The review research methodology

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Through our policy reviews, we take a broader look at policy in relation to youth, analyzing not only specific youth policies, but the wider policy dossiers that can affect young peoples’ lives and rights. The key unique feature of the review process is its research methodology, a matrix specifically developed for this purpose, which we introduce here.

While this is not the only review process…

Our review methodology - the evaluation matrix

The pilot review process we are currently undertaking is not the only mechanism to undertake assessment of policies pertaining to young people. The Council of Europe has a longstanding process of national reviews supported by international teams. The review of a particular country is initiated by invitation from the government of the country concerned, and is not considered an evaluation per se, but rather as an international perspective on what a given country might consider to improve if and when youth policy is up for review.

Various specialized United Nations agencies and programs formulate review instruments and integrate them into their program planning processes. These are generally conducted on the basis of obtaining information for background descriptions or situation analyses for a country program document, and sometimes as was the case in 2007 for UNFPA, these have been conducted for a region (Europe and Central Asia). The World Bank and the International Labor Organization (ILO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Youth Unit of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs have all undertaken some form of youth policy review in the last decade.

…it has a unique approach

This project differs from its predecessors in several respects. Continue reading →

Improving youth policies through research & advocacy

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Many countries have stated their youth policies, but are they executing them? Do these policies support young people to achieve their rights? In which ways do specific youth policies and broader policies affecting young people interact and with which results for young people? A series of youth policy reviews seeks to answer these and other related questions.

The first step to understanding is knowledge

Improving youth policies through research & advocacy

Commonplace as it may sound, the first step to understanding really is knowledge. Many countries have stated their youth policies, but are they executing them? Do these policies support young people to achieve their rights? In which ways do specific youth policies and broader policies which pertain to young people interact and with which results for young people? What measures might ensure that young people get their fair share of policy attention and resources? To answer these and other related questions, the Open Society Youth Initiative (OSYI), which promotes youth advocacy and participation in all aspects of their communities, started a pilot program to research and analyze public policies affecting youth in 2010. The project’s main aim was to contribute to the elaboration of evidence on which young people and supporting institutions, such as the Open Society Foundations (OSF), can advocate not only for the adoption of sound national and international youth policies, but for their implementation. It further aimed at providing youth civil society and supporting organizations with what they need for holding governments and international institutions accountable to the promises they make to young people.

This first round of policy reviews has come to a close, and the final reports will be published as a series here on www.youthpolicy.org starting in summer 2012. It was conducted in six countries across the globe: Estonia, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Nepal, Serbia and Uganda. Countries were chosen based on OSF’s National Foundation and Regional Programs’ interest in engaging youth or youth issues in their strategies. In composing the pilot group of countries, OSYI sought to include conflict and post conflict countries, countries impacted by inward and/or outward migration of young people, those that are home to minority and/or marginalized youth communities, countries with a youth budge or an ageing population and those that have some form of stated youth policy. In addition, a fair geographical distribution across countries and regions was sought. Continue reading →

Evaluation of Public Youth Policies

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The Open Society Foundations (OSF) work to promote democracy around the world, and one of the most important aspects of creating an open society is engaging the youth. The Youth Initiative of OSF (OSYI) promotes youth advocacy and participation in all aspects of their communities. OSYI mainly works with youth directly, through debate programs and small grants for community projects, but wants to engage more on the youth policy level.

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The context of this site

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This is the thematic youth policy resource page on youth policy reviews and evaluations.

It is part of the knowledge base and community at www.youthpolicy.org and follows the development of the Youth Policy Pilot Evaluation Series that has been conceptualized by the Open Society Foundation’s Youth Initiative to undertake analyses of public policies affecting young people in several countries. The series is based on a new approach to examine the impact that public policies have on the rights of young people, particularly the marginalized.