Supporting Service Delivery through Training and capacity building

Since 1996, the Centre has been involved in training to maximise impact of interventions designed to meet the needs of young people. Training has been undertaken for various groups in advocacy and adolescent and youth programs.

2.3.1 Training of managers of adolescent programs

The Centre conducts training for managers of Youth Serving Organisations (YSO) to improve their capacity to manage youth programs. Training and orientation is also conducted for health service providers to enable them to provide Youth Friendly Services.

2.3.2 Training of Peer Educators and Youth Advocates

The Centre trains young people as peer educators and advocates. Experience has shown that youth to youth approaches are the most effective way to reach young people on sensitive issues such as sexual and reproductive health. Activities include, life skills and leadership training as well as advocacy and materials development.

2.3.3 Development of Guidelines and Protocols

As part of our capacity building program, the Centre also develops guidelines and protocols for service delivery to young people. In 2004, together with the Division of Reproductive HealthUNICEF, CSA developed the Guidelines for Provision of Youth Friendly Services. The Guidelines have been adopted by the government and are already been piloted in selected districts. Training for national and provincial level supervisors has already been conducted in line with the new guidelines.

Activities in this area have included:

• The Global Leadership Training Program, a South-to-South Initiative in Anglophone Africa whose focus was on Adolescents/Youth and HIV/AIDS.
• Peer education training.
• Training and support to 14 NGOs under the Kenya Family health program supported by DFID and the EU.
• Supporting the Girls Forum of Action Aid International Kenya (AAIK) in Coast Province.
• Since 2005, CSA has been working with AAIK to promote the education of girls through provision of technical assistance. Activities include community sensitization and mobilization, training of teachers and students in rights and RZH and HIV/AIDS. Teacher training has also focused on raising the gender consciousness of teachers, as this is one of the major barriers.

Over the years CSA has undertaken training in peer education, designing and implementation of ARH programs and training of service provider sin provision of Youth friendly service provision.