Topics

Youth Engagement

The world has more young people than at any time in history. Understanding that youth voices must be at the center of decision-making for their own health and well-being, IntraHealth collaborates with youth leaders and networks in program design and implementation and helps equip and inspire young people to be savvy health care users, strong peer advocates, and skilled health workers.

Our key approaches include:

  • Strengthening services and training programs that support the most pressing needs of youth  

  • Tailoring interventions to the specific needs of different young people in different contexts, focusing particularly on girls’ education, sexual health, and gender equity

  • Training youth to be ambassadors for family planning and healthy behaviors among their peers and to advocate to policymakers

  • Addressing attitudes and biases that can prevent youth from accessing services

  • Promoting behaviors to establish long-lasting healthy practices at an early age

  • Partnering with local stakeholders to foster pathways for young people to enter the health and social services sectors.


Selected Achievements

Helped local partners in Rwanda develop counseling services at youth corners accessible during the weekends, leading to a 228% increase in young people received in the youth corners.
Trained 364 family planning youth ambassadors in five West African countries who reached more than 100,000 adolescents through youth-led sexual and reproductive health campaigns.
Through youth leaders, reached more than 213,000 young people in West Africa with family planning messages through digital media campaigns in 2022.
Educated 8,864 girls in Mali on how to produce their own reusable menstrual pads as part of a life skills program on improving hygiene practices, protecting against HIV and gender-based violence, and safely using social media.

Resources