YOTA has entered a new phase of its partnership with the Youth Excel Programme, promising an impactful collaboration for youth development.
In its first phase, YOTA hosted the Youth Engagement Summit 2023 in collaboration with IREX. From September 11 to 15, Youth Excel and the USAID Inclusive Development Hub in the Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation gathered in Accra, Ghana. The summit attracted over 600 diverse participants, including youth champions, allies, young leaders, and youth-led organizations from 40 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, Euro-Asia, and North America.
Centered around the theme Youth Leading Change: Transforming Development through Youth-Inclusive Data, the week-long event aimed to showcase how young leaders are using data and digital tools to drive positive change in their communities and countries. The summit served as a dynamic platform for exchanging ideas, experiences, and strategies, underscoring the crucial role of youth in leading transformative change through the informed use of data and digital tools.
This new phase is going to focus heavily on Implementation Research and Knowledge Mobilization Activities. It aims to strengthen YOTA’s capabilities in data-informed youth development while enhancing Youth Excel’s strategic communications. YOTA will conduct youth-led Implementation Research within its Get Into program, which has successfully prepared young people for employment since 2021, reaching 708 participants and securing jobs for 410 in sectors such as the green economy, tourism, and hospitality. This research will gather and analyze data to understand the needs of employers and youth participants better, ultimately aiding in the program’s expansion and impact.
Additionally, YOTA will contribute to Youth Excel’s knowledge mobilization by developing diverse and compelling knowledge products, engaging in strategic distribution, and strengthening social media usage to support the dissemination and uptake of Youth Excel’s approaches. YOTA will also use Youth Excel’s light-touch approach to assess and strengthen their capacities and improve performance in specific priority areas. Capacity strengthening efforts will include coaching and technical support to improve performance in areas such as Data for Learning and Adaptation, Gender, Inclusion, and Protection.
Through this collaboration, YOTA aims to empower young people, foster transformative change, and ensure sustainable development outcomes across its programs.
