The Adolescents and Youth Life Skills Programme (Maharati)
Endline Evaluation
- English
- العربية
Highlights
Abstract
In 2022, Jordan's youth unemployment rate hit 46.1%, exacerbated by limited access to education, training, and employment, and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for refugees and women. To combat these challenges, UNICEF Jordan, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth (MoY) and Generations for Peace (GFP), launched the Maharati programme from 2018-2022. This initiative aimed to develop life skills among adolescents and youth, particularly targeting vulnerable groups.
An endline evaluation, conducted by Samuel Hall and commissioned by UNICEF JCO, assessed the programme's success and offered future recommendations. Using a mixed-methods approach, the evaluation gathered qualitative and quantitative data from various sources, including interviews, focus groups, surveys, and case studies, involving a participatory and youth-centered approach.
Key findings include:
Relevance: The programme effectively addressed participants' needs and was well-regarded by stakeholders.
Coherence: It aligned with national youth strategies and UNICEF principles, promoting inter-ministerial collaboration.
Efficiency: Despite flexible budgeting and resource use, operational issues like payment delays and staffing shortages affected efficiency.
Effectiveness: Life skills improved significantly, especially for females, though the monitoring framework had inconsistencies.
Sustainability: Integration into MoY operations was successful, but financial constraints threaten long-term sustainability.
Impact: The programme positively influenced gender dynamics, empowerment, and social cohesion, with additional benefits like increased family engagement and peer education.
Key recommendations include enhancing programme delivery for hard-to-reach communities, investing in inclusivity and equity, incorporating gender-transformative approaches, addressing administrative challenges, developing a SMART monitoring system, formalizing an alumni network, and mitigating funding constraints.