Introduction

Young people represent both a vulnerable group and a powerful force for change in humanitarian and development settings. Engaging youth in humanitarian efforts not only empowers them to contribute meaningfully to their communities but also ensures that interventions are more relevant, sustainable, and inclusive. This 5-day course will focus on strategies for effectively engaging youth in humanitarian action, from disaster relief and conflict resolution to community development and peace-building. Participants will gain insights into youth empowerment, leadership development, and the importance of meaningful participation in humanitarian contexts.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will:

1. Understand the Importance of Youth Engagement: Appreciate the critical role youth can play in humanitarian and development settings.
2. Develop Youth-Centered Approaches: Learn how to design and implement programs that engage young people at the center of humanitarian response, disaster recovery, and community development.
3. Foster Youth Leadership: Gain the skills to support youth in taking on leadership roles and promoting their self-determination.
4. Promote Meaningful Participation: Learn strategies to ensure youth participation is inclusive, safe, and impactful.
5. Identify Challenges and Opportunities: Understand the unique challenges young people face in humanitarian contexts and the opportunities for change they bring.
6. Advocate for Youth in Humanitarian Policy: Develop advocacy strategies for strengthening the role of youth in humanitarian policy and decision-making processes.
7. Evaluate the Impact of Youth Engagement Programs: Learn how to assess the effectiveness of youth-focused programs and the long-term impact on communities.

Who Should Attend?

This course is ideal for:

• Humanitarian professionals working in emergency response, recovery, and development programs.
• NGO staff and community development practitioners seeking to involve youth in the design and implementation of humanitarian projects.
• Youth leaders and youth-focused organizations who want to enhance their understanding of how to engage with and mobilize young people in humanitarian action.
• Donors and policy makers aiming to incorporate youth engagement strategies into their funding and humanitarian frameworks.
• Social workers and educators working with vulnerable youth populations in disaster and post-crisis contexts.
• Researchers focusing on youth participation, empowerment, and youth resilience in humanitarian settings.

Course Outline

Day 1: The Role of Youth in Humanitarian and Development Contexts

• Morning Session: Understanding the Role of Youth in Humanitarian Action
  • The global demographic of youth and the importance of engaging young people in humanitarian action.
  • The multifaceted role of youth: From victims and vulnerable groups to leaders and agents of change.
  • Youth as partners in humanitarian and development programs: Benefits for both young people and communities.
  • Case study: Youth mobilization in the Syrian refugee crisis.
• Afternoon Session: International Frameworks on Youth Engagement
  • Key frameworks and policies: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace, and Security, and the Global Compact for Migration.
  • Youth participation principles in humanitarian settings: access to decision-making, representation, and non-discrimination.
  • Group activity: Mapping the legal and policy frameworks that support youth engagement in humanitarian efforts.

Day 2: Designing Youth-Centered Humanitarian Programs

• Morning Session: Youth-Centered Program Design
  • Principles of youth-centered programming: Inclusivity, empowerment, participation, and ownership.
  • Conducting needs assessments with young people: Techniques for involving youth in identifying their own needs and priorities.
  • Creating safe and inclusive spaces for youth: Addressing barriers to participation (e.g., gender, disability, age).
  • Case study: Youth-led disaster response programs in Nepal post-earthquake.
• Afternoon Session: Designing Effective Youth Programs
  • Steps for designing youth-driven programs: Understanding context, culture, and local realities.
  • Integrating youth empowerment and leadership development into programs.
  • Building skills for youth: vocational training, emotional resilience, and entrepreneurship.
  • Group exercise: Develop a youth-led humanitarian project proposal for a real-world crisis (e.g., refugee camp, post-disaster recovery).

Day 3: Fostering Youth Leadership and Participation

• Morning Session: Leadership Development for Youth
  • The principles of youth leadership: How to build self-confidence, decision-making abilities, and advocacy skills among young people.
  • Creating opportunities for youth-led initiatives: Mentoring, coaching, and leadership training.
  • Promoting youth voices in leadership: Engaging youth in advocacy, policy discussions, and community decision-making.
  • Case study: Youth leadership in community-based disaster risk reduction in Indonesia.
• Afternoon Session: Meaningful Participation and Inclusion
  • Strategies for ensuring meaningful participation: Involving youth at all stages of the project cycle, from design to evaluation.
  • Overcoming barriers to participation: Addressing gender inequalities, cultural norms, and social exclusion.
  • Promoting youth-inclusive governance and participation in local decision-making structures.
  • Group activity: Develop an action plan to enhance youth participation in a humanitarian program.

Day 4: Challenges and Opportunities in Engaging Youth

• Morning Session: Overcoming Challenges in Youth Engagement
  • The challenges youth face in humanitarian contexts: violence, poverty, displacement, mental health, and education access.
  • Barriers to engagement: Misinformation, exclusion, and lack of representation in decision-making.
  • Addressing psychosocial needs and promoting mental health and well-being.
  • Case study: Youth in conflict settings: Engaging former child soldiers and youth at risk.
• Afternoon Session: Opportunities for Youth Engagement
  • Opportunities for youth as agents of peace and reconciliation: Promoting youth-led dialogue and social cohesion.
  • Youth in disaster resilience: How youth can help mitigate risk and lead recovery efforts.
  • Fostering youth entrepreneurship: Providing opportunities for young people to create economic opportunities and local solutions.
  • Group discussion: Identifying opportunities for youth to influence change in specific humanitarian settings.

Day 5: Advocacy, Policy, and Evaluating Impact

• Morning Session: Advocacy for Youth in Humanitarian Policy
  • The importance of advocating for youth at local, national, and international levels.
  • Building youth networks and alliances to amplify their voices in policy discussions.
  • Engaging with governments, NGOs, and international organizations to prioritize youth needs and contributions in humanitarian policy.
  • Case study: Youth advocacy for inclusion in climate change action and migration policy.
• Afternoon Session: Evaluating Youth Engagement Programs
  • Tools and frameworks for evaluating the effectiveness of youth engagement initiatives.
  • Key indicators of success: youth empowerment, leadership development, and sustainability.
  • Methods for collecting youth feedback and ensuring accountability.
  • Group activity: Design an evaluation framework for a youth engagement program in a humanitarian setting.