Youth engagement

The development of a proactive adaptation strategy to drastic changes in the geopolitical context has proven essential. By anticipating methods of adaptation to changing circumstances, whether natural, pandemic or geopolitical, it proposes actions and measures to be taken in the event of these changes materializing. Systematically integrating this strategy into the planning of projects strengthens the resilience of initiatives to changing conditions and increases their long-term effectiveness.

The establishment of an institutional consultation strategy between the project and institutional, social and international stakeholders has emerged as a key element to optimize resources, avoid redundancies and strengthen coordination. This approach, which encourages collaboration and close communication with various stakeholders, should be actively promoted in all projects to maximize the impact and sustainability of interventions.

Organizations with “niche” expertise in complex contexts and with a high capacity for access can prove decisive for project success: A convincing example is Balai Citoyen, whose ability to operate in difficult-to-access areas, its technical, administrative and financial expertise, as well as its vast institutional network have considerably expanded the scope of the project. This approach highlights the importance of choosing strategic partners who can provide significant added value in varied contexts.

Post-project studies can constitute a key element in shedding light on the performance of any project. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the progress of the project, even before the UNDEF evaluation, provided early visibility on the results obtained. The Post-Project Study carried out by the implementing agency after the closure of the project proved to be crucial for evaluating the achievements of the initiative.

The following were the factors for a well-designed and effectively implemented youth engagement project:

• The project design with a theory of change that was shared and assimilated by the implementation team and the implementing partners.


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  The strategy used to enter new communities, which was pragmatic, culturally sensitive, and politically neutral.


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  The choice of implementing partners (they were from within the communities, credible, and well-known at the local level).


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  The partnership strategy, which was based on empowering implementing partners and building their capacity.


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  The adequate approach for positive youth engagement (recognition, accountability, and exploring their potential).


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  The quality of the training programme and the diversity of learning formats.


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  Well thought-out communication.

The case of the grantee Zimam demonstrated that even though the organisation did not have a significant track record, the quality of the project proposal submitted by the grantee’s finance team could demonstrate their capability to manage funds. Indeed, UNDEF showed audacity and open-mindedness in agreeing to fund this young organisation.

Given the numerous challenges of the Palestinian context, it is increasingly relevant to engage Palestinian youth in order to increase their individual resilience and help them cope with the stress they face. Youth in Gaza face double exclusion compared to their peers in the West Bank as a result of settlements and internal conflict, which makes engaging them more difficult and therefore requires additional funding, effort, and monitoring to achieve meaningful change and results.

This project has demonstrated that even in the complex and difficult context of Palestine, setting realistic objectives in terms of the number of beneficiaries and communities of intervention, and adopting a pragmatic approach that includes relevant and useful activities such as training and community services, can engage different target groups, regardless of their political affiliations and sensitivities, and generate impact at both the individual and community levels.

The project was conceived as a comprehensive capacity development project with an approach involving participants into the development of replication strategies and the development of common actions and strategies in traditional and non-traditional communication spaces. However, during its implementation, the project has mainly been an academic endeavour, with a rather classic approach to capacity development methodologies and systems. In this project, as designed, the components of socialisation by the students as well as the engagement with public authorities should have remained a priority, and practical, on-the-job training approaches should have been privileged as originally foreseen. If these practical aspects are not considered a priority, a more standardized approach to capacity development should be followed at the project design stage.

The adoption of a coordination strategy between the project and other relevant actors (mostly from the Academic arena) would have been key in order to optimize resources and avoid duplication, while strengthening coordination. It is therefore important that UNDEF continues to require such strategies for all its projects.