Recorded presentation

Halima Shariff, Afican Youth Alliance (Tanzania), United Nations Population Fund, 220 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017, 212 297 5164, halima.shariff@undp.org and Ugochi Daniels, African Youth Alliance, United Nations Population Fund, 220E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017.

The African Youth Alliance (AYA is a 5-year program to improve the ASRH of young people in 4 sub-Saharan countries by: 1. Improving the supportive environment 2. Improving knowledge, skills and attitudes 3. Increasing access to youth friendly services 4. Integrating ASRH into livelihood programs 5. Strengthening coordination mechanisms 6. Strengthening organizational capacity

Health and behavioral outcomes of sexual and reproductive health are achieved in the long term, however programs are short-term; therefore it is critical to integrate components of sustainability by: 1. Partnering with those district-level government institutions responsible for resource allocation and coordination 2. Strengthening key organizational and technical capacities if implementing organizations (IOs) to deliver ASRH program 3. Institutionalizing programs 4. Assessing sustainability at mid-term 5. Designing a “transition” strategy and work plan 18 months to the end of program funding

Challenges to sustainability include: 1. Resources that must be committed to capacity building 2. The process to institutionalize a curriculum 3. Selecting key organizational capacities to strengthen 4. Implications of government involvement in program management

The following “best practices” are identified to sustain AYA’s integrated approach: 1. District-level coordination to share and integrate ASRH program plans into district work plans 2. Use of participatory capacity assessment tools at the beginning and midpoint to determine IOs efficiency and effectiveness 3. Facilitating and supporting coalitions to conduct the advocacy needed to leverage resources, build community ownership and create entry points for program activities 4. Consistent involvement of government in processes of program review and development of transition plans

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how to integrate components of sustainability into adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) programs
• Identify challenges in designing a sustainable ASRH program
• Apply best practices and lessons learned in partnering with government to implement a "transition" strategy

Keywords: Adolescents, International, Management and Sustainability

Related Web page: www.ayaonline.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation