2 July 2015
Context and Major Development Changes ........................................................ 1
Indicator Progress ...........................................................................................2
Key Achievements ......................................................................................... 6
Lessons Learnt ............................................................................................... 6
Risk and Mitigation ......................................................................................... 7
The Way Forward ............................................................................................ 7
Resource Utilisation ........................................................................................ 7
Evidence and Surveys in 2015 ........................................................................... 7
Context and Major Development Changes
There are an estimated 48 million young people in Bangladesh in 2014 (UNFPA), and despite being such a large percentage of the population their views can often be marginalised from mainstream political, social and policy debate. As young citizens they are a core and growing constituency and their mainstreaming in to society is an important source of stability, creativity and continuity for communities.
The exclusion of young people from decisions that affect their lives in communities and in national decision making platforms can leave their interests isolated and their contribution and potential to work for a better society unharnessed. Identifying and
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mainstreaming their priorities in the public domain is essential for future social development. Not only do they have their own priorities in social and economic life they are also the next generation of politicians, public figures and role models for future generations and empowering these groups is a crucial challenge going forward.
This initiation plan is designed to work over a 12-month period to provide the preparatory steps to launch a comprehensive youth programme dealing with voice and accountability.
It establishes youth networks, identifies and tests tools for the generation of evidence based strategic research as well as communication products that highlight the voice of young people and assist build actions that work towards building social capital.
By assisting young people come together under a single umbrella the plan provides a catalysing effect for the development of a series of empowerment tools and strategies creating better access for groups to decision making and increased opportunities in private and public sectors for participation.
Indicator Progress
Outcome
Government institutions at the national and subnational levels are able to more effectively carry out their mandates, including delivery of public services, in a more accountable, transparent, and inclusive manner.
Citizen expectations for voice, development, the rule of law and accountability are met by stronger systems of democratic governance
Project outcome indicator
Number of young people consulted as to their needs in finding gainful employment
Number of members/associations of private and public sector employers identify labour gaps
Extent to which there is a strengthened environment for civic engagement of youth groups, including legal/regulatory framework, for youth groups to function in the public sphere and contribute to development, and effective mechanisms/platforms to engage youth groups.
Target (Year-
2015)
Planned result
Review of
Department of
Youth and
Sport's
"Project on
Strengthening
Training
Programme at
Upazila Level for Creation of
Employment and Selfemployment"
The rating of strength of the environment for civil society engagement that we intend to achieve in 2016 based on baseline established in
Output 1 survey.
Joint actions undertaken by
Progress towards targets
Preliminary discussions with Director General of the Department for Youth and Development
Letter of Intent to be drafted soon.
Evidence and means of verification
Signed MoU between DYD and UNDP
Needs assessment produced by consultant
Implementing partner for national network engaged
Survey includes rating scale to determine
‘how effective are mechanisms/pl atforms for civic engagement’ with ‘evidence that this is enabling relevant CSOs to have an
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Output 1
Networks of national and local actors for youth engagement are formed.
Project indicators
1.1 Purpose and role for network identified by civil society actors
1.2 Number of joint actions have been undertaken by network members national network members
Workplan with
5 SMART goals for next year created by national network
Agreement of
Cooperation signed by national, divisional and district level youth groups/organizat ions.
Target (Year-
2015)
Planned result
100 youth groups/organiz ations to be surveyed in 7 divisions (700 total)
7 Divisional meetings held
Enabling and disabling factors for advocacy and engagement with decision makers identified
Enabling and disabling factors identified for network coordination
Salient issues identified for action
Mechanisms to broker cooperation tested by
UNDP and
JAAGO
100 network partners representing
Progress towards targets
Implementing partner,
JAAGO Foundation, has been awarded microgrant and has designed baseline survey and
. begun mapping of civil society organizations in
Bangladesh
Online database launched, CSOs can presently register information
JAAGO in the process of identifying potential network partners in
Bangladesh effective voice’.
Survey defines coordination and collaboration between youth organization
Interviews and feedback questionnaires; evidence of joint action
Evidence and means of verification organizations
.
Divisional
Meetings
Meeting activity report
Observation of Planning meetings/co mmunication between members
Observation of initiative
(event, communicati on etc)
Online database registration up and running.
Survey includes rating scale and identifies areas for coordination and collaboration between youth
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Output 2
Sets of research, actions and communicati on tools designed and tested and refined to identify youth priorities and needs through narratives
1.3 Number of Network
Partners (disaggregated by divisional area of work and thematic focus*) have signed
Agreement of Cooperation with one another
*Governance/Justice and
Human Rights, Community development, Education,
Environment, Disaster Risk
Reduction and Climate
Change, Health
(HIV/AIDS, Sexual
Reproductive Health),
Religious and Ethnic
Minorities, Gender equality
(hijra included), Disability,
Sexuality(sexual minorities)
Project indicators
2.1 Number of narratives describing of young people’s priorities and needs have been have been registered by decision makers all divisions and key development areas
Workplan for five SMART actions for the next year
Diverse network partners attend divisional meetings across
Bangaldesh
JAAGO in initial stages of mapping civil society organizations and potential network members
Target (Year-
2015)
Planned result
Number of diverse* young people have been able to share their stories (needs and priorities) in a safe space
Number of young people confirm that final reports and narratives accurately represent their stories.*
Communicatio ns strategy developed with tools for dissemination of narratives
Number of narratives have received coverage
(shared) in
Progress towards targets
Recruitment for
Narrative Consultant nearly completed
Feedback gathered from network members
Signed agreements of cooperation between youth group/organi zations
Meeting
Minutes
Signed
Agreement of
Cooperation
Evidence and means of verification
Baseline survey report of young people’s needs and priorities, including nature of civic engagement
Narrative reports and final narratives
Narrative
Session reports include participant feedback
M&E observation by UNDP
Coverage in media outlets and online platforms
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Output 3
2.2 Number of youth-led civic engagement activities have been undertaken in which solutions to local
(governance) issues have been tested
Project indicators
Research on youth employment and entrepreneur ship.
(Diagnostic study of
Department of Youth
Developmen t, Project on
Strengthenin g Training
Programme at Upazila
Level for
Creation of
Employment and Selfemployment
)
3.1 Number of young people consulted as to their needs in finding gainful employment
3.2 Number of members/associations of private and public sector employers identify labour gaps social and mass media
Number of young people have been equipped with advocacy
(grounded in a human-rights based approach), communicatio ns and leadership skills.
Youth Support
Network has been convened in Chittagong
Communicatio n strategy designed.
Target (Year-
2015)
Planned result
Review of
Project on
Strengthening
Training
Programme at
Upazila Level for Creation of
Employment and Selfemployment
Implementing partner
YPSA has been engaged through micro-grant
Progress towards targets
Preliminary discussions with Director General of the Department for
Youth and Development
Letter of Intent to be drafted soon.
Interviews/m eetings/publi c committment s with/by decision makers
Feedback gathered from boot camp participants
Feedback gathered from young people who have undertaken civic engagement activities
UNDP field visits and observations of boot camps and narrative sessions
Evidence and means of verification
Signed MoU between
DYD and
UNDP
Needs assessment produced by consultant
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Project document completed with a comprehensi ve monitoring and evaluation framework in place and resources mobilized.
4.1 Number of prospective donors have been engaged during project
4.2 Number of young people have been consulted in the project design
Number of narratives present clear evidence for the prioritization of young people’s needs and inclusion in decision making
Signed agreement with two implementing partners, and first disbursement of funds made
Final
Narratives
Narrative and
Boot Camp activity reports
Consultation with young people
Key Achievements
 Taking advantage of the opportunity to test a tool for promoting greater civic engagement by youth with local decision makers, YIP facilitated two mayoral candidate dialogues with young people in Dhaka North and Chittagong in mid
April.
 YIP has identified and engaged very reputable and well-connected organizations as its implementing partners. These organizations will be the key to YIP's success in convening civil society organisations working for youth development priorities and mobilizing a diverse group of young people in narrative and civic engagement activities.

An interview with the Director General of Department of Youth and Sport has indicated an opening for YIP to strengthen this government institution's accountability to young people through the services and training in employment it provides. YIP will be preparing a letter of intent and pursuing discussions with
DYD.
Lessons Learnt
When engaging with mayoral candidates, young people were very eager to pursue deeper conversations. All mayoral candidates publically committed to greater youth consultation. In future follow-up dialogues, young people are ready to take advantage of open question periods. YIP will seek to prepare young people through training (more in-depth knowledge of issues and the mandates of city corporations) to ensure that future dialogues are on-topic and productive.
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Risk and Mitigation
The risk log included in the local project appraisal committee initiation plan requires further development, particularly with reference to the mayoral and local decision maker engagement, which has developed since the original YIP was designed and, as well, with regard to engagement with DYD.
The Way Forward
A national UN volunteer will be recruited to provide monitoring and programme support. Furthermore, this NUNV will also be selected on the basis of his/her/their practical engagement with youth issues in Bangladesh, which will provide further insight into YIP's work.
UNDP will facilitate joint actions between youth network partners in order to test the feasibility and sustainability of a national network.
In September and October, UNDP will engage with possible funders for a future comprehensive youth programme.
A needs of assessment of DYD services is to be further developed in consultation with
DYD and a national consultant engaged to undertake this research.
Resource Utilisation
The total budget of 2015 is US$ 175, 000 to date (05.07.2015) US$ 105,673.18 has been spent.
Evidence and Surveys in 2015
A baseline survey is currently being implement in Chittagong seeking to establish: problems or issues which concern young people; barriers they face to accessing opportunities such as employment; the extent to which young people are able to participate in development and influence decision-making; the extent to which young people are able to engage or influence interventions or activities targeted at youth; and finally, the way forward to improve young people’s opportunities and the strength of their voice. Data collection began July 1 st and is projected to be completed by July
15 th . A final report will be available by August 30 th .
A baseline survey has been developed by JAAGO Foundation to establish the opportunities for a national network of civil society actors and nature of collaboration and coordination, which a network could facilitate between actors.
Narratives will act as a key source of evidence for young people’s priorities and needs,
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and furthermore identify strong case studies that inspire greater social cohesion. An experienced narrative researcher has been selected and recruitment is being finalized.
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