Youth Engagement in SDGs Report
Youth Engagement in SDGs Report
0 IGO)
© 2018 Asian Development Bank and Plan International UK
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On the cover: Nurul, 18, is an advocate against child marriage in her community.
(Photo by Plan International)
ii YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
What’s the evidence?
Youth engagement and the
Sustainable Development Goals
iii
Contents
List of Tables, Box, and Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Glossary of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Executive Summary�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������viii
How are young people contributing to the SDGs? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii
Where should governments and development partners invest to optimise the youth “dividend”? . . . . . x
Section 1: Introduction����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������1
Framing the study: reaching beyond youth instrumentalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Guiding research questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
How best to partner with youth? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Scope of the research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Understanding “evidence” and “value for money” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Roles, ethics, timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Criteria for country, SDG and project selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 2: Methodology��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������7
Analytical framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Desk review and field visits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Rights for civic society and youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
iv YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
The role of parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Youth ownership—promising examples emerging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Section 6: Recommendations������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 32
Recommendation 1: Pursue innovation, creativity, and risk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Recommendation 2: Build the evidence base. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Recommendation 3: Ensure that young people are brought into inner circles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Recommendation 4: Strengthen interventions that encourage civic space and accountability. . . . . . . . . 41
References��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������43
Annexes����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 44
Annex 1: Project Summaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Yes I Do Indonesia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Urban DRR Indonesia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Real Assets through Improved Skills and Education (RAISE) for Adolescent Girls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
SAFETIPIN Philippines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Malala Project – Indonesia (Bandung) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Annex 2: Research Lines of Inquiry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Research Question 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Research Question 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Research Question 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
v
List of Tables, Box, and Diagrams
Table 1: Policy and delivery lenses used by donors, agencies and civil society . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Table 2: Field Visit overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Table 3: Project goals, target groups and SDGs addressed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Table 4: What kinds of support do young people need to fulfil their future roles? . . . . . . . . . 22
Table 5: Preliminary data from the RAISE project, September 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Box 1: Adults’ perceptions of the role of young people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Diagram 1: The 4E Approach, DFID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Diagram 2: Policy Analytics Ladder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Acronyms
vi YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
Glossary of Terms
AIESEC: A global platform for young people to explore and develop their leadership
potential. They are a non-political, independent, not-for-
profit organisation led by youth between 18–30 years of age.
SDGs: On 25 September 2015, countries adopted a set of Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and
ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development
agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next
15 years.
Youth: The term “youth” and its definition are discussed in more detail in Section 3:
The Context for Youth in Asia and the Pacific.
Youth for Asia: A program, managed by ADB’s NGOC to mainstream youth participation
in ADB operations as it believes that empowered youth are innovative
and are able to support and contribute to effective development.
Acknowledgements
Plan International UK Office:
Research Team and Lead Authors:
Helen Gallagher and Sarah Huxley
vii
Executive Summary
This study represents an encouraging this. They may want to be educators; or
body of evidence, both primary and leaders engaged in changing negative
secondary, which will inform future social norms; or citizens with status,
practice and policymaking with regard to striving to reduce inequality and social
young women and men’s contributions differences within their broader and
towards the Sustainable Development intergenerational social networks,
Goals (SDGs). The learnings provide which may include parents, community
important insight that will support the leaders, project staff and governments.
design and implementation of youth This means it is imperative to explore
programming. and acknowledge, at the start of any
It examines five programs across initiative, how young people want to
three youth-focused or youth-led contribute in terms, for example, of their
organisations: Plan International UK, the roles and how these may be redefined
Asian Development Bank (ADB), and over time.
AIESEC. We found that young people, parents,
The study addressed three research non-governmental organisation (NGO)
questions: staff, government officials, and decision-
1. Understanding roles: What makers use and understand the concept
meaningful roles do young people of “value” in several ways. While this
identify with in order to help achieve may sometimes be consistent and
the SDGs? To what extent are these overlapping, it is at other times divergent.
roles influenced by gender or any We found that measuring these different
other identity? aspects of “added value” remains
2. Capturing “value add”: What evidence challenging, especially given the absence
can we find to demonstrate how of systematic methods to first identify
young people “add value”—or their and then track magnitude and direction
efficacy —and contribute towards of change. The challenge is compounded
achieving the SDGs? To what extent is by difficulties in establishing a valid
this mediated by gender or any other counterfactual case for comparison.
identity? This means that many important
3. Recommendations: What are the contributions that young people are
strategic recommendations that will making towards achieving the SDGs are
enhance how young people can undervalued, or not acknowledged at all.
contribute towards the SDGs?
How are young people contributing
The findings show that the first step in to the SDGs?
effectively harnessing young women This research shows that young women
and men’s contributions is to actively and men are already contributing
listen, acknowledge and act upon substantially towards the SDGs in the
information learned—supporting the following ways:
roles that young people want to assume
and cultivate. We found that initiatives 1 Helping deliver programs which are
often do not fully identify or support the responsive and attuned to real needs
emerging roles that young people self- and often in ways that benefit in terms
define. While young women and men of economy, efficiency, effectiveness,
often want to be peer educators, some equity and sustainability. Yet much
also express aspirations to go far beyond more needs to be done to track and
viii YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
monitor this, including purposively 3 Their ability to influence their Young people
designed comparative studies. parents, their communities and involved.
local and national government. Youth are
Marshalling hidden assets and Young people don’t just want to part the
sometimes unexpected contributions, be peer educators—they can be Safer Cities
including: highly effective educators, advisors, program
and managers across generations. in Ha Noi,
2 The ability of young women and men
For example, in terms of achieving Viet Nam.
to seek out partnerships, network
SDG 5 on Gender, young people are (Photo by Plan
and build alliances, both within
already influencing the views of their International)
and between generations. They
parents, their teachers, and the wider
identify with and act as connectors
community. But this is not always
or “mobilisers”—in person, online
acknowledged, let alone tracked.
and in public and private spheres.
There is an untapped role that young 4 Their capabilities to contribute
people may identify with in terms towards development policies
of communicating the message of or legislation that supports the
the SDGs, contributing towards their achievement of all 17 SDGs—with
monitoring and holding governments particular regard to imagining what
to account, as well as mobilising might happen in the future (Diagram
others to contribute as active citizens. 3) and envisioning how national policy
This has big implications for SDG 17 on development, implementation and
Partnerships, as well as the “Leave no tracking might be done differently.
one behind” agenda.
ix
Smiles and hope.
Emergency
Assistance
programs
support young
people following
Typhoon
Yolanda in the
Philippines.
(Photo by ADB)
x YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
some cases spear-heading, but that Young people who participated
existing monitoring and evaluation in the research frequently cited
learning systems are not always able violence in its many forms, including
to capture these contributions. There corruption and the misuse of power,
is a need for more targeted data to as an issue of concern to them. Some,
fully comprehend what works and but not all, of the interventions in
what does not. This data should cover the study included an accountability
the areas identified in the “Building component, however many of the
Blocks” text box in the conclusion of young people we interviewed were
this report. There is also a need to clearly poised to take on a “bigger
critique and share experiences of both role” in relation to decision-making—
successful and less successful policies with the caveat that they wanted
and programs, from local to national support to do so.
levels, as well as across countries.
• Give young people a seat at spaces For youth to be effective active citizens,
and places of influence. Our findings they need to understand how political
suggest that a very wide range of and economic decisions are made
young people are ready, willing and recognise the huge part that they,
and able to be a part of bigger individually and collectively, can play in
conversations about their lives and contributing to improving accountability
their futures. Achievement of the at all levels. By taking an informed
SDGs will be accelerated if there is a and active role in accountability
strong commitment to listen to, act mechanisms, young people’s current
upon and respect the voices of young mistrust of politics, private-sector
women and men of different classes, operations and civic institutions can
ages, socio-economic conditions and be reduced. Given the opportunity,
abilities. This is especially so thanks young people—especially youth-led
to youth skills and capabilities in groups and organisations operating
network and movement building, at the grassroots—can be a powerful
both within and between generations. force in safeguarding transparency and
Policymakers must therefore ensure accountability. Such groups are more
that young women and men are likely to be responsive to the needs of
brought within the inner circles of the youth cohort they represent and
decision-making, including with offer greater possibilities to unleash the
governments, the private sector and creativity and innovation of youth.
civil society. It’s time for forward thinking.
• Strengthen programs that safeguard
civic space and improve institutional
good governance and accountability.
xi
Section 1: Introduction
The report starts with a brief introductory Youth rights are human rights, as laid
background in Section 1, explaining out in the United Nations Human
the research and the approach taken; Rights Declaration.5
this is followed by Section 2 on the • Consulting young people means
methodology; and subsequently Section that decisions are informed by their
3, which looks at the context for young experiences and perspectives and so
people in Asia and the Pacific. The report are likely to have a greater impact—
then moves on to present the findings on often expressed as “nothing about us,
“roles” in Section 4 and the findings on without us”.6
“value add” in Section 5. Finally, Section 6 • By including young people, they
presents the conclusion—responding to themselves are more likely to become
the research questions and outlining the active citizens—with skills, knowledge
main recommendations drawn from the and motivation to contribute to
findings. their communities and countries
throughout their lives.7,8
Framing the study: reaching beyond Yet the evidence can be patchy or
youth instrumentalism inconclusive. This research aims to
Governments, private institutions explore what the “evidence” and “value
and development agencies are often add” of young people’s engagement in
told by youth-focused1 and youth-led community development and ultimately
organisations that young people have “a towards the achievement of the SDGs,
role to play” in contributing towards the means and looks like. Not just from the
achievement of the SDGs.2 For example, viewpoint of those “in power”—NGO
“Asia and the Pacific includes over 700 staff, managers and donors—but also
million 15–24 year-olds whose needs, from the perspective of a defined group
skills and ambitions hold unprecedented of young people themselves.
potential for economic, social and Policymakers are in danger of
environmental progress”.3 Yet what is the overly instrumentalising youth and
evidence for this? focusing only on how to capitalise on
The literature review shows that the “demographic dividend”. They
supporting strong roles for young may perceive young people one-
people—in all their diversity—so dimensionally, as a huge untapped
that they can be involved in creating resource simply to be used. This policy
and delivering local and national narrative is counter-posed against
development priorities, is often cited as another equally narrow discourse that
important for three main reasons4: sees “youth as threats”. Young men who
• It is young people’s right to participate are left to their own devices, who are
in the decisions that affect them. not part of any policy or programmatic
1
Table 1: Policy and Delivery Lenses Used by Donors, Agencies, and Civil Society
Capability and Entitlements to services are often not delivered unless young people (YP) are
empowerment active in transforming their own circumstances. “Youth voice”, co-creation, civil,
(assets-based) political, collective and cultural rights are all synonymous with this approach.
YP’s agency equates with an understanding of equity and welfare that is
subject to change based on any given context. YP create, contribute and make a
difference.a The practical effect of this approach is that the initiative will expand
as youth inform and engage other peers beyond its intended scope.
Equity and An equity and welfare approach focuses on basic human needs or welfare
welfare and socio-economic rights. Often this is a cross-sectoral approach, so not only
focused on attainment in formal education or employment, skills and jobs. It
may also examine inequity, youth poverty and social safety nets. It is concerned
with addressing structural barriers and may often involve a political-economy
analysis. The practical effect of this approach is that broader contextual factors
which may pose a risk to initiatives are often identified and managed in
advance. For example, the lack of young women attending school may be the
result of harassment on the way to school or lack of privacy in toilets.
Customer- YP are consumers of youth services and services themselves represent products
service and to deliver. This responds to a perceived quality gap and includes a lack of
product personalisation in terms of both service delivery and how YP are related to. The
development “services as products” approach has its own risks: it may undermine relationships
and accountability is often weak or non-existent. The practical effect of this
approach is that value is only placed on goods rather than the quality of social
networks and relationships; it can undermine YPs own ability to create and shape
their own identities.
Instrumentalist The YP as “human resources” for growth approach prioritises cost-saving
over quality and focuses less on YP’s need for sustainable livelihoods, self-
empowerment and connectedness. It prioritises absorption into micro-structures
such as training and employability rather than macro structures, such as
economic and social empowerment. YP are viewed as assets in themselves,
rather than citizens for whom assets are mobilised. The practical effect of this
approach is a total disengagement of YP with other generations, and potential for
breakdown in social cohesion.
Deficit or Youth as a “problem” foregrounds the social problems that YP face, such as drug
threat abuse, crime and illiteracy. It is less concerned with structural factors that cause
these social problems and instead personalises failures. Therefore it significantly
underplays YP’s agency as problem-solvers and creators of positive change. The
practical effect of this approach is that YP are not consulted or only minimally
engaged, and viewed merely as target beneficiaries. This is likely to result in a
lack of ownership from YP, and ultimately a breakdown in sustainability.
Source:
a British Council and SALTO Youth, (2017) ‘Young people and extremism: a resource pack for youth workers’.
2 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
intervention, are assumed to pose a towards using a capability, equity and Youth and
national security threat due to their welfare lens. preparedness.
perceived tendency towards civil Students are
disobedience.9 The evidence for both Guiding research questions practicing as
perspectives is patchy and controversial, The guiding research questions were: a search and
especially among young people 1 Understanding roles: What rescue team
themselves, many of whom still feel meaningful roles do young people during a safety
marginalised. identify with in order to help achieve drill in Yangon.
Table 1 provides an overview of five the SDGs? To what extent are these (Photo by Plan
common policy and delivery lenses roles influenced by gender or any International)
used in youth engagement initiatives. other identity?
The approaches are not necessarily 2 Capture “value add”: What evidence
mutually exclusive, but rather serve to can we find to demonstrate how
unpack the biases that each individual young people “add value” through
or organisational culture is promoting. their efficacy and contribute towards
It is thus a useful analytical tool to achieving the SDGs? To what extent is
enable an agency to take a step back this mediated by gender or any other
and assess if and how policy and identity?
programs are being made, using these 3 Recommendations: What are the
underlying assumptions. Furthermore, strategic recommendations that will
it also indicates what effects any given enhance how young people can
approach may have on achieving results. contribute towards the SDGs?
It aims to caution against an over-
emphasis on deficit and instrumentalist
approaches and move policymakers
3
Three organisations worked together: but they can also take us further. This is
ADB, Plan International UK and its Asia important at a national level and goes
Regional Office (ARO), and AIESEC.10 beyond the targets set in the SDGs.
10 Plan International Annual Report 2017; AIESEC Annual Report 2017-2018; and the ADB 2017 Annual Report.
11 UNESCAP, (2015) ‘Switched On: Youth at the Heart of Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific’.
12 Andrea Cornwall/ EMpower, (2012) ‘Girls’ Voices, Girls’ Priorities: Participatory, Innovative Tools for Capturing
Girls’ Realities and Understanding Changes in their Lives’.
13 Engagement and participation are used interchangeably in this report.
14 Whilst Hart’s (1992) model of ‘Genuine Youth Participation’ draws from the theoretical foundations of
Arnstein’s (1969) ladder of citizen participation. There are many more nuanced models such as Treseder
(1998), and DFID-CSO three lens approach (2010).
4 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
The recommendations section will pick and other stakeholders. This perspective Girls lead.
up on future steps to build an evidence offers different opinions about the Mishti, 18, is
base from both a donor- and youth- contributions young people bring, part of Plan
centric perspective. perhaps highlighting other aspects of International’s
“value” and “evidence”. Girl Power
Understanding “evidence” and “value We also note that evidence may Project in
for money” have several levels and that it may be Bangladesh
Evidence: The research assessed the single most critical ingredient in working to
available evidence, linked to a subset of decision-making by governments. develop and
programs and interventions supported Decision-makers will ask other empower self-
by the three partners, to understand questions too. The literature suggests dependent young
the types of advantages that young that “evidence” of what works is only one women.
people generate both for themselves variable that affects how policymakers (Photo by Plan
and their wider community. In other take decisions and that policymaking is in International)
words, how young people themselves fact a rather messy business. “There is no
articulate “adding value” and what ‘policy cycle’ in which to inject scientific
types of evidence they consider valid evidence at the point of decision.”15
and reliable in support of this. We The package of projects presented
looked briefly at this question from offers a variety of types and quality
the perspective of those the work is of data as “evidence” of results and
intended to benefit, which may extend achievements as well as weaknesses
beyond youth to include governments and an opportunity to sift carefully
5
through this available evidence, and When considering “value add” and
look at strengths and gaps within it. It youth engagement we also need to
is important to note that this is not a consider that there are two pathways to
process of comparing programs with impact:
or without, or before and after youth
engagement. But if stakeholders want a) How young women and men’s
to pursue this, the recommendations engagement changes or adds to
provide suggestions. identified changes and outcomes, on
Value for Money: In order to assess either other young people as a target
impact, we can look at some widely group—by, for example, reducing
recognised frameworks. The concepts unwanted teenage pregnancy—or on
of “value for money” (VfM) and “results” another vulnerable target group such
remain high on the political agenda as indigenous or disabled people.
and are a consistent priority for many b) Changes within the youth participants
donors and national governments. themselves, such as personal growth.
Aligned with scepticism about aid and
its impact, decreasing public support In this introductory chapter, we
and acute fiscal constraints in many have reflected on the importance of
“traditional” donor countries, the results examining what “good” evidence is
agenda and focus on VfM can be viewed and concluded that whilst normative
as a genuine attempt to challenge the definitions such as the VfM framework
“aid sceptics” and demonstrate that of the Department for International
aid is a good investment yielding real Development (DFID) offer a useful
impact. However, if results and VfM are starting point, they cannot be the final
interpreted and quantified in narrow definition. This is especially so when
terms, they fail to capture the complexity working with often marginalised groups,
of development and the challenging such as young women and men. We now
contexts in which aid is and should be turn to an overview of the methodology,
delivered. This can result in insufficient in particular outlining the country and
consideration or value given to harder- project selection and creation of the
to-quantify aspects of development, analytical framework.
such as, empowerment, gender equality,
human rights, institutional reform and
strengthening.
6 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
Section 2: Methodology
The research started with a desk review Plan International UK took the role
of relevant literature and of documents of overall project management and
provided by the three supporting oversight and Plan International Asia
partners. The overall approach was Regional Office (ARO) identified a point
then qualitative, with an emphasis on person for in-region coordination.
participatory tools that would allow the Terms of reference were agreed for
research team to collect information Plan International Country Offices
from a range of stakeholders and most identified (Indonesia and the Philippines)
particularly the young people who had covering mainly consent, logistics and
themselves been a part of the identified administrative functions. The research
projects. adhered to Plan International’s evaluation
standards and ethical and protection
Roles, ethics, timeline protocols. The YSC were mobilised in
Broadly the researchers took early June 2017 and the researcher team
responsibility for drafting and leading started at the end of June. Field trips
the research design. This included: spanned late August to early September
leading the field trips and recording 2017.
findings; and producing key deliverables
such as the inception report, analytical Criteria for country, SDG and project
framework for selection and comparison selection
of interventions and SDGs and delivering A key role for the YSC was to identify
the final report. A Youth Steering up to four countries in Asia where the
Committee (YSC) provided inputs as research could take place based on
mutually agreed, including review and criteria agreed with Plan International
feedback on the desk review, inception UK.16 In addition, the YSC helped identify
reports, analytical framework and tools potential interventions or projects within
and the final report, as well as liaising each identified country and proposed
with wider networks to support the which SDGs to focus on.
logistics of the field trips.
16 Plan International, AIESEC, and ADB have a presence and strong capacity; strong youth programming track
record by development agencies; youth positive/friendly governments; potential for implementing final
research recommendations and scaling up youth programmatic work at a national level.
7
The YSC recommended that SDG based on a matrix that compared the Towards
4 on Quality Education, SDG 5 on respective country’s youth population, economic
Gender Equality, SDG 8 on Decent youth civic participation and Global empowerment.
Work and Economic Growth and SDG Youth Development Index ranking. YSC Trainees learn
17 on Partnerships should be the main members expressed the importance dressmaking
focus. The researchers included a “wild of having a considerably large youth at a training
card” category to allow for inclusion population in the selected countries. centre run by
of interventions successfully engaging Once that was established, youth activity Bangladesh
youth as actors, but outside of the above in those countries was monitored using Garment
four SDGs—sexual health, Disaster the Global Youth Development Index Manufacturers
Risk Reduction (DRR), and climate Rating, which measures the overall and Exporter.
change. Since most of the projects in wellbeing and status of youth across (Photo by ADB)
the research were designed and started the countries. The YSC emphasised the
implementation before the SDGs were inclusion of youth civic participation to
fully in place they were more aligned to ensure that youth in selected countries
the MDGs and the “fit” to specific SDGs or were not only able to contribute, but
SDG targets is not always exact. However, were also actively engaging with their
in Table 3, which presents the final group communities.
of projects included in the research, we The YSC was able to shortlist four
also show the SDGs that their intended countries: Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and
results mapped on to most closely. the Philippines.
One criterion was each organisation’s
Country selection: The YSC agreed on capacity to provide in-country support
the following countries to be the main during the research study, determined
focus for the research: the Philippines after consultation with respective
and Indonesia. Initially, the YSC members country teams. Plan International
narrowed down the 48 countries in Asia Nepal and Plan International Pakistan
8 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
showed an interest in participating yet have results to show. Hence each
in the research study but Youth for organisation did not have an equal
Asia (YfA), ADB, and AIESEC noted that number of projects to explore and
their presence in both countries was review.
not so strong and they had few or no Projects were also selected based on
projects available for the research. practical motivations. (See Annex 1 for an
The Philippines and Indonesia were overview of the projects and Table 3 for
suitable due to the strong presence information on the target group of youth
of ARO and YfA in the respective and the mechanisms for engagement in
countries. Moreover, for the Philippines, each of the five projects analysed.)
having YSC members from both
organisations based in country would Analytical framework
make coordination and support for the The analytical framework ensured that
research easier. the three research questions would
be answered. The YSC and research
Project Selection: Projects were initially partners were invited to comment on
put forward by Plan International, the researchers’ initial draft and the
ADB and AIESEC based on their Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and
demonstration of: Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were
1 A solid chain of project designed to help populate the finally
documentation from inception agreed framework. The framework was
through to reviews and piloted and offers Plan International, ADB
evaluations; and other organisations a practical tool
2 Relevance to at least one of the to help assess youth contributions and
four SDGs of the research and; “value add” to SDG outcomes (Annex 2).
3 That they already show indications
of value and contributions via Desk review and field visits
youth engagement in any aspect A desk review of secondary data
of the intervention (project) cycle. was carried out in June and July
2017 to situate this research in the
It was then an iterative process that broader thematic area and inform the
consisted of YSC internal discussions, methodology and tools. Additionally the
followed by joint discussions among YSC helped with sourcing background
the YSC, researchers and country focal information and specific project
points. It is important to recognise that documents, including evaluations and
each organisation is at a different stage assessments.
in its trajectory with youth engagement, The aim of the field visits was to fill
and has a different focus or avenue the gaps in secondary data on programs
in exploring youth engagement. For in the country selection matrix; gather
AIESEC the emphasis is on the personal young women and men’s own views of
development of the international their contributions (or “value add”) and
volunteer. For Plan International to explore the notion of what “evidence”
UK, the emphasis is on longer term looks like from their perspectives.
development programs that work with The field visits, over five working
young people to achieve community days, allowed for some validation and
focused outcomes and in some instances triangulation of data across different
personal outcomes too. Whereas ADB is stakeholders including youth, project
as at the beginning of exploring youth staff, national and local government
engagement and so noted that there officials and explored what did or did not
are new or nascent projects that didn’t work well.
9
Selection of the focus projects was Key informant interviews: These were
an iterative process among researchers, conducted with internal and external
Plan International UK staff, YfA and stakeholders including government
AIESEC representatives in country and officials, civil society representatives, ADB
with the identified point-person in staff and consultants, Plan International
each country. A number of relevant and National Office (NO) and Country Office
interesting projects were identified and (CO) staff, school officials, partner
then scanned to determine the amount Community Based-Organisations (CBOs)
and quality of data and information and AIESEC alumni. Most interviews
available that would allow for some were in-person and if that was not
systematic feasibility analysis prior to the possible then via Skype. Members of
field trips. The researchers relied on Plan the YSC worked closely with the senior
International Country Office (CO) focal researchers to take notes, observe initial
points to facilitate meeting venues and sessions and facilitate some sessions
other support services. The exact number directly, including the focus group
of in-country FGDs and KIIs17 was based discussions with AIESEC in Indonesia.
on the number of projects identified, In Section 3 we turn to the context. We
their location and the availability of look at some of the issues that affect and
participants for FGDs or KIIs. are of importance to all young people
Focus groups: Guidelines for focus and then look in more detail at Asia and
groups were developed and project the Pacific which was the geographical
staff were requested to identify a cross- focus for this research. We introduce the
section of five or six participants per projects that were included in Indonesia
session and encouraged to make the and the Philippines and look briefly at the
sessions sex specific. A separate, slightly kinds of young people who participated
amended set of focus group questions in them.
was used with AIESEC to reflect the
nature of their work. In total, 13 FGDs
were conducted across a number of
countries with a total of 97 young
participants of which 56 were female.
17 Focus groups and key informant interviews were deemed the most appropriate methodology, in order
to extract and collate a range of subjective findings, and pragmatically to fit the operational context of
compressed timeframes.
10 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
Section 3: The Context for Youth in Asia
and the Pacific
Asia and the Pacific covers a vast and
varied area. In this section we identify “the political and policy context within
some common issues that affect the lives which civil society organisations (CSOs)
of youth and look at some that may be operate, with particular interest paid to
more pertinent to the current Asia and areas that can be controlled by the State
the Pacific context and to the young and that relate to governance”.18
people participating in the identified Is there freedom of access to
interventions. Members of the Youth information? Freedom of assembly
Steering Committee helped to draft this and so on? These basic rights are Modern
section. fundamental enablers; if youth women’s work.
engagement is to be truly allowed to Participants in
Rights for civic society and youth flourish and have an impact. In the the Skills for
Contextual factors are always crucial countries studied, CIVICUS has ranked Employment
in determining what impact any these rights as “being obstructed”. So Investment
development intervention has. Hence there are some freedoms and liberties, Program
this was an important aspect of the but not all. Open societies are thus a in Thailand
analytical framework and in particular broader contextual dynamic that must learn how to
acknowledging the level of civic society be encouraged and sought after if use a leather
space, as defined by CIVICUS as: youth engagement can truly flourish in machine.
contributing towards the SDGs. (Photo by ADB)
11
Defining “youth” Diversity—gender, inclusion, and
There is no globally agreed definition of intersectionality
“youth” and “young people”. The United Gender and other axes of identity (e.g.
Nations defines “youth” as between 15 disabilities) affect and limit young
and 24 years inclusive, while Article 1 people’s choices and opportunities and
of the Convention on the Rights of the require change in social norms, attitudes,
Child (CRC) defines “children” as persons behaviours at many levels—individual,
up to 18. Therefore there is an overlap family, community and institutional.
for those aged 15–18 who are children, Young people therefore find themselves
older adolescents and youth.19 Plan in a rapidly evolving world, negotiating
International uses “youth” for young forms of personal and group identity
people of all genders aged 15–24, AIESEC and sub-cultures. For the purposes of
focuses on young leaders aged 18–30, this research we collected information
which is also the focus group of youth on a variety of youth—diverse in terms
for ADB. 20 But age alone does not define of gender, age and background—from
“youth”. For many young people and Indonesia and the Philippines.
their societies it is a period of transition Table 3 presents the five projects
in the life cycle—a period when young analysed, their goals, main target groups
people take on greater financial, family and SDGs addressed.
and communal responsibilities. But, The concept of intersectionality helps
youth are not simply adults in the us understand how power is unequally
making; rather it is a time in a person’s distributed. An intersectional lens
life cycle when they have specific roles, means we recognise women and girls as
rights, needs and capabilities. diverse groups with distinct and varying
In Asia, as in other parts of the world, needs. Originally the term described
“young people create their own cultures, how race and gender intersect as forms
distinct from, embedded in, or in of oppression, but use has broadened
opposition to the dominant cultures”. 21 to encompass additional social factors.
Young people have their own conceptual Many groups face vulnerabilities that
understandings of who they are, what reflect the intersections of racism,
role they see for themselves in the world, sexism, class oppression, transphobia, or
as well as ascribed roles and structures able-ism. The Association for Women’s
and barriers that wider society construct Rights in Development describes
around them. Young people often intersectionality as an analytical tool
carry a burden, or experience a societal for “studying, understanding and
tension with adults and organisations responding to the ways in which gender
that want to mould them in some way. intersects with other identities and
It is no coincidence that as the world how these intersections contribute to
moves into a period of transition there is unique experiences of oppression and
increased interest and focus on “youth privilege. It is therefore an indispensable
development”; young people are often methodology for development and
at the epicentre of societal angst— human rights work”. 22
portrayed as either villains or saviours.
19 Young people aged 15-18 enjoy specific protections under the CRC with evolving capacities a key area: having
their views taken into account in accordance with age and maturity. This implies that social protection or
safeguarding and young people’s own positive risk taking are brought into appropriate balance.
20 In the Philippines, youth is defined as being aged 15 to 30.
21 Nilan P. et al., (2006) ‘Global Youth: Hybrid Identities and Plural worlds’. Routledge.
22 AWID, (2004) ‘Intersectionality: A Tool for Gender and Economic Justice’.
12 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
Table 3: Project Goals, Target Groups and SDG Addressed
Project Place Project Goal & Mechanism for youth Target Group SDG
engagement for “Youth Address-
Engagement” ed
1. RAISE Samar, Marginalised children and adolescents Youth Peer SDG 3,
The (aged 10-19), especially girls, access Educators SDG4
Philippines and complete primary or transition (in July 2017, and
to secondary school and access 216 Female SDG5
opportunities to enhance personal and and 15 male
social assets and make better life choices.
Main mechanisms for engaging
young people:
First round Youth Peer Educators are
identified by teachers and trained,
especially on adolescent sexual and
reproductive health (ASRH), to cascade
knowledge and advice out to their
peers in and out of school. A smaller
cohort of youth focus on working in the
community with their peers who are
members of Barangay Youth Councils.
2. Safetipin Young people use a map-based mobile 144 (89 Female SDG11
Manila, application to collect safety- and transport- and 55 Male) and
The related information from night urban audit Youth Data SDG5
Philippines “walks” and generate safety scores. Collectors,
15–25 years old
Main mechanisms for engaging
young people:
YfA reached out to all volunteer
networks in Manila to identify willing
to participate over a short period in a
series of safety audits in their localities
using mobile phones.
3. Urban Strengthen disaster resilience via 150 youth SDG 11
DRR Jakarta, community-based actions among ambassadors and
Indonesia urban poor. Engage youth, community, 48 Female SDG 13
households, local and national and 102 Male;
government. 21 youth
facilitators
Main mechanisms for engaging
(7 Female and
young people:
14 Male)
Identified Youth Ambassadors receive
extensive training on DRR and how to
map risks and draw up contingency
plans and are expected to interact with
peers, families, local officials and at-
13
Project Place Project Goal & Mechanism for youth Target Group SDG
engagement for “Youth Address-
Engagement” ed
14 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
Challenges of youth in Asia and the one, challenges youth face in the region
Pacific and two, motivations and priorities.
Asia and the Pacific has 2.2 billion While the heterogeneity of young
individuals under the age of 30 and people is of critical importance, some
60% of the global youth population, large scale surveys have attempted to
making it the most youthful region in look at common themes and concerns of
the world. 23 People under 30 represent young people.
nearly 50% of the total population.
In some countries they exceed 50%
of the total. 24 Among ADB’s member Key issues in Asia and the Pacific’s fast-
countries, 66% of youth live in low- changing development landscape (ADB)
middle-income and 12% in low-income
- Lower middle-income Asia constrained
countries. 25 Regional efforts are needed
by poverty and growing inequality,
to create environments conducive to
especially gender
youth participation, engagement and
- Climate change-related and
development via education, health,
environmental vulnerability and fragility
employment and reduced exposure to
- Young people are the world’s largest
negative activities. 26 A glaring challenge
group of migrants
is equitable access to decent jobs. In
- Rapid urbanisation and insufficient
2017 youth unemployment in the region
infrastructure
was 11%, almost three times that of
- Weak private sector development and
adult unemployment. The proportion
skills, technology and productivity gaps
of employed youth who are living
- Demographic change and youth
below the poverty threshold is 25%
unemployment a,b
in Southeast Asia, 15% in East Asia.
- Weak governance and poor quality of
Gender inequality is a further challenge
institutions c
manifested over a range of life issues:
incidence of and acceptability of intimate
partner violence; disparities in access
Sources:
to and learning outcomes in secondary a Morris, E. / ILO (2006) ‘Globalization and its effects on
and tertiary education; incidence of
youth employment trends in Asia’.
child marriage; disparities in women’s b Clarence, (2016), ‘Istambay: A sociological analysis of
representation in government and
youth inactivity in the Philippines’.
persistent gender wage gaps. c UNDP, (2014) ‘Youth and Democratic Citizenship in East
Young people’s development
and South-East Asia.’
priorities largely depend on individual
lived experiences. An educated, middle-
class, male student will have different The United Nations’ “My World” survey
development priorities compared with (with 7 million voters) was conceived
a rural, young mother in the same as a tool to capture citizen voices and
country. But we can attempt to illustrate ideally allow a range of different voices,
commonalities via two major themes: priorities and views across various ages,
15
Voice on ink.
Maya shares her
views during a
session at her
local Adolescent
Friendly Space in
Dolakha, Nepal.
(Photo by Plan
International)
27 ODI Blog: My World January 2013 to September 2015; accessed 16 August 2017, https://www.odi.org/
projects/2638-my-world
16 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
Section 4: The Research Findings on
Understanding Roles
We now turn to the findings for the
first research question on understanding Younger age groups, across the sexes,
roles—what meaningful roles do young identified with the role of being a “learner”
people identify with in order to help whereas older-age cohorts generally
achieve the SDGs? saw their roles as being focused on
This section will present findings with |mentoring.” Acknowledging roles and
regard to young women and men’s how they may develop will ultimately
emergent roles, identify promising have implications on sustainability, issues
examples of youth ownership and discuss of ownership and effectiveness towards
the significance of parents’ roles. Finally it achieving the SDG targets.
will discuss specific findings related to age,
gender and diversity. Findings relating to age, gender and
Working with young people means diversity
understanding that young people’s
identities are continually being renewed Age disaggregation
and recreated. Young people are defining Age-cohort disaggregation data was not
what they believe in, how they want to evident in the Philippines and Indonesia,
contribute, or not, to society and how nor is it often built into project design,
they relate to others. This means it is both in terms of initiatives examined for
imperative to acknowledge at the start of this research and in the youth sector in
any initiative how young people want to general. This lack of age disaggregation to
contribute, find their roles and see how inform design and impact, is an identified
they may be redefined in the process. weakness of the current SDG target
A number of organisations have been indicators.
looking at roles with or for youth in
relation to the SDGs.28 While some roles Selection and representation
are aligned between staff and young Which young people are selected or
participants, there are certainly collectively identified to be included in project
and self-defined roles that staff may not activities is an important consideration.
be aware of, or that existing projects are Our findings show that a distinction is
unable to fully explore or support. often made between those who need
to benefit from the project— that is, the
“I remember seeing moments when poor, vulnerable and marginalised — and
young people, at the Urban DRR those seen as having higher “potential” to
contribute. All of the projects specified the
project specifically, showed some number or proportion of male and female
discontentment with the way power is participants. This varied from female only,
to more female than male, to a 50:50 split.
distributed within the project—as if Young women participated in the FGDs
they wanted to work on more things in roughly equal numbers as male youth
and were seen to be as active as their male
and have more agency then what was peers. While project design processes
‘given’ by Plan and partners.” may give selection or target group due
Youth Steering Committee researcher consideration, there was a notable gap
17
in terms of reviewing this intermittently “For boys there is an expectation to
throughout. Is an intervention reaching
out or connecting to all those who may
have a job and girls are expected to
want to be a part of it? support their family at home,”
Youth Ambassadors and youth leaders
in the words of a government official in
tend to be selected and identified by
Jakarta.
adults such as teachers, committees,
staff. This selection process is usually
Social change takes time; traditional
based on unsystematic and rather
ways of thinking and acting are
opaque criteria such as “willingness”,
embedded and change slowly. Gender
“volunteerism”, “potential”, or “high
stereotypes, in particular, emerged in
achievement”. Potentially, then, we are
many of the mainly adult discussions.
excluding the very people who most need
Most of the projects either identified
new opportunities and support. These
only girls as the main focus or mentioned
are the young people who could help us
“especially girls” in planning documents.
reach others like them who are the stated
It is also noted that in execution the
focus of many projects. Further, we are
focus on girls may get lost. For example,
increasing the gap between them and
the final Urban DRR report (July 2017)
those who are participating.
consistently disaggregates all data by
A United States Agency for
gender and this suggests that, “for almost
International Development (USAID) study
every training and activity, participation
notes that “the process by which youth
of young men was higher than for young
are chosen to participate is an important
women”. However, this apparently wide
factor in their legitimacy as youth
deviation from the original project
representatives. The process of choosing
intentions and an explanation for it, does
members can be highly politicised. Often
not appear in the narrative report.
youth are appointed by government
All of the projects in the research had
officials, not by their peers… selecting
a focus on the inclusion of young girls
youth through a fair and transparent
and women, but project documents
process is a promising practice for
paid less attention to some of the
increasing representativeness in youth
barriers to participation that young
leadership.”29
women specifically are likely to face.
Gender and sexual identity These may include existing or increased
restrictions on young women’s mobility
Those doing the selection may hold
and increased demands on their time
strong opinions about the role of different
due to expectations that they take on
kinds of young people that influence the
more domestic burdens. Apart from the
selection or nomination process. Adult
Urban DRR report, we did not find the
selectors may also have preconceived
issue of reduced opportunities for young
notions of the young women who do
women to engage with the projects, and
participate, which in turn can affect
to stay engaged with them to be strongly
how these young women are able to be
highlighted in project reporting.30
involved and their levels of comfort about
It is vitally important to ensure that
participating:
29 USAID, (2014) ‘Youth Engagement in Development: Effective approaches and action orientated
recommendations for the Field’.
30 Young women who took part in the FGDs did not specifically raise the issue of differences between
themselves and their male peers as a barrier (but we need to bear in mind that these were the young
women who were present – and that those who were absent would have a different experience to share).
The research did not include home visits, which might have allowed the views of less active/visible youth
participants (especially young women) to be included in the findings.
18 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
young women do not get left out, or if informants for adults or parents. This is Unshakable
selected, that they continue to have the an important learning: young people bond. Girls
opportunity to participate in all activities. often want to be peer educators, but play outside
Moving into leadership or higher visibility they can also be educators within their their damaged
roles would be an example. It is also wider social networks, including for school in
important to keep checking that it is adults. Dolakha, Nepal.
not only the relatively privileged young Young people who participated in (Photo by Plan
people, based on gender, education, FGDs perceive themselves as having International)
class, location, who have opportunities to broader and evolving roles, entwined
participate. with seeking higher status. These
roles were not always conceived of
Exploring young people’s emergent by either project staff or the young
and adaptive roles people themselves in the initial stages.31
Several participants in programs, male Equally, many in this research perceive
and female, noted that at the start of themselves as an intrinsic part of
joining a program they had not thought society—as contributing in some way.
through how they would like to be Furthermore, several programs resulted
involved. Interestingly, most said that in challenging stereotypical roles and
while their responsibilities might have gendered norms, especially by young
been outlined, no rights were discussed. women.
Roles emerged and covered a variety of Young women in the Philippines
aspects: including being educators and mentioned that after involvement with
31 During FGDs there were two questions – one to capture intended roles, and another to understand the
actual roles that young people took on, and wanted to take on. FGD participants were not always clear of
this distinction, or translation did not make this clear.
19
the project “their dreams had become “Older youth can have a role
bigger” and that they had changed their
career aspirations. Previously they had
more similar to adults. They can
not considered that women could have be the bridge, youth make the
wider career goals.
communication between adult and
“Before being a YPE, I thought I’d try children easier.”
Male community member, Indonesia
to be a teacher; now I am planning to
be a police woman.” “I tell my parents a bit about what I
“I think I can be a good lawyer and am doing but just very simply. They
maybe go into politics.” just want me to do well in my university
Female focus group participants, studies. They are not so interested in
rural Philippines
working for the rights of others.”
The role of parents Male focus group discussion
In almost every focus group discussion participant, Indonesia
or interview the topic of parents came Just as young people are aware that
up. Young people frequently told us that there may be some dissonance between
the first level of support they needed what they are learning in the projects
when getting involved in the projects and the “outside” prevailing ideas
and taking on new roles was from their of what youth need to know, so are
parents.32 Project staff were also keenly parents trying to make some internal
aware of the importance of connecting adjustments to reconcile some of these
with parents and ensuring that they perceived contradictions.
were supportive of what their daughters
and sons were doing, but also noted
“Yes, I want my daughter to continue
that this is a challenge. In conservative education, but there is a risk here
environments (for example the “Yes I
Do” implementation areas in Central
in this community. What if she
Java, Indonesia) religion and tradition cannot find a husband? This is our
influence social norms strongly. Both
parents and young participants were
culture too. If there is an unwanted
aware that the issues the project is trying pregnancy, this is shameful.”
to address potentially opens up gaps
Father, Yes I Do area, rural Indonesia
between parents and children.
Table 4 outlines the myriad of futures
“No, definitely cannot talk with my roles young people foresee and the
kinds of support they will need. Across
parents about what I learned in the both countries both young women
first sexual and reproductive health and men expressed an aspiration to
be connectors, to be “better citizens,
training. They would be very shocked.” parents and leaders” and to address
Female focus group discussion participant social cohesion by “promoting an
with Yes I Do, Indonesia acceptance of all people” and to “work
together on issues to reduce tensions”.
32 Parental support (Table 4) featured prominently for both young women and men in both countries.
20 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
Youth ownership—promising Other comments were:
examples emerging
In many instances, young people do not
“Later it made me a bit angry and I
compartmentalise the challenges and realised governments should be taking
issues they or their communities face.
Many of the projects demonstrated a
responsibility and they are not.”
solid understanding of ways to work “…now that I think of it, we should
towards gender mainstreaming, either
via the focus group discussion responses,
have gone back six months later and
documentation or the interviews. It done the audit again. I still have the
was exciting to see the projects are also
exploring how to cater for different
app on my phone.”
needs and approaches and beginning
The issue of accountability is discussed
to show differential findings, starting
in more detail in Section 5. An AIESEC
from the gathering of baseline data. A
volunteer in the Philippines said:
strong sense of ownership was expressed
from the AIESEC focus group discussion “Community-based projects can and
in Indonesia as they talked about their
Malala 2 project in Bandung:
should be linked up to something
“I feel I built this project from bigger. That is why we are doing SDG
scratch.” needs-assessments now.”
“I think it was not MINE but all of In this section we have presented our
findings in relation to what roles young
OURS.” people currently have, predominantly
The group learned from Malala 1 and as peer educators; how they see their
modified most of the activities based on roles evolving in the future as educators,
that learning. citizens, leaders; and the support they
Young people involved with RAISE, request. We examined challenges
Safetipin and as volunteers with around inclusion, diversity and different
AIESEC in the Philippines, were almost identities—especially gender—and how
unanimous in stating that while they this might influence or constrain the
were happy with what they had done, roles young people are ascribed or those
or were doing, and that they could also they want to claim for themselves. We
take on additional roles beyond those highlighted the role of parents and the
ascribed to them by the project. For need to acknowledge the challenges
example the Safetipin App training of internal dissonance as they navigate
clearly raised the consciousness of many what they see as “best” for their children.
of those carrying out the night-time Finally we presented adults’ perceptions.
safety audits.
Participants said:
“[We] did not really know or ask or
think about how the information
would be used, but it was an eye-
opener for us”.
21
Table 4: What kinds of support do young people need to fulfil their future roles?
22 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
Box 1. Adults’ perceptions of the role of young people
The official student council relies much Young people’s problems are inter-
more on teachers to guide them but connected and it’s hard for them to
the Youth Peer Educators are more open up to parents or religious leaders,
independent somehow. And if we include but youth facilitators can help with that
“naughty” boys and girls then it can turn connection.
them around a bit—we have seen that. — Youth-led NGO, rural Indonesia
— Head teacher, rural Philippines
Now, girls can tell their parents
We thought boys have more time to “I want to finish my education and then
spare and are more social so they’ll I can get married”. This is at least some
be active in the group but we saw progress.
young women were also strong. Young — District regent’s wife, Indonesia
people can collect risk information in
“real time” from marginalised families; Involving youth in the Community
they are fast and get out there. Child Protection committees will
— Local authority, urban Jakarta help with sustainability and they
[young men and young women]
Boys are different; at 18 they are serious and very active.
are expected to be working and — Local NGO partner, rural Indonesia
contributing income to the family.
I was married young and I do not
For girls, it is OK to get married
want my daughter to suffer as I did.
at 18. This is tradition and an
If we break the traditional pattern
economic decision.
then daughters, as well as sons,
— Father, rural Indonesia
can do many things.
— Mother
Young people can be agile and move fast but institutions move more slowly.
We have to manage their high expectations within bureaucracies that move
rather slowly.
— ADB HQ staff
23
Section 5: Research Findings on Capturing “Value Add”
In this section we turn to the second Work with youth-led groups or
research question: what evidence can we organisations as partners.
find to demonstrate how young people The significance of working with youth-
“add value” and contribute towards led organisations as implementing
achieving the SDGs? partners was noted by field practitioners
We report our findings on “value add” as making a positive difference and in
from the perspective of young people itself adding value:
involved in the projects themselves,
from the perspective of those the work
“The difference is that in ARI (a
is intended to benefit. We also look at youth-led partner of ‘Yes I Do’)
how other stakeholders, such as parents,
teachers, government officials, accord
we are living those experiences
value to the contributions of young ourselves—in terms of sexual
people.
As noted in the introduction, there are
identity, struggles with employment.
two outcome and impact dimensions We are part of that reality in the
to be considered with regards to “value
add” and youth engagement:
villages.”
i) Youth engagement that changes Male staff member of a youth-led
or adds value to a project’s NGO, Indonesia
identified changes or outcomes,
which in turn contribute to the Furthermore, in the Plan International’s
SDG goals and targets and; Urban Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
ii) Personal changes or growth project, the lesson learned was that
within the youth participants ideally the most appropriate partners
themselves. In both countries should be those that are youth-led
and all five interventions there because they have a different mind-
was recognition that both are set and orientation towards the whole
important components. endeavour. Youth organisations and
programs that are run, developed and
“When you have a passion and then staffed by youth, offer advantages due to
realise that others have it too and greater social proximity, familiarity and
awareness of youth issues and tastes and
you can link up, doing something hence ability to understand and relate
changes all of you. Most young people to youth and design and implement
programs that youth deem attractive and
are just not aware of how much they pertinent.33
can do, how much capability they
actually have.”
Female focus group discussion participant,
Manila
33 Ontario Region, (2005) ‘YOUTH ON YOUTH Grassroots Youth Collaborative on Youth Led Organizing in the
City of Toronto’.
24 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
“Developing the mechanisms to work the YfA team, and AIESEC volunteers
across both countries were all keenly
with youth organisations as partners, aware that a strong baseline, especially
not in a ‘service provider’ mode, right at the start of interaction with
young people, is important as it is
challenges ideas of hierarchy and the critical for any later comparisons
top-down culture that is prevalent (Recommendations).
The focus group discussion findings
in big development organisations. were almost unanimous with regard to
In my experience with youth-led or the questions of increased confidence
and learning as a result of participating in
youth organisations, I have seen a the projects:
tendency for a more horizontal and “Did participation in the project
participative and less bureaucratic increase my confidence? Absolutely!
organisational structures.” I had to step up and out of my
Female Youth Steering
Committee researcher
comfort zone.”
Female focus group discussion participant,
Track changes at the individual level Manila
While there are a number of tools
available to different projects for “I would say what I learned is ‘life-
tracking changes in youth themselves, 34
this is still quite new to staff of
long learning’. I asked myself at each
organisations in this study, not yet point in the project: ‘Kaya ko bang
fully confident in using them. Plan
International projects recognise the
gawin?’ which means ‘Can I do it?’
importance of capturing the change in And then when I did do it, it was a
youth participants themselves, and are
starting to use these tools. If information
great feeling of achievement.”
can be collected consistently, this Female focus group discussion participant,
represents a big opportunity for Rural Philippines
building up the evidence base
systematically. 35,36 Findings from the RAISE project in
AIESEC emphasises building individual the Philippines suggest a substantial
leadership capacity and supporting positive difference between trained and
personal development but the data untrained secondary students and YPEs
currently collected is not yet collated. versus non-trained youth and non-YPEs.
Nor are the long-term trajectories of This may provide evidence that RAISE
alumni systematically tracked, although interventions around YPE and training
there are plans to do so. Project staff, children and adolescents contribute
34 Population Council, (2016) ‘Building Girls’ Protective Assets: A Collection of Tools for Program Design’. New
York. And see Annex 5 for an assessment tool that includes tracking personal/social outcomes in Banking on
Change.
35 For Yes I Do – individual personal growth is highlighted in the ToC and design documents, but the baseline
tool on meaningful youth participation is yet to be adapted for Indonesia.
36 For Plan specifically, how these ‘new’ tools that are more youth-focused align with (or not?) the ‘child
participation’ standards and tools from Plan Academy may be useful), and ultimately how they fit into the
Learn, Lead, Decide and Thrive framework.
25
Table 5: Preliminary Data from the RAISE project (Plan International Philippines) September 2017
Improved social, personal EL % 83% 69% 82% 74% 80% 77% 79%
and financial assets as
perceived by targeted BL % 58% 61% – 60% 62% 59% 61%
students TOTAL %
YPE = Youth Peer Educators; ASRH = Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health; EL = endline; BL = baseline
*Number of YPEs in BL too small (≤5) to allow for meaningful comparisons to end line results for YPEs.
26 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
EFFECTIVENESS
EQUITY
27
they would need to be compared YPEs in the RAISE program delivers Saving for
and contrasted, and there is a scarcity economies of scale, compared tomorrow.
of both comparative data within with the first roll-out to Trainers of Young people
the organisations in this study and Trainers. There is a cascading out of participate in
more broadly in the wider sector and information to many more youth. a Community
literature.37 Savings and
3 Effectiveness: How well do activities
Loan Group in
Such findings should be compared to undertaken on projects achieve their
Viet Nam.
either other similar youth initiatives, or stated objectives at outcome level? Is
(Photo by Plan
projects that seek the same goals but positive long-term impact generated?
International)
use a different approach, for example Are negative disincentive effects
teacher-to-pupil via formal education. avoided and how sustainable are
The text box in Recommendation 4 interventions?
provides further suggestions.
Findings from several of the projects
2 Efficiency: What are the economies included in this study indicate that
of scale? What is the beneficiary cost youth participation produces a
compared to others working with number of positive channels for
similar target groups? If the costs are making interventions more effective.
much higher, is there a justification? These include their role as influencers
Are targets and milestones met on of positive deviance, the catalysation
time? of impacts beyond those captured in
Findings from this study show that the project documents, a unique ability to
rolling out of second- and third-tier be both instigators and beneficiaries
37 Even the most well analysed approach to youth engagement – peer education has limited comparative
data, see: Price, N. et al., (2009) ‘How Effective is Peer Education in Addressing Young People’s Sexual and
Reproductive Health Needs in Developing Countries?’ Children and Society Vol. 23, p.291–302.
28 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
of change, and the energy and the programs resulted in “value add”—
creativity associated with youth voice. having a significant impact on their lives
and the wider community. However,
4 Equity: Is the initiative reaching the
there was a persistent issue with
most vulnerable and marginalised
capturing these results.
populations? If not, are there
The “plus factor” often seems to
plausible justifications why not?
fall outside the framework of the
This study found examples among
original project design: if there is no
the initiatives, including the Yes
accountability to report data upwards,
I Do Girl Roster Tool to identify
it seems there is no systematic data
girls experiencing multiple or
collection on these changes. So,
overlapping exclusions and RAISE’s
“evidence” of additional value is
focus on “breaking the silence”
slipping away. Youth engagement
for young Lesbian Gay Bisexual
is often confined within static pre-
Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI)
specified results and logical frameworks
people in rural Philippines.
determined at design-phase that
For each of the four components, are not re-assessed. In practice the
analysis could go further and research found many examples of
comparisons can be made with either youth themselves identifying a range of
a) other similar youth initiatives other changes as a direct result of their
or b) projects that seek the same efforts—but these fell outside the static
goals, but use a different approach. project framework.
However, another way of looking at Overall a very strong finding from
the evidence of “value add” is to take the field research is that significant
into account the research findings and “value add” is not being routinely
what young people and others have captured. There were several other
expressed about value. All of our field examples of results that were significant
findings have informed this analysis, and valuable, but because they were
but ideally we would have explored unanticipated or because the staff
this more fully with young participants and partners were not sure how to
at the time of carrying out the field measure or capture the changes, they
work.38 were not sufficiently highlighted. In
the RAISE project in the Philippines,
Preliminary findings suggest that
the Youth Peer Educator’s “result” was
the previous normative conceptual
principally limited to improving ASRH
approach is in danger of becoming
knowledge, which in turn was intended
overly instrumentalist. Rather than
to positively influence the higher level
offering ways for young people to
impact of reducing unwanted teenage
identify and create in ways they deem
pregnancy. However, during all the
appropriate, it is somewhat restrictive.
focus group discussions and interviews,
Young people can also claim what
young people, head teachers, program
“value add” means.
staff and local government staff,
Articulate results identified other changes at school
or community level. These included
All stakeholders involved in the
more tolerance for difference and
programs reported that the
less bullying, reduced smoking and
meaningful involvement of youth in
drug use, and the formation of youth-
38 To fully do this would mean taking the initial findings presented here, and co-creating and discussing
further with the young people in the focus groups, and or taking it online/ to existing/ emerging national
networks.
29
led savings groups. These significant to be able to draw out and evidence
changes and improvements could clear patterns of change. Similarly,
be traced back to the efforts of the for changes at the individual level,
youth peer educators, but they were project managers and staff felt that
not systematically captured by the more consistent attention to tracking
monitoring and evaluation indicators. changes systematically is required.
Similarly in Indonesia, the original
design for the Urban Disaster Risk What next? Youth framings of “value
Reduction project in Jakarta described add”
the intended result accruing to the It would be worthwhile applying a youth
efforts of the Youth Ambassadors to be lens, critique or framework to extrapolate
mainly evidenced by the completed risk youth meanings and alternatives. For
assessments and preparedness plans. In example, preliminary findings from this
fact, as with the example above, young research show that the young people we
participants, local authorities and project spoke with related to discussions around
staff clearly identified several other ‘diversity’ rather than ‘equity’ alone.
positive, unanticipated outcomes. These Many young women and men seek
included reduced anti-social behaviour ways to bring different groups into their
and delinquency, reduced smoking networks as evidenced by statements
and drug use and less youth-on-youth like:
violence. There were also changes in
young people’s own concerns about
education; some participants were
“YPEs are kind of a ‘cool’ group to
motivated to keep studying, improve be part of; if we accept those who
their grades or go back to get a degree.
In Phase 2 of a continuation project,
are different [at school], they get
implementers hope that collecting bullied less.”
baseline data on a much broader range
of “social problems” in the community This is what one participant said in a
and on key individual characteristics of RAISE focus group discussion.
the young participants themselves, will The section above discussed the
enable future monitoring and evaluation research findings in relation to the
efforts to track and capture many of concept of ‘value’ and ‘value add’. Overall
these additional value-added elements. we found that young people, parents,
The project teams were aware NGO staff and government officers and
of these changes and some were decision-makers may use and understand
documented. Many of the projects have the concept of value in several ways;
collected some qualitative information these may be consistent and overlapping,
on these unanticipated changes— or divergent. We found that measuring
individual case studies, for example— these different aspects of ‘value add’
and have shared these with donors remains challenging. In the absence of
and other stakeholders. However systematic methods to first identify and
project staff were convinced that not then track magnitude and direction of
only individuals featured in the case change, many important contributions
studies had experienced change; there that young people are making towards
were broader trends. Staff expressed achieving the SDGs, are under-valued, or
some frustration that perhaps they had not acknowledged at all.
not collected or analysed the change
stories, or other qualitative data, in
a way that was systematic enough
30 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
Amongst peers.
Young people from
different ethnicities,
cultures, religions
and languages in
Sri Lanka take part
in a two-day youth
sharing forum.
(Photo by Plan
International)
31
Section 6: Recommendations
This section will now examine the then track magnitude and direction of
strategic recommendations that will change, which is compounded by the
enhance how young people can difficulties of establishing a valid counter-
contribute to the SDGs. factual case for comparison. This means
Our research examined a range of that many important contributions
initiatives involving young people and that young people are making towards
asked them to tell us “how is it working achieving the SDGs are under-valued, or
for you?” This collective testimony not acknowledged at all.
therefore represents a nuanced body of
evidence to inform future practice on How are young people contributing
youth engagement and the SDGs. towards the SDGs?
In summary, the findings show Based on our findings, how are young
that the first step in effectively people contributing towards the SDGs?
harnessing young women and men’s This research shows that young women
contributions should be to actively and men are already contributing
listen, acknowledge and act upon— substantially towards the SDGs in the
supporting the roles that young people following ways:
want to assume and cultivate. We found
1 Helping deliver programs which are
that initiatives often do not fully identify
responsive and attuned to real needs
or support the emerging roles that
and often in ways that benefit in terms
young people self-define. While young
of economy, efficiency, effectiveness,
women and men often want to be peer
equity and sustainability. Yet much
educators, some also express aspirations
more needs to be done to track and
to go far beyond this. They may want
monitor this, including purposively
to be educators; leaders—changing
designed comparative studies.
negative social norms; citizens with
status—striving to reduce inequality
Marshalling hidden assets and
and social differences within and
sometimes unexpected contributions,
between generational social networks.
including:
In other words: with their parents,
teachers, community leaders, project 2 The ability of young women and men
staff and governments. This means it is to seek out partnerships, network
imperative to explore and acknowledge and build alliances, both within
at the start of any initiative how young and between generations. They
people want to contribute, what they identify with and act as connectors
want their roles to be and how these or “mobilisers”—in person, online
may be redefined over time. and in public and private spheres.
We also found that young people, There is an untapped role that young
parents, NGO staff and government people may identify with in terms
officials and decision-makers may use of communicating the message of
and understand the concept of value in the SDGs, contributing towards their
several ways. While this may sometimes monitoring and holding governments
be consistent and overlapping, it is at to account, as well as mobilising
other times divergent. We found that others to contribute as active citizens.
measuring these different aspects of This has big implications for SDG 17 on
“value add” remains challenging. This Partnerships, as well as the “Leave no
is especially so due to the absence of one behind” agenda.
systematic methods to first identify and
32 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
3 Their ability to influence their 5 As co-designers of initiatives and as
parents, their communities and “provocateurs” (in program design)
local and national government. across all 17 SDGs, but especially
Young people don’t just want to those directly impacting them such as
be peer educators—they can be education, gender and employment.
highly effective educators, advisors,
and managers across generations. By engaging youth in these under-
For example, in terms of achieving acknowledged and hidden roles much
SDG 5 on Gender, young people are more directly, visibly and respectfully, the
already influencing the views of their SDGs could receive a strong and much
parents, their teachers, and the wider needed pulse of youthful energy towards
community. But this is not always their achievement.
acknowledged, let alone tracked.
Recommendation 1: Pursue
4 Their capabilities to contribute innovation, creativity, and risk.
towards development policies
We will now turn to the final research
or legislation that supports the
question: what are the strategic
achievement of all 17 SDGs—with
recommendations that will enhance how
particular regard to imagining what
young people can contribute towards
might happen in the future (Diagram
the SDGs?
3) and envisioning how national policy
Essentially, these recommendations
development, implementation and
indicate where governments and
tracking might be done differently.
development partners should invest to
By youth
for youth.
Young people
participate in
a Youth for
Asia project in
Lao People’s
Democratic
Republic that
is working to
expand and
strengthen the
Higher Education
system.
(Photo by ADB)
33
Diagram 2: Policy analytics ladder — UK Government, 2017 How can we
make it happen?
39 “Innovation is fundamentally about the politics of contending hopes”: Annual Report of the Government
Chief Scientific Adviser 2014. Innovation: Managing Risk, Not Avoiding It. Evidence and Case Studies.
34 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
financial resources, few capacity-building significant changes that many individual
and mentorship support opportunities, young participants report in terms of
lack of exposure and visibility and personal growth.
insufficient access to relevant networks— This research is an example, perhaps,
due to social determinants such as of moving up to the next level,
poverty, gender, illiteracy and isolation of beyond “oversight” towards a deeper
marginalised groups.40 understanding or “insight” of the
The UK Government’s Policy Lab41 processes and changes that are in fact
presents a way (Diagram 2) of looking occurring. The pursuit of “best practice”
at how policymakers and project seeks and explores what works by
design staff can release out-of-the looking for examples where something
box thinking and creativity. It has an has been done before—and is therefore
interesting application for our research successfully proven—and so is still at
findings around youth engagement. Plan the “insight” level. However perhaps the
International and ADB both highlight a most exciting contribution and value-
desire to unleash “what young people add from young people is via “next
can offer”. At the same time they are practice”—“foresight” or “outsight”—
working within large organisations with which as the Policy Lab notes, “has
varying degrees of risk aversion and a no precedent, is future focused and
need for some predictability. Is giving therefore has many unknowns and
more responsibility and agency to young ambiguities”. It likens moving to these
people a risk? higher levels on the ladder as “more
The current dilemma is how can large like getting to the moon than crossing
agencies working with young people find a street: it requires re-thinking the
better ways to discover “next practice” question at hand, rather than replicating
while at the same time contributing to against a benchmark”.42
the ever-expanding knowledge of “best
practice”. The Policy Lab notes, that the Question control and risk taking
difference between “best” practice and In the literature review and during our
“next” practice might not be obvious, but field research, the notion that young
the mindset is very distinct. people can make a major contribution
The research findings suggest that to achieving the SDGs as they come up
many of the interventions we looked at with new and more daring approaches
are at the level of “oversight”—assessing to problem solve surfaced repeatedly.43
through means of indicators, checks What kinds of organisations and what
and balances and setting standards. forms of organisational support then are
Furthermore, we found that a clear needed if these more daring solutions
shortcoming of working with young and contributions are to be realised and
people at this “oversight” level is that harnessed, and are they ready to cede
standard project frameworks and some control and assume some risks too?
indicators for monitoring, evaluation
and assessment are in fact failing to
“At first, the donor was worried
capture many of the contributions youth about the issues—bullying, sexual
are making—the “value add”—and the
identity— being raised by young
40 SDSN, (2017), ‘Supporting Youth-led Innovation to Achieve the SDGs’. SDSN Youth Solutions Report Policy
Brief No.1.
41 Policy Lab, (2017) ‘From best practice to next practice.’ UK Government.
42 Policy Lab, (2017) ‘From best practice to next practice.’ Blog accessed 2 August from: https://openpolicy.
blog.gov.uk/2017/07/24/from-best-practice-to-next-practice/
43 SDG Action Campaign – MYWorld
35
Hands-on.
Participants in
the Vocational
Education
Strengthening
Project in
Indonesia learn
how to use
automobile plant
equipment in a
training centre.
(Photo by ADB)
36 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
Letting go of control also means sourced data from Safetipin is a good
making internal changes or developing example of one such tangible output,
the mechanisms to work with youth demonstrating how youth notice
organisations or groups of young people different and important factors when
as partners. This would challenge ideas compared to adults doing the same
of hierarchy and top-down culture safety audits. Collecting school-specific
that are prevalent in big development data on teenage pregnancy and smoking
organisations. Most youth organisations data in RAISE target schools might be
or groups tend to have more horizontal another example. While this data may not
and participative and less bureaucratic be statistically significant, it is empirical Straight from
organisational structures. and factual and potentially powerful. the source.
Youth delegate
Recommendation 2: Build the Re-frame so-called “soft skills” as from Pakistan
evidence base. important marketable skills shares her
Our research suggests that there is Almost all the projects that engage experience
a lot of promising work that young young people are introducing and and challenges
people are already contributing to and supporting a whole range of important of getting an
in some cases spear-heading, but that skills to succeed: leadership, decision- education.
existing monitoring, evaluation and making, team work, communication, (Photo by Plan
learning systems are not always able to planning and prioritising, self-confidence, International)
capture these contributions. There is
a need for more targeted data to fully
comprehend what works and what does
not. This data should cover the areas
identified in “Building Blocks Essentials”
as highlighted overleaf. There are some
partnerships and initiatives that have
been started that make good steps
towards this such as the SDG Youth
Action Mapper, an online tool that allows
young people to map and measure
action on the SDGs. However, these
must be scaled up to reach the level of
data required. There is also a need to
critique and share experiences of both
successful and less successful policies
and programs, from local to national
levels, as well as across countries.
37
self-control, rules and behaviours. the achievement of the SDGs, most
However we also found that because young people still require and in most
they are not in a project that clearly cases seek, support from their parents.
identifies as “youth employment” or Activities to involve parents should
“entrepreneurship” they are not seen be built in from the design phase.44
as being relevant to livelihoods and Some of the “new” ideas that are being
therefore are not valued as “marketable introduced to young people and parents
skills” by youth themselves, parents and are triggering internal dissonance.
some decision-makers. For organisations Young people may feel a little guilty
that support a wide range of youth- that they are learning about topics that
targeted projects a light-touch mapping parents would find shameful; parents
exercise could help identify the different supporting their youth may feel that this
kinds of skills that the various youth is at odds with their tradition or their
engagement projects are facilitating religion. Some focus group participants
among participants and consider some are also aware of the “risks” they face
generic guidance on language used in taking on roles not usually ascribed
to describe the skills young people to someone of their age or gender.
are developing towards future jobs These dissonances and potential risks
and citizenship. A re-framing of these to participants need to be proactively
skill-sets as “marketable” is likely to identified, recognised and managed as
gain more support from parents, local carefully as possible.45,46,47
leaders and authorities and lead to more
coherence and clarity in describing some Streamline monitoring, evaluation
of the more tangible benefits that youth and learning processes
engagement work delivers. Simplify: The tracking of youth
contributions to the SDGs presents
Ensure appropriate levels of support a great opportunity for youth-led
In order to optimise young people’s monitoring and evaluation. Program staff
contribution to the SDG goals and to could ask young participants themselves
ensure there is sufficient support as to help identify what kinds of personal
young women and young men take on growth or broader change they hope
new roles, implementers need to think to see, what they think the questions
carefully about how much support should be and how to collect the data.
young people require. This is especially This may vary depending on who they
important as young women and young are and where they are. Ideally the
men start talking about and acting on, process should be kept open and flexible;
subjects not usually openly discussed for some young people digital tracking
or start taking on roles not considered might be feasible, while for others it
“appropriate”, because of their age or may be impossible. At a project level,
gender or both. implementers might want to negotiate
The findings from the focus group with youth if they feel it important
discussions clearly show that, in order to include some “core” variables on
to be able to increase their efficacy contribution to the SDGs.
and optimise their contribution to
44 Nair, C. et al., (2013) ‘ARSH 4: Parental Understanding of Adolescent Issues: Parent-Adolescent Dyad
Agreement’. In the Indian Journal of Paediatrics, Volume 80, Supplement 2, p.209–213.
45 SFCG, (2017) ‘Supporting the design and implementation of Youth-Led research Projects. New York.
46 CRS, (2017) ‘Peacebuilding, Governance, Gender, Protection and Youth Assessments’.
47 Rhodes J. et al., (2009) ‘First Do No Harm: Ethical Principles for Youth Mentoring Relationships’. Professional
Psychology: Research and Practice, Vol. 40, No. 5, 452–458.
38 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
Building Block Essentials: How to capture the efficacy of
youth engagement towards achieving SDG goals
Frameworks that look at youth engagement, its efficacy and contribution to the SDGs should
be aligned with organisational processes (such as Plan International’s new “Learn, Lead, Decide
and Thrive” Monitoring and Evaluation tools), but also offer a space to try new approaches—by
the very nature of working with young people—an alternative space is always a key aspect of
meaningful youth engagement. It is crucial that reflective processes are protected and discussions
around youth impact tackled head on. See the work of the UK’s Centre For Youth Impact as
an example, or the Centre for Effective Services’ 2016 report: Evaluation of the United Youth
Programme Pilot Phase 2015–16.
The following aspects will build the future evidence base for youth engagement and value
add with regard to achieving the SDGs:
1 National and local context: social, economic, political barriers for young people to engage.
2 Personal and social development outcomes (including inter-generational cohesion).
3 Contribution by young people to monitoring, evaluation, research and learning
(including how roles develop).
4 Contribution to project outcomes (SDGs) and indicate if it relates back to the type
and quality of engagement.
5 How young people develop and extend a project’s goals (or a question in
comparison with adult only or non-youth activity).
6 How young people add or adapt ways of doing a project—positives and negatives captured.
As good practice, all monitoring frameworks and processes should also seek to identify
comparisons with other youth organisations and SDG interventions.
39
Harnessing
half the
workforce.
Trainees on
the Skills for
Employment
Investment
Program in
Chittagong,
Thailand
learn about
different types
of tools.
(Photo by ADB)
40 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
Where support to youth engagement is young lives linear—they may have
at an early stage, it is especially important several jobs rather than one that
to set up these processes, to avoid wasted gradually becomes more senior; they
opportunities. may become independent, and, in
the case of educated girls moving
Recommendation 4: Strengthen into their husband’s family home, lose
interventions that encourage civic independence.
space and accountability. An overall finding was that the
Future youth programming will require emerging and responsive advocacy
that civic space is safeguarded and roles of young people were often shied
alongside this institutional good away from. Youth-led accountability can
governance is improved, especially in be a powerful tool to ensure promises
relation to accountability. are delivered, norms are challenged
Some of the interventions in the study and the best outcomes achieved.49 This
included an accountability component. could include influencing or advocacy
However, many of the young people we with peers, with parents and with
interviewed were clearly poised to take government and big business—opening
on a “bigger role” in relation to decision- out pathways for achieving greater
making—with the caveat that they accountability upwards, across and
wanted support to do so. But for youth to within organisations.
be effective active citizens, they need to This does not have to be seen as
understand how political and economic confrontational. In fact when we look
decisions are made and to recognise specifically at the SDGs, governments
the huge part that they can play in have signed up to the whole SDG
contributing to improve accountability process which includes more attention
at all levels. By taking an informed and to citizens’ monitoring results as being
active role in accountability mechanisms efficient, effective and equitable.
young people’s current mistrust of The United Nations calls for a “data
politics, private sector operations and revolution” to create a “clearer and more
civic institutions can be reduced. up-to-date picture of the world, to use
Given the opportunity, young people, in planning, monitoring and evaluation
especially youth-led groups and of the policies and programs that will
organisations operating at the grassroots, together achieve the SDGs and in
can be a powerful force in safeguarding holding to account those in positions of
transparency and accountability. Such power over resources and other decisions
groups are more likely to be responsive that affect people’s lives”.50 Young people
to the needs of the youth cohort they have a huge potential role to play in this
represent and offer greater possibilities data revolution.51
to unleash the creativity and innovation Incorporating digital engagement with
of youth. It’s time for forward thinking. tools such as Youth Action Mapper52 and
Safetipin offers opportunities to extend
Develop accountability mechanisms aspects of accountability and collective
Many young people do not see their voice across many youth engagement
worlds in terms of one or two issues, projects in innovative and exciting
but rather a complex web. Nor are ways. But not all young people have
41
equal access to technology and, in Ideas like investing in and fostering
general, girls are likely to have less youth alumni networks54 and
access. Therefore it is important to supporting youth-led dialogues are
blend and optimise a combination of practical ways to nurture networking
digital and face-to-face engagement. and connection-building.55 Before
While either approach can deliver creating “new” movements, this
personal and community outcomes, kind of strategic networking offers
the interest and motivation substantial opportunities for
young people might have around organisations to link up with existing
technology opens up new spaces for groups of motivated, enthusiastic
“forward thinking”.53 young people and, where relevant,
other adult-based groups.
Support movement building Organisations should take time to
As the research found, young understand what change dynamics
people have many of their own are already in place and look at what
ideas about the roles they could take can be done to support nascent
in developing their communities movements. There is a huge potential
and contributing to the SDGs and role for development partners to
these evolve and change over time. build bridges for young people to
Initially young people clearly benefit explore their potential for collective
from organisational support and expression and action.
“scaffolding” and find additional
value when this is provided via youth-
led organisations. However, we found
fewer examples of project design that
supports transforming from a project
focus to broader support for youth-
led social change movements.
53 Safer Cities for Girls looked at Minecraft as a way to help young people present safety audit results
in an innovative and future-focused way.
54 Youth Economic Empowerment (YEE) projects in Asia do this, and they are tracked as impact
indicators.
55 E.g. YouthSpeak Forums AIESEC runs in 80+ countries on SDGs. See: http://youth4globalgoals.org/
understanding/
42 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
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Annexes
Annex 1: Project Summaries teenage pregnancies through education
and economic empowerment; and e)
Yes I Do Indonesia responsibility and political will of policy
This is implemented by the Yes I Do makers and duty bearers to develop and
Alliance (Plan Nederland, Rutgers, implement laws toward the eradication
Amref Flying Doctors, Choice for Youth of these practices.
and Sexuality and the Royal Tropical In Indonesia YID has been rolled
Institute). This Alliance maintains that out in twelve villages in Rembang,
deeply rooted gender inequalities and Sukabumi and West Lombok districts
social norms must be transformed and established Village Child Protection
for girls to enjoy their full freedoms. Group in each as well as identify “impact
With partners, alliance members have groups” and youth facilitators in these
committed themselves to a five-year areas. Plan Indonesia is the lead partner
initiative, commencing in 2016 and in Rembang, Central Java.
concluding in 2020.
Funded by the Sexual and Urban DRR Indonesia
Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) This was implemented by Plan
policy framework of the Ministry Indonesia for 33 months (October,
of Foreign Affairs Netherlands and 2014 -30 June 2017 in West Jakarta,
coordinated by Plan Nederland, the DKI Jakarta Province. The project
alliance operates in Ethiopia, Kenya, goal was that vulnerable urban poor
Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Pakistan communities have increased resilience
and Indonesia. Research and awareness- for disaster and safety risks through
raising activities are guided by five children and youth engagement. The
complementary pathways of change objectives were:
which are expected in Indonesia, to
Objective 1: To increase the active
reduce child marriages and teenage
participation and contributions of
pregnancies. Yes I Do’s five pathways of
children and youth regarding DRR
change seek to advance: a) behavioural
and safety issues affecting vulnerable
change of community and “gate
urban poor communities
keepers”; b) meaningful engagement
of adolescent girls and boys in claiming Objective 2: To increase neighbourhood
for their SRHR and c) taking informed and household capacity in disaster
action on their sexual health; d) preparedness and safety promotion
alternatives to the practice of child with a special focus on flood and fire
marriages, female genital mutilation and hazards in urban contexts
44 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
Objective 3: To increase awareness discrimination and labour-related
and capacity of general public, local constraints) and 2) building key
authorities and decision-makers social, personal and material assets
on DRR and safety issues affecting for adolescent girls through quality
vulnerable urban poor communities formal and alternative education
opportunities. The project’s specific
The project was designed to
objectives are:
strengthen resilience of the community
through community based actions 1 To increase completion rates of
for disaster and safety risks among primary education and transition
urban poor communities and the to secondary school for children at
strategy included key components to risk of dropping out, especially girls
engage neighbourhoods, households, (aged 10-12).
youth and local as well as national
2 To increase rates of secondary
government units in concern. The
school completion for marginalized
activities included 1) youth-led
adolescents (aged 13-19), especially
documentation and monitoring, 2)
girls.
neighbourhood disaster and safety
risk reduction planning, 3) household 3 To ensure that marginalized
preparedness actions and 4) awareness adolescents (aged 12-19), especially
raising and capacity support to the girls, develop improved social and
general public, local authorities personal assets and are supported
and decision-makers in the Jakarta by their communities to make
metropolitan area to the critical needs positive life choices.
and gaps facing vulnerable urban
The RAISE Project’s target beneficiaries
communities. The target beneficiaries
include a total of over 14,700 children
were approximately 15,000 direct child,
and adults. At least 10,976 children and
youth and adult beneficiaries and
youth (aged 10-19) will directly benefit
45,000 indirect beneficiaries in seven
from the primary level education,
locations in West Java.
secondary level and alternative
Real Assets through Improved education programs and life skills from
Skills and Education (RAISE) for the provinces of Masbate and Northern
Adolescent Girls Samar.
This was implemented by Plan in the SAFETIPIN Philippines
Philippines from July 2014-June 2017.
Safetipin is a tool that works to
It is focused on enabling marginalised
enable cities to become safer
children and adolescents, especially
through collection of data through
girls, in two of the Philippines’
crowdsourcing and other methods.
poorest provinces – Masbate and
Safetipin in collaboration with ADB and
North Samar – to complete primary
YfA conducted safety audits in Quezon
school and transition to and complete
City in Metro Manila. The audits by
secondary school and have access
the ADB volunteers were conducted
to opportunities that will enhance
between July and November 2016.
their personal and social assets that
Safetipin is a mobile-based phone and
will enable them to make better
online application which contributes to
life choices. The project employs a
making cities communities and cities
dual strategy of 1) reducing barriers
safer for communities (with a particular
(including household poverty, gender
45
focus on girls and women) by providing AIESEC volunteers intended to do it by
safety related information collected teaching and motivating the children,
by users. At the core of the app is the campaign and direct education about
Women’s Safety Audit, a participatory the importance of children education
tool for collecting and assessing to multiple stakeholders in such as
information about perceptions of urban schools and to public areas. The national
safety in public spaces. volunteers (all university students)
The audits are based on nine organised the six-week events with three
parameters: lighting, openness, visibility orphanages. The 2017 project (Malala
and crowds, security and walk paths, 2) was a follow-on from a 2016 Malala
availability of public transport, gender 1 project and therefore benefitted
diversity, and feelings of safety. Having from some learning from earlier work
a score for an area provides a simple – two of the volunteers were carried
way to measure improvements. Out over from the project in 2016 and so
of a total of 5,839 were generated and had lessons to share. The task for the
of these almost 2,000 were conducted volunteers included a mix of organising,
by youth volunteers mobilised by YfA. communicating marketing and
After completing the safety audits all designing promotional tools, primarily to
the data and shared in a January 2017 raise funds.
launch event held in Manila. Safetipin
also worked with United Nations Women
in Manila and took this work to the next
stage of presenting data to decision-
makers and to hold them accountable for
making improvements.
46 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
Annex 2: Research Lines of Inquiry
Research Question 1
Understand: What meaningful roles do young people identify with in order to help
achieve the SDGs? To what extent are these roles influenced by gender, education,
class/caste/ethnicity (or any other identity)?
Research Question 2
Capture/Evaluate: What evidence do we have to demonstrate how young people “add
value” and contribute towards achieving the SDGs? To what extent is this mediated by
gender, education, class/caste/ethnicity (or any other identity)?
47
- Monitoring
- Evaluation
- Learning and dissemination
- Collaboration and influencing
- Holding authorities to account
48 YO U T H EN G AG EM EN T AN D T H E SD GS
subjected to sexual violence by persons other than an intimate partner
in the previous 12 months, by age and place of occurrence
- 5.3.1 Proportion of women aged 20–24 years who were married or in a union
before age 15 and before age 18
- 5.3.2 Proportion of girls and women aged 15–49 years who have undergone
female genital mutilation/cutting, by age
- 5.6.1 Proportion of women aged 15–49 years who make their own informed
decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use and reproductive
health care
- 5.6.2 Number of countries with laws and regulations that guarantee
full and equal access to women and men aged 15 years and older to
sexual and reproductive health care, information and education
- Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full
and productive employment and decent work for all
- 8.5.1 Average hourly earnings of female and male employees, by
occupation, age and persons with disabilities
- 8.5.2 Unemployment rate, by sex, age and persons with disabilities
- 8.6.1 Proportion of youth (aged 15–24 years) not in education, employment
or training
- 8.b.1 Existence of a developed and operationalized national strategy
for youth employment, as a distinct strategy or as part of a national
employment strategy
- Goal 17. Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
- 17.16.1 Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder
development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the
achievement of the sustainable development goals
Research Question 3
Enhance: What are the programmatic and policy recommendations to enhance the
roles and impact that young people can contribute towards the SDGs?
49
Back cover: Young people leading disaster preparedness innovations in the Philippines. (Photo by Plan International)
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific,
while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67
members—48 from the region. Its main instruments for helping its developing member countries are
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an independent development and humanitarian charity, we work alongside children, young people,
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