A cover for YouthPower Learning newsletter December 2018. On the cover is a woman posing for a picture with chickens and roosters.

Welcome!

As we wrap up 2018, we reflect on the accomplishments of our YouthPower family and look ahead to the coming year filled with new opportunities to advance the field of Positive Youth Development (PYD).  At the recent World Bank Group Global Youth Summit, we celebrated the official launch of YouthLead, a new online platform with resources and networks for and by young global changemakers. We invite all young changemakers to join today and participate in this growing network. In this issue, we highlight two youth-led projects that are featured on YouthLead.

We also produced a new online toolkit, the Youth Engagement Measurement Guide, designed for program implementers and researchers to effectively incorporate and measure youth engagement in their programs.  

Don’t miss the Aprendo y Emprendo stories on successful young entrepreneurs in Nicaragua and the K-YES stories on young women in Kenya who are breaking stereotypes in agri-business entrepreneurship and vocational training in traditionally male-held jobs.

Thank you for your continued commitment to positive youth development. We wish you a happy New Year and look forward to working with you in 2019!

-YouthPower Learning Team

NEW YOUTHPOWER RESOURCES & EVENTS

Youth Engagement Measurement Guide

Meaningful youth engagement is a key component of PYD programs. Through meaningful engagement, youth are empowered to play a vital role in their own development as well as in that of their communities. Therefore, it is important to consider how to measure the level and value of this engagement.  Building on the Youth Engagement Community of Practice brief on measuring youth engagement, YouthPower Learning has created an online guide for measuring youth engagement, complete with indicators and related measures on the individual, program/organizational, and the enabling environment level. The guide also contains a checklist for youth engagement in monitoring and evaluation, as well as additional relevant resources. 

South Africa Health Workforce Assessment

YouthPower Action has released two new health workforce learning products developed under the South Africa Health Workforce Assessment. Those include a two-page summary brief, Empowering Youth to Overcome Health Workforce Shortages, and the full report, South Africa Health Workforce Assessment. The assessment identified opportunities and challenges for youth seeking employment in health and social services in South Africa, in the context of the youth bulge and severe projected health workforce shortages. The assessment also provides practical guidance to inform programmatic strategies for preparing and linking youth to emerging careers in health and social services. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

December 20, 2018: Agrilinks 2018 Photo Challenge (Deadline)
January 15, 2019: YouthPower Learning Webinar: First, Do No Harm: Considerations for mitigating social harm risk in rolling out HIV index testing among AGYW
January 17, 2019: Reflections on USAID Youth in Development Policy
January 17-21, 2019: Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Hackathon at the MIT Media Lab
January 20-22, 2019: Global Goals Summit 2019

AROUND THE WORLD WITH YOUTHPOWER

With Technical Education, Young Entrepreneurs Launch Small Businesses

A Nicaraguan boxing champ has entered the ring as a new business owner, achieving her longtime goal of opening a training gym in Managua. Entrepreneur Leticia Caldera, 27, opened the doors of her gym five months ago. She was able to start her career as a small business owner and trainer after graduation from technical education school Centro Juvenil Don Bosco, where she earned her degree in physical conditioning and sports training. Centro Juvenil Don Bosco is one of eight technical vocational center partners receiving support from the Aprendo y Emprendo program, which seeks to improve access to and quality of technical education for at-risk youth, focusing on the vulnerable Caribbean Coast region and ethnic minorities.

Leticia, along with two other young entrepreneurs, presented their new businesses at a technical education forum and fair hosted by the Nicaraguan Network for Technical Education (RENET) during Global Entrepreneurship Week, November 12-18th, 2018. RENET, a group of educational institutions, training schools, businesses and youth-focused organizations, was established through Aprendo y Emprendo.

Elsewhere in Managua, two classmates with a passion for cooking developed their own recipe for starting a new business: combine fresh ingredients and technical know-how. Beral Morales, 17, and Katy Jiménez, 25, both students at technical education and vocational training center Fundación Victoria, are launching a business selling a unique spearmint sauce, which will soon be available in stores. Beral and Katy combined their technical knowledge to launch their company: He is studying business administration, and she’s in a food technology program. Read more about these entrepreneurs.

Contact: Evelyn Rupert: EvelynR@CreativeDC.com

West Pokot Youth in Kenya Discover Secret of Empowerment in Agri-business

Many could not believe she would reach her dream of a big enterprise back when she started off with 20 indigenous chickens, passion for the job, and an entrepreneurial mind-set. Four years later, Sheila Cherop is an enterprise in herself.  Equally important, she is transforming lives in her West Pokot County in Kenya thanks to her collaboration with the USAID Kenya Youth Employment and Skills Program (K-YES).  She is a community-level trainer who has inspired the formation of over 50 groups in her village focusing on youth development. This was after undergoing entrepreneurship training supported by K-YES Program in 2017. Collectively the youth groups own nearly 5,000 birds – an achievement that generates income, creates opportunities for others, and compliments other K-YES program interventions in the County resulting in 2,400 youth gaining new or better employment.  “It has been a long journey convincing young people to embrace agri-business.” She notes. “I had to showcase to them practically that it was a profitable venture.” Learn more. 

Contact: Sarah Mattingly: Smattingly@rti.org

Behavior Change Strategy is Unlocking Opportunities for Youth in Kenya

A garage in Western Kenya is a beehive of activity.  Workers go about their business - assembling stuff, oiling engine parts, and fixing tires.  Thirty-three year old Rose Luturian is among them. She was sponsored by the K-YES Program at the facility for a three-month competency based training and was later offered a job thanks to her exemplary performance. Her passion and feedback from clients later won their respect. Word spread fast in the community “of a lady mechanic excelling in a field dominated by men.” Her progress is part of the Program’s Behavior Change Communications Strategy that seeks to demystify negative perceptions towards vocational training and blue-collar jobs.  The Program has empowered her to take advantage of her new-found stature to motivate and inspire others. Read more.

Contact: Sarah Mattingly: Smattingly@rti.org

FEATURED PROJECTS ON YOUTHLEAD

YouthLead, the new online platform for young changemakers, continues to grow as more youth from around the world join and get involved with the site. YouthLead members can post Projects to increase the visibility of their organization or initiative. They can also express in which areas they need help and assistance. If you are looking for projects that are youth-led as potential partners, or want to provide assistance to these young changemakers, please check out the Projects. Below, we highlight two examples – visit YouthLead to learn more about these and other impactful initiatives and organizations! Feel free to invite young changemakers to join.

Academic Support and Skills for Prospering in Place

Students in Guinea can find access to 21st century e-learning through Academic Support and Skills for Prospering in Place, a program of the Jeune Espoir organization that was started by YouthLead member Sekou Mansare. The program supplements schools and educational centers with local Learning Management Systems that include corruption-proof learning management, computer-based formats of the national school curriculum, and a learning toolkit that equips youth with skills for prospering in place. Learn more about this project.

Stories Behind Success (SBS)

Stories Behind Success (SBS) is a communications agency operating in Burundi, whose mission is to educate, motivate, and inspire African youth to use their skills and talents through blogs, conferences, and educational and inspirational videos. SBS was founded by YouthLead member Darlene Keza, who was inspired after her University graduation to motivate her peers to think of entrepreneurship as a solution to youth unemployment. Learn more about this project.

NEW RESOURCES ON YOUTHPOWER.ORG

YouthPower Learning Resources

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL)

Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance

Economic Growth, Education, and Environment

Gender

Health

Agriculture

Find more resources and events at YouthPower.org. 

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