Save the Children in Vanuatu empowers young people (with specific focus on vulnerable ones) and their communities for youth development by accessing opportunities for sustainable livelihoods, healthy lifestyles and participation.

The Challenge

Climbing unemployment rates, limited opportunities for education, low confidence levels of young peoples' participation in decision making mechanisms, uncertain futures, low status of young women and low community recognition of youth potential continues to be ongoing common issues and concerns identified for young people in Vanuatu. The youth population in Vanuatu constitutes 84,000 which is 36%of the overall population. There is a growing youth "bulge" and young people in Vanuatu are facing many challenges related to technological, economical, social, and environmental factors.  

In particular, employment opportunities are scarce and large numbers of young people feel alienated and lack a voice in local and national affairs. An inability to continue schooling especially to secondary level, and poor trade skills for youth who have dropped out or been “pushed out” are main contributors to unemployment among youth in Vanuatu. This has resulted in many young people in rural areas heading into the urban centres looking for jobs, and in search of what they perceive as a “better life”. These rural to urban youth migrations have also contributed to other inter-related social problems that further marginalize young people to engage in deviant behavior such as increased crime rates, increased ‘kava’, tobacco and alcohol consumption, increased use/abuse of illegal drugs as marijuana, high STIs and teenage/unplanned pregnancy rates which results in many young people becoming vulnerable themselves.  

Save the Children through the Youth Outreach Program, recognizes there is compelling evidence of these issues and is working to empower young people and their communities to achieve positive change on better community development practices for children and young people who are increasingly alienated, experience risks associated with health, and wellbeing, lack access to livelihoods, education and training, formal employment and participation.

The Youth Outreach Program

The program aims to emphasize an integrated community development approach to empower youth for development in Vanuatu. The program works with young people (and their communities) to have enhanced access to opportunities for;

• Sustainable livelihood activities using an integrated approach that builds on the strengths, resources and capacities of young people;
• Healthy lifestyles and effective community engagement through the transfer of life-skills (leadership, healthy lifestyle, management) to assist youth in responsible choices and decision-making;
• Youth participation at village, provincial and national levels for policy change in areas affecting youth through sustainable partnerships with provincial and national government partners.

Outcomes for young people and Communities

The program currently reaches about 2,929 young people and over 1,000 adults in 35 communities in its five program sites. 96 young people selected and trained as youth volunteers from the local 35 communities have established volunteer networks to provide peer education and knowledge sharing on youth issues to other young people in their communities. These volunteers are trained in child rights, illegal use/abuse marijuana, sexual productive health issues such as STIs and teenage pregnancy, HIV and AIDS awareness and peer education. Community leaders such as chiefs, church leaders, women leaders and youth leaders provide support volunteers to mobilize their groupings for community peer education and awareness programs integrated into the existing local community activities.

These have developed the capacity of youth volunteers with a sense of purpose and opportunity to be recognized in making meaningful and useful contributions within their communities as ‘young role models’ who serve voluntarily in sharing their knowledge and educating their peers on youth issues for bringing about positive changes in the communities.

Program Locations

The program is currently working in five specific locations across Vanuatu, with a focus on urban, semi-urban and rural communities. These program locations constitute of specific areas in 5 islands situated in five of the six provinces in Vanuatu – namely as a ‘program site’. There are currently 5 program sites altogether and each program site covers 5 communities thus totals up to 25 communities.

• Port Vila Site (Shefa province) – 5 urban and semi-urban communities
• Penama Site (Penama province) – 5 rural communities in East Ambae
• Malampa Site(Malampa province) – 5 rural communities in Central Malekula
• Sanma Site (Sanma province) – 5 rural communities in South and South East Santo
• Torba Site (Torba province) – 5 rural communities in Vanua lava.

Partners

The program directly works with young people and their communities with support provided from provincial youth officers, and other government organizations under the Provincial Government while the Department of Youth Development and Training and other non-government organizations provides support at the national level.

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