Youth Program Design for Inclusive Communities

Imagine a world where every young person feels valued and empowered to shape their community. This course, delivered by Matsh, equips professionals with the skills to design youth programs that foster inclusion and drive meaningful change. By mastering inclusive program design, you’ll create initiatives that engage diverse youth, strengthen teams, and position your organization as a leader in community impact. Without these skills, communities risk perpetuating exclusion, teams may struggle with ineffective programs, and organizations miss opportunities to build trust and sustainability.

Why Inclusive Youth Engagement Matters

Many young people—especially those facing economic hardship, disability, or systemic bias—are left out of decisions that impact their lives. According to UNICEF, while youth engagement is growing, major gaps remain in true inclusion and impact, with up to 90% of youth survey respondents noting existing processes are often not inclusive, and calling for action to make engagement more meaningful. Still, proven programs show what’s possible:

• Becoming a Man (BAM) in Chicago: This evidence-based program serves over 2,700 young men in 50 Chicago schools. BAM participants have seen a 35% reduction in overall arrests, a 50% decrease in violent crime arrests, and a 19% increase in high school graduation rates. The program’s approach relies on mentorship, group work, and safe spaces for honest dialogue.

• UNICEF’s U-Report Platform: U-Report operates in over 90 countries and provides a mobile messaging platform where millions of young people can voice their opinions and help shape real-world decisions. In Indonesia alone, over 1 million youth are U-Reporters, contributing to national dialogues on policy and youth issues.

• Asante Africa Foundation: Since 2007, this organization has directly reached over 24,000 youth, and broadly impacted more than 146,000 lives in East Africa. Its programs focus on education, financial skills, and youth entrepreneurship, building resilience and creating pathways to employment.

What You Will Learn

Through this comprehensive course, you will:

• Discover strategies to design programs that emphasize inclusion and equity

• Use practical tools for community needs assessments and program adaptation

• Gain techniques for engaging youth, families, and other key stakeholders

• Develop frameworks for measuring the real-world impact of programs

• Address systemic barriers using real-life innovations from diverse settings

• Cultivate leadership skills to advocate for youth-driven policies

Who Should Enroll

This course is intended for:

• Program managers seeking practical strategies for youth engagement

• Nonprofit leaders committed to community impact and inclusion

• Educators and youth workers wanting to make a difference for every student

• Policymakers focused on equity and evidence-based improvement

• Community organizers ready to tackle barriers and drive systemic change

Course Curriculum

Module 1: Foundations of Positive Youth Development

• Dive into frameworks such as the Five Cs (competence, confidence, connection, character, caring)

• Explore the harmful effects of exclusion on youth—including lost opportunities, stunted growth, and social alienation.

• Case Study: Becoming a Man (BAM) improved school engagement and reduced arrests for thousands of young Black and Latino men in Chicago

Module 2: Community Needs Assessment and Inclusive Design

• Learn how to conduct tailored, comprehensive community assessments that reflect the diversity of youth voices.

• Apply Universal Design for Learning to ensure accessibility for all, including youth with disabilities

• Example: UNICEF’s programming supports disability inclusion in 145+ countries, reaching 4.7 million children with disabilities through education, health, and cash transfer programs in 2023

Module 3: Youth-Led Co-Creation

• Train in participatory models such as youth-led focus groups, advisory councils, and the co-design of programs with young people

• Practice: Workshop methods from the Nashville Youth Design Team and UNICEF’s youth-adult partnership initiatives.

Module 4: Stakeholder Collaboration and Community Partnerships

• Develop stakeholder mapping and partnership engagement plans using proven tools and real-world templates.

• Highlight: UNICEF works in nearly every country, driving change with social and behavior interventions that address issues from gender equity to education access

Module 5: Program Implementation and Adaptation

• Build robust, flexible implementation plans and adapt programs to shifting community realities.

• Case Example: Asante Africa Foundation adapted learning modules to include financial skills for youth, with 92% of students sharing these skills with their families, multiplying the impact

Module 6: Measuring Impact and Ensuring Sustainability

• Use practical impact evaluation tools—logic models, KPIs, and evaluation frameworks—to monitor outcomes and ensure program sustainability

• Global Practice: UNICEF’s impact measurement reaches across sectors, showing measurable gains in disability inclusion, sanitation, and cash support for families

Skills and Organizational Benefits

By completing this course, participants will:

• Master universally recognized frameworks for inclusive program design

• Build confidence and credibility in working with youth stakeholders

• Create a professional portfolio that demonstrates your program design and evaluation skills

• Strengthen your ability to advocate for youth inclusion in policy settings

• Help your organization earn community trust, attract sustained support, and position itself as a changemaker

Table of Evidence-Based Program Impacts

UNICEF U-Report (Global)

Over 1 million youth in Indonesia; operating in 90+ countries; drives policy via youth input

Asante Africa Foundation (East Africa)

More than 24,000 youth directly reached; 146,000+ lives broadly impacted; 92% students sharing skills

UNICEF Disability-Inclusion 2023

4.7 million children with disabilities reached; education access, assistive technology, and cash support

 

Sources for case studies and statistics:

• https://news.wttw.com/2016/06/28/study-program-risk-youth-cuts-arrests-35-percent
• https://www.unicef.org/indonesia/media/22966/file/youth-engagement-highlights-2023.pdf
• https://asanteafrica.org/impact/