Overview

In July 2021, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) through International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX)” has allocated $73 653.89 to the Centre de Recherche sur l’Anti-Corruption (CERC) to implement the “Youth Excel” project in Kinshasa.

Launched on July 19, 2021, in Kinshasa and implemented by the CENTRE DE RECHERCHE SUR L’ANTI-CORRUPTION with technical support from the SEARCH FOR COMMON GROUND,  Youth Excel is a 13-months Project that supports young leaders and youth-led and youth-serving organizations in Kinshasa to conduct quality implementation research; use data and learnings to improve their own cross-sectoral, positive youth development programs; synthesize data and learning; and engage in intergenerational dialogue with adult decision-makers so that together youth and adults can shape and advance data-informed development policies, agendas, and programs.

QUICK FACTS  
  • IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH is a mixed-methods approach to collecting data during program implementation to improve implementation. Implementation research helps teams learn how to adapt tested programs to new contexts, scale and achieve cost-effectiveness, and strengthen impact.
  • Youth Excel addresses USAID’s, IREX’s, and CERC shared imperative to empower young people to solve local, national, and global development challenges using data-driven and research-based approaches.
  • Youth Excel confronts barriers that youth face in leading development, including the lack of a broadly credible research and evidence base for youth programming and other obstacles that prevent youth from influencing decisions about policy and funding in their societies.
  • Youth Excel will build the global knowledge base on cross-sectoral youth development, support USAID’s Global LEAD initiative, expand USAID’s Youth Lead network, and advance USAID’s Journey to Self-Reliance agenda on sustainable local development.
                 GOALS  
  • Diverse youth in Kinshasa create and lead data-informed, inclusive youth development at local, national, and global levels. 
  • Youth-led and youth-serving programs strengthen their ability to gather and use evidence about their programs to strengthen and expand their impact.
  • Youth in Kinshasa disseminate learning from their implementation research efforts so that the evidence can inform programs and policies.
  • In Kinshasa, youth and adults use data as an inclusive intergenerational language to collaborate and inform decision-making.
  • Youth-led and place-based networks facilitate collaboration between crucial development stakeholders, including public, private, and civil society actors, to expand development impact.
            PROJECT ACTIVITIES  
  • SUPPORT YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS AND NETWORKS: Support youth-led and youth-serving organizations and youth-led, issue-based collaborative networks in Kinshasa to address local development issues through implementation research.
  • STRENGTHEN SKILLS: Build youth’s skills in digital leadership, data leadership, and advocacy.
  • BE INCLUSIVE: Prioritize gender and social inclusion and use power equity tools to ensure that every activity is inclusive.
  • SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH: Strengthen networks of youth researchers in Kinshasa to support implementation research activities.
  • STRENGTHEN INTERGENERATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS: Work through issue-based collaborative networks and data summits to facilitate dialogue between youth and adults.
  • ENGAGE THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS: Build partnerships to support youth-led data and learning.
  • PROMOTE RESEARCH: Synthesize and disseminate youth’s evidence and learning.
  • SUPPORT ADVOCACY: Leverage youth-led research and adults’ support to influence development agendas and policies.
                RESULTS ACHIEVED IN 2021  
  • 10 youth-led and youth-serving organizations, including 1 LGBTQI-led organization and 2 organizations led by People Living with Disability selected to form the Issue-Based Collaborative Network (ICON) in Kinshasa.
  • 6 CERC staff members trained in Positive Youth Development, Implementation Research approach, and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion.
  • 20 participants from 10 ICON participants organizations trained in Implementation Research approach and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion.