Introduction
The Testing Change project was a multi-year collaboration of civil society organizations to (1) develop and test new ways of operating and evaluate and (2) share the learning as widely as possible in the global civil society community.
The project’s first effort, the youth engagement focus, led by CIVICUS, started in late 2016. The first working group’s task was to generate ideas for CIVICUS to possibly test around how more effective youth engagement could impact its work.
Through a modified design thinking process (conducted virtually) eight ideas were generated and voted on by the group. Four ideas were sent to CIVICUS and one was chosen: Consciously integrate youth perspectives into all products and services and the work of the organization.
A second working group was created for this next phase of the initiative which included representatives of other groups working to implement something similar who could function as a peer learning group. Some of the accomplishments and continued challenges after the five year multi-year testing period included:
- Youth had been a constituency that CIVICUS was serving, and now youth activists are themselves sought after for advice and are the ones requesting meetings and sharing information.
- CIVICUS is now systematizing the needed change and the whole organization is beginning to work differently. Cohesion throughout an organization can be hard and this has taken much effort, attention and years and continues to need effort.
Access Resources
- Youth Inclusion Process Infographic
- Youth Engagement Workshop Summary Notes
- Civil Society and Testing Change Project Summary (PDF 9 pgs)
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