January 31, 2021 This report is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under the terms of YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation AID Contract #47QRAA19D0006K/7200AA19M00018. The authors’ views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Year 2 Quarterly Report Q1 Contract Number: 47QRAA19D0006K/7200AA19M00018 Prime Contractor: Making Cents International Reporting Period: October 2020 – December 2020 Year 2 – Quarterly Report Q1 YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 1 Acronyms APS Annual Program Statement CECA Center on Children in Adversity COR Contracting Officer Representative DREAMS Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe EOI Expression of Interest ESC Eastern and Southern Caribbean GKI Global Knowledge Initiative ICRW International Center for Research on Women ITT Indicator Tracking System KII Key Informant Interview KM Knowledge Management LAAG Learning Agenda Advisory Group LN Learning Network LOE Level of Effort MEL Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning PA Peer Advisor PRH Population and Reproductive Health PSE Private-Sector Engagement PYD Positive Youth Development REL Research, Evaluation, and Learning SEL Social and Emotional Learning SOW Scope of Work SRHR Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights UNC University of North Carolina USAID United States Agency for International Development WORQ Workforce Outcomes Reporting Questionnaire YAG Youth Advisory Group YE Youth Engagement YPL YouthPower Learning YP2LE YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 2 Contents Acronyms.......................................................................................................................................................................1 Contents..........................................................................................................................................................................2 I. Purpose ........................................................................................................................................................................3 II. Accomplishments......................................................................................................................................................3 Task 1: .........................................................................................................................................................................4 Task 2: ........................................................................................................................................................................8 Task 3: .......................................................................................................................................................................12 Task 4: .......................................................................................................................................................................20 Activity Management .............................................................................................................................................24 III. Problems Encountered and Identified Solutions............................................................................................24 Lessons Learned .....................................................................................................................................................25 V. Indicator Measurement.........................................................................................................................................27 Annex 1: Scope of Work for Document Review and Youth Framework for Cost and Cost￾Effectiveness Development.......................................................................................................................................29 Annex 2: Summary of the Systems Approach Meetings....................................................................................31 Annex 3: Accomplishments By Funding Source ..................................................................................................33 Annex 4: The Workforce Outcomes Reporting Questionnaire (WORQ): An Activity Management Guide for Missions......................................................................................................................................................36 There are a lot of [young] people wandering in the streets—some of them could be key resources for the country, but we are not taking care of them. In some countries, structures exist to take care of them, coach them, and help them to grow.” — Moroccan Youth YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 3 I. Purpose Making Cents International (Making Cents) was awarded YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation (YP2LE) in September 2019. YP2LE is a three-year activity with two one-year option periods designed to build, expand, and disseminate Positive Youth Development (PYD) evidence and learning within and across multiple sectors and provide leadership in promoting PYD best practices. The activity will also provide rapid response and technical assistance support to USAID staff and partners to incorporate PYD evidence and best practices into the design, implementation, and evaluation of youth development programs. By the end of the activity, progress by performance areas can be summarized as follows: • Task 1: Advance the PYD Learning Agenda and other youth-related learning agendas: Task 1 activities will work to build more robust PYD data and evidence, while also packaging and disseminating this evidence in user-friendly, actionable tools, resources, and learning products for youth development practitioners. • Task 2: Grow the PYD Learning Network: Task 2 activities will manage and expand a vibrant PYD Learning Network, increasing the number of traditional and non-traditional partners (including the private sector, universities, and youth-led organizations) collaborating, sharing, disseminating, and applying PYD best practices and lessons learned. This network will be leveraged to disseminate and improve the knowledge, skills, and practices of those working in global PYD. • Task 3: Enhance the YouthPower.org and YouthLead.org Platforms: Task 3 activities will serve to increase the number of stakeholders informed by evidence, knowledge, and data on PYD, including young change-makers, so they can better apply PYD principles and practices. • Task 4: Provide Rapid Response Technical Support Through Buy-ins: Task 4 activities will serve to increase the number of PYD-focused USAID-funded activities and policies, as well as the capacity and understanding of USAID staff, partners, and youth-led/youth-serving organizations on PYD best practices and youth systems. • Activity Management: Making Cents will work closely with all partners to develop high-quality technical deliverables, while also managing all operations, contract, finance, reporting, and communications functions and creating internal team cohesion and transparency. II. Accomplishments During Year 2 Q1, YP2LE made progress toward the Expected Results in the Request for Quotation (RFQ) USAID No. 7200AA19Q00024 for YP2LE. As outlined in the RFQ, YP2LE will design, conduct, and/or support research, analyses, and evaluations that respond to the priority questions listed in the PYD learning agenda and other youth-related learning agendas. This Year 2 Q1 Quarterly Report will demonstrate achievements made toward those Expected Results. In Year 2 Q1, Making Cents achieved the following: YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 4 Task 1: • Expected Result 1: Increased and more robust data and evidence for what works and for whom in PYD and cross-sectoral youth programming. • Expected Result 2: Improved dissemination of PYD evidence and learning products and uptake of information for design and implementation of PYD programming. In Year 2 Q1, the YP2LE Task 1 team continued to build a robust evidence base for PYD and cross￾sectoral youth programming. The following section details the specific activities and deliverables for Task 1, including the cross-cutting activities for youth engagement and communications. The section also highlights plans for Year 2 Q2. Key Accomplishments for Task 1 • Submitted the final report for Systematic Review of the Impact of PYD on Marginalized and Vulnerable youth. • Developed scope of work for a document review and development of a PYD-oriented framework for conducting cost analysis, including the cost-effectiveness of youth programming. • Drafted scope of work for Youth Civic Engagement Snapshots. • Conducted key stakeholder discussions on research gaps for systems and scaling in youth development. • Finalized an Activity Management Guide on the Workforce Outcomes Reporting Questionnaire (WORQ). Throughout Year 2 Q1, the Task 1 team worked closely with the COR to discuss priorities for the YP2LE Learning Agenda. The accomplishments highlight the integrated work completed with USAID and consortia research partners in Year 2 Q1. • Submitted final report for systematic review of the impact of PYD on marginalized and vulnerable youth. The Task 1 team continued to hold regular meetings with the University of North Carolina (UNC) team to discuss progress on the systematic review of the impact of PYD on marginalized and vulnerable youth. To supplement the 24,000+ findings reviewed by the team for inclusion in the final report, the UNC team conducted key informant interviews with USAID Washington and Mission staff; practitioners and researchers with experience working with vulnerable and marginalized youth; and YP2LE research and youth engagement partners. To ensure youth voice and experiences were also represented in the study findings, the UNC team completed focus group discussions with youth recruited from the YouthLead Network who represented the regions of Africa, South Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Findings from the review of report and journal article resources were synthesized with results of the key informant interviews and focus group discussions for the draft report, which outlines a new model for defining youth vulnerability (see Figure 1). After receiving and incorporating USAID feedback the final report was submitted for approval in December 2020. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 5 Figure 1. Intrinsic, Contextual, and Structural Approach to Defining Vulnerability • Developed scope of work for document review and development of a youth framework for cost and cost-effectiveness (see Annex 1). To build on the work completed by the FHI 360 team for the review of What Works in Designing Systems and Scaling PYD Programs, the team drafted a scope of work focused on using a document review to develop a detailed, PYD-oriented youth framework for cost analysis, including cost-effectiveness. The activity, led by YP2LE research partner Mathematica, will address the following research questions:  How can the USAID cost guidance be applied using the PYD domains on youth programs?  What approaches to cost-effectiveness and cost-efficiency analysis have been used to measure the value-added of PYD programming?  How have youth programs measured the cost and cost-effectiveness of their programming? Which programs align with USAID’s cost guidance? Which programs follow different approaches? Why?  What are the typical components of youth programs that could be tracked and measured for cost-effectiveness?  Based on USAID’s cost guidance, what does a PYD-focused cost-effectiveness analysis framework look like? What is the methodology? Measurement components? The team completed a review of USAID-funded programs in December 2020, including the 11 YouthPower/YP Action programs. The team is currently reviewing youth programs from other donors such as UNICEF, the World Bank, JICA, and DfID. The team conducted a literature review that yielded more than 4,000 sources on the cost-effectiveness of youth related programs. The process of eliminating irrelevant articles and grouping analytic methods by the four categories of cost analysis presented in USAID’s guidance is on-going. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 6 The study research methods will include a document review of resources from YouthPower and other programs, a review of studies on cost effectiveness, and development of a framework that explains how to conduct cost-effectiveness using the PYD domains. The framework will use USAID's existing value for money framework as the foundation and include how to measure cost-effectiveness within each PYD domain and a methodology for conducting cost-effectiveness based on youth program outcomes. Study deliverables will include a matrix of the common interventions and indicators in youth programs, organized by PYD domains and a five- to seven-page brief that will summarize findings and present the framework and guidance for youth programs. • Drafted scope of work for Youth Civic Engagement Country Snapshots. After submitting a draft concept note and survey items for the Youth Civic Engagement Index in September, the YP2LE Task 1 team met with USAID Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG) stakeholders to discuss existing youth civic engagement initiatives and opportunities for collaboration. The meetings focused on USAID priorities for youth engagement measurement and related activities, assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth engagement, as well as other work on youth civic engagement supported by the donor and research community related to youth development. Based on the discussions, a revised scope of work was developed for Youth Civic Engagement Snapshots that focuses on the motivations that impact civic and political action and behaviors. The snapshots will look at three PYD domains—youth agency, youth contribution, and the enabling environment—and are broken down into subdomains on youth motivations, perceptions, knowledge, and civic behavior, services, and related policies. Questions for the snapshots will be drawn from validated, pre-existing indices and will be piloted by Premise Data in ten priority countries to be finalized in January of 2021. The scope of work is expected to be approved in January 2021, after which a targeted expression of interest process will be carried out to identify relevant YP2LE research and youth engagement partners to support activity implementation. • Conducted key stakeholder discussions on research gaps for systems and scaling in youth development. (Summary notes and list of participants from discussions in Annex 2) To support the workstream on systems and scaling in youth development, the Task 1 team met with key stakeholders in the youth development community to inform development of a scope of work on research gaps in systems and scaling. An initial meeting was held with the chairs of the Youth Systems Collaborative in addition to other supporting members to discuss the following research questions:  What seem to be the most important factors (e.g., technical, institutional, political) to consider when designing and scaling youth programs? Could the use of a systems-approach contribute to successful scaling of these interventions? If so, how?  How have programs used a systems approach to scale cross-sector interventions?  What are the contextual factors that contribute to scaling programs (i.e., government capacity, civil society, economic conditions, conflict, youth status/activism)?  Why do some programs choose to use a systems approach, while other programs shy away from such an approach? What are the barriers and challenges to integrating systems approaches into youth programming? YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 7  What is needed to ensure implementing partners develop the capacity to maximize the scale-up process? Follow-up discussions were held with the chairs of the Scaling Up Community of Practice (CoP). Based on meetings with members of each group, the following research topics were highlighted as priorities:  Shifting mental models  Understanding the diffusion of innovation and links to systems approaches  Moving from project to systems approaches (reduction of silos)  Cost analysis for youth development and implications for scaling up and changing systems  Why do workforce projects fail? A detailed summary of discussions with systems and scaling stakeholders was provided to USAID summarizing potential research studies related to the above topics. Feedback was received from USAID and the YP2LE Task 1 team is finalizing draft scopes of work for USAID review and approval to be submitted in January 2021. • Finalized an Activity Management Guide on the Workforce Outcomes Reporting Questionnaire (WORQ). (See Annex 4) The YP2LE Task 1 team held discussions with USAID stakeholders on the development of an Activity Management Guide on the WORQ. The objective of this guide is to support USAID Mission staff managing youth workforce development activities and planning or are using the WORQ. The guide outlines the purpose of the different WORQ tools and when to use them, how to use the tools across the USAID program cycle, and additional resources and contacts for learning more about the WORQ and related opportunities. The guide was approved in December 2020 and will be cross posted on Edu-links.org and YouthPower.org. • Developed a scope of work for a cross-sectoral impact study on population and reproductive health (PRH) and workforce development (WFD) in Nigeria. In meeting with the Nigeria DAI team in November, it was learned that the employment component of the program is not funded by USAID but will be driven by public-private partnerships. As a result, discussions with USAID continue to determine whether the study can still measure cross-sectoral impacts. In parallel, the team is reviewing the RFP for a cross￾sectoral program in Ethiopia as a possible alternative to the Nigeria program. • Updated the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Plan. The team cross-walked the reporting indicators and updated all the PIRS forms to reflect changes made in 2020, based on the ability of the other task teams to collect and disaggregate data. The evaluation and learning sections were updated to reflect more detail on the planned research activities and added a change log to document changes made to the plan and indicators in Year 1. The MEL plan was submitted to USAID for approval in December 2020. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 8 Youth Engagement in Task 1 The Youth Research Advisor and YAG member, as well as young people recruited from across the YouthLead Network, were engaged in the systematic review of the impact of PYD on marginalized and vulnerable youth as participants in the key informant interviews conducted by the UNC team. 40 youth expressed interest in participating in the systematic review with four youth participants selected representing the countries of Zambia, Pakistan, and Kenya for participation in the FGDs. Communications in Task I During Quarter 1, the Communications team worked with the team to develop and finalize products and documents to aid Task 1 activities, such as editing and formatting the WORQ Questionnaire and the UNC Systematic Literature Review. Task 2: ● Expected Result 1: Improved knowledge, skills, practices, and partnerships around international, cross-sectoral PYD. ● Expected Result 2: Increased number of traditional and non-traditional partners collaborating, sharing, disseminating, and applying PYD lessons learned and best practices. The following accomplishments demonstrate the progress made in Year 2 Q1 to achieving the Expected Results in the RFQ and the goals and objectives outlined in the YP2LE Year 2 Annual Workplan for Task 2. Key Accomplishments for Task 2 • Launched three new CoPs (including launch webinars) and initiated small groups; preparations for two additional CoPs underway. • Recruited and finalized contracts for three CoP Champions and three CoP Youth Advisors. • Organized Learning Network-wide webinars: three Systems Mapping Training events (including certification for those who passed a quiz), and a webinar on Building Communities’ Resilience through Youth Volunteer Networks. • Finalized a video to share a private sector engagement success story by a YouthPower implementation project and developed a corresponding dissemination plan. During Year 2 Q1, the YP2LE Task 2 team accomplished the following. Learning Network Activities The Learning Network (LN) has continued to be renewed and grow through the involvement of practitioners and researchers in PYD, funders of youth programs, and young changemakers. The key goals for Q1 were to launch the new LN and initial CoPs, to migrate members from the YPL CoPs to YP2LE CoPs and recruit new members to the discussion groups on YouthPower.org. Members were invited to register as a member on YouthPower.org and then join the discussion groups of the CoPs that meet their needs and interests. Registered members receive regular updates about new content posted on YouthPower.org and new discussion group items in the CoPs they joined. The following accomplishments highlight the progress made: YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 9 • Launched three new CoPs, collaborated with the GISR project to initiate a MENA CoP, initiated a small working group (WORQ), initiated closer collaboration (as outlined below) with the Global Coalition for Youth in Peace and Security (GCYPS), and evaluated applications for three additional groups to be launched in Year 2 Q2. • Completed the launch of three CoPs - Youth Engagement; Gender; and Business, Entrepreneurship, and Private-Sector Engagement (BEPSE) (focused on youth in agriculture systems) and created a corresponding discussion group for each CoP. • Completed the community management staffing structure, processes, and related technology (e.g., webinar technology) for new Learning Network. the Communities Manager and CoP champions were recruited and contracted in accordance with the YouthPower Learning Network’s guiding principles. YP2LE partner Global Knowledge Initiative (GKI) accepted the Communities Manager position. The Communities Manager coordinates the implementation of the CoPs and working groups and affinity groups and organizes monthly CoP champion and youth advisor meetings. The CoP champions and youth advisors each organized a launch webinar that attracted members from the former YouthPower Learning Network, as well as new network members.  Youth Engagement CoP launch: December 10 • Champion - Aapurv Jain • Youth Advisor - Balkis Chaabane  Gender CoP launch: December 17 • Champion - Heather Marlow • Youth Advisor - Shillah Salim  BEPSE CoP launch: December 3 and December 21 (for Asian audience). • Champion - Lara Goldmark • Youth Advisor - Jack Omondi Figure 2. Graphics used to promote the COP webinars YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 10 • Accessed the possibility of collaboration with Global Coalition for Youth in Peace and Security’s (GCYPS) existing network. As a result, YP2LE has a representative on the Communications Task Force, and UNDP has joined the YP2LE campaign for #Reaching16 as a partner. • Created formal process, forms, and evaluation criteria for applications of new CoPs and other groups. To request a new CoPs, a concept note or case study is required for review by the Communities Manager as part of the application process. The concept note includes information outlining justification for the group, the main purpose, and how the group will fill a gap in the network. A template for a charter for each CoP was developed and subsequently used by the Champions and Youth Advisors to complete. A shared folder was created for CoP Champions to access templates and resources (kick-off templates and resources support, charter template, shared calendar of events for planning across CoPs, etc.) and to develop and share resources between CoPs. Several groups have applied to become either a CoP or a working group or affinity group. During Q2, the WORQ group was approved as a new working group. The group will connect implementers and researchers who will benefit from using USAID’s toolkit for measuring employment and earnings using the WORQ. The group is planned to officially launch in Q2. Additionally, applications for a systems and sustainability group and for a higher education and workforce development group were evaluated. Both groups are expected to launch in Year 2 Q2 as CoPs. • Hosted initial webinars in the series of LN-wide webinars shared useful tools and contributed to capacity-building of network members.  Three Systems Mapping Training events (https://www.youthpower.org/events/systems￾mapping-training-session-1; https://www.youthpower.org/events/systems-mapping￾training-session-2; and https://www.youthpower.org/events/systems-mapping-training￾session-3) were delivered. The events addressed issues affecting youth as systemic and complex that cannot be addressed using traditional linear solutions and put forth that to analyze and address complex issues, holistic approaches are needed, especially ones that consider the root systemic reasons of why problems persist. The three-part Systems Mapping Training series for members of the YouthPower Learning Network provided a hands-on training of systems thinking. Participants who completed the quizzes could also obtain a certificate of participation and completion. Figure 3. Graphic used to promote Systems Mapping Webinar YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 11  Building Communities’ Resilience Through Youth Volunteer Networks (https://www.youthpower.org/events/global-webinar-building-communities-resilience￾through-youth-volunteer-networks). The webinar explored the power of volunteering for building resilience. Participants delved into the findings of two Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) research studies and learned how youth volunteerism can be leveraged to reduce the impact of global crises on youth and their communities. The event showcased how youth volunteerism can be an effective pathway for youth engagement, program delivery, and advocacy. • Held the first quarterly Learning Network Steering Committee (LNSC) meeting on December 15. The LNSC is composed of the Senior KM Specialist (chair), a USAID representative, the Senior Youth Engagement Advisor, a YAG representative, and the Communities Manager. The team received an update from the initial CoP leaders and explored the process for new CoPs and small groups. • Completed the private-sector engagement video as part of YP2LE Collaboration Group Activities. The key achievement under the Collaboration activities in Year 2 Q1 is the completion of the private-sector engagement video (in Spanish - one version with Spanish subtitles and one with English subtitles) and the creation of a short teaser video that will be used on social media to promote the video. A dissemination plan for the video was developed. Figure 4. Screenshot from Puentes Video Youth Engagement in Task 2 In December 2019, the YAG Member for Task 1 and the Senior Youth Engagement Advisor participated in the first quarterly Learning Network Steering Committee (LNSC) meeting, which provided updates from CoP leaders and explored the process for new CoPs and small groups. Following the LNSC meeting, the Senior Youth Engagement Advisor provided updates to the YP2LE Youth Advisory Group, and the new cohort of YouthLead Ambassadors and Peer Advisors, about the Learning Network COPs and encouraged youth leader participation in groups. Communications in Task 2 The Communications team worked closely with GKI and the Senior KM Specialist to organize the COP launch events for the Gender; Youth Engagement; and Business, Entrepreneurship and Private-Sector Engagement CoPs. Learning Network webinars on the following topics were organized: three Systems Mapping Training events, and a webinar on Building Communities’ Resilience Through Youth Volunteer Networks. In addition to the creation of the event landing page, the RSVP page, developing graphics, YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 12 and promotion of the events through e-blasts and across our social media platforms, the Communications team supported the events by editing, formatting, sending event communications before and after the event, editing and formatting PowerPoint presentations, and managing the events on the Zoom platform. In addition, the team worked with the Senior KM specialist to finalize the Puentes para Empleo video as well as a teaser video for social media and created a plan for its dissemination. Figure 5. Graphic promoting the Building Communities' Resilience through Youth Volunteer Networks Webinar Task 3: • Expected Result 1: Increased number of stakeholders informed by evidence, knowledge, and data on international, cross-sectoral, positive youth development programming and able to apply evidence to programming. • Expected Result 2: Increased engagement of youth-led and youth-serving organizations and young changemakers in USAID and other programs and networks. • Expected Result 3: Increased application of PYD evidence and best practices within USAID and other programming as appropriate. The following accomplishments demonstrate the progress made in Year 2 Q1 to achieving the Expected Results in the RFQ and the goals and objectives outlined in the YP2LE Year 2 Annual Workplan for Task 3. Key Accomplishments for Task 3 • Continued to solidify, grow, and expand YouthLead as the main hub for networking and information exchange among global youth changemakers • Youth Advisory Group engaged across the tasks and consulted for additional activities including YouthLead mentorship activity, the YouthLead Ambassador and Peer Advisor program, and to lead capacity building activities for YouthLead in 2021. • Cohort 3 of 22 YouthLead Ambassadors and seven Peer Advisors screened, interviewed, onboarded, and successfully matched. • Mentorship youth network survey disseminated to 22 networks with results informing YouthLead page design and content as well as mentor network criteria. • Private-Sector Partnerships Advisor SOW finalized, and consultant identified to begin work on YP2LE Private-Sector Engagement (PSE) Strategy. During Year 2 Q1, the YP2LE Task 3 team accomplished the following. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 13 1. Continued progress in ensuring that YouthLead becomes the main hub for networking and information exchange among global youth changemakers. During Year 2 Q1, membership on the platform grew from under 10,900 members on October 1, 2020 to almost 11,450 registered members by December 31, 2020. To attract new members, relevant content was posted and social media campaigns were leveraged to bring youth to the website. Figure 6. Graph of YouthLead Member, October 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020 • Continued to post, review, and approve content relevant for young changemakers on YouthLead.org. Between October 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020, 945 resources, 264 funding opportunities, 245 events, 54 projects, and seven news items/blogs were posted. In that time, 498 discussion postings were monitored. Viewership remained high with almost 150,200 pageviews and over 29,800 unique users in Year 2 Q2. The YouthLead campaigns, contests, and recruiting of YouthLead Ambassadors has encouraged more users to visit the website and become members. Based on member analysis, YouthLead members are primarily interested in the education, gender, DRG, economic growth, and entrepreneurship sectors. Figure 7. Graph 2: YouthLead.org unique users and pageviews, Year 2 Q1 (Source: Google Analytics) • Discussions with Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe missions were held on creating new country pages. Furthermore, new toolkits for country page launches and country page promotions were created with support from the Communications team to allow Missions and local implementers to leverage the resources. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 14 • Created YouthLead.org websites in French and Arabic and hired content managers to populate the sites with an initial set of content in these languages prior to official launch. By creation of the French and Arabic sites, the YouthLead platform will be more accessible to youth in countries where these languages are dominant. For the Arabic site, collaboration was initiated with the GISR project (funded by USAID) on posting and managing content and managing the MENA discussion group as well as the MENA CoP. Preparations are underway for the launch of the French site in Q2. • Positioned YouthPower.org to continue to grow as the key global learning hub for positive youth development. Approximately 20,300 unique users visited YouthPower.org with 17,500 pageviews in Year 2 Q1. The team posted 69 new resources, 36 events, seven news items/blogs, and three projects to the site. Figure 8. Graph 2: YouthPower.org Pageviews and Unique Users, Year 2 Q1 (Source: Google Analytics) • Increased number of registered members on YouthPower.org. Registrations on YouthPower.org with the launch of the new CoPs increased with 160 new members registering as members on YouthPower.org in Year 2 Q1. CoP webinars and discussions will be leveraged to attract additional members to the website and discussion groups. Registered members received weekly updates on posted content based on their sectors of interest and from the discussion groups that they joined. Based on analysis, YouthPower.org members are primarily interested in the education, gender, economic growth, entrepreneurship and DRG sectors. • Oriented new YouthPower.org CoP members to the discussion group feature of the website. Three open discussion groups were created on YouthPower.org in addition to a closed discussion group for the CoP Champions cohort. Additional discussion groups are being planned for the forthcoming CoPs. The MENA CoP will target users in the region and be available in the Arabic language. 2. Enhanced features on YouthPower.org and YouthLead.org. Site enhancements included:  Ability to post content in French and Arabic, discussion group in these languages, and users being able to switch between the different language sites.  Ability to send content notifications to YouthPower.org users.  Ability to set up discussion groups on YouthPower.org.  Contest and campaign pages (e.g., the “Reaching16” contest) YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 15  Ability to display social media feeds on the main home page on both websites and the country pages on YouthLead.org.  Improved flexibility for creating country pages in non-English languages.  New site roles for country page managers and discussion group managers to allow ability to manage certain parts of the website.  Enhancements for uploading images on the site to comply with 508 requirements.  Ability to create a “vanity url” for a site page to facilitate the link’s inclusion in a video. In Q1, there was ongoing monitoring of site speed. In Year 2 Q2 a comprehensive plan to address site speed and other site challenges will be developed and actions implemented. Youth Engagement in Task 3 In Year 2 Q1, the YouthLead Youth Engagement team advanced the priority activities in the following ways: Youth Advisory Group (YAG)  Support youth engagement activities across YP2LE Tasks. Examples include, the full YAG was consulted for input on key activities, including the YouthLead Mentorship activity and survey for global youth networks, implemented in partnership with Restless Development, as well as the YouthLead Ambassador recruitment, candidate selection, and onboarding activities. YAG members were invited to lead capacity building activities for the YouthLead network and/or YouthLead Ambassador cohorts. Initial topics identified by YAG members include: “The Power of Digital Exchange for Global Citizenship; Digital Campaigning and Activism; Mentorship; “The Role of Youth in Plant Health” (youth and agriculture); “How to Support Vulnerable Women During COVID-19”, and “How Youth Are Innovating During a Global Pandemic”. The Senior Youth Engagement Advisor and Youth Engagement Fellow are working with YAG members to refine their topics further and identify how these sessions can help impart skills for YouthLead members.  Increased cadence of YAG meetings to accommodate new activities. To support the YAGs engagement in these additional activities, the group convened in December and November (normally bi-monthly). The USAID team attended the November YAG meeting to get better acquainted with the group, and to share information about USAID’s Global LEAD initiative. As an outcome of that meeting, the Youth Engagement team and USAID discussed opportunities for more regular direct consultations between USAID and the YAG (as well as YouthLead Ambassadors). The Senior Youth Engagement Advisor proposed an initial “orientation” webinar hosted by the USAID team to help youth better understand the Agency’s role in advancing Positive Youth Development (PYD), and how young people can engage with USAID in their work. The USAID team is discussing this idea internally. YouthLead Ambassador and Peer Advisor Cohort 3 YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 16 Figure 9. YouthLead Ambassador and Pear Advisor Cohort Images  Launched the call for the third cohort of YouthLead Ambassadors and Peer Advisors. The call was launched following an after-action review of Cohort 2 and the broader program, with additional input from Youth Advisory Group members. More than 3,100 applicants applied to the program (and increase by nearly 1,000 applicants as compared to Cohort 2). In November, following three rounds of candidate reviews and interviews with members of the YP2LE team, 22 YouthLead Ambassadors and seven Peer Advisors were selected for the program. The final cohort includes 14 women and eight men. Countries represented include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iraq, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Yemen. Peer Advisors (PAs) who are graduates of the YouthLead Ambassador program, include three men, and four women, with country representation from India, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Pakistan, The Philippines, and South Africa.  Held orientation sessions for Peer Advisors as well as joint YLA-Peer Advisor to onboard youth participants to the program, set goals and expectations, and share ideas for success. In both sessions, YAG members, who are former Peer Advisors and YouthLead Ambassadors, developed and shared their recommendations with participants for how to get the most out of their time with the program, manage their time, and approach their mentor-mentee relationships. In the joint session, members of USAID’s team attended and share information about USAID’s support for youth development. Agency Youth Coordinator Michael McCabe offered opportunities for YLAs to connect directly with home-country Mission staff. Following the orientation sessions, Peer Advisors were matched with two-to-four YLAs. Matching was informed by time zone accessibility and by topics of interest identified by YLAs. These include broadly: education; communications and digital media; entrepreneurship; gender equality; civic engagement and youth empowerment; peacebuilding; and public health. (Specific online campaign topics will be developed and implemented by YLAs with support from their Peer Advisors during the six months of the program). Mentorship  Finalized a mentorship survey for the YouthLead changemaker network and partner youth networks. The purpose of the survey was to gather information from young people about how they understand or define the roles of mentors, experiences with mentorship programs, and the kind of information, and opportunities they would like to see included on a new mentorship page on YouthLead. In addition to page functionality and content, the results of the mentor survey informed the criteria for the Mentor Network (for adult and youth mentors), and how YouthLead sponsors and partners can support this activity (e.g., host trainings, write advice blogs, give lightning talks, share related learning and provide resources). YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 17 Prior to dissemination, the survey was shared with the YAG who provided additional recommendations. Based on this feedback, Restless Development finalized the survey and disseminated it to 21 youth groups and networks (See the Youth Mentorship Survey Dissemination List below). The survey received a total of 171 responses from 38 countries. Restless Development analyzed and provided a summary of survey findings. Based on the results, the team can better define the YouthLead mentorship activity’s target audience as early career professionals with some prior experience in mentorship programs. The majority of respondents indicated a desire for blended-mentorship models, focusing on frequent, empathetic communication, options for structured as well as less-structured engagement, and mentor relationships that last beyond the program. Respondents expressed value in gaining knowledge, professional development skills, networking, and opportunities for personal growth. Based on the survey, the team identified the need to ensure a diverse network of mentors who include a balance of gender, geography, areas of specialization, and perspectives. The greatest barriers identified by young people seeking mentorship opportunities included not being able to find centralized resources on mentorship and funding opportunities and lack of access to mentors with relevant skills and knowledge. Based on these findings, the team determined that the YouthLead mentorship page needs to be easily navigable by specific sector and sub-categories (e.g., geography, skill set, expertise, etc.). The page will allow young people to identify the most relevant mentors and programs according to their specific needs. Similarly, ensuring access to relevant information about mentorship program scholarship opportunities could be useful. Creating supporting resources for mentorship on building empathy, communication styles, goal setting, and structured modes of mentorship will be useful as tools for youth to self-advocate during mentorship processes, and for mentors to use as guidelines for engagement. Restless Development and the YAG Mentor lead, Edna Tukiko, began developing criteria for inclusion in the Mentor Network (due in January 2021), including qualifying criteria, roles, and expectations (availability, tasks, and mentor conduct), and an initial scoring matrix for reviewing and selecting mentors for inclusion on the YouthLead platform. The Senior Youth Engagement Advisor joined the YouthLead sponsor call to provide an update on the mentorship activity, including the anticipated mentor network, and to invite interest from sponsors to engage with the activity. Table 1. Youth Mentorship Survey Dissemination List Youth Mentorship Survey Dissemination List* AIF Clinton Fellowship Restless Development US; UK; Zambia; Zimbabwe; Uganda; Tanzania; Nepal; India; Sierra Leone; Global; and Newsletter Youth Compact Network Youth Power Panel 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 Youth Power Panel FB YouthLead (Youth Network and YouthLead Sponsors) YLA Consultation Group in ESA Youth Stop Aids Network Youth Indaba Partners Zim Youth Networks YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 18 Youth Mentorship Survey Dissemination List* Youth Collective (Facebook) Main Restless Newsletter (40k) YP2LE Youth Advisory Group (YAG) Youth Power Network Mastercard Foundation Alumni Networks Afrika Youth Movement AtlasCorps Alumni Networks IREX YALI Network; YALI East Africa Alumni Networks YouthAlive Uganda VSO International *Provided by partner Restless Development Private-Sector Engagement  Finalized and received approval for a SOW for a PSE Advisor to assist YP2LE to develop a cross-cutting PSE strategy that identifies ways to foster sustainable PYD solutions for youth through engagement with private industry. The strategy will include direct work with USAID Missions to develop new partnerships or build upon existing PSE activities that can be linked to PYD. The strategy will: 1) identify private-sector partnership opportunities in support of YP2LE tasks, including but not limited to research activities; 2) identify priority private-sector industry partners for collaboration at the country and/or global level; and 3) recommend areas of potential support for select USAID Missions on how to integrate youth issues and priorities into their PSE action plans or improve private sector partnerships to support their youth programming. A consultant was identified to begin work on a PSE strategy for YP2LE. The consultant held an orientation call with the Project Director prior to the new year and was introduced to the USAID team. Work on the PSE SOW will be completed in Q2. Communications in Task 3: In Quarter 2, the Communications team worked in conjunction with the KM and YE teams in order to achieve the expected results. The Communications team distributed the YouthLead and YP2LE quarterly emails in October and November, respectively. These newsletters went out to the YP2LE mailing list of 4,851 subscribers and the YouthLead mailing list of 7,974 subscribers. The newsletters contained updates on YP2LE and YouthLead activities as well as links to events, resources, and surveys. Figure 10. YouthLead and YP2LE newsletter banners YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 19 In addition, the Communications team launched two campaigns to increase YouthLead membership this quarter. The first campaign was for Global Entrepreneurship Week. The campaign was an opportunity to launch the YouthLead Instagram account. Throughout the week we promoted the newly launched account using posts and ads on Twitter and Facebook. For Instagram, four designed InstaStories profiling YouthLead Social Entrepreneurs were developed as well as several posts promoting resources. These posts were echoed across our other platforms. Since the launch the Instagram account has been used on a weekly basis to promote YouthLead activities and commemoration days. Figure 11. Sample YouthLead InstaStory Graphic During the quarter, the Communications team launched the #Reaching16 campaign, highlighting the work youth are doing to reach SDG 16. A campaign plan was developed that included creation of campaign-related webpages, an essay contest, webinars, a podcast, and social media toolkit and content with links to resources on the YouthLead website. The team designed several avatars for the campaign to protect the safety of the youth working in the area of peace and security. The team joined the Global Coalition for Youth in Peace and Security’s (GCYPS) communications meeting and shared information on the campaign and highlighted their anniversary during the campaign. Toward the end of the quarter, UNDP Youth-GPS, signed on as a partner on the campaign. UNDP offered to help with the promotion of the campaign, select winners of the essay contest, and provide us with a 16X16 winner to be interviewed for the podcast. As of the end of January there were 443 new YouthLead members. Though this number cannot solely be contributed to the campaign as other activities were taking place, previous months with no campaign activities yielded around 70 new members. Figure 12. Screen shot of the #Reaching16 campaign page. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 20 In addition, during this time period, the Communications team managed seven online events mentioned in the summary for Task 2. The team worked to ensure these were seamless, high-quality events. Each event had between 123 and 269 RSVPs. The events ranged from the launch of the new COPs to systems thinking to volunteer networks, and all were geared to increase PYD knowledge, skills, resources, or information. Task 4: ● Expected Result 1: Increased number of USAID-funded activities and policies designed based on PYD approach and evidence. ● Expected Result 2: USAID staff and partners have increased knowledge of country- and sector￾specific youth systems. ● Expected Result 3: USAID staff and partners have increased capacity to design, manage, and evaluate PYD programs based on evidence and best practices. ● Expected Result 4: Increased inclusion of youth, youth-led organizations (YLOs), and youth-serving organizations (YSOs) in the design, implementation, and evaluation of PYD activities and policies throughout the program cycle. The following accomplishments demonstrate the progress made in Year 2 Q1 to achieving the Expected Results in the RFQ and in achieving the goals and objectives outlined in the YP2LE Year 2 Annual Workplan under Task 4. Key Accomplishments for Task 4 In Year 2 Q1, activities providing rapid response technical support through buy-ins, continuing seven buy-ins begun in Year 1 and initiating six new buy-ins, for a total of 13 active buy-ins for the quarter was achieved. Five buy-ins were successfully completed this quarter: Guinea Youth Assessment, Eastern and Southern Caribbean Youth Assessment, Morocco Cross-Sectoral Youth Assessment, RFS Component 1, and GenDev2 Discovery Phase. YP2LE response and management capabilities were strengthened by dedicating core team members to Task 4 to provide on-demand operational and technical oversight, project management; and research management and coordination during buy-in activity preparation and implementation. ● Buy-in Process Managed Continued to manage the buy-in process by finalizing scopes of work and budgets for new buy￾ins in close coordination with USAID Missions and OUs and by mobilizing teams quickly to implement rapid response requests. This included identifying experts including those from YP2LE partners to participate in buy-in activities; fielding teams virtually and on the ground; and producing deliverables that incorporate the PYD framework and principles. • Youth Assessments 101 Brief Finalized. In this reporting period, a summary brief on Youth Assessments 101 that describes key considerations and lessons learned for USAID Missions in conducting youth assessments was finalized. This information is meant to support USAID staff as they plan, implement, and leverage findings from youth assessments to inform their Mission’s programming. It draws upon 17 youth assessments conducted under YP2LE and the predecessor project YouthPower Learning from 2015-2020. Lessons learned from team leads, USAID Washington staff, YouthPower staff, and USAID Mission office leads, and staff members are included. The brief has been shared with youth points of contact within USAID. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 21 Figure 12. Youth Assessments 101 Brief Cover • Rapid Response Technical Support Requests Addressed. Below is an update on the status of each request. 1. W-GDP/DREAMS Collaboration (USAID/GenDev/OHA) Mozambique Assessment: The Phase 1 literature review report received final approval in October 2020. The Phase 2 workplan for assessment activities on opportunities for youth employment in the health and social services sectors in Mozambique was approved in November 2020. All Mozambique-based assessment team members were recruited, and research protocols were submitted to the IRB for ethical review and approval by the end of November 2020. The assessment team began data collection activities in December 2020, including key informant interviews, youth focus group discussions, youth surveys, and mapping activities in Maputo, Nampula, and Beira. Data collection activities are to be completed in early January 2021 and the draft full report of assessment findings is to be submitted in early February 2021. Youth Engagement Training Adaptation: At the request of USAID/Mozambique, YP2LE is updating materials from five youth engagement training modules developed under YouthPower Action to incorporate Mozambique-specific context. Following finalization of all training materials, YP2LE partner Restless Development will lead a two-day Training of Trainers. Budget estimates and timelines for the adaptation process were provided to USAID and approved in October 2020. A meeting was held with USAID/Mozambique to review expectations for the material updates and discuss the revision and training delivery timeline. Additional USAID and implementing partner stakeholders are expected to provide feedback on each of the five updated training module materials, which will be incorporated before being translated into Mozambican Portuguese. Updated, translated materials for all five modules are expected to be finalized for USAID review in late March 2021, with training activities to be held in April 2021. 2. Morocco Cross-Sectoral Youth Assessment Research activities and the USAID outbrief were completed September 2020, and the final report was approved and submitted to USAID in October 2020. A French Executive Summary was also part of the deliverables finalized in November 2020. Both the final report and the French Executive Summary have been shared publicly. The Summary Brief is undergoing final revisions before being shared with USAID for the final review and public dissemination. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 22 3. Protecting Children and Youth Within USAID Education Programming (USAID/AFR) To respond to the need and demand for increased awareness and training, USAID asked YP2LE to develop a suite of learning opportunities to strengthen the knowledge and understanding of safe learning environments, child protection, and child safeguarding practices within USAID’s education sector. In this quarter, five training e-modules were developed and went through two rounds of USAID review and subsequent revisions. 4. GenDev2 Discovery Phase: Unleashing the Economic Leadership Power of Young Women: Strengthening the Evidence Base (USAID/GenDev) The objective of this buy-in activity is to build the evidence base for improving young women’s (aged 18-30) economic empowerment and employment. Research activities consisting of literature reviews and key informant interviews were completed in September 2020 and the final report was submitted and approved in October 2020. USAID also approved the Phase 2 SOW for subsequent implementation of select recommendations. 5. GenDev2 Phase 2: Unleashing the Economic Leadership Power of Young Women: Strengthening the Evidence Base (USAID/GenDev) The final SOW and the budget were approved in December 2020, and the work plan development commenced immediately. The objective of the activity is to develop guidance and tools to ensure young women’s constraints and opportunities are adequately captured in youth/gender analyses. 6. Guinea Youth Assessment Research activities and the USAID outbrief were completed May 2020, and Situational Analysis and Youth Strategic Priorities drafts were submitted June 2020. Both documents were approved after revisions August 2020. The translation of the Situational Analysis and the brief were submitted and approved October 2020. 7. Eastern and Southern Caribbean (ESC) Youth Assessment Desk review activities were completed and presented to USAID May 2020 and data collection activities completed June 2020. Strategic Priorities Report was submitted in June 2020 and USAID feedback was incorporated. The Situational Analysis Report was submitted and approved in August 2020. The brief was finalized and approved November 2020. 8. Phase II Dominican Republic Youth Assessment (Pending) Phase I desk review and key informant interviews were completed in July 2020, and the desk review was approved August 2020. Phase II is on hold pending approval to move forward from the Mission. 9. Nicaragua Limited Youth Assessment Scope of work was finalized October 2020. The workplan was submitted December 2020. 10. Online Toolkit on Youth and Mental Health/Psychosocial Support (Mental Health) (USAID/DCHA/DRG) SOW was finalized in August 2020 with a November start date. The workplan was submitted for approval December 2020. The objective is to create a toolkit to provide strategies and tools to design and implement mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programs in low and middle-income countries, both as standalone programs and integrated into youth-focused activities across multiple sectors. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 23 11. Center on Children in Adversity (USAID/CECA) The CECA SOW was finalized the end of October 2020. • Care Leaders Council  The workplan was approved December 2020 and the team worked closely with USAID to develop a call for applications which was issued December 11, 2020. The objective is to bring together up to 10 young leaders (21 to 25) to provide insight and advocate for care reform. The group will meet quarterly for a year. • Youth Digital Leadership Council  The workplan was approved December 2020. A call for applications will be issued in Q2. The objective is to bring together up to 12 innovative young changemakers (ages 15-24) to inform, propose adjustments, and strengthen USAIDs response to protecting children from digital harm. The group will meet monthly for a year with the objectives of reducing digital harm and have a better understanding on how children and youth would want to interact with digital assets. • Integrated Early Childhood Development and Health/Nutrition Intervention Toolkit  The workplan was submitted December 2020 and work has begun on pulling together resources and conducting consultations with USAID on the topic. The objective is to create a toolkit with content designed to expand USAID’s staff understanding and knowledge about the application of early childhood development principles and methodology for increasing the development of effective, integrated programs within both the health and nutrition sectors. • Child Protection Brief(s)  Currently on hold pending completion of the AFR Child Protection buy-in materials. The objective is to create 1-2 short briefer(s) based on the child protection content developed through the Child Safeguarding and Protection training supported by USAID’s Education team. 12. Youth in Agri-food Systems Learning Activity (YASLA) – Components 1 and 2 (USAID/RFS) The goal of YASLA is to advance knowledge on approaches to, and the state of the evidence for, youth inclusion in agri-food systems, through research and knowledge dissemination. YASLA wrapped up Component 1 of the activity by submitting the two primary deliverables—Inventory Report and Indicators and Metrics Report—as well as recruiting and onboarding the Reference Group Members and having ongoing discussions with USAID on next steps for the Visualization of Theories of Change and Video Script. Component 2 activities will begin in Year 2 Q2 following the Reference Group Kick-Off and Learning Meeting to be held in January 2021. 13. Ghana Youth Assessment Following SOW and budget approval in October 2020, YP2LE focused on recruitment and work planning for the assessment, the objective of which is to guide the implementation of the USAID/Ghana five-year (2020-2025) Country Development Cooperation Strategy. USAID and YP2LE held a kick-off meeting in December 2020 to coordinate timelines and work planning processes. YP2LE also identified and onboarded the assessment team and began drafting the workplan that will be submitted in January 2021. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 24 Communications in Task 4 The Communications team worked closely with the Rapid Response Technical Support team to provide support in the editing, design, layout, and 508-compliance for the Buy-in Deliverables. In addition, the team created resources pages, microsites, and URLs for each of the publicly facing deliverables as they were approved. Activity Management The following accomplishments demonstrate the progress made in Year 2 Q1 to ensure YP2LE is managing all activities to achieve the Expected Results in the RFQ and the goals and objectives outlined in the YP2LE Year 2 Annual Workplan. Key Accomplishments in Activity Management • Submitted monthly and quarterly financial reports and requested pipeline reports. All financial reports and pipeline requests have been submitted as required and requested. • Conducted bi-weekly COR calls. Regular calls with the COR and other USAID representatives providing support and guidance for various YP2LE activities and buy-ins were held bi-weekly. An extensive Activity Tracker and dashboard was developed to track progress across the project and guide the agenda of the COR meetings. • Updated Indicator Tracking System (ITT) and MEL plan. The first major activity completed in Year 2 was the updated MEL plan. The plan was revised in December 2020 to include additions to the YP2LE team, priorities for the PYD research agenda, and updates to project indicators. Approval on the revised MEL plan is anticipated in January 2021. • Updated Communications, Branding, and Marking Plan. The YP2LE Communications, Branding, and Marking Plan was updated and submitted for approval on October 16, 2020 • Updated YP2LE factsheets. The YP2LE factsheet and a Buy-in factsheet were updated and submitted for approval on October 16, 2020 III. Problems Encountered and Identified Solutions Key problems identified in this report reflect issues also identified in our prior report and will continue due to the geographic spread of our Rapid Response Technical Support teams and the ongoing COVID￾19 situation. They include the following: Travel 1. Problem: International travel restrictions due to COVID-19 are still in place which impacts in￾country assessment activities. Solution: In Mozambique (for example), local in-country travel is allowed with precautions. During this quarter we were able to have a local team conduct in-person youth assessment activities. Local team members worked collaboratively with the remotely based assessment Team Lead conducting more regular check-ins to manage activity progress and ensure emerging questions and concerns were addressed in a timely manner. In other country level assessments, YP2LE works with the USAID team to determine the viability of in-country travel and, if not feasible, the team works together to determine the most appropriate communications platform (e.g., What’s App, Skype, Zoom, Google meets) to complete the activity. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 25 The COVID-19 Pandemic 1. Problem: Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions that went into effect in March 2020, we are unable to plan international travel or have in-person country activities for the YP2LE team (based in the US) for buy-in activities. Solution: As determined by the needs of the Missions/Operating Units and USAID Washington, we have continued to evolve and develop different approaches to completing assessment activities that include virtual and local data collection and a updated team structure to support activities. In the two-phased approach, the first phase focuses on activities that can be completed remotely (i.e., desk review and virtual key informant interviews), and working with local country-based consultants. 2. Problem: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we were not able to organize the quarterly Collaboration Group meetings. Solution: We replaced the in-person meetings with webinars held in July and September 2020, which also made it easier for field project staff to participate. We are assessing the viability of an in-person meeting in Year 2 Q3 or Q4. Communities of Practice (CoPs) 1. Problem: The start-up of the new CoPs took more time than anticipated. Solution: A modified and more decentralized approach to communications and management of the learning events was identified to ensure more effective start-up. The modified approach includes providing templates to CoP champions to create announcement messages; enabling CoP champions to push messages from the CoP discussion group to all their members; enabling sending of announcement messages to all YouthPower.org members (even those that have not (yet) joined a CoP); and preparing “summative” announcements for social media (e.g., looking 3- 4 weeks forward) for the Communications team to announce on social media. Youthlead and Youthpower.org Performance 1. Problem: Users reported speed and performance issues on Youthlead.org and Youthpower.org which impacted user satisfaction and usage. Solution: The YP2LE team initiated an analysis to understand the root cause of the speed and performance issue. The team is working with the IT vendor to develop options that will address this issue. It is expected that these options – once selected – will be implemented starting in Q2. Lessons Learned Throughout Year 1 and Year 2 Q1, our team garnered a series of lessons learned, which are highlighted in the next section. The COVID-19 Pandemic ● Strategies Vary in Mitigating COVID-19 Globally. YP2LE will need to continue considering the fact that different countries will be at different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and in-person activities may not be possible in Year 2. Learning Agenda Management • Building in Additional Time for Diverse Stakeholder Feedback on Activity Design is Crucial. Task 1 activities engage many USAID staff, implementing partners, and research partner organizations from the Learning Agenda Advisory Group in the design and YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 26 implementation of project activities. While including these different perspectives and coming to consensus may lengthen the timeline for Task 1 activities, it has ensured that our products reflect the perspectives of key stakeholders and experts and has contributed to quality assurance in our processes and our final deliverables. Buy-in Management ● Flexibility is Key. YP2LE pivoted rapidly from in-person data collection during buy-in assessments to the use of remote tools in Year 1. The lessons learned in Year 1 will inform Year 2 buy-in and research activities and promote acquisition of rich data and insights through remote approaches. We will continue to match local in-country personnel with remote international advisors for country-level assessment activities to allow for successful completion of buy-in activities. ● Having the Staff to Meet the Demand is Critical. To maintain effectiveness and quality with the large number of complex buy-in activities, YP2LE added two new staff in Year 2 to support the work and to maintain high-quality deliverables. The two staff added are a Youth Development Specialist and a Knowledge Management and Online Communities Manager. Additionally, more time from YP2LE Project Managers/Project Officers has been dedicated to Task 4 to provide on-demand technical and operational support to buy-ins. ● Agreeing on SOW and Budget Takes Longer than Anticipated. As outlined above with Task 1 research and products, YP2LE has built in additional time in Task 4 to reflect challenges faced in Year 1 to negotiate the final SOW, budget, staffing, and subsequent deliverables with Operating Units and Missions. Learning Network Advisory Group (LAAG) • Reviewing the strategy and focus of the LAAG was needed. It is important to determine the most effective use of this important group. The original intention for the PYD Learning Agenda Advisory Group (LAAG) was to filter, prioritize, and set a strategy for building PYD knowledge through YP2LE research activities. Their inputs would also be used to inform workplan development for future research activities. While we continue to seek LAAG members guidance on research activities, their role has shifted more to providing input at key milestones for our Task 1 activities, including participating in SOW design activities and drafting processes as well as to give feedback on activity deliverables. This also includes bringing in our Youth Research Advisor, Hilda Namakula (Restless Development), on activities such as our Youth Civic Engagement Country Snapshots as we continue our efforts to bring in youth researchers on our Task 1 and ensure we have youth stakeholders meaningfully engaged in the project design, implementation, and analysis processes YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 27 V. Indicator Measurement The YP2LE indicator tracking table is below and includes year-to-date information. Table 2. YP2LE indicator tracking table Indicator Year 2 Target # Baseline # Quarter 5 Totals Project Total Number of research and learning products developed by the YP2LE contract 5 0 0 1 Number of knowledge products and tools disseminated through the YouthPower and YouthLead websites produced by the YP2LE contract and other awards under the YP2 umbrella 19 0 27 82 Number of Learning Network members 6,500 6,350* 2,267 8,824 Number of Learning Network members who participated in events, discussions, trainings, and forums 4,500 0 1,324 2,417 A count of the number of knowledge products and tools developed by YP2LE or YP2 partners that are posted on the YouthPower and YouthLead websites. 19 0 27 82 Number of website pageviews. 900,000 1,786,582* 220,778 2,689,035 Number of USAID staff and YP IPs who designed, implemented, adapted, or measured an activity/CDCS/PAD using evidence and tools from the PYD trainings and/or the PYD Learning Network, and/or the YouthPower and YouthLead websites 15 0 6 17 Number of Learning Network Members who designed, implemented, adapted, or measured an activity/CDCS/PAD using evidence and tools from the PYD trainings, the PYD Learning Network, and/or the YouthPower and YouthLead websites 30 0 N/A Annual survey1 Number of youth engaged in YP2LE activities. 150 0 43 1,156 Number of studies, tools, or products developed that relate to learning agenda gaps 2 0 12 3 Member satisfaction with the overall PYD Learning Network. 85% satisfied 0 N/A 86% satisfied User satisfaction with the YouthPower and YouthLead websites 85% satisfied 0 N/A 75% satisfied Number of events organized, sponsored, or co￾hosted by the YP2LE contract 15 0 11 67 Number of YP2LE-sponsored webinars 12 0 7 25 1 Survey to be completed by March 2021 2 This count includes the Task 4 Youth Assessment 101 Brief. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 28 Indicator Year 2 Target # Baseline # Quarter 5 Totals Project Total Number of events attended by YP2LE staff and partners to disseminate project information 25 0 14 26 Number of buy-ins completed by YP2LE staff 8 0 5 8 Number of eNewsletter subscribers 13,000 4,719*3 1,539 11,999 Number of new What Works and Country pages developed or updated4 4 0 13 25 Number of social media posts. 300 0 264 1,170 Number of youth programs that include PYD concepts and features that are influenced by YP2LE activities 10 0 N/A Annual survey5 Amount of web content reviewed, approved, and published on YouthPower.org and YouthLead.org 4,000 0 2,147 4,792 The following table shows the events organized or co-hosted by YP2LE. Table 3. Events organized or co-hosted by YP2LE Title Date # of registrants Systems Thinking Skills-Part 1 10/19/2020 269 Systems Thinking Skills-Part 2 11/4/2020 236 Systems Thinking Skills-Part 3 11/17/2020 219 Global Webinar – Building Communities’ Resilience Through Youth Volunteer Networks 12/15/2020 123 Business Entrepreneurship/Private-Sector Engagement CoP Kick￾Off 12/3/2020 126 Youth Engagement CoP Kick-Off 12/10/2020 223 Gender CoP Kick-Off 12/17/2020 128 3 *Indicates that baseline counts are from prior activities completed under YouthPower Learning. 4 This indicator refers exclusively to What Works pages on the YouthPower platform and Country pages on the YouthLead platform. 5 Survey to be completed by March 2021 YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 29 Annex 1: Scope of Work for Document Review and Youth Framework for Cost and Cost-Effectiveness Development Background In 2012, USAID developed a youth policy to engage youth more systematically in international development goals. Through their programming over the last eight years, USAID has sought to ensure that youth have better access to economic and social opportunities; share in economic growth; contribute to the community, regional, and national systems; and fully participate in democratic and development processes (USAID Youth Policy 2012). They have invested in programs such as YouthPower Learning, YouthPower Action, and other youth-focused efforts. In 2018, the USAID Office of Education, Economic Development, and Environment (E3) released cost guidance for activities focusing on these target areas. The guidance standardizes cost reporting so that USAID staff can assess the effectiveness, efficiency, program design, and sustainability of funded activities. Current research highlights gaps in what we know about the costs and cost-effectiveness of youth programs, particularly youth programs that are cross-sectoral. We propose a PYD focused cost and cost-effectiveness document review that leads to developing a framework for conducting cost￾effectiveness on PYD programs. The framework help standardize reporting on standard components of PYD youth programs. The framework can support USAID to look across PYD programming and understand the value-added and effectiveness of specific types of youth interventions. The framework will help all donor-funded youth programs conduct cost-effectiveness using the PYD domains. This activity will use USAID's work on cost and cost-effectiveness as a starting point, but its purpose is to support youth projects and researchers who want to conduct their cost-effectiveness studies on youth programs. Activities This research activity will involve a very targeted document review and analysis that leads to developing a framework for cost-effectiveness on youth programs. The guiding question for the brief is as follows: 1. How can the USAID cost guidance be applied using the PYD domains on youth programs? 2. What approaches to cost-effectiveness and cost-efficiency analysis have been used to measure the value-added of PYD programming? a. How have youth programs measured the cost and cost-effectiveness of their programming? Which programs align with USAID’s cost guidance? Which programs follow different approaches? Why? b. What are the typical components of youth programs that could be tracked and measured for cost-effectiveness? 3. Based on USAID’s cost guidance, what does a PYD-focused cost-effectiveness analysis framework look like? What is the methodology? Measurement components? Methodology This proposed study will take a three-step process to complete the "how-to" brief. 1. Document Review. Our search strategy for the document review will involve three key steps. a. Review of YouthPower and other youth programs. Once we have reviewed the cost-guidance, we will conduct a rapid review of the YouthPower and YouthPower Action activities and map the common interventions across all the programs. The YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 30 review will include a review of the task order synthesis, project reports, and short stakeholder consultations with project staff to confirm interventions and indicators. Once we have mapped these activities, we will search for other donor-funded youth programs implemented in the last five years to understand their interventions. The outcome of this part of the review will be a matrix that delineates common interventions by sector or region. b. Review studies on cost and cost-effectiveness. Finally, we will conduct a short, focused literature review of any cost-effectiveness studies conducted on youth programs in the last two to three years. We will review the methodology for the cost￾effectiveness analysis and compare the cost components to USAID's guidance. If time and LOE allow, we can go back to 2015 to review programs. 2. Data analysis and development of a framework. Upon completing this review, our team will develop a framework that explains how to conduct cost-effectiveness using the PYD domains. The framework will use USAID's existing value for money framework as the foundation. Within each category, we will layout the components of youth programs that could be measured within each PYD domain and a methodology for conducting cost-effectiveness based on the outcomes that youth programs typically generate. The framework will include a potential timeline for collecting the different data over the activity's life cycle based on USAID’s cost guidance. 3. Write a five- to seven-page brief. Our team will then use this information to write a five￾to seven-page "how-to" brief that synthesizes our findings and presents the framework and guidance for youth programs. The framework will include any adaptations based on cross￾sectoral approaches or other peculiarities related to youth programming. Anticipated Deliverable 1. A study design for the focused literature review on cost-effectiveness studies on youth programs 2. A matrix of the common interventions and indicators in youth programs, organized by PYD domains 3. A five- to seven-page “how-to” brief Timeline November- 2020 – January 2021 Estimated LOE 120 hours of a team of senior researchers (Tech IV category). The LOE would be divided as follows: 1. Document review: 40 hours 2. Analysis and development of a framework: 40 hours 3. Development of the brief: 40 hours YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 31 Annex 2: Summary of the Systems Approach Meetings Meeting Participants from the Youth Systems Collaborative (YSC), Scaling Up Community of Practice, and YP2LE LAAG: Rachel Blum, Melanie Sany, Claire Ignatowski, Bonnie Politz, Pia Saunders Campbell, Petula Nash, Johannes Linn, George Patton Main themes and areas requiring more research. 1. Shifting mental models 2. Understanding the diffusion of innovation and links to systems approaches. 3. Moving from project to systems approaches (reduction of silos). 4. Cost analysis 5. Why do workforce projects fail? I. Shifts in mental models a. There is a need to understand more about the way host country governments are adapting and engaging in scaling programs, particularly as it relates to policy and budget changes and shifts in mental models. b. We need to understand more about the key forces that lead to changes in systems when projects take a systems approach. Vertical vs. horizontal changes? Connection to mindset changes. c. Review examples of where we have substantive changes to mental models that led to sustainable scaling efforts. d. Challenges of adopting change in international development. II. Diffusion of innovation a. If we think of interventions as innovations, we need to better understand how these innovations are diffused over time. We could use the “S” curve framework and look at the 4 phases of diffusion: 1) the innovation, 2) how it is communicated through certain channels, 3) How it spreads and sustains over time (or doesn’t) and 4) how it spreads among members of a social system. You could map this approach to the PYD domains and then identify where the challenges or systematic break downs happen over time. It would allow donors to better understand where to focus their resources and technical assistance. Examples of innovative practices in youth programming may include things like the use of digital technology to expand and improve learning; the use of volunteerism to teach employability skills to hard-to-reach and marginalized populations; use of personal development plans with youth to motivate and support employment searches; and innovation development workshops to help youth develop and incubate entrepreneurial ideas. III. From project to systems approaches. a. A project approach has limited the effectiveness of systems reform approach. If we look at the perspective of youth employment projects, from a systems perspective there is only so much systems reform you can pursue because the programs are short and tend to focus on specific project-level interventions. Scaling up interventions and reforming systems both have a role to play and impact each other. How do we begin to think differently about project design? This theme links to the mental models and change and could provide important insights to the JSR. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 32 b. How do we begin to break down sector silos within the donor community and take a more holistic, cross-sector approach to youth programming? c. We could also consider doing research on the collective impact model and viability of implementing this model in LMICs. IV. Cost and cost analysis a. Overall, all the folks we met with felt that there is really limited work that has been done on understanding the true costs of programs and what that means for going to scale and changing systems. b. Youth programs that work are typically really expensive on a unit cost basis—where do you find the headroom or space to scale? Where is the tipping point where the cost comes down? What are the reasons why programs do not go to scale? What are the constraints? What tends to make it go faster in the diffusion of innovations in the demand vs. supply side? V. Why do youth programs fail? a. What can we learn by retrospectively understanding long term programs that have been implemented by different organizations over time? b. What is the link between youth program design using a systems approach and failing in the field? Facilitators of success? Challenges? c. Understanding why youth employment programs rarely go to scale. d. Why is scaling idiosyncratic in the youth sector—how deep can we go into the problem and in finding solutions? VI. Other topics a. Jeanne Downing recently completed a report on market systems resilience, including a monitoring tool for how to measure and evaluate market systems resilience. Could we do something similar for the youth systems? What is the adaptability for systems change? What applications could be adopted and why or why not? b. We could do a qualitative study using Missions that designed systems approach programs. Understand their process and look at how it played out (or is playing out) and create a training workshop for USAID on how to design programs using a systems approach. c. As a follow-on to UNC’s marginalized and vulnerable youth (MVY) work, could we develop a sample of MVY youth who overcame obstacles and made it through the system and are successful. We could meet youth who have had these experiences and hear their stories. In their stories, you can see what systems need to change because of the barriers they experienced in addressing health, transportation, education, employment, immigration and other systemic issues. Youth who have had these experiences share much we can learn from them. This approach would be very focused on Youth voices, contribute to the JSR and help us understand the “systems” from their perspectives. It would be a really unique study. d. Several people we met with talked about the impact of COVID-19 on systems, but no one had good suggestions for studies. e. Larry Cooley suggested going out to the Youth Engagement working group on scaling and asking them where we could contribute. Perhaps holding a webinar that brings people together to discuss and convene around gaps. YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 33 Annex 3: Accomplishments By Funding Source Task Activity BFS DRG PRH E3/ED 1 Submitted the final report for Systematic Review of the Impact of PYD on Marginalized and Vulnerable youth. x x x x 1 Developed scope of work for a document review and development of a PYD-oriented framework for conducting cost analysis, including the cost-effectiveness of youth programming. x x x x 1 Conducted key stakeholder discussions on research gaps for systems and scaling in youth development. x x x x 2 Completed the launch of three CoPs - Youth Engagement, Gender, and Business, Entrepreneurship and Private-Sector Engagement (BEPSE), including the organization of launch webinars. x x x x 2 Completed the community management staffing structure, processes, and related technology (e.g., webinar technology) for new Learning Network. x x x x 2 Created process, forms, and evaluation criteria for applications of new CoPs and other groups. x x x x 2 Formation process initiated for new working or affinity groups, including the WORQ group, a systems and sustainability group, and a group for higher education and workforce development. x x x x 2 Organized initial webinars in the series of LN-wide webinars that shared useful tools and contributed to capacity-building of network members. x x x x 2 Held first quarterly Learning Network Steering Committee (LNSC) meeting. x x x x 3 Engaged Youth Advisory Group successfully across tasks 1 – 4, and consulted for additional activities including YouthLead mentorship activity, the YouthLead Ambassador and Peer Advisor program, and to lead capacity-strengthening activities for YouthLead in 2021. x x x x 3 Recruited and onboarded Cohort 3 of 22 YouthLead Ambassadors and seven Peer Advisors. x x x x YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 34 Task Activity BFS DRG PRH E3/ED 3 Disseminated mentorship youth network survey to 22 networks with results informing YouthLead page design and content, and Mentor Network criteria. x x x x 3 Recruited and onboarded Private-Sector Partnerships Advisor to begin work on YP2LE PSE Strategy. x x x x 3 Grew YouthLead membership to over 11,000 registered members. x x x x 3 Country pages maintained and developed. Created new toolkits for country page launches and country page promotions. x x x x 3 Curated, tagged, and posted content on YouthLead and YouthPower.org. x x x x 3 Created YouthLead.org websites in French and Arabic and hired content managers to populate the sites prior to official launch. x x x x 3 Initiated collaboration with the USAID-funded GISR project on content management for the Arabic site, a MENA discussion group, and a MENA CoP. x x x x 3 Created discussion groups for CoPs and approved CoP member registrations. x x x x 3 Completed site enhancements and updates including the creation of campaign and contest-specific pages, discussion groups, content notifications, new manager site roles, ability to post content in French and Arabic, ability to create “vanity URLs,” and ongoing site speed monitoring, among others. x x x x 4 Prepared statements of work and budgets for six new buy￾ins. x x x x 4 Managed the buy-in process. x x x x 4 Finalized a summary brief on Youth Assessments 101 describing key considerations for USAID Missions in conducting youth assessments. x x x x 4 Provided Rapid Response Technical Support and produced deliverables for 13 active buy-ins. x x x x 4 Completed five buy-ins. x x x x YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 35 Accomplishments Individual Funding Source Task Activity BFS DRG PRH E3/ED 1 Drafted scope of work for Youth Civic Engagement Snapshots. x 1 Finalized an Activity Management Guide on the Workforce Outcomes Reporting Questionnaire. x 2 Initiated collaboration with Global Coalition for Youth in Peace and Security’s (GCYPS) existing network. x 2 Completed a video, along with short teaser video, in collaboration with the Puentes/Bridges team in El Salvador, to showcase successful private-sector engagement. x x x YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation Quarterly Report Year 2 Q1 36 Annex 4: The Workforce Outcomes Reporting Questionnaire (WORQ): An Activity Management Guide for Missions See on following page.