Robert Carr Fund/2019-2021 Youth Consortium

Youth Consortium

The “Consortium of Networks Led by Young People” is a global consortium of four youth-led networks working to build sustained organizing and advocacy by young people for health and human rights.

 

Grantee type:
Global Consortium
Grant:
$1,760,000
Grant period:
2019-2021
Lead organization:
Youth LEAD
Partner organizations:
Y+
Youth RISE
Y PEER

 

The consortium partners are Youth LEAD, Y-PEER, Y+, and Youth RISE. Youth LEAD, based in Bangkok, is a regional network focused on young key populations (YKP) and HIV. Y-PEER, also based in Bangkok, is a global network focused on young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Y+ is the global network of young people living with HIV, and Youth RISE is the global network of young people who use drugs.

  • Young Key Populations (YKP), including adolescents (ages 10-19) and young adults (ages 20-24), face disproportionate risks for HIV infection, in compared to other youth groups, because of a lack of tailored and YKP-competent programs to help YKP overcome stigma and discrimination, human rights violations, violence and lack of empowerment and experience in negotiating safer sex.
  • Young people in Asia and the Pacific face systematic barriers to information and services, including laws that require adolescents 18 or younger to obtain parental or guardian consent to access HIV testing or other sexual and reproductive health services, and laws criminalizing people for sex work, drug use or same-sex behavior.
  • Improved access by young people to HIV information and testing and broader sexual health services requires country-level organizing and advocacy by adolescents and young people. This organizing and advocacy requires sustained regional support.

 

RCF funding 2019-2021

The Consortium of Networks Led by Young People received US$ 1.76 million in funding from the Robert Carr Fund for work during 2019-2021, which was a continuation of steady RCF funding support for youth-led networks since 2013. This funding was allocated to both core and strategic program costs to help build the capacity of each network and to support collective action globally.

 

Geographic coverage

The Consortium of Networks Led by Young People is a global network convening and supporting organizations and individuals in all regions of the world.

 

Population coverage

Through this global consortium, youth-led networks are supporting the empowerment, leadership, health and rights of young people, including young key populations (YKPs) such as young men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers and/or people who use drugs.

 

Activities 2019-2021

With RCF funding in 2019-2021, and funding and support from UNICEF, UNFPA, and the Global Fund:

  • All four networks will use RCF funding to invest in build representative governing Boards and organizational management capacity, coalition structures and management, constituent all-general meetings, strategic planning and provision of capacity trainings for Board members, staff and volunteers.
  • All four networks will also support young people to organize and engage in advocacy at a country level. Networks will provide small grants, trainings, materials, and mentoring to conduct campaigns to improve young people’s access to youth-competent health services.

 

Intended results 2019-2021

The intended results from this work during 2019-2021 will include:

  • Network strength and influence: All four networks — Youth LEAD, Y-PEER, Y+, and Youth RISE – will have improved capacity for regional and global organizing, representative governance, and program management and implementation, creating the foundations for effective training and advocacy.
  • Access to services: All four networks — Youth LEAD, Y-PEER, Y+, and Youth RISE – will support young people to organize and engage in advocacy at a country level to improve young people’s access to youth-competent health services.