LocationsEnhancing Youth Inclusion in Syria: A Strategic Portfolio Approach
September 19, 2024
Meet the Portfolio Personas
Addressing the Need for Improved Youth Inclusion in Syria
Youth in Syria form the vibrant heart of the nation, with those under 25 making up one-third of the population. As the country stands at the threshold of a unique 15-year demographic window, when the proportion of working age citizens is particularly prominent, the voices of these young people remain largely unheard in decisions that shape their present and future. This crucial moment calls for a rethink of the system so that they can thrive and light the way to a brighter tomorrow, ensuring their dreams and aspirations light the way to a brighter tomorrow.
UNDP’s Portfolio Approach: A Strategy for Transformative Change
UNDP Syria is using systems thinking and portfolio logic to understand and address the complex issue of youth inclusion. UNDP’s portfolio approach involves gaining a deep understanding of system dynamics to design a set of interconnected interventions that can be dynamically managed to generate a continuous supply of new policy and programmatic options over time. With youth inclusion as a central theme, this approach invites colleagues from across all pillars at the Country Office to contribute their knowledge.
UNDP Syria’s Portfolio Journey… in three parts
Part 1: Internal Sensemaking
In 2022, UNDP Syria embarked on a journey to design and implement a portfolio focused on youth inclusion. During the initial phase of this endeavor, known as sensemaking, the CO developed a Statement of Intent, identified three shifts that might lead to transformative change in the system, and conducted a workshop to “make sense” of the CO’s activities across pillars – capturing capabilities, resources and assets about youth inclusion.
Our Statement of Intent
The guiding vision, or our “north star,” is towards a system in which Syrian youth can build, pursue, and achieve better lives for themselves and their country. Specifically, we aim to see the following development effects:
1- Peace Agents: Youth are empowered to be agents of peace, raising their voices, participating in public affairs, and contributing to community problem-solving.
2- Belonging: Youth feel they have a stake in the future of their community, country, and the planet. They feel a sense of ownership, safety, and belonging, with access to services, identity, rights, and protection.
3- Opportunities: There is a supportive environment that enables youth to access education and decent jobs. Youth are informed, aware, capable, and empowered to pursue education and meaningful employment opportunities.
Transformational Shifts
The shifts we want to see in the system, that could unlock transformative change, are as follows:
Part 2: External Sensemaking: Mapping and Listening
Although the momentum was disrupted by the earthquake last year, the CO revitalized the portfolio journey in April 2024, jointly with UNDP’s Strategic Innovation Unit and in partnership with the Agirre Lehendakaria Center (ALC), both bringing complementary approaches to designing and building portfolios to drive transformative change.
We began the effort this year by reassembling a team that cuts across our office, with representatives from pillars, area managers, youth focal points, and gender team, and reaffirming our Statement of Intent and Transformational Shifts.
As we design our portfolio, we intend to create a collaborative space for the multitude of actors across sectors who are addressing the issue of youth marginalization. By fostering engagement and interaction between and among youth and other stakeholders, we aim to be an advocate for change at both national and local levels. These actors bring a variety of resources, from community networks to financing, from partnership to deep technical knowledge.
We began with a process of “external sensemaking” – mapping and listening – to build a deeper understanding of the system of youth inclusion – who are the players, how are they connected, how do their initiatives line up with the three development effects from our Statement of Intent, how are youth being served.
Mapping
We are collecting quantitative data about more than 150 public, non-governmental, private, and civic stakeholders and their relevant work as part of our efforts to understand the ecosystem. This information was collected through a variety of channels, including but not only through projects powered by UNDP. We visualized the map of stakeholders, analyzed it, and studied the existing and potential interconnections.
Listening
We are also collecting qualitative data via a variety of channels to ensure inclusivity. We reached out to youth from UNDP projects like the Youth Leadership Programme, persons with disabilities (PwDs), and consulted the communication team and project managers. Field missions helped us reach rural areas and young women, and we also gathered insights from the Youth Task Force annual meeting. This comprehensive approach allowed us to identify patterns and existing opportunities, challenges, and barriers.
Part 3: Collective Interpretation and Co-Design
As a next step, we will be comparing and contrasting our interpretation of the system with that of key stakeholders (CSOs, public authorities, private sector, other UN agencies and donors) to reach a common understanding of the system and identify areas for intervention. We will then co-create interventions based on our collective interpretation rather than relying solely on our own interpretation of reality, especially given the lack of a clear database in Syria. By grounding our actions in the data collected and inviting external stakeholders to co-design a new portfolio of interventions, we aim to make informed and impactful decisions that are responding to the local needs and opportunities identified by the listening process.
Stay tuned for more updates and insights!
