Monday, December 30, 2013

Five steps to more meaningful youth engagement

Matthew French, research associate at JBS International shares his five steps to more meaningful youth engagement
An advisory group, for example, can be a great avenue for youth input, or even shared decision-making. Such groups can help set policy, collect information on the needs of young people, and provide solutions for programming challenges. But if young people are brought in without sufficient training and support, or if they are promised a voice without any mechanism to include their input, the efforts will likely be frustrating for all involved and have little chance of success.
To include youth in a more meaningful way, consider the following steps: 1) include youth in design and decision-making from the beginning; 2) have a clear purpose and thorough implementation plan; 3) identify and secure the necessary resources; 4) empower young people by offering them meaningful roles that align with their skills, experience, and interests; 5) provide young people with the support and training they need to succeed.

Include youth from the start
In any youth engagement effort, young people should be involved in design and decision-making from the beginning. As one young woman from Advocates for Youth said, "Young people are the experts of their own experience." Even the most in-tune adult allies cannot understand youth needs as well as young people themselves. Partner with young people in all steps, from assessing your organisation's readiness to designing an implementation plan. And, as adults are sometimes uncomfortable with young people filling traditionally adult roles, adults should be trained on topics such as positive youth development and how to work with youth on multigenerational teams.

Develop a clear purpose
Establishing goals and objectives up front will inform the format of your youth engagement activities, provide direction for program designers, define desired outcomes, and help you get buy-in from decision-makers. What are the expected results? Will youth have an actual say in the decision-making process or will you simply solicit their advice? Will the effort be attached to specific programming as a feedback mechanism, or will the youth be offering insight into more general global issues (e.g., the post-2015 agenda)?

Develop an implementation plan
Once the purpose has been defined, develop an implementation plan that lays out resources, staff allocations, recruitment and training strategies, dissemination of products/findings, and monitoring and evaluation activities. An important consideration when designing any youth engagement initiative is to create an inclusive environment that recruits young people of different genders and ethnicities, those with disabilities, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Also, remember that youth engagement efforts vary greatly in format and context. While it is important to approach these types of initiatives systematically, no standardised template exists. Flexibility in design and implementation, which incorporates youth input and feedback, is essential for a successful program.

Identify and secure resources
A critical component of the implementation plan is to estimate what resources will be needed for a successful initiative. Financial support ranges from stipends for youth volunteers to small grants for youth-led organisations (e.g., UN-Habitat's Urban Youth Fund). Human resources might include coordination, training, supervision, and mentorship. The process of identifying resources should include an inventory of your organisation's existing youth engagement efforts, which will help inform program planning, focus capacity-building efforts, and help you leverage all possible resources. As part of the inventory effort, you might conduct a "youth audit" to assess your organization's readiness to implement youth engagement activities. For example, the audit might ask questions about organizational policies and procedures, staff attitudes toward youth participation, and youth inclusion in current decision-making processes. UNFPA/Nepal has created a useful audit tool called the Youth Scorecard that might be appropriate to assess your organization's readiness to include youth.

Provide young people with meaningful roles
Youth roles will vary depending on the implementation plan, but it is essential that young people are valued, empowered, and afforded an opportunity to contribute in meaningful ways. If young people will be involved in advocacy efforts—such as ActionAid's Activista global youth network—empower them by letting them choose topics, design campaigns, conduct outreach activities, and plan events. If you are forming an advisory board, ensure that young people have space to freely express themselves and that decision makers within your organisation will utilise their input. Creating a feedback and learning loop will allow continuous program modification based on youth input.

Provide the right support and training
While empowerment is a critical component of any youth engagement effort, this does not translate to a sink-or-swim approach. It is important to provide young people with the support they need to succeed, which may include training, mentorship, facilitation, coordination, and protection. You must walk a fine line between empowerment and support: too much support stifles and too little can set young people up to fail.
Advocates for Youth conducts an annual weeklong Urban Retreat that exemplifies this type of support. Young activists gather in Washington, D.C., to share experiences, receive training, and apply their developing skills in lobbying their congressional representatives regarding sexual and reproductive health issues. While adults take a strong facilitation and coordination role, young people conduct some of the training themselves and help shape the retreat. These types of events also act to build strong communities and support networks that are critical to the development of young leaders.

Create a youth-friendly environment
Keep in mind when following these steps that it is key to weave youth engagement into your organisational culture. It is essential that young people and adults create an environment where power is shared and youth perspectives are valued. Building this type of youth-friendly space in which young people are deeply involved in various organisational programs and processes will guard against tokenism and help ensure a meaningful experience that benefits all involved.

Matthew French is a research associate at JBS International, Inc.

Monday, December 16, 2013

ITPC ICAAP 2013: New infections outstrip the region's HIV responses

Despite a 26% overall reduction in new HIV infections in Asia and the Pacific since 2001, the epidemic still outpaces regional responses. According to a new UNAIDS report on HIV in Asia and the Pacific, the rate of new infections remains the issue of most concern. According to the report, the fastest-growing epidemics in the region are among men who have sex withmen (MSM). HIV levels are particularly high in this key population, with between 15% and 25% MSM living with HIV, largely in major cities.

In 2008, the Commission on AIDS in Asia warned that if MSM were not made a greater focus of HIV prevention efforts, this population would bear nearly half of all new infections by 2020. Just five years on, the overall trends in new HIV infection suggest that prediction is already becoming a reality.

The report is based on mid-term reviews by 21 countries against the ten targets endorsed as part of the 2011 UN Political Declaration. It assesses whether states are on track towards the goal of universal access to HIV
prevention, treatment, care and support by 2015, as well as the 2011 ASEAN Declaration of Commitment goal of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.

Knowledge of HIV status appears to be lagging behind what may be needed to make those shared goals a reality. Less than one third of MSM and people who inject drugs, and under half of female sex workers, are aware of their HIV status. Delay in diagnosis due to lack of access to HIV testing and counselling can be potentially fatal: Globally, one in four people starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) in low-income countries already have CD4 counts under 100 when they seek health care, putting them at high risk of HIV-related illness and death.

Sexual behaviour may also not be changing fast enough. The report shows that 0.5% to 15% of all men in the region bought sex in the past year, making them the largest population at risk of HIV infection. Surveys also show that less than half of all respondents used a condom during their most recent sexual encounter.

Among MSM in high prevalence countries, between 6% and 20% buy sex from male sex workers, who may be more likely to be infected than their female counterparts in the same cities, with an HIV prevalence as high as 18%. InChina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam, the estimated national HIV prevalence for MSM is over 5%. And it continues to rise in several cities and regions within these countries, as well as in India, Mongolia and the Philippines, underlining the need for a greater attention
for HIV prevention.

Despite limited research on specific risk factors and HIV prevalence among transgender people, the little data that is available shows a high HIV prevalence among transgender women in cities: 30.8% in Jakarta, 23.7% in Port Moresby and 18.8% in Maharashtra, India.

The report also demonstrates mixed progress on eliminating new HIV infections among children. Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand have over 50% coverage of services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, while Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka lag behind with less than 30%. India has the largest unmet need for effective regimens. Almost all countries report a lack of robust routine monitoring systems despite having tuberculosis and HIV committees and may find it difficult t to reduce TB deaths in PLHAs by 50% by 2015.

Only ten countries expect to reach the target levels for essential HIV-related funding. The majority of countries reported that persistent negative attitudes towards HIV and sexual minorities mean that HIV is not
high on the national funding agenda.

With less than 800 days remaining to reach the targets and commitments of the Millennium Development Goals and the 2011 UN Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS, there is no time to lose says Mr Michel SidibĂ©, UNAIDS Executive Director. “The strength, experience, resources and political will of Asia and the Pacific must combine to make every single day count, not only for the region, but for the entire global response.”

The new UNAIDS report is released today in Bangkok as the ICAAP conference commences.

Swapna Majumdar
Citizen News Service (CNS)
Email: swapna@citizen-news.org

Featured at Expolanka Holdings PLC official blog

It's a great honor to be featured at my parental company official blog: Expolanka Holdings PLC

Click this : Featured at Expolanka Holdings PLC Official Blog

"Sikander Sabeer: continuing Expolanka’s tradition of community service"


 

Honored at National Volunteers Awards (V Awards) 2013 Grand Finale



"The whole world is in a crisis, political instability in the Middle East, rising poverty and hunger in Africa, corruption in South and East Asia and economic crisis in Europe, but the young people all over the world are worried about the climatic changes which will affect their lives. They, more than anyone else, understand the urgency of finding solutions to our global environmental problems. Presently, the health and wellbeing of millions and millions of youth are at environmental risk. The links between the health of our environment and the socio-economic challenges inspired me to ACT now. Today we talk a lot about climate change and environmental challenges in the local and the International desks, but I am one of the youth who really walk the talk.


I believe YOUTH, have the direct access to the general public, government bodies, NGO's, school students, corporates and to other stakeholders.  This entry points had encouraged me to implement his energetic and fresh ideas in the grass-root level. My initiatives may be small, but may have a big impact; I am doing the best he can. I believes on volunteerism, which matters me a lot, It’s a new learning platform, it’s a place to make things better, to make a change, to bring smiles to faces, meet people who I have never met. I believes that time does not matter to be a volunteer; it’s all about passion and desire to give something back, which is embedded in my activities"







One of the youngest finalists for V Awards 2013

V Awards is a project initiated by the National Steering Committee on Volunteering in collaboration with News 1st as 2011 marked the 10th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers [IYV+10]. The concept behind the project is to recognise individuals who make extraordinary and selfless contributions to society at large and reward the most outstanding volunteer at a national level. All nominees must be citizens of Sri Lanka. The nominations are carried out through an application process where a non-related third party recommends an outstanding volunteer and his/her initiative. The nominated volunteer should be an individual engaging out of free will in a cause, not providing the services for monetary gains and working towards a positive difference in his/her local community or Sri Lanka at large.
For V Awards 2011, the V Awards secretariat had received over 450 applications from Sri Lankan citizens who had nominated individuals that they believed had significantly contributed to positive change in their communities. 15 finalists were selected out of which 6 were commended and 1 awarded the trophy as Volunteer of the Year 2011.
To continue the tradition of honoring inspiring acts of volunteerism, we are bringing back V Awards for 2013. This year, V Awards will consist of the “Volunteer of the Year” Award, the “Youth Volunteer of the Year” Award and a Special Award on “Volunteering for Water”. Nominations are now open. Shine a light on someone who serves in silence!

                                            As one of the youngest finalists for V Awards 2013

                                                                  V Awards 2013 Winner







Monday, December 9, 2013

International Volunteer Day

5 December 2013 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today paid tribute to the millions of young volunteers around the world who are acting globally for social change, marking this year’s International Volunteer Day.
“There are more than 1.2 billion youth in the world today, with incredible potential to tackle challenges and act as agents of change,” he said in his message for the Day, observed annually on 5 December.
“When young people volunteer, the opportunity provides them with valuable life and job skills; it strengthens their capacity to lead and become engaged in their communities and global society.”
Mr. Ban highlighted in particular the nearly 1,000 young UN Volunteers (UNV) who are supporting the work of the United Nations for peace, sustainable development and human rights. “UN Volunteers work alongside UN staff to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable populations in the world.
He added that volunteerism is “a two-way street,” noting that even as volunteers help generate positive change for others, their own lives are often transformed by the act of volunteering itself.
“On this International Volunteer Day, let us renew our commitment to offering young people diverse and meaningful volunteer opportunities to become active and confident contributors to global change.”
People in over 80 countries, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe are celebrating the Day today with volunteer activities, parades, volunteer fairs, group clean-ups, blood donations, rallies, conferences, exhibitions, fundraising, workshops and other volunteer recognition events.
“During my first year at the helm of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, I have been extremely fortunate to visit dozens of UNV-supported projects around the world, where UN Volunteers, many of them young women and men, have been at the forefront of global peace and sustainable human development efforts,” says Richard Dictus, UNV Executive Coordinator.
“Not only have these volunteers brought real lasting changes through their actions, but they are also having a tremendous impact by serving as role models for other young people.”
Based in Bonn, Germany, UNV is active in around 130 countries every year.

Commonwealth Youth Unite 2013

On Saturday, 16th of November, 2013, more than 1000 young people gathered in Colombo to:
Raising awareness on the ‘Commonwealth Family’ and the new Commonwealth Charter.
Celebrating our role as ‘youth’ spread across 54 countries. 
A better understanding and appreciation of the diversity of cultures.

It was a great pleasure to be member of the steering committee to organize such an event!













Sunday, November 17, 2013

The Commonwealth Youth Forum (CYF) Concluded!



The Commonwealth Youth Forum (CYF) which kicked off Sunday at the Magam Ruhunupura International Convention Centre in Sri Lanka concluded on November 14, 2013 with the Participation of Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma.

The Youth Forum activities took place all five days and during the period the youth leaders were allowed to exchange their ideas and cultures, to develop their skills and network while paving the way for them to identify the most vital challenges and opportunities faced by young people at present.

Most of the youth delegates from the 53 Commonwealth member countries who were present at the inauguration ceremony spoke about the differently-able young youth who attracted the audience to tears. The audience gave a standing ovation to young dancers and persons with disabilities who performed at the Magam Ruhunupura International Convention Centre, Hambantota.

The election for new office bearers in different categories took place and Ahmed Adamu from Nigeria became the new Chairperson of the Youth Forum.

Commonwealth Youth Unite 2013!



Sunday, October 27, 2013

Workshop on Children Dealing with Trauma and Social Ostracism



Attended a workshop on children dealing with trauma and social ostracism organized by the ‘Friends of Prisoners’ Children’ (FOPC), which see a dire necessity to address the needs of these children and support them in becoming responsible citizens of society and thereby work towards a crime-free-society in the future.
The ‘Friends of Prisoners’ Children’, is a voluntary organisation that provides annual scholarships to over 275 selected prisoners’ children to ensure sustainability of their education.

The brainchild of Rev. Sister Immaculate de Alwis, the Association seeks to support and befriend these children by setting up psychosocial development programs, donating school books, giving them monetary awards to continue their education in the school they attend in their home town/village and setting up a prison function that allows these children to see and spend time with their parents.

In order to delve into the psychological and emotional impact on the child whose parent is serving a jail term, the ‘Friends of Prisoners’ Children’ had organised a Workshop held at St. Bridget’s Convent on 26 October 2013.

visit www.friendsofprisonerschirldren.org.lk.

UN Secretary-General listens to 1 million voices from MY World



The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon presented today a new report “A Million Voices: The World We Want”. The report summarizes the findings from public consultations and surveys, that engaged more than 1.3 million people in all 193 UN Member States since August 2012 in an effort to identify priorities for the post-2015 development agenda that will succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

“For the last year, the UN has been encouraging an unprecedented ‘global conversation’ on the world that people want,” said Ban Ki-moon. “The report that we launch today captures the voices of over one million people from all regions and backgrounds. We sought the voices of those that are usually unheard – particularly those people that are poor, excluded or marginalized.”


Saturday, October 19, 2013

My Experience at Asia Youth Leaders' Summit 2013




It was a great pleasure to be a youth speaker for the Asia Youth Leaders’ summit 2013, held in New Delhi, India this October.

The three day conference was packed with many sessions to develop capacities on various issues and share success stories among delegates.

As a Youth Speaker I took this opportunity to inspire number of youth delegates by sharing success stories and best practices. AYLS was a platform do be inspired, I met some of the youth activist who have been doing some amazing stuffs in their community, one of them was Rajkumar from a rural village in Chennai, who have been working with marginalized group on health and education. Another friend from Delhi who has been working with sex workers on rehabilitation, these are just few projects I really got inspired about. This platform gave me the opportunity to network and meet as much as youth from the CYP Asia region. During the technical sessions I was able share "YOUTH is the word" project which inspired many participants.

I would say AYLS was a key important meeting to think about the future of Asia Youth Council, which is a key strategic step to synergize the Asian Youth to shape the future as we want. AYLS was a memorable summit in my life, because I received the trophy of the Commonwealth Youth Award 2012 and a certificate signed by Secretary General of Commonwealth Secretariat, which is one of the major achievements in my life.

I believe these kinds of events will provide youth leaders to be inspired and inspire the next generation of youth.





Day 03 - Asia Youth Leaders' Summit 2013




The third day of the summit focused on thematic workshops on:

· Peace Building

· Leadership and Governance

· Human Rights

· Entrepreneurship

As I have been working on Peace Building, Leadership and Governance, Entrepreneurship for past couple of years I thought join the Human Rights Group which was facilitated by Mr. Manoj. The workshop build my capacity on basic human rights, key causes for HR violations, global conventions any many more