Examples of Positive Youth Development Program Activities Aligned with PYD Features, Mapped to a Socio-Ecological Model Positive youth development (PYD) refers to a broad approach that aims to build the competencies, skills and abilities of youth that they need to grow and flourish throughout life. PYD is both a philosophy and an approach to adolescent development. As a philosophy, PYD views youth as precious assets to be nurtured and developed rather than as problems to be solved. The approach that flows from this philosophy works on building mutually beneficial relationships between youth and their family, peer groups, school, workplace, community, other government institutions, society, and culture to provide opportunities for youth to enhance their knowledge, interests, skills, and abilities. Youth transition through a critical developmental phase, rapidly evolving socially, emotionally and physically within a complex world. Multiple factors influence how they develop and thrive or struggle. Recognizing youth development as a function of and interaction between complex environments and systems can help us better respond to youth and to program effectively. This handout provides illustrative activities PYD programs could implement. The example activities transcend sectors and could be applied in a variety of settings to achieve sectoral outcomes of interest. These examples are organized by seven features of PYD that are recognized as essential for strong youth-focused programming. These features are grounded in the literature, particularly the work of the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, and are tailored for the context of low- and middle-income countries. The PYD features are linked to the PYD framework that can be used for measuring PYD outcomes. Furthermore, recognizing the importance of the environment in which young people live, activity examples are mapped to the socio-ecological model to inspire ideas on how to engage key people and structures in a young person’s life. The illustrative activities are intended to provide ideas on ways to incorporate a strong PYD approach in development programming. Bottom line: The goal of this handout is to help implementers and funders design PYD programs that are effective in achieving multi-sector outcomes and impact on the lives of young people. Developed as a collaborative effort between YouthPower Learning (by Cassandra Jessee, International Center for Research on Women/Making Cents International; and Chisina Kapungu, International Center for Research on Women) and YouthPower Action (by Kristin Brady, FHI360). This handout is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under contract number AID-OAA- I-15-00034/AID-OAA-TO-15-00011, YouthPower Learning. and AID-OAA-TO-15-00003/AID-OAA-I-15-00009, YouthPower Action. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Making Cents International and FHI 360 and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the USG. Feature Youth Interpersonal (Peer, Family) Community Systems Include soft skills in curricula (e.g., vocational; Create extra-curricular education) opportunities at school and Peers: in community (vocational Revise laws, policies, Structure peer engagement to training, sports, arts, structures and funding to support modelling and practice of debate, theatre) encourage extra- Train youth in soft and life soft skills curricular activities (with skills Integrate soft skills into Family: schools, youth centers educational, vocational and etc.), internships, Skill Building Support youth Create ways for family members to extra-curricular and apprenticeships and participation in technical connect to youth skill building recreational programs career exposure Develop soft and life skills and academic skill building activities through skill building Create opportunities Work with government activities within individual, Provide youth Educate parents on soft skills for within the community for ministries (e.g., ministry family, peer and community opportunities that enable youth and provide parental support youth to participate in of youth, ministry of settings. them to experience to build these skills. internships and education) to advocate mastery or competence Assets Agency and Encourage parental modeling of soft apprenticeships with local for policies, structures skills employers and funding that encourage extra- Create community service opportunities to foster skill curricular activities, building internships, apprenticeships and career exposure Feature Youth Interpersonal (Peer, Family) Community Systems Peers: Link youth to positive role Structure activities that foster models (mentors, coaches, Engage support programs positive peer interaction teachers, community for youth lacking family leaders, religious leaders) Healthy Create codes of conduct in structures Relationships collaboration with youth to facilitate Train those who work Launch media programs positive interaction among peers with, teach, mentor and and Bonding on parenting Family: coach youth on adolescent Identify and link youth to Provide youth with Provide parent education on development and positive Create anti-bullying positive adult role models, opportunities for positive adolescent development and healthy youth development campaigns mentors, coaches, teachers, adult and peer and effective parenting health care providers and Create codes of conduct Create/Fund adolescent relationships community leaders. Ideally, Establish parenting support groups to for adults working with development educational youth have at least one enhance parenting skills and exchange youth programs at national level caring and consistent adult in for youth workers their lives. Healthy peer strategies for positive parenting of Recruit staff of youth (including: teachers, relationships are also adolescents serving organizations and Enabling Environment police, health workers, particularly important to adult mentors who have Encourage positive parent and youth social workers, legal youth. experience with and are interaction at school and in the advisors) community through inter- enthusiastic about working generational activities with youth Feature Youth Interpersonal (Peer, Family) Community Systems Develop curriculum that promote cross-cultural Peers: awareness and addresses Provide opportunities for social stigma and discrimination interaction and create structures that Identify youth that feel foster positive peer interaction Create opportunities for isolated or marginalized dialog and collaboration Belonging and and help them link to Provide activities that build a sense of among youth of diverse Launch media campaigns Membership opportunities for social community among the peer group backgrounds (particularly that foster and support interaction (e.g., sports, games, shared goals for important for conflict positive family dynamics Foster activities where youth an activity) situations) Help youth build skills in Address stigma and feel included regardless of social inclusion (e.g. Family: Provide programs for one’s gender, ethnicity, discrimination issues tolerance, respect for Raise parental awareness around discriminated groups sexual orientation or through media campaigns disabilities. Identify activities diversity, communication equitable gender and LGBTI norms (e.g., anti-bullying) and cross-cultural skills) and modeling inclusion and respect Design activities that foster that provide positive sense of diversity and are inclusive belonging (schools, sports, for diversity Promote legislation Train youth on how to of gender, ethnicity, sexual community service, faith- prohibiting discrimination positively express their Encourage conversations among identity, disability, religion, based youth group, etc.) against youth sub-groups Enabling Environment opinions families that discuss how each and and family and health status every person is valued Create a wide range of clubs and activities to address diverse interests of youth Feature Youth Interpersonal (Peer, Family) Community Systems Create opportunities for community service and other volunteer activities Create opportunities for Offer opportunities for Encourage national youth Youth youth civic engagement and youth to participate in Peers: councils or other forums Engagement and advocacy independent or shared Create opportunities for peer for youth leadership Contribution decision making mentoring, peer education, tutoring Stimulate opportunities for Create mechanisms for of younger youth and children, and youth leadership and Allow youth engagement to Support youth to monitoring accountability peer-to-peer collaboration innovation within the take different shapes. This volunteer and contribute (e.g., Youth Scorecards, community can include youth at home, school and Family: Youth Protection expression, youth community Encourage gradual youth voice and Establish student Committees) involvement in community decision making at home government bodies at service, and creating Foster youth-led initiatives Encourage policies for schools opportunities for youth and other opportunities Encourage parents to give youth youth volunteering and Contribution decision-making at various for youth leadership increasing levels of responsibility and Establish school-based engagement programs levels of government. This contribution youth clubs (debates, mock can also include programs Consult youth on design Support youth trials,