The ISW-SWE movement has been involved for more than 20 years in the development of programs for young people, notably through the Youth Parliaments for Water (EYPW, WYPW), enabling young people to be actively involved and bringing their voice to the water sector. To solidify these programs, to diversify the interventions with young people and to think about how to engage more young people in the other spheres of action of the ISW-SWE, the need to develop a real global youth strategy has been felt.

This strategic development process has been underway since the beginning of 2017. A consultant, Jean-Martial Bonis Charancle, specialized in civil society networks and advocacy, has been hired to develop a three-year Youth Strategy for ISW-SWE. One of our main donors, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), supports the development of this Strategy, which will define the future pillars of action with youth.

 

The approach

Work is well underway. Already, partners of ISW-SWE, its team, members of the board and some young people involved in the projects of the EYPW and of the WYWP were met by the consultant. This previous work led to the development of a questionnaire to reach a wider audience to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of current ISW-SWE programs for young people.

The results of this survey allowed us to conduct a first collaborative workshop bringing together young people involved, partners and the ISW-SWE team.

The reflections and ideas were put together and constitute the first draft of the strategy. This first version of the strategy will be widely shared with partners and youth involved for comments and a final pooling workshop will be organized in June 2017.

Finally, this strategy will be endorsed by the ISW-SWE Governing Boards.

View the photos of the youth workshop held on March 31st and April 1st in Paris in the presence of members of the ISW-SWE, young people, partners, accompanied by the youth consultant Jean-Martial Bonis Charancle.