Youth Empowerment Centres Improve Coordination and Service Delivery to Young People
All the five Sub Counties where the TeamUp program is implemented established Youth Empowerment Centres (YECs) to further support the socio-economic development of young people. A Youth Empowerment Centre is a well-equipped, self-sustaining, multi-functional and youth-led organization that addresses the needs of youths in a holistic manner and plays a coordinating role with regards to Community Youth Clubs located in its area. A YEC is a channel for services and capacity development to single Community Youth Clubs in the respective location.
“We have a YEC which was established in 2019. We have also since provided leadership support to our constituent youth member groups, ensured coordination of TeamUp activities in our community and have been conducting monitoring and follow up of activities within the member groups,” says Samuel Ntale, Chairperson, Malangala Youth Empowerment Centre.
YECs work with Health Centres, Community Development Officers, other youth-focused structures (Youth Champions, Youth Farmer Field School Facilitators and Peer Facilitators) and stakeholders to raise awareness on the need for young peoples’ participation in socio-economic development initiatives, to conduct health education talks to in and out-of-school youth, and to coordinate youth related support from Local Government and partners.
Through the TeamUp Program, Action 4 Health Uganda (A4HU) is strengthening the capacity of the YECs to facilitate multi-sectoral coordination and actions in 5 Sub Counties in Mityana District. Specifically, A4HU is strengthening the capacities of YECs to ensure program actions are coordinated, responsive, planned, and monitored in a standardized manner. The improved capacities and coordination among the various YEC leaders are facilitating the delivery of quality youth-friendly services.
“The YEC engages with relevant stakeholders and go to the community to talk about issues affecting youth development and empowerment. YEC leaders, together with Youth Champions, are often times involved in the various decision making/planning/budget meetings with Local Government,” says Nelson Jjemba, Chairperson, Kalangaalo Youth Empowerment Centre.
Because of the various engagements, Jjemba notes that there has been a significant change and prioritisation of young people’s concerns and issues in Kalangalo sub county.
Tabitha Kawala, the Advocacy Officer, A4HU TeamUp program notes that, “We are progressively seeing Lower Local Government levels intentionally involving youth and have their concerns as raised by youth leaders integrated into Comprehensive Action Plans which inform all services implemented in their communities.”
About Team Up Program
TeamUp Uganda is a multi-sectoral approach to development cooperation initiated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and managed as well as co-financed through the three foundations of Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW), Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS), and Siemens Stiftung. The program unites the expertise, networks, and resources of three local organizations, namely; Action 4 Health Uganda (A4HU), Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung Africa (HRNS), and Whave Solutions implementing in the multi sectors of Health, Agriculture as well as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).