3. Recommendations - World Banksiteresources.worldbank.org/PACIFICISLANDSEXTN/Resources/youth… ·...

GIVING SOUTH PACIFIC YOUTH A VOICE | 89

3. Recommendations

90 | GIVING SOUTH PACIFIC YOUTH A VOICE

10. Report recommendations

A long term vision for youth participation in the Pacifi cConsistent with the fi ndings outlined in each of the country studies, this report recommends that each

country should have a long term vision for youth development and a holistic approach. This means adopt-

ing a framework that considers the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of the diverse range of

young people. Pacifi c youth programs need to recognize the interconnectedness of the family, the church,

the village, and other institutions and how they impact on young people.

In the long term, all countries should aim to create a culture of youth engagement. That is, make it the usual

practice to involve young people in all stages of design and implementation of youth programmes. Despite

a culture of silence, each of the country studies found much evidence of young people craving to be heard

and contribute to society, and the potential for much merit through empowerment and engagement.

Governments should establish consultative mechanisms such as youth panels and FGDs comprising youth

and offi cials. These and similar actions would utilize existing cultural practices to facilitate better inter-

generational understanding and communication and embed youth participation into the policy making

process. Creating opportunities for young people to take part in the policy development cycle would not

only provide them with a voice but ensure they become active citizens and agents for change. Participation

does not necessarily qualify as meaningful engagement, however. As mentioned in numerous FGDs, some-

times young people do participate in government consultations but receive no feedback and there are

no follow up activities. Consultation for the consultation sake does not lead to eff ective policy outcomes.

Rather, young people are likely to feel even more marginalized if consultation is only a tick box exercise that

has no real value in terms of eff ecting policy change.

Figure 10.1: Levels of Youth Participation30

Inform Consult 1 Consult 2 Collaborate Empower

Youth are informed about relevant issues, the solutions designed by decision makers and the reasons why they believe those solutions are the best options.

The first stage of consulting would be adult – initiated with the decision makers deciding when and on what to consult youth about.

The next stage would involve young people initiating sessions and bringing topics forward for discussion with decision makers, but not having any decision making power themselves.

The adult decision makers and young people are able to share the decision making ability. Both groups have ownership over the solutions and jointly deliver them.

Young people are empowered with the confidence and resources to develop small projects and deliver solutions to make positive change in their communities or amongst their peers.

Increasing levels of youth participation in national development

Fact sheets, websites, newspaper articles, information presented at schools

Focus groups with youth, surveys, youth asked for opinions at village meetings

Youth parliaments submitting ideas, youth groups voicing their concerns, youth media programs, youth asking to have allocated time in village meetings.

Joint adult -youth task forces for developing policy strategies, youth groups and organizations delivering part of the solutions

Young people developing ideas for community development projects, gaining support resources from adults and implementing the projects.

Examples

Inform Consult 1 Consult 2 Collaborate Empower

Youth are informed about relevant issues, the solutions designed by decision makers and the reasons why they believe those solutions are the best options.

The first stage of consulting would be adult – initiated with the decision makers deciding when and on what to consult youth about.

The next stage would involve young people initiating sessions and bringing topics forward for discussion with decision makers, but not having any decision making power themselves.

The adult decision makers and young people are able to share the decision making ability. Both groups have ownership over the solutions and jointly deliver them.

Young people are empowered with the confidence and resources to develop small projects and deliver solutions to make positive change in their communities or amongst their peers.

Increasing levels of youth participation in national development

Fact sheets, websites, newspaper articles, information presented at schools

Focus groups with youth, surveys, youth asked for opinions at village meetings

Youth parliaments submitting ideas, youth groups voicing their concerns, youth media programs, youth asking to have allocated time in village meetings.

Joint adult -youth task forces for developing policy strategies, youth groups and organizations delivering part of the solutions

Young people developing ideas for community development projects, gaining support resources from adults and implementing the projects.

Examples

Figure 10.1 depicts a participation continuum from passive to active forms of youth participation. It shows

that youth participation in the Pacifi c falls under the categories of ‘Inform’ and ‘Consult’. Young people are

often informed and consulted about decisions but do not have opportunities to actually contribute to them.

Moving from left to right of the continuum increases the level of collaboration with decision makers and

ownership of decisions. Ultimately, empowering young people by giving them responsibility for resources

and decisions is the highest level of youth participation that can be achieved.

30 Adapted from UN DESA (2004). “Making commitments matter: A toolkit for young people to evaluate national policy”, and

The International Association for Public Participation, “IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum”, available at: http://www.iap2.org/

associations/4748/fi les/spectrum.pdf. This model is similar to the participation ladder proposed by Arnstein (1969)

SECTION 3 – RECOMMENDATIONS | 91

PNG Youth from the Eastern highlands Province share their thoughts

at a focus group

The continuum should not be taken as implying that all youth participation activities should strive to em-

power youth and that informing and consulting should be discouraged. As long as the purpose and the

anticipated outcomes of the participation process is clearly communicated to young people, common mis-

takes such as tokenistic consultation, consultation fatigue, skepticism, apathy and disengagement can be

avoided. Young people need to know why they are being asked to participate and how their ideas and

opinions will contribute to decisions. That is, it’s all about knowing what’s in it for them.

The authors believe that training and capacity building programs for decision makers should be priori-

tized to help them understand the benefi ts of including young people in policy and program develop-

ment. Youth engagement is still a relatively new concept in Pacifi c communities. Older generations need

awareness-raising and training in how to understand, consult with and engage young people.

Decision makers should be shown examples of existing youth engagement and youth-led development

projects such as those profi led. They should also be given the opportunity to monitor, evaluate and learn

from these projects so they can replicate them. Government departments providing youth related service,

such as Education, Community Development and Health, should take a lead on these opportunities.

Classifi cation of recommendationsThe key recommendations in Table 10.1 below have been developed within the framework for eff ective youth

policy outlined in the World Development Report (World Bank, 2006b). They are intended to create opportuni-

ties for youth, build their capabilities and provide second chances for those who have had few opportunities,

may have made incorrect choices in the past, or may not have completed their schooling. The recommenda-

tions have been divided into general recommendations covering all of the countries in the study, and country

specifi c recommendations. Furthermore, they have been categorized into three sections as detailed below:

1. Policy development and building institutional capacity to support youth participation – building an insti-

tutional framework to increase youth participation by strengthening policy and strategy responses to

youth needs. Building the capacity of youth ministries, NGOs and other civil society organizations would

facilitate social inclusion and a sense of pride among Pacifi c youth. A signifi cant part of this approach is

teaching decision makers to eff ectively engage youth in program development, and appreciate the as-

sociated benefi ts of this process. While traditional forms of problem solving such as village meetings do

bring young people and older generations together, they are restrictive, and young people may even be

shamed or scolded. Methods of eff ectively engaging young people and addressing youth issues seem

not to be understood or prioritized by communities. It has been evidenced from stakeholder interviews

and youth focus group sessions that communication channels between the decision makers and young

people need to be improved to assist young people in participating in programs but also increasing

their awareness of how they can infl uence change

2. Youth participation in education and lifelong learning – increasing opportunities for youth to acquire life

skills at home, at school and in the workforce and increase their chances of completing school. Partici-

pating in educational programs opens windows of opportunity for young people to communicate their

needs and learn how to solve their problems.

3. Youth participation in employment and training – increasing opportunities for volunteering, technical

training and vocational work and agricultural support programs. Participating in employment and train-

ing is just as important as being able to read, write and comprehend.


General overview

Table 10.1: Key recommendations

Overview of general recommendations

Recommendation Implementation

Fij

i

PN

G

Sa

mo

a

So

l Is

Ton

ga

Va

nu

atu

Create a culture of youth

participation

Requires the cooperation of all stakeholder

and decision makers who impact the lives

of young people, including government,

NGOs, village councils, schools and

others, to develop a culture of including

youth at all stages of policy development

and implementation. Increasing youth

participation also involves investing in

their capacity to participate.

Train decision makers

about youth engagement

Youth engagement is a relatively new

concept and most decision makers require

training in why it is important and how to

eff ectively engage youth

Encourage adults to

take the lead in youth

engagement

Adult decision makers should take the

lead in initiating youth engagement

by encouraging youth participation in

community and programs. Youth projects

mentored by adults have been shown to

perform better than others.

Increase social and health

services for young people

Young people should have easy access to

counseling and drop in centers so they can

discuss their concerns. Such centers could

also assist street youth and provide youth

health services.

For an example, refer to Case Study 9.2 (Wan

Smolbag)

Recommended for the country

Recommendation derived from recommendations for another country in this study


Overview of recommendations by country


Fij

i

PN

G

Sa

mo

a

So

l Is

Ton

ga

Va

nu

atu

Policy Development and Building Institutional Capacity to Support Youth Participation

Develop a national youth

strategy

Youth Ministries to develop a national

youth strategy to address issues faced by

youth.

Develop youth leadership

programs

Develop programs to encourage youth

to take leadership and mentoring

opportunities. Refer to Case Study 7.1 (Voice

Blong Mere).

Improve feedback

mechanisms for grant

issuing bodies

Introduce feedback and training programs

for young people/youth organizations

that wish to improve grant proposals and

secure funding.

Increase youth

involvement in the media

Youth specifi c and participatory media

and drama groups are eff ective in linking

young people and educating them on

vital life issues. Refer to Case Study 8.1 (On

The Spot Radio), Case Study 4.1 (Youth in

Print), and Case Study 9.2 (Wan Smolbag).

Support youth led

community projects

Support community projects designed

and run by youth. These are usually cost

eff ective and bring youth together to

deliver effi cient projects that can teach a

variety of life skills. Refer to Case Study 5.1

(Jungle Boys Cultural Center), Case Study 7.2

(Cleaner Votes, Cleaner Politics), and Case

Study 6.1 (Youth for Christ).

Improved coordination

between youth sector

organizations

Enhance program delivery through

coordination & information- sharing

among organizations and government

departments. Develop joint strategies

based on key issues. Government should

also recognize and support NGOs in youth

development. Refer to Case Study 8.2

(Tonga National Youth Congress).

Develop a youth

consultation strategy

for government policy

planning processes

Develop policies on how government

can engage youth in consultations on

proposed strategies, eg. panels of youth

who can share their ideas on the policies

to increase eff ectiveness.

Leverage on the successes

of the youth parliament

Broaden activities of the existing and

successful youth parliament to engage

greater participation at grass roots level

and more awareness of the concerns

raised.

Establish capacity building

programs for peer trainers

Use peer trainers to communicate

information on key issues to youth. Also,

increased training is needed to increases

under skilled trainer’s abilities.

Develop initiatives to

support young women’s

participation

Implement targeted programs off ering

young women participation in decision-

making process and thereby increase

confi dence and embed life skills. Refer to

Case Study 7.1 (Voice Blong Mere).

Review the role of the

National Youth Congress

Consider re-launching the National Youth

Congress, to implement initiatives of the

Government Youth Division.



Fij

i

PN

G

Sa

mo

a

So

l Is

Ton

ga

Va

nu

atu

Ensure the sustainability

of existing youth

participation mechanisms

Provide ongoing investment and resource

support for the ministry concerned with

youth and for participation initiatives to

ensure their future viability.

Youth Participation in Education and Lifelong Learning

Engage youth in

curriculum planning

Provide students with opportunities to

contribute ideas on curriculum design.

Many were concerned that components

of current curriculums are irrelevant. More

practical life skills need to be taught.

Support extra curricular

activities in schools and

interactive teaching

methods

Extra curricula school activities off er

interactive and interesting learning

methods for youth to acquire vital skills at

low cost.

Increased life skills and

health education within

schools

Schools present an excellent opportunity

for teaching life skills and health

education to address issues such as

violence, HIVAIDS, unemployment and

rural opportunities

Reduce school fees Reduce, contain or abolish school fees in

order to minimize drop out rates

Encourage community

education & training

institutions

Link community training facilities

to established institutions such as

universities. This would provide accessible,

cost eff ective education alternatives for

young people.

Youth Participation in Employment and Training

Recognize volunteer and

alternate employment

and training

Support and increase scope of

volunteering opportunities. Volunteers are

recognized by many employers as having

acquired high quality skills useful in the

workplace. Refer to Case Study 5.2 (Port

Moresby City Mission) and Case Study 9.1

(Youth Challenge International, Vanuatu)

Increase vocational

training opportunities

Increased vocational opportunities

provide vital skill sets for youth while

occupying them when other employment

opportunities are scarce.

Promote and support

agricultural opportunities

Agricultural opportunities and training

programs can make rural careers more

viable for young people leaving the

schooling system.

Support youth

entrepreneurs

Pilot microfi nance projects for youth

entrepreneurs have proved successful

and broader business skills education

and support for young entrepreneurs is

encouraged. Refer to Case Study 8.3 (Vava’u

Youth Microfi nance)

Establish a one stop shop

for youth employment &

training

A single point of contact where youth

could fi nd opportunities for employment

and training would make information

much more accessible.


FijiThese recommendations refl ect the broad objective of youth participation and have been made by the

young people consulted except where otherwise noted.

Recommendations

Policy development and building institutional

capacity to support youth participation

Adopt a holistic approach to youth development: A framework that considers the physical, emotional and

spiritual well being of young people is essential to support the full development of youth. Fijian youth de-

velopment should also encompass cross-cultural awareness to facilitate positive dialogue between young

people from diff erent ethnic and religious backgrounds. Programs and activities need to recognize the inter-

connectedness between the family, the church and the village, and how these institutions impact on youth

well being. If a holistic approach is not adopted some young people risk marginalisation and isolation. (This

recommendation is a synthesis of suggestions from interviews, focus groups and the questionnaire).

Expand youth leadership programs: The young people and NGOs consulted for this study proposed that

existing youth leadership programs in schools and the University of South Pacifi c should be expanded.

Youth leadership programs that capitalize on the strengths of Leadership Fiji and ELF, and encourage youth

to become role models could inspire and motivate young people all over the country. Embedding youth

leadership programs into the academic curriculum could facilitate the development of team building, deci-

sion-making and interpersonal skills amongst Fijian youth.

Promote collaboration between all stakeholders: As NGOs and the Ministry of Youth pointed out, col-

laboration and partnerships between the government, donor agencies and NGOs should be encouraged

to ensure that youth projects bring the maximum benefi t for the maximum number. At the moment, ‘col-

laboration and partnership’ are cemented in writing but not in practice. The 20-year Strategic Plan for Youth

Development is an indication that the Fiji Government is willing to work with stakeholders to ensure that

goals and outcomes are achieved. Regular monitoring of progress is vital to ensure proper engagement of

young people and other stakeholders.

Ensure the long-term sustainability of existing youth participation mechanisms: Fiji has a well-estab-

lished mechanism for youth engagement and participation. For example, the Provincial Youth Forum has

a representation of young people from 15 provinces, which then fi lters information down to district and

village youth councils. Youth workers are employed by the Ministry of Youth to service each province, which

allows for a continuous presence of Ministry of Youth outside of Suva. Some of the young people who have

been involved with the Provincial Youth Forum have taken up political positions within local councils. On-

going investment and infrastructural support for the Provincial Youth Forum is essential if it is to remain the

main avenue for communication and participation for rural young people in Fiji.

Youth participation in education and life long learning

Develop health and social support services for young people on the streets: Disadvantaged young peo-

ple who shine shoes or push the wheelbarrow all day in Suva want better access to adequate health and social

support services. An integrated health and social support services should be provided for young people who

are living on or at risk of being on the streets. If young people on the streets do not have access to basic health

and social services, they are vulnerable to engaging in criminal activity and anti-social behavior.

Expand youth media programs: Youth participation in the media should be encouraged to provide op-

portunities for young people to voice their concerns and share their experiences with others. One sugges-

tion made by the focus group participants is to establish a television program where a representative group

of young people come together in a discussion circle on a diff erent topic each week. This program could

be broadcast nationally as a way to encourage young people to speak out more openly about youth issues.

Moreover, other mediums such as youth newspapers like Kaila! and Wansolwara should be supported to

expand their distribution coverage to rural areas and outer islands (see Case Study 4.1).

Youth participation in employment and training

Establish a nation-wide microfi nance scheme for young entrepreneurs: A microfi nance scheme to as-

sist in the development of small businesses and enterprises amongst young people in urban and rural areas

will be benefi cial and may encourage more young people to stay in the country. If young people could

access small loans and seeding grants towards setting up their own businesses, it could motivate them to

consider self-employment as an attractive career pathway. Business activity is thriving in Fiji, as evidenced

by the international demand for Fijian products such as Fiji Water and Pure Fiji. These businesses could work

together with NGOs to provide mentoring and fi nancial support to young entrepreneurs. This recommen-

dation has been developed through the fi ndings of the consultation with NGOs.


Develop incentives for young people to undertake vocational training or internships: Opportunities

exist for schools, technical colleges and university to partner with local businesses and industries to assist

young people in developing the practical skills and experience required for entering into the workforce. In

turn, employers could benefi t from such a program by being able to recruit and retain skilled employees.

Vocational training and internships should also be encouraged within the NGO sector. Without these types

of programs, young people will fi nd it diffi cult to obtain employment and may exacerbate the ‘brain drain’

of young professionals. It is important that the vocational training and internships off ered refl ect the skill

requirements of the employment market in Fiji in order to prevent the brain drain of skilled young people

to countries such as Australia and New Zealand.

Papua New Guinea

Recommendations

These recommendations refl ect the broad objective of youth participation and have been made by the


Policy development and building institutional capacity

to support youth participation

Increase access and quality of youth media: Youth friendly media such as youth run radio programs should

be made more accessible and can be used to promote community group engagement. Through forming

partnerships with schools, young celebrities, and broadcasting from community events, such programs

could become more accessible, more participatory and more eff ective. Youth radio programs have attracted

good audiences in other South Pacifi c nations and have proved to be an excellent medium for promoting

youth participation and education. A good starting point would include building on the strengths of the

existing ‘Youth Tok’ radio program (discussed in the country chapter). This recommendation was developed

by the authors while considering the fi ndings of the research.

Expand support for youth led community projects: Community development project grants such as

those promoted by the World Bank’s Development Marketplace are an excellent way to engage young peo-

ple in the community and empower them with resources to implement solutions to problems. Many such

grants programs, however, require youth applicants to have an established organizational and operational

history which is very rare to fi nd. Such requirements translate to a small number of eligible applicants as

young people are generally seeking seed funding to build a project and gain experience. Instead, a reverse

engineered process may be able to deliver important long-term training and sustainability benefi ts. This

could involve donor institutions or established bodies, identifying potential community development proj-

ects, engaging local youth in providing input to project design and then training the youth to form a group

and implement the project.

Organizations and government agencies which issue community development project grants31 to various

community groups including youth groups should provide detailed feedback to unsuccessful applications

to ensure these applicant learn how to improve their project proposals.

Improve coordination between youth sector organizations: It is essential to create a national database

of youth networks and organizations on a program-by-program basis to understand what is currently be-

ing off ered to young people and identify where potential gaps may exist. The creation and management

of such a network could lead to improved coordination for youth events, such as International Youth Day,

and eff ective dissemination of information. Eventually such a network could lead to an eff ective means to

link youth groups, distribute funding for community projects and channel ideas and concerns of youth in

communities to relevant bodies who would be able to assist. The most appropriate organization to imple-

ment this would be the Ministry for Community Development which has already indicated an interest in

such a project.

Establish issue specifi c youth consultation panels: Having youth consultation panels for issue or port-

folio-specifi c agencies could lead to an eff ective engagement mechanism for youth to contribute to the

development of programs and policy on specifi c areas such as education and health programs. Similarly to

this concept, PNG held a national youth summit on the Millennium Development Goals in 2006 which pro-

duced an excellent insight into young people’s views on the development priorities including suggestions

for relevant agencies and NGOs. Again however, the eff ectiveness can only be judged by the take up of the

recommendations by the relevant government agencies and NGOs. This recommendation was developed

by the authors and could be implemented by any organization running youth programs or developing

youth related policies.

31 Community project fi nancial grant organisations interviewed in PNG including the Community Development Scheme in Port Moresby,

the Department of Law and Justice in Goroka, Eastern Highlands and the World Bank’s Development Marketplace Grants coordinator in

Port Moresby.


Youth participation in education and lifelong learning

Engage youth in curricula planning: Youth, as the largest stakeholder group in public education, should

be engaged in consultation on curricula development to ensure that they remain relevant to the livelihoods

of young people thus increasing eff ectiveness. Respondents consistently expressed dissatisfaction with as-

pects of school curricula and identifi ed this problem as a major cause of losing motivation to study. Sugges-

tions for curricula have included increased relevance through the teaching of life skills such as agriculture

and encouraging more interaction, participation and lateral thinking for students in class. Many partici-

pants also called for the introduction and expansion of extra-curricular activities in schools such as debat-

ing, leadership programs and sport which could help foster the vital life skills needed while also increasing

the motivation of students. Such programs could be created and run on minimal costs and in some cases

would not require addition expenses and thus provide an excellent return on time invested. This can only

be implemented by the Department of Education and without such a review, parts of the curricula could

continue to be less eff ective than they should be, with young people continuing to express dissatisfaction.

Increase health education in schools and establish more youth health clinics: Health education needs

to be prioritized in schools, as this is the best opportunity to reach a wide audience of young people. In

terms of health education, raising awareness of HIV and other problems at the school level could prove ef-

fective as an initial starting point. However, simply teaching about such issues at schools will not be enough

and this initial education should be coupled with support for external youth friendly & accessible health

clinics. It is however essential that young people feel confi dent of the confi dentiality of these clinics as that

could otherwise undermine their use. Without such investments, awareness of these key issues and eff ec-

tive habits in life may not be adopted by many young people leading to harmful health practices later in life.

This suggestion would need the cooperation of both the ministry of education and NGOs with competen-

cies in health related areas to be implemented.

Reduce school fees: School fees should be eliminated, reduced or at a minimum, prevented from rising as

the fees reduce the ability of many young people to continue their schooling, especially those from poorer

families. The issue of school fees was raised numerous times in the focus group sessions in this study and

in the Open Space (refer to Case Study 5.3) forums run by the World Bank with ‘at risk’ youth in 2006 as de-

scribed in the PNG country summary.


Recognize volunteering experiences and alternate training courses by formal sector employers: There

is a vast untapped opportunity of skills within young people who have participated in volunteer work ex-

periences and external training courses run by NGOs. Employers should recognize these experiences when

considering employing young people. Increased employer interaction with such volunteer programs and

NGOs as seen in the model pioneered by the Port Moresby City Mission (refer to Case Study 5.2) could see

improved employment opportunities for young people who develop skills through volunteering initially.

NGOs which support youth volunteers should consider building such partnerships with employers and the

government could assist by promoting the value of volunteer experiences to potential employers.

Increase vocational training opportunities: Incentives and programs to increase vocational training or in-

ternship opportunities with employers should be explored and expanded. Young people interviewed in each

of the provinces indicated that even the simplest of volunteering roles could give them direction, new skills,

friends and occupy many hours of spare time which the scores of unemployed young people seem to have.

Promote and support agricultural opportunities for youth: Farming and agricultural employment and

self-employment opportunities should be promoted to assist young people who want to remain in rural ar-

eas or maintain family farms. For example, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has partnered with

the Tonga Government and other South Pacifi c islands to deliver a “Future Farmers” program to train young

farmers so they can begin farming businesses. The possibility of bringing this program to PNG should be

explored.

Develop support structures for youth entrepreneurs: Young entrepreneurs should be supported

through the availability of a micro fi nance scheme and business skills training programs. Such programs

piloted in Vanuatu and Tonga by community NGOs have had a high success rate and a low level of defaults.

Recipients of micro fi nance loans in Tonga indicated that they wanted to employ other young people in

their businesses (refer to Case Study 8.3). Any such scheme would need to have a strong focus on business

skills education and provide training and advice on management, such as is off ered by The Solomon Islands

Small Business Enterprise Centre in Honiara. Including enterprise education into school curricula through

competitions and case studies could assist in generating youth initiated small businesses. An interview with

the Ministry for Community Development revealed that it is unlikely that the private sector will be able to

take up the large number of unskilled jobs needed, and the authors believe that micro enterprises run by

young people could provide a solution for this. Such a project would however require the dedication of an

organization to manage and to provide the training needed for participants.


Solomon IslandsThese recommendations refl ect the broad objective of youth participation and have been made by the


Recommendations



Develop initiatives for supporting young women’s participation: Young women in Solomon Islands do not

have the same opportunity as young men to take part in decision-making processes. Initiatives such as the Young

Women’s Parliament and Voice Blong Mere’s radio program have the potential to encourage young women to

develop their confi dence in speaking out about issues (see Case Study 7.1). A good model is the Young Women’s

Parliament, trialed in Samoa, which has proved to be successful if conducted on a regular basis and incorporated

within the school curricula. A Young Women’s Parliament would allow young women in Solomon Islands to learn

about political processes and functions of government through role play of parliamentary proceedings.

Strengthen collaborative partnerships: The Ministry of Home Aff airs and NGOs have suggested that

collaboration and partnerships between the government, donor agencies and civil society organizations

should be encouraged to ensure eff ective and effi cient use of available resources. The interview with a rep-

resentative from the Solomon Islands Christian Association, the umbrella body for all Christian ministries in

Solomon Islands, revealed that whilst churches were proactive in involving young people in youth groups,

recreational activities and spiritual development workshops, there was a lack of coordination between min-

istries. This often led to activities being duplicated even within Honiara. This duplication is also present

within the government and NGO sectors as there is no clear communication between those stakeholders

who deliver youth programs.

Recognize the role of NGOs in youth development: NGOs expressed the need for greater recognition of the

role non governmental organizations and church groups play in supporting youth development. As demonstrat-

ed in the case study, NGOs like the Winds of Change has an enormous impact in infl uencing change amongst

voters and young people. The government needs to acknowledge the invaluable contributions made by these

organizations, as well as recognizing the role of young people in peace building and governance. The National

Youth Policy identifi es NGOs as a key partner in implementing the policy. As such, the relevant government min-

istries and NGOs need to establish a formal mechanism for working together to achieve the policy outcomes.

Review the role of the National Youth Congress: As many young people from Solomon Islands who took

part in this study did not know about the existence of the Government’s National Youth Congress (NYC), a

review is needed to assess its function and role. The Solomon Islands Youth Congress has not been on the

standstill because of the lack of direction and resources available to fulfi ll its role as an implementation arm

of the Youth Division. Given that the NYP was about to be reviewed by the Government when this study

was carried out, it is timely to also review the governance structures in place for managing, monitoring and

evaluating the NYP The Tonga National Youth Congress can be used as a possible model for a national youth

congress in the Solomon Islands.


Establish Community Education and Training Institutions: Encourage the development of community

education and training institutions to reduce the fi nancial burden on families and provide alternative av-

enues for young people to complete their formal schooling. Such initiatives would enable young people

in rural areas to gain an education without having to travel to Honiara or drop out of school because their

family’s fi nancial circumstances change. Young people who graduate from such institutions should also be

fully supported with careers counseling and job search services. Without alternative education and train-

ing programs, youth unemployment and youth illiteracy will continue to hinder opportunities for young

people as well as for the development of Solomon Islands.


Establish a one-stop shop for youth employment and training programs: A network of one-stop shops

that connect young people to educational, employment and training programs is needed in major urban

centres. Young people are not fully aware of the services and programs that are available to them. The Solo-

mon Islands Small Business Enterprise Centre in Honiara is a good example as it provides support to new

and existing business enterprises. However, a youth-specifi c information and service facility is needed to

assist the huge numbers of young people who are without employment. Such a facility needs to be backed

with a micro-fi nancing facility and business management assistance. This recommendation is supported by

organizations such as the Commonwealth Youth Program, Development Services Exchange and Honiara

City Council who have expressed the need for vocational and job-specifi c training to be delivered across the

country to alleviate youth unemployment.


Develop vocational training programs and internships: Opportunities exist for schools and technical

colleges to partner with industry employers to assist young people in developing practical skills and expe-

rience required for entering into the workforce. Employers could benefi t from such a program because it

would facilitate the recruitment and retention of skilled employees. NGOs like Winds of Change encourage

young people to become volunteers with their organization so that they can develop skills in communica-

tion, project management and teamwork. These skills are transferable to the workplace.

TongaThese recommendations refl ect the broad objective of youth participation and have been made by the


Recommendations



Encourage adults to take the initial lead in youth engagement: Many respondents suggested that if the

decision makers initiated consultation sessions with young people, the process of youth participation could

be a lot more youth friendly and that they would be willing to participate. There is a large stigma amongst

the young people surveyed that leaders or decision makers are uninterested in youth issues and that there

is no point in discussing issues with them as decision makers would not take action. Decision makers and

adults should take the lead in pro-actively organizing forums for young people to come to them with their

concerns and ideas. This can be applied to all levels from invites to participate at community meetings to in-

vites to be part of government program development forums. Without such a lead, it is unlikely that young

people may feel confi dent and welcome to attend consultation sessions or community meetings.

Develop a system to encourage adults to mentor youth groups and organizations: Youth groups which

have been mentored by adults have had considerable successes in developing sustainable community

projects and motivating the youth members of the group. It is recommended that a system be developed

to recruit and train adults who could mentor and guide such groups in a supportive manner and assist them

to achieve their full potential, similar to the examples discussed in this chapter. The authors have developed

this recommendation after observing the results of the youth groups visited and could be implemented

ideally through an organization with a good network of youth groups such as the TNYC.

Leverage on the success of the youth parliament: Tonga should leverage of the success of its fi rst few an-

nual Youth Parliaments by ensuring extra community and grass roots level support for each youth represen-

tative. Each representative should be provided with opportunities to participate at more local community

meetings, consultations and be accessible for young people in the area to discuss their ideas and concerns.

Youth representatives should be able to propose and lobby for support for local community projects run

by youth groups, NGOs or church groups at the youth parliament level. Such an initiative would need to be

coordinated form a central body like the TNYC, but would need several local NGOs or branches of the TNYC

to assist with local implementation.

Support drop in centers: Drop in centers can provide a youth friendly atmosphere where young people

can discuss various problems from health issues to schooling while providing a valuable outlet for their

thoughts, creativity and concerns, especially if there are no other alternatives. Currently the Tonga Family

Health Association runs one of the few centers in Tongatapu and support should be sought to grow such

centers so that they can accommodate more youth. During interviews, NGOs strongly supported the roles

of drop-in centers, indicating that they are very eff ective and youth friendly.

Increase support for drama groups and youth focused media: Youth friendly media programs should be

encouraged and supported to grow as they provide an eff ective and scalable two way interactive medium

for young people to not only participate by voicing their concerns and ideas but to also learn about signifi -

cant issues in an enjoyable manner. Youth run radio programs and drama groups have proved successful in

Tonga and in other Pacifi c Islands in this study and should be supported (refer to Case Study 8.1).

Establish a fund for youth led projects: A fund for youth projects should be established with specifi c

grants for such projects. The grants could also have criteria that an adult mentor is required. The availability

of such support could lead to more youth involvement in their communities and incentives to develop

projects within youth groups. Interviews with NGOs, adult mentors for youth groups and youth themselves

showed that young people possess talents ranging from music to carving, but do not have opportunities to

develop these. A fund for youth led projects could see such talents developed through improved resources

for youth groups and other youth organizations. Such a fund would be best implemented through an exist-

ing network such as the TNYC, however a committee of young people should be allowed to participate in

the grant allocation and grants should not be restricted to members of the TNYC or other organizational

networks only.


Expand capacity building programs for peer trainers: Young people in the focus groups and surveys in-

dicated a preference towards speaking to other youth about their issues. Increased training for peer trainers

on eff ective communication and training skills could help bridge a skills gap in eff ectively communicating

advice to youth. This recommendation was devised from interviews with NGOs who revealed that not all

peer trainers were very eff ective in their delivery as many of the young people who attended sessions with

peer trainers were left not understanding what they were taught. This would be best implemented by NGOs

which utilize peer trainers, however extra funding would be needed.


Change teaching practices: Schools form a vital avenue for young people to participate in and learn about

society. However, as discussed in this study, ineff ective teaching practices may deter youth from attending

schools and participating in society. Schools could consider introducing alternative disciplining mecha-

nisms as the current harsh discipline standards including hitting students may deter students from regular

attendance and reduce motivation. Successful implementation of this task could involve training teachers

on alternate discipline methods and are likely to improve the schooling experiences of students.

Increase life skills and health education at schools: Health and life skills education should be taught

across Tonga’s schools as they are a near perfect opportunity to encourage healthy habits, including healthy

diets and exercise. Young people should also learn about health concerns such as HIV/AIDS and diabetes

and how to prevent such diseases in their lives. The ‘Obesity Prevention in Communities’32 study conducted

in 2006 into eating, physical activity and body image attitudes of young people also recommended using

schools to promote healthy diets and sports competitions to increase physical activity and exercise. Edu-

cation on these topics in schools should also be backed up by providing easy access to drop in centers or

health clinics where young people can confi dentially discuss specifi c health concerns. NGOs, adults and

youth who participated in the study supported this view. Without these investments, the high rates of dis-

eases such as diabetes may prevail and other threats may emerge.


Expand volunteering opportunities for young people: It is a well-known fact that volunteering teaches

young people a valuable variety of skills and can make them more employable and such volunteering pro-

grams should be supported to increase capacity. The Tonga National Volunteers Program33 provides volun-

teering placements for 15 young people of Tongan descent every year. It is also important that youth volun-

teers are recognized for the work that they do by employers. Even though volunteers are unpaid, the skills

gained could be very useful for most workplaces and employers should be encouraged to recognize the

experiences of volunteers. This could be achieved by simply raising awareness amongst employers about

the benefi ts of volunteering or by forming a national accreditation system for volunteers. This recommen-

dation was developed by the authors and without its implementation, further skilled young people may

not be recognized by potential employers for paid jobs, representing a large missed opportunity.

Increase vocational & skills training opportunities: Incentives and programs to increase vocational train-

ing or internship opportunities with employers should be explored and expanded. The Ministry of Training,

Employment, Youth and Sports ran several skills training workshops in Hapai and Tongatapu with excellent

results including that several of the participants had found employment afterwards. Such programs should

be supported on an ongoing basis and expanded to allow more opportunities for young people. The Future

Farmers program is a good example of such training which is organized as a joint eff ort between the FAO and

the Ministry of Agriculture with the support of the Tonga National Youth Congress. Providing a combination

of practical agricultural skills training and support to establish farming businesses, the program had positive

results with several rural young participants being able to generate income to support themselves.

Expand support structures for youth entrepreneurs: Youth enterprise development and micro fi nance

programs should be supported and represent an excellent alternative way to meet the unemployment

problem. Enterprise skills programs should be taught early within schools and eff ective support mecha-

nisms such as the microfi nance scheme run by the TNYC (see Case Study 8.3) should be supported to assist

more youth entrepreneurs. Without such a program, young people with enterprise skills or ideas may not

have the opportunities to actually begin their small businesses, and other young people who could be

ready to begin businesses after attending training programs would not be able to.

32 OPIC is an analytical and experimental research project conducted in four countries, Australia in Geelong by Deakin University, New

Zealand in South Auckland by Auckland University, Fiji in Nasinu Basin, Suva by Fiji School of Medicine, in Tonga in Tongatapu by the

Ma’alahi Youth Project under the Fiji School of Medicine in Fiji, collaborating with Ministry of Health, Tonga. The project is funded by the

Welcome Trust.

33 The Tonga National Volunteers Program is run by the Tonga National Youth Congress (TNYC). See Case Study 8.2 for details.


VanuatuThese recommendations refl ect the broad objective of youth participation and have been made by the


Recommendations



Develop a national youth policy: The department of youth, the government’s youth policy and program

arm under the Ministry for Youth and Sports needs to develop a comprehensive and sustainable framework

for addressing the concerns faced by Vanuatu’s young people. The department should work on develop-

ing a youth strategy through extensive consultation with young people and consider the outcomes from

research carried out by the Vanuatu Young People’s Project34 released in mid-2007. As a central body in the

youth development sector, the Department of Youth should ensure that its strategy encompasses the work

of existing NGOs while also linking together the many youth groups in the country, and providing opportu-

nities for young people to interact with the department. The youth policy should also set the lead for all or-

ganizations, especially within the government to encourage youth participation in program development

and for chiefs, and provincial governments to also encourage youth participation in meetings and forums.

This view was refl ected in discussions with NGOs and young people around the country and acknowledged

by the Youth Ministry staff . Tonga recently developed its youth strategy and PNG updated its youth strategy

in 2006, both being models which Vanuatu could also adopt.

Improve youth sector coordination and communication: Coordination between the main organizations

helping young people should be increased to improve collaboration on program development, sharing

of information and program coordination. Creation of a comprehensive register of the main organizations

and interest groups working to assist young people across the nation could be of large benefi t to the de-

partment’s planning, and for the NGOs and interest groups. Such a network should also include the several

youth groups working throughout the country which currently have very little interaction. Linking these

groups together and establishing a two way communication channel between them and the youth min-

istry could open possibilities for increased participation amongst those groups, increased eff ectiveness in

dispersing information and improved understanding of youth issues from a government perspective. These

views were also refl ected in meetings with NGOs and such a network could build on the strengths of the re-

cently established ‘Vanuatu Youth Inter-Agency Group’, a network of youth related NGOs who meet monthly

to discuss their work with young people.

Support drop in centers: Youth drop in centers should be supported and expanded as they have proved

eff ective and popular across the Pacifi c and Vanuatu is no exception with the success of the highly ac-

claimed Wan Smolbag (see case study 9.2) multi purpose youth centre. During interviews, both NGOs and

young people indicated that drop in centers were very eff ective in assisting youth with a variety of issues

including HIV/AIDS awareness. The best people to deliver this recommendation would include the existing

managers of drop in centers and NGOs who have signifi cant youth related programs. Without easy access

to drop-in centers, young people in need of help may continue to go unnoticed and there will continue to

be a lack of avenues to teach life skills to youth who are outside of the school system.

Support youth led projects: As discussed in the fi ndings for Vanuatu, there is an untapped number of

youth groups and organizations with plans to develop community youth programs ranging from music

groups to sporting events. However many of these groups are very small or village based and have no ac-

cess to funds or support. A national grants scheme or mentoring scheme should be established, possibly

by the youth ministry to support these ideas as they are often very cost eff ective, and can occupy young

people while developing communities and teaching important skills such as leadership, teamwork and a

sense of citizenship. Such a scheme would ideally be implemented by the youth ministry, however they do

not have the capacity at present to undertake this task. Alternatively a group such as the Vanuatu Youth

Inter-Agency Group may be able to assume this task, with grant allocation decisions also involving youth

participation. Without such a scheme, dozens of young people will not be empowered to create community

development projects ranging from education projects to starting a youth music group.

Expand targeted youth media programs: Youth friendly media programs especially on radio should be

developed as they have proved eff ective as a channel for young people to participate in and to also learn

about important issues in an enjoyable manner. The Wan Smolbag theatre already has been very successful

in producing youth friendly movies and dramas which have been very eff ective in teaching young people

about important issues. Programs like this should be supported to reach as many young people as possible.

NGOs again would represent the best opportunities for implementing the programs, however training to

existing media staff may encourage them to foster this initiative.

34 See http://www.vanuatuculture.org/ypp/index.shtml for more details



Reduce school fees: School fees were mentioned in almost every focus group as a key issue amongst stu-

dents who are fearful that they may need to drop out of school eventually if their parents cannot aff ord it.

Eliminating school fees or at least preventing further rises could reduce the uncertainty faced by several

students that their parents may not be able to aff ord their continued education. Primary schooling at least

should be made free and accessible in line with the 2nd Millennium Development Goal and support for sec-

ondary school fee reductions could lead to fewer students dropping out.

Expand life skills and health education within schools: School time represents one of the best opportu-

nities for life skills and health education for young people. Young people increasingly speak of the problems

of HIV, teenage pregnancy, and other issues and comment that more education and awareness on these is-

sues are vital. Simply teaching about them at schools however will not be enough and this initial education

should be supplemented with access to youth friendly, confi dential health clinics. Without the work of such

clinics and without this vital education in schools, many young people may leave the school system without

having learnt some of the more important life skills which could help with family planning, improved health

and wellbeing.

Promote rural opportunities & lifestyles: Initiatives such as the Future Farmers Program in Tonga, Niue

and Samoa have had a great impact on encouraging young people to develop agricultural skills and begin

their own farms. A scheme like the Future Farmers program should also be considered for Vanuatu to assist

in promoting rural opportunities and building agricultural skills for youth while also creating rural employ-

ment. Such programs could also be integrated into school education with compulsory agricultural practical

components and agri-business management training. A similar model to the Tongan program can be ad-

opted whereby the program is run as a joint initiative between the Department of Agriculture, the UN FAO

and the Tonga National Youth Congress.


Refl ecting the numerous calls for increased employment opportunities by young people in the focus

groups, many NGOs highly prioritized increasing vocation skills but also teaching young people to fi nd

alternatives to working for an employer. Alternatives may include starting small businesses and programs

should be developed to raise awareness of these pathways. The following programs will need commitment

from both the government and NGOs in order to succeed.

Increase volunteering opportunities: NGOs indicated that young people who volunteered for them had

built excellent skills sets and many had subsequently received off ers for paid employment with fi rms. Vol-

unteering provides an excellent training ground for professional skills and promoting increased volunteer

opportunities could greatly assist young people in building skills. An interesting model for connecting vol-

unteers to eventual paid employment has been adopted by the Port Moresby Mission (see Case Study 5.2)

where employers are linked to volunteers working at the mission and thus recognize the skills they gain,

leading to possible employment opportunities. Such a program could be replicated in Vanuatu.

Expand opportunities for vocational training: Incentives and programs to increase vocational training or

internship opportunities with employers should be explored and expanded. Some of the NGOs interviewed

commented that increased rural training initiatives were needed for young people to build skills and pos-

sibly gain employment due to a lack of opportunities for rural youth to gain such practical skills training.

Support youth entrepreneurs: If managed properly, micro fi nance initiatives for youth entrepreneurs, and

enterprise development training could lead to employment and small business creation. Programs piloted

in Vanuatu and Tonga (see Case Study 8.3) by community NGOs have had a high success rate and a very low

level of defaults. Recipients of micro fi nance loans in Tonga indicated that they wanted to employ other

young people in their businesses. Wan Smolbag (see Case Study 9.2) is currently piloting a small youth

micro-fi nance scheme with youth recipients starting a range of businesses from shoe-repair to kava bars.

Any such scheme would need to be supplemented with strong business skills development workshops and

education on business skills should be introduced within secondary schools.


Samoa

Recommendations

These recommendations refl ect the broad objective of youth participation and have been made by the




Promote collaboration between all stakeholders: Collaboration and partnerships between the govern-

ment, donor agencies and civil society organizations should be encouraged to ensure that youth projects

have the maximum benefi t for the maximum number of youth. At the moment, ‘collaboration and part-

nership’ are cemented in writing but not in practice. There is too much red tape which must be removed

if services and programs for youth are to be delivered in a timely and effi cient manner. The government’s

TALAVOU is a step forward in achieving collaboration however an integrated and well-coordinated imple-

mentation strategy is needed to maintain stakeholder commitment. Pilot projects under the TALAVOU pro-

gram are currently being implemented. This recommendation has been made based on the fi ndings of the

consultation with young people, government and NGOs.

Develop a youth consultation policy for government policy planning processes: A youth consultation

policy should be developed to ensure all of the government’s youth consultation processes are clear about

their purpose, objectives and outcomes. Presently, young people are being over-consulted and not receiv-

ing adequate feedback. This has resulted in many young people questioning the value of the government’s

youth consultation activities. As such, developing a youth consultation policy will set up a framework for

facilitating a two-way communication between the government and young people. This recommendation

has been proposed as a result of consultations held with young people in Savaii.

Recognize the role of NGOs: As NGOs noted in the interviews, there needs to be a greater recognition

of the role NGOs and church groups play in supporting youth development. The government needs to

acknowledge the invaluable contributions made by these organizations. Peak bodies such as the Samoa

Umbrella for Non Governmental Organizations (SUNGO) are working closely with the government to en-

sure social equity in Samoa, but more eff orts are needed to involve them in decision-making at a national

level. This will enable youth groups with informal organizational arrangements (i.e. youth groups, clubs and

associations) to formalize their existence through SUNGO, which will increase their opportunity to apply for

external grants and funding.

Establish a Samoa National Youth Advisory Board: Discussions with the Youth Ministry and NGOs identi-

fi ed a need for establishing a National Youth Advisory Board. The Advisory Board should consist of young

people who are representative of the youth population in Samoa and its role should be to provide strate-

gic advice to the Government’s Youth Division (Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development) on

youth matters. Although the Samoa National Youth Policy 2001-2010 sets an objective for an annual National

Youth Forum to be established to facilitate open communication and sharing of information, this is a tokenistic

and passive form of youth participation. Moreover, the Samoan Government’s intention to set up a National

Youth Council as an implementation arm of the Youth Division will only be successful if the members of the

Council are young people drawn from the government and civil society sectors, and they are supported by

suffi cient resources. Experience from other countries suggests that separating policy development and policy

implementation is not always eff ective as policy-making processes are iterative and depend on the continu-

ous fl ow between ‘decisions’ and ‘actions’. Therefore, the National Youth Advisory Board should be formed as

a participatory mechanism for which youth can forward recommendations to the Government and take part

in infl uencing policy decisions. The Youth for Christ’s Friday Night Youth Rally could be used as a model for the

establishment of the Samoan National Youth Advisory Board (see Case Study).


Encourage the development of community education and training institutions: Such institutions will

reduce the fi nancial burden on families and provide alternative avenues for young people to complete

their studies. Such initiatives will overcome the barriers faced by young people in rural areas in accessing

education and training programs. Community education and training institutions may be linked to other

educational institutions such as the University of the South Pacifi c and the National University of Samoa.

Allocate and fund a youth television program: The program should aim to provide a forum for young

people to share information and discuss issues that are important to them. Linking young people through

the media is powerful in enabling youth to express, communicate and inform others about their ideas and

opinions. The Rotaract’s “Battle of the Minds” program can be used as a model for future youth television

programs.



Establish a nationally recognized volunteer program: Whilst there is an absence of volunteerism in Sa-

moa, almost all young people are involved in some form of ‘unpaid work’ through their obligations to the

church, village and family. Due to young people being involved in informal volunteering (which is imposed

by cultural obligations), young people do not have the time or are not attracted to taking up volunteering

positions in formal institutions. Therefore, volunteering needs to be formalized and recognized as a step

towards obtaining employment.

Establish a nation-wide microfi nance scheme for young entrepreneurs: For example, young people

in rural areas do not have the same opportunity as their urban counterparts to engage in formal employ-

ment and not all of them want or are able to move to Apia. Therefore they are keen to start up their own

businesses and support their families and villages. Since 2004, the Food and Agricultural Organization in

partnership with the Samoa Government’s Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Women, Community and

Social Development has delivered the Future Farmers Program to increase career opportunities in the agri-

cultural sector. Reports on the program have been positive and the program can be expanded to train and

educate potential youth entrepreneurs in rural areas.

3. Recommendations - World Banksiteresources.worldbank.org/PACIFICISLANDSEXTN/Resources/youth… ·...

Documents

Transcript of 3. Recommendations - World Banksiteresources.worldbank.org/PACIFICISLANDSEXTN/Resources/youth… ·...