We bring together the expertise of specialists from various sectors of youth development support (Democracy. Human Rights and Governance; Education, Research and Social Services; Economic Growth; Health and Well-being; Agriculture, and Environmental Sustainability; Talent Development and Innovation parliaments, etc.) on joint programs in which we apply our in-house methods for creating youth engagement and behavioural changes. The Youth Cafe and its members’ programmes focus on West, East, North, Central, and Southern Africa. The Youth Cafe is currently implementing the following projects. Get in touch with us for more information.
The Sauti ya Vijana Nairobi Project
The Sauti ya Vijana Nairobi Project seeks to encourage the establishment of receptive, open, and accountable leadership. The main goal of this project is to organize a roundtable with the theme "Building youth-adult partnerships in local governance" that will bring together 40 young people from various youth organizations to debate local governance issues across all sectors as a community of practice. The County Youth Advocacy Handbook will be developed, designed, and distributed as part of this project using case studies. The handbook will include 30 case studies from our mapping exercise in Nairobi County, mobilizing youth groups to create local networks that link citizens to leaders through a presentation workshop on the advocacy handbook's case studies and a meeting of the youth network, hosting four podcast shows on a quarterly basis to involve youth, leaders, and other relevant actors, and holding consultative policy discussions with political youth leaders and important stakeholders.
Register your Organization/CBO to Be Part of The County Registry of Advocacy Youth Network. Fill out the Mapping Survey of Youth-led & Youth-serving Organizations and Networks in Nairobi County. Take Part in the Sauti Ya Vijana Nairobi Podcasts Sessions as well as interactive roundtables.
Partners: Youth organizations in Nairobi County
Donor: Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF)
2. The Ignite African Youth Project
The Ignite African Youth Project is an initiative by the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) and Youth Democracy Cohort, implemented by The Youth Café (TYC) and its member organizations, with financial support from the European Union. This project focuses on increasing youth engagement, especially young women from Africa, in active and meaningful roles in the democratic processes due to strengthened and enhanced political and civic capacities. Activities of this project will include; Conducting a needs assessment and laying the foundation for the project through a stakeholder mapping exercise and conducting Perception Survey on the Summit for Democracy and African Governments Youth Commitments. Furthermore, there will be the Africa Youth Post 2023 Summit for Democracy Review in target countries to develop papers that analyze S4D commitments made from a youth perspective.
TYC will also increase the institutional and individual capacity of young people and oriented organizations to effectively facilitate youth participation in democratic governance processes through the co-creation of an advocacy toolkit to support local youth-led advocacy actions. This will be complemented by virtual advocacy masterclasses designed to equip young people with the knowledge and skills to be the best advocates and citizens, enabling control of their political and civic rights. There will be dissemination and knowledge management of findings of the perception survey, scorecards, and project reports. TYC will also organize an in-person event bringing together youth networks for peer learning & exchange.
Partners: European Partnership for Democracy and Youth Democracy Cohort
Donor: European Union.
3, ENHANCING WELL-BEING FOR SCHOOL-GOING YOUTHS
Mental health is integral to a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It goes beyond the absence of mental disorders and encompasses various aspects of life, including coping mechanisms, decision-making, and contributions to the community. Psychosocial support recognizes the interconnection between mental well-being and the social environment, aiming to enhance resilience and foster a supportive community. There is an Increasing Mental Health Concerns as a growing number of school-going youths in Murang'a County are grappling with mental health challenges, affecting academic performance and overall quality of life. This leads to Impact of Academic Pressures, the competitive education system, coupled with high expectations, contributes to heightened stress levels and mental health issues among students.
Program Interventions:
Capacity Building Workshops: Conduct workshops for teachers, parents, and school staff on recognizing signs of mental health issues and providing appropriate support.
Peer Support Programs - The Shamiri Model: Implement the Shamiri intervention, focusing on cultivating a growth mindset, gratitude practices, and value-aligned actions to reduce mental health problems and improve overall well-being.
Counselling Services: Strengthen counselling services within schools, ensuring accessibility for students in need of professional mental health support.
Teacher Capacity enhancement Programs: Provide training programs for educators to create a positive and inclusive classroom environment that prioritizes mental well-being.
Partners: Secondary schools in Muranga County
Donor: Shamiri Institute