Hi Laura

This is indeed an interesting issue; it is always a challenge to involve young people in designing and implementing projects that give them a sense of ownership and leadership.

This is especially so in respect of research and evaluation projects. Many youth involved in developmental initiatives are seeking outcomes that support their interests; current research/evaluation of those initiatives is not of much interest to them.

We have been involved in a youth initiated project on violence against women in Haryana. We discussed with them the need to monitor progress and evaluate outcomes at an early stage and we invited them to co-design such a methodology. Once they understood that evaluation of outcomes will enable them to scale-up their own initiatives, they took interest in the evaluation process, as well as future planning to address this growing phenomenon of violence against women. They also become aware of the role of young men in perpetuating violence against women.

I guess that the key to youth interest is engagement, understanding and analysis of the situation and context of the research.

All the best

 Martha