Challenge 2
Particularly Vulnerable Youth Can Be Very Hard to Reach
In some communities, reaching girls can be harder than reaching boys. You may go to a youth center and find that it is frequented mostly by boys as girls have less time to spend in leisure activities. Youth that are marginalized, such as LGBTQ youth and homeless youth, are very hard to find.
Strategy
If you are finding it hard to reach youth on your own, there may be other organizations that are already reaching them for another program (e.g., immunizations for their children, faith-based groups, income generation programs) and it might be possible to combine efforts. Consider ways to access young women. Though they may not attend leisure activities, they may have places where they gather regularly, perhaps water points or the market for example.
Other strategies to try and include particularly vulnerable youth include:
- Invite members of vulnerable groups in your team of peer educators.
- Talk to vulnerable groups and asking them how they would like to be approached and engaged.
- Work through existing youth structures such as local and national youth associations or committees.
- Partner with psychologists and social workers who have the expertise of working with very vulnerable youth.
- Create a network of particular vulnerable groups, for example, LGBTQ youth.
- Attract some of the vulnerable youth through income generating activities or by organizing activities that appeal to them.