Students in Puerto Princesa City take part in a community and school food production program. (Photo source: ZFF).

Adolescents are biologically, emotionally and developmentally primed for engagement beyond their families. All programs that target adolescents and youth should ensure that they are meaningfully engaged, not just represented, in the design, implementation and monitoring of them. This ensures improved programming, strengthens the capacities of adolescents and youth, and ultimately leads to positive reproductive health outcomes.

TCI works with local governments to identify and strengthen the capacity of adolescents and youth to support implementation of TCI’s high-impact interventions. Identified as ‘youth influencers’, these young people are often already involved in local youth groups, community activities and organizations or may even be associated with the health system.