On November 4th, at the outset of the SEEP Annual Conference, AED and the USAID FIELD Program will host a day of workshops, panel presentations and debate to get to the "how" of microenterprise development. In the age of websites, portals, social networks, and blogs, development practitioners are inundated with success stories, research, listserv posts and other information that could improve their practice - if they had time to digest any of it. FIELD Day aims to translate some of these stories and research pieces into learning sessions - sessions at which practitioners will be able to explore new ideas, exchange their own experiences and enhance their skills through panel presentations, small group discussions and dynamic workshops.
The Children, Youth and Economic Strengthening sessions at FIELD Day were facilitated by Margie Brand of AED & EcoVentures International and Ben Fowler of MEDA. The agenda for the day proceeded as follows:
Session 1: Children, Youth and Economic Strengthening
- Welcome and Introduction, Margie Brand & Ben Fowler
- Examples of Effective Programming (Small Group Work), Ben Fowler
- Common Challenges in Youth Programming, Margie Brand
- STRIVE Program Overview, Margie Brand
- Overview of forthcoming USAID MicroReport on understanding the impact of employment, entrepreneurship and training programs on youth, Jason Wolfe, USAID/Microenterprise Development office
- Monitoring and evaluation for youth economic strengthening projects, Anthony Leegwater, IRIS Center at the University of Maryland
- Youth Emploment and Wellbeing Scorecard, Devorah Miller, Christian Children’s Fund
- Children Youth and Economic Strengthening (CYES) Network Learning Platform, Jennine Carmichael, AED
- Wrap-up, Margie Brand
Session 2: Tools and Approaches for Children, Youth and Economic Strengthening Programming
- Welcome and Introduction, Margie Brand
- Cataloging Tools, Materials and Approaches for Youth-focused Economic Strengthening Programs (Small Group Work), Ben Fowler
- Market Development Approach to Youth Employment, David Sturza, EcoVentures International
- Value Chains and Adolescent Girls, Victoria Francis, Emerging Markets Group
- MEDA’s Approach to Youth-Focused Microfinance, Ben Fowler with Jared Penner
- Children Youth and Economic Strengthening (CYES) Network Learning Platform, Jennine Carmichael, AED
- Wrap-up, Margie Brand
For more information, and materials discussed during the sessions, please see the links and files below.
External Resources:
FIELD Report No 2: Economic Strengthening for Vulnerable Children: Principles of Program Design & Technical Recommendations for Effective Field Interventions
AIDS 2008 will provide many opportunities for the presentation of important new scientific research and for productive, structured dialogue on the major challenges facing the global response to AIDS. Conference organizers are developing a wide variety of session types that meet the needs of various participants and support collective efforts to expand delivery of HIV prevention and treatment to communities worldwide. Central to many of these sessions will be the transfer of knowledge and sharing of best practices.
In addition to the conference sessions there are a number of activities, including satellite meetings, exhibitions, the Global Village and the Cultural Programme, that are integral to delegates’ experience at the conference.
Many proceedings of and materials from a range of sessions will be made available on the Conference website during and after the Conference.
