a review of existing organisational and academic literature on child participation across the globe, and is supplemented by interview testimonies from scholars and development workers..."
18.From Consultation to Social Learning in Community Participation with Young People
by Barry Percy-Smith
This paper is an effort to support young people's participation in community development and local decision-making processes. Author Barry Percy-Smith's core argument is that - particularly in situations characterised by conflict, power, and difference between adults and young people - the strategy of simply consulting with young people as part of a neighbourhood development process is inadequate. Rather, more substantial youth participation practices, which engage community members, local government officers, and decision makers as well - and which involve genuine dialogue and mutual learning - are necessary to address deep-rooted problems. This rich type of participation is, according to Percy-Smith, an effective way to build cohesive communities with high levels of social capital that acknowledge young people as "legitimate" users of neighbourhood space. Drawing on principles of action research and participatory inquiry, the paper outlines a dialogical social learning model of participation which is described here as action- and experience-oriented, critically reflective, cooperative, and communicative. The author illustrates this approach in practice using an example from his work as a consultant in community health planning.
19.Innovative Practices of Youth Participation in Media: A Research Study on Twelve Initiatives from around the Developing and Underdeveloped Regions of the World
by Sanjay Asthana
Published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), this report offers a range of examples from Ghana, Haiti, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Somalia, South Africa, Vietnam, and Zambia that highlight various approaches and activities created by youth actively creating and using the media for social and personal development on their own terms and in their own ways. Youth, here, are understood as "protagonists who are capable of making decisions, exercising choices, and more important, as individuals who are active agents in promoting democratic processes and civic engagement." The author notes that a major influence informing contemporary discussions in critical media literacy, and shaping UNESCO's work, is ICT; as he explains, "the role of ICTs and the notion of 'media mixes' have been crucial in elaborating youth participation and involvement in the media that enable learning and education through fun and pleasure."
20.From Participation to Empowerment: Critical Reflections on a Participatory Action Research Project with Street Children in Turkey
by Anli Ataöv and Jawaid Haider
This paper explores methodologies that are based on the belief that street children are "active agents in the construction of the social reality of public space in cities and have the right to use the built environment for their survival and development." The authors illustrate this idea by detailing the communication strategies underpinning a 3-year participatory action research (PAR) project conducted with children living and working on the streets of 6 Turkish metropolitan cities. In brief, the initiative involved practitioners engaging with children through a process of understanding their life stories and their present conditions, and formulating action plans to ameliorate their current state. In the first phase of the project, the children engaged in participatory activities (with the guidance of social workers) that involved using art and other creative processes to convey their living and working conditions on the street. In short, the PAR "enabled street children to learn more about themselves, to formulate actions to improve their situation, and to gain self-confidence through carrying out these actions."
21.Community Participation to Improve Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in Burkina Faso Evaluation
The Pacific Institute for Women's Health completed an evaluation of a 4-year project implemented by Advocates for Youth, Mwangaza Action, and 3 community-based youth associations to improve the sexual and reproductive health of youth in 3 rural communities in Burkina Faso. The project's core strategy was community participation; organisers engaged community members, especially youth, in identifying youth sexual and reproductive health (YSRH) priorities and implementing interventions to address these priorities. Evaluation results indicate high levels of participation, improvements in local capacity around YSRH programming and community mobilisation, and improvements in specific YSRH areas. In particular, the peer education component of the programme was found to be successful in increasing access to information, contraception, and services for youth.
22.Reality Check on Children's Participation in the Governance of Barra Mansa, Brazil
by Marta Barceló
Established in 1998 in Barra Mansa, Brazil, the Children's Council is an effort to give children the opportunity to make decisions about their own neighbourhoods, and - within the limits of available resources - to implement these decisions. In each participating school, children's demands are discussed and proposals put forward to the delegates, who, in turn, present these proposals to the councilors. The author offers several recommendations; among them: "there should be a clear definition of the Children's Council goals and framework by children themselves. For instance, children might determine that besides developing concrete projects they would also like to participate in finding solutions to tackle long-term problems affecting their municipality." Also, "after each budgetary cycle, there should be an evaluation by children themselves..."
23.An Evaluation of the "Entre Nous Jeunes" Peer-educator Program for Adolescents in Cameroon
by Ilene S. Speizer, B. Oleko Tambashe, and Simon-Pierre Tegang
This study evaluates the Entre Nous Jeunes peer educator programme, which was designed to promote sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV-preventive behaviours in Nkongsamba, Cameroon. During the 18-month intervention period, the peer educators were able to reach a large number of young people, especially those who were sexually experienced and in need of reproductive health information. Furthermore, "[m]ultivariate analyses indicate that contact with a peer educator is statistically significantly associated with greater spontaneous knowledge of modern contraception, the symptoms of sexually transmitted infections, and greater use of modern contraceptives, including the condom. In the absence of a peer-education programme, current contraceptive use in the intervention community would have been significantly lower."
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Health Systems 20/20, a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) project that helps USAID-supported countries address health system barriers to the use of life-saving priority health services, would like to learn more about experiences of people working on the operational elements of health systems-related issues. In partnership with the Health Systems Action Network (HSAN), Health Systems 20/20 has developed two surveys to learn about experiences and challenges that constrain health systems - one for programme implementers, practitioners, and government officials and another for individuals engaged in operational research or who provide technical assistance.
Click here for more information and for access to these surveys.
Deadline for completion of the surveys is June 1 2007.
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RESOURCES FOR YOUTH PARTICIPATION
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24.Side by Side: Building and Sustaining a Culture of Youth Participation at Reprolatina
A Case Study from Southeastern Brazil
by Andrea Lynch
This is a case study of youth participation fostered by Reprolatina, a sexual and reproductive health and rights NGO based in Southeastern Brazil. The resource draws on interviews and observations conducted over several weeks to recount Reprolatina's experience translating a commitment to youth participation into a daily process of youth-adult partnership - in the staff's own words. In an effort to serve as a practical tool, it focuses on those aspects of Reprolatina's experience that do not require substantial investment. References to additional resources on youth health and rights and youth participation are listed at the end of the publication, which is offered in English as well as in multilingual editions.
25.Assessing the Quality of Youth Peer Education Programmes
This assessment tool, part of a global youth peer education toolkit from Family Health International, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and Youth Peer Education Network (Y-PEER), is designed for assessment teams, project managers, supervisors, and others seeking to assess the quality of community-based youth peer education (YPE) programmes. The tool provides instruments and a process that can help identify ways to improve the operation of YPE programmes, highlighting theatre training as the vehicle.
26.What Works in Youth Participation: Case Studies from Around the World
by Silvia Golombek
The case studies profiled in this report are diverse in terms of the local context from which they emerge, the level of "readiness" of each profiled country for youth engagement activities, and the author's life experience. But within that diversity, there are some common themes that emerge on what factors enable and encourage youth involvement in arenas traditionally reserved for adults. These factors include a shift in adults' thinking about youth; a change in young people's attitudes towards adults; and a recognition that leadership and participation are not limited or determined by age.
27.Creating Participatory Radio Drama with Children: A Facilitator's Guide
by Deborah Walter and Daniel Walter
Originally published as a chapter in a Portuguese language manual produced for the National Children's Radio Seminar in Mozambique, this guide for young facilitators and producers aims to help create radio dramas on children's issues with the active participation of children. A workshop outline provides information on how to write radio dramas, as well as how to record and create sound effects. Tips and technical information for producing high-quality dramas in various resource settings are also included.
28.Let a Thousand Voices Speak: A Guide to Youth Radio Programs in the United States...And Hints for Starting Your Own
The National Federation of Community Broadcasters (NFCB) published this book to help youth start their own radio programmes. Based on the experiences of young people from across the United States, NFCB has compiled case studies of 7 very different, successful youth radio projects. Also offered are snapshots of more than a dozen additional programmes, as well as curriculum materials for training purposes.
29.Beyond Article 12 - Essential Readings in Children's Participation
by Henk van Beers, Antonella Invernizzi, and Brian Milne (eds.)
The editors of this publication on Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child present a collection of readings on the history, theory, and practice of children's participation. The readings include legal instruments, philosophy, implementation, practice, experience, and the broad debate on what children's participation should or should not be.
30.Youth Participation Guide: Assessment, Planning, and Implementation
This guide seeks to increase the level of youth participation in reproductive health and HIV/AIDS programming at an institutional and programmatic level.
31.African Youth on the Information Highway: Participation and Leadership in Community Development
This book describes the Youth Leadership Programme for Information and Communication Technologies and Community Development in Africa (ALPID), which is designed to promote the involvement of youth in Africa's new information economy. It reviews existing infrastructure, the policy environment and its impact, and the feasibility of increased ICT applications in rural communities.
32.Making Commitments Matter: A Toolkit for Young People to Evaluate National Youth Policy
Published by the United Nations Programme on Youth, this toolkit is designed to help youth organisations and youth representatives evaluate national and community-level achievements, and gaps, in realising the goals of the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY).
33.An Annotated Guide to Technical Resources for Community Involvement in Youth Reproductive Health and HIV Prevention Programs
by Louise Palmer, Usha Vatsia, and Margaret Tipton
This compilation of resources is intended for programme staff and others who are involved with youth reproductive health/HIV prevention and community involvement issues. It includes documents, manuals, and toolkits that provide advice, approaches, and tools for involving community members, with a focus on engaging youth.
34.Theatre-Based Techniques for Youth Peer Education: A Training Manual
This training manual includes 4 peer theatre training workshops, a series of theatre games and exercises that can be used in trainings, and information on developing and building a peer theatre programme. The Introduction discusses why theatre is important for peer education for youth.
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This issue was written by Kier Olsen DeVries.
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