Tool: Involving adolescents in management and oversight

Getting started

• If establishing a new, stand-alone intervention with the Adolescent Kit, form a steering committee made up of community leaders, parents, and adolescents
• If integrating the Adolescent Kit within an existing programme, work with the steering committee already in place 

Options for involving adolescents

• Include adolescent representatives as members of the steering committee
  And/or
• Form a separate committee of adolescents who can share responsibility for planning and managing the intervention

Questions to ask:

Selecting adolescents

• How will adolescents select their representatives?
• Will different groups be represented equally? (Gender, age, ethnicity, etc.)

Roles and responsibilities

• What will adolescent representatives do? What will their role be?
• If there is an adolescent committee, what tasks will it be responsible for?
• How will it interact and share decision making with the adult steering committee?
• How can you ensure that adolescent representatives understand their roles, know what is expected of them and are clear about the aims of their work?
• How can you ensure that adolescent representatives find their roles enjoyable and meaningful?
• How will adolescents benefit from their involvement?

Working with adults

• What steps can be taken to support a productive relationship between adults and adolescents, so that they can work together to plan and make decisions about the intervention?
• What preparation and support will adolescents need to communicate and collaborate effectively with adults?
• What preparation will adults need to respond constructively to adolescents’ suggestions and to include adolescents in decision making?

Refer to Supporting adults to work with adolescents tool.