Development of an online course to strengthen capacty of youth-led organizations
Project Abstract
To further build the capacity of youth-led organizations in the ESA region, UNFPA ESARO has commissioned Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) to develop a facilitated, on-line course to build their organizational capacities to advocate for SRHR across a variety of thematic areas, and to have the organizational capacity to sustain themselves and their activism. The development of an organizational capacity building training package was a timely response to the recommendations received on the UNFPA Youth Strategy. The on-line course helped UNFPA equip young leaders and youth-led organisations with the skills needed to effectively participate in development processes, advocate for their SRHR more effectively, call their government to account for their health and development rights, and strengthen their organization to do so efficiently and sustainability into the future. The training package enhanced knowledge and skills on SRHR and its interlinkages with subjects; as well as helping them to understand and utilize the principles, concepts and practices of organizational development. The course worked to develop advocacy and soft skills such as diplomacy for the youth leaders to effectively advocate, communicate and engage with different groups of people for various purposes of youth led initiatives. It also offered a resource package with additional links on course related topics to strengthen their knowledge on SRHR, advocacy and organisation building. The course was developed with and for youth. Young people were consulted through the process, and the materials were ultimately tested with youth organisations to validate understanding of the content and usefulness of the didactic approaches. UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) will further test and use the course to build the capacity of their youth-led NGO partners in the sub-region.
