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Life skills training is the crucial first step to ensure that young people undergo a positive transformative process which allows for behaviour and attitude changes that are guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, mature self- respect, resilience and inclusion. Core training delivered to all programme participant with tailored, inclusive approaches, complement life skills with training on adolescent sexual and reproductive health, functional literacy and numeracy and green mindset to foster environmental stewardship. These are delivered with wide involvement of allies, including civil society groups, service providers, and public actors.
Youth-led initiatives are a key component, encouraging young people to take active roles in their communities, spearheading peer to peer activities, community outreach and mobilization focused on themes as gender based violence, adolescent pregnancy and marriage. Projects utilize community engagement methodologies for users to identify and implement improvements in communities and services.
Parents, caregivers, and communities are actively engaged to create a more supportive environment for young people. In Albania, for example, parents participate in Positive Discipline sessions and self-support groups, while in Bolivia the project offers a Family School which addresses harmful social norms. Community dialogues and sensitization events are organized to raise awareness and promote collective action. These efforts foster collaboration among families, communities, and organizations towards an enabling environment for youth.
Improving health services for young people is another priority. Projects work to ensure health services are youth-friendly by training service providers, creating appropriate materials, supporting services to reach young people and gaining political support for service enhancements whilst young people, schools and communities are mobilized to increase demand for these services and participate in community referral mechanisms.
Work also seeks to strengthen referrals to protection services as well as service provision. For example, in Albania, the project supports child protection services by enhancing case management, linking at-risk youth with health and employment services, and providing tailored support for vulnerable cases.
