Involving youth in the development of youth-friendly services: Adaptation of the Partnership Defined Quality process in Haiti

Background: Although youth health services exist in every department in Haiti, they are not always known to potential clients nor do they necessarily respond to youth's needs. Objective: Adapt the Partnership Defined Quality (PDQ) process to involve 18- to 24-year-olds in the development of youth-friendly services. Methodology: PDQ is a participatory learning and action process that involves providers and clients in the planning and implementation of quality-improvement activities and health promotion. Implementation and Results: Two community-based organizations (one rural and one peri-urban) were selected to implement PDQ. Teams from these organizations were trained in participatory methods/tools to facilitate dialogue between youth and service providers. Providers and youth from each community first met separately to discuss their concerns. They then met together to exchange views, establish quality improvement committees, and develop joint action plans to tackle common concerns (e.g. parents' perceptions and youth's unawareness of services). To gain broader community participation, sub-committees were established to plan, implement and evaluate specific activities. These included marches promoting services and HIV/AIDS prevention, parents' sensitization, youth tours of health facilities, and acquisition of educational resources. Recognized as viable and fruitful, PDQ was institutionalized by one participating organization that operates in nine departments in partnership with the Ministry of Health. PDQ has since been used by another organization in one of its large-scale programs. Lessons Learned: Conflicts between providers and youth are likely to emerge, particularly in contexts of social/political polarization. Strengthening conflict-resolution skills and providing continual technical support to facilitate equal participation proved essential for project success.