Institutional Strengthening

Alianza de Jóvenes por Honduras *
(Youth Alliance for Honduras)

Honduras

Project Title:  Strengthening Positive and Purposeful Leaders

Goal: Strengthen technical and administrative capacity of Alianza de Jóvenes por Honduras ("Youth Alliance for Honduras") to systematically advocate to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) in the municipality of Puerto Cortes.

Objectives:

Youth-focused projects and other allies of Alianza de Jovenes por Honduras

1. Finalize the legal constitution of the Alianza de Jóvenes por Honduras during a three-month period in 2013.
2. Systematize the operational and administrative processes of the organization by creating a manual of procedures during a three-month period in 2013.
3. Increase knowledge of SRH proposal-writing among 25 youth ages 18 to 30, through a training seminar in the first four months of 2013.
4. Increase the commitment of civil society and government organizations to institutionalize services for adolescents during 2013.

Results and Products: The organization is currently implementing the project.

* Funded by USAID and implemented by Creative Associates International

Asociación de Servicios Comunitarios de Salud
(Community Health Services Association, ASECSA)

Guatemala

Project Title: Youth Power: Disseminating youth programs in community organizations

Goal: Indigenous youth and adolescents are more informed, empowered, and have more decision-making abilities surrounding sexual and reproductive health (SRH); ASECSA’s partner programs implement political advocacy and youth development activities as intentional actors in community health (specifically to meet the needs of adolescents and youth) during 2012.

Objectives: 

1. Contribute to an improvement in SRH of 125 adolescents and youth of the five target regions of ASECSA (Center, Western, Baja Verapaz, Northeastern, and Petén) through training activities that develop participants’ knowledge and abilities in negotiation, power, decision-making, gender, pregnancy prevention, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and sexual and reproductive rights (SRR).

Results and Products:

• ASECSA trained 234 adolescents and youth (53% female and 47% male)  and 61 educators (50% female, 50% male) across the five target regions of Guatemala
• The trained educators reported that it had previously been very difficult to address SRH topics in local schools, and that it is their responsibility (as the principal actors in adolescent education at the community level) to increase their own knowledge about SRH and SRR
• ASECSA held three workshops focusing on building SRH skills and knowledge, with 90% of ASECSA’s Youth Commission participating, representing all five target regions in Guatemala
• In each of the five target regions, ASECSA held advocacy activities that exposed local residents to topics such as violence against women, HIV and advanced HIV, passing out flyers and bulletins during each activity to disseminate information among the locals

Integration of Youth Leadership: ASECSA included youth issues as a major theme of its strategic plan, such that youth issues will be considered in every institutional activity during the next period covered by the strategic plan. This ensures that adolescents will be strategic actors in youth development at the community and national levels.

GOBelize Alumni Association

details coming soon…

Red de Jóvenes para La Incidencia Política
(Youth Network for Political Advocacy, Incidejoven)

Guatemala

Project Title: Strengthening the Citizenship and Leadership of Youth in Guatemala

Goal: The project seeks to strengthen the capacity of Incidejoven to promote and defend sexual and reproductive rights (SRR) with an emphasis on access to comprehensive sex education and health services for youth and adolescents in the departments of Huehuetenango, Totonicapán, Sololá, Quiche, Chimaltenango and Escuintla, Guatemala, as well as strengthening youth sexual citizenship.

Objectives:

1. Strengthen youth political participation through the National Network of Correspondents of Incidejoven, and generate knowledge in sexual citizenship and political advocacy.
2. Create a network of youth educators in comprehensive sex education using the peer training method.
3. Promote compliance with SRR by holding advocacy and social auditing activities.
4. Strengthen the institutional capacity of Incidejoven to promote and defend SRR.

Results and Products: 

• Incidejoven trained students in local schools about SRR, the human body, sex and sexuality, contraceptives, HIV, youth citizenship, political participation, and gender perspectives
• Incidejoven trained 1,200 youth facilitators from local youth-friendly spaces and health services in the implementation of the Sex Education Manual for Life: A generational challenge
• Incidejoven made diagnostic visits to local organizations and institutions to learn about the current practices in implementing the Family Planning Law and the “Prevent Through Education” ministerial declaration
  • the diagnostic visits showed a lack of political will and risk of set-backs in compliance with the Family Planning Law and the “Prevent Through Education” declaration

Integration of Youth Leadership: Incidejoven has created a Youth Leaders School, “to promote a sexual and reproductive rights agenda in public policies;” the school guarantees the generational renewal of Incidejoven staff, thus strengthening the youth perspective and youth participation in the organization.

Servicio Educación Sexualidad y Salud
(Service, Education, Sexuality, and Health, SEEDSSA, A.C.)

Quintana Roo, México

Project Title: Comprehensive Humanist Sexuality Center for Adolescents and Youth, CHISPAS.

Goal: Through the CHISPAS project, SEEDSSA seeks to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) in Benito Juárez, Quintana Roo, through a reduction in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, STIs, and unintended pregnancy.

Objectives: 

1. Strengthen SEEDSSA’s local and national recognition as a leading sex education and SRH organization in Quintana Roo.
2. Remain at the forefront in creating SRH educational materials to benefit adolescents and youth in Quintana Roo.
3. Help ensure implementation of public policies and programs relating to SRH education and sexual and reproductive rights (SRR) education in Quintana Roo.
4. Promote the sustainability of SEEDSSA.

 Results and Products: 

Prevent Through Education - young people learning about SRH at a SEEDSSA fair

• SEEDSSA remains at the forefront of sex education, benefiting 2,924 adolescents and youth ages 12 to 26 in Quintana Roo in 2012.
• SEEDSSA’s health center provided care to 1,567 people, of which:
  • 59% sought advice/information about SRH
  • 41% sought medical attention concerning SRH
  • 40% visited the center for the first time upon recommendation from a friend who had visited SEEDSSA
  • 82% of health consultations were provided to women
• Of the 1,567 people who sought health services, there was a 40% increase from the year 2011 in the number of visitors who came specifically to prevent unintended pregnancy, STIs and HIV/AIDS
• SEEDSSA has a strategic plan, created with the technical assistance of an expert in strategic planning and an expert in institutional strengthening, that will guide the organization’s actions for the next five years, which will help SEEDSSA achieve its long-term sustainability goals

Integration of Youth Leadership: Youth leaders are involved in all activities of the organization, including planning, communications and media, educational activities, dramatic theater presentations, and political advocacy.