Up to Youth Q1 FY21 Performance Report

The goal of Up to Youth is to address youth vulnerable to social exclusion by mobilizing and engaging youth in meaningful ways to effect positive change. Youth resilience to social exclusion and, consequently, violent extremism, will be increased. The activity focuses on three main objectives: mobilizing youth to be positive forces for change, developing and demonstrating life/soft skills among youth, and developing, building, and supporting resilience partners in fostering an environment for youth to engage in a positive and meaningful way. The activity targets youth aged 15 to 24 years old, with a focus on marginalized youth, particularly those underserved by current and past youth-focused initiatives. Up to Youth applies an evidence-based approach to youth learning, equipping youth with the skills they need to demonstrate agency in leading community asset mapping, analyzing data to identify youth-related challenges or priorities in their community, and working with other youth and local stakeholders to design and implement solutions such as advocacy campaigns. During the reporting period from October 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, Up to Youth continued to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic situation and ensured compliance with changing Government of Kosovo requirements. The activity held two Youth Advisory Board (YAB) orientation and screening workshops, resulting in the successful formation of the year 2 YAB, and completed 21 gender and social inclusion trainings, providing participants with the necessary skills and knowledge to incorporate social inclusion and gender considerations into future Up to Youth activities. The activity also engaged in initial work to update the activity's approach to Sub-Result 2.2, and staff began the recruitment process for the third cohort of interns. Additionally, Up to Youth held the third set of Youth Support Network (YSN) meetings and shared a draft list of YSN stakeholders with the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) for feedback, resulting in additional outreach to potential private sector and parental representatives. The activity's quarterly performance is broken down into five major sections, including Up to Youth's purpose and approach, COVID-19 response, technical activities, MEL activities, and reports and deliverables. The activity's objectives and partner communities are outlined in Section I, while Section II presents the activity's continuing response to the COVID-19 pandemic during the reporting period. Up to Youth's technical activities are presented in Section III, with a focus on the activity's three main objectives. The activity's MEL activities are outlined in Section IV, while Section V covers the reports and deliverables completed during the reporting period. The activity's quarterly performance report provides a comprehensive overview of the activity's progress and achievements during the reporting period. The activity's COVID-19 response is a critical component of its overall strategy, with the activity adapting to the pandemic situation and ensuring compliance with changing Government of Kosovo requirements. The activity's technical activities are designed to achieve its three main objectives, with a focus on mobilizing youth to be positive forces for change, developing and demonstrating life/soft skills among youth, and developing, building, and supporting resilience partners in fostering an environment for youth to engage in a positive and meaningful way. The activity's MEL activities are designed to monitor and evaluate the activity's progress and achievements, with a focus on tracking the activity's performance indicators and reporting on its results. The activity's reports and deliverables are an essential component of its overall strategy, with the activity providing regular updates on its progress and achievements to its stakeholders. Overall, the Up to Youth activity in Kosovo is a critical initiative aimed at addressing youth vulnerable to social exclusion by mobilizing and engaging youth in meaningful ways to effect positive change. The activity's quarterly performance report provides a comprehensive overview of the activity's progress and achievements during the reporting period, highlighting its successes and challenges, and outlining its plans for the future.