SLN 1-Lessons Learnt: Reaching Out to Excluded Youth in Uganda
The Uganda Sharing and Learning Network (SLN) on “How to reach out to Marginalised Youth” was the first out of four sessions (to be held by the end of November 2009) by the DFID – CSO Youth Guidance Project Team. SLN 1 was held on the 30th July 2009 at the World Bank offices in Kampala, during which we had a number of representatives from different organisations (both Institutional donors and CSOs) who reflected upon and shared their expertise and experience on the topic at hand.
During this session we began the process of unpacking how marginalised youth are defined in Uganda, as well as listing challenges encountered whilst working with marginalised youth, and how they can be solved or proposed solutions. After a key note presentation aimed at getting the participants reflective powers engaged, we then broke up into three smaller groups to discuss 3 key areas:
1) How to define marginalised youth in the Ugandan context
2) An overview of organisations work which reaches out to marginalised youth groups
3) A discussion of challenges and solutions to improve outreach to marginalised youth sub groups
Each group presented back on one of the topics above, which was then wrapped up with key learning’s, such as the importance of involving young marginalised people in the design of programmes and interventions aimed at them. My personal learning’s from the session were:
- That outreach to marginalised youth groups can be improved, particularly in relation to groups of young people in the North of Uganda in the Karamoja region who are unemployed or out of school.
- It also became clear to me that amongst this new working group or ‘community of practice’ that there are solutions amongst us all towards the challenges we face working with youth: one clear solution is to make sure that we engage with local communities when working with youth. Youth should not be treated as an isolated target group, otherwise we may continue to reinforce stigma for the groups we are trying to support!
Finally, by bringing different organisations together who have expertise in working with youth I was inspired. It gave me increased confidence in taking forward and leading the remaining sessions.
Sammy Kavuma
Uganda Youth Participation Officer
For the workshop report, please click here and for the Uganda Youth Participation database please click here
Sarah and Sam, thank u for the report and the updates. we will remain comited tothe youth course!
Amongin Jacquiline
Amongin
August 19, 2009