You RISE - Youth Resilience, Inclusion, Support and Empowerment

dropped

The operation aims to reduce at risk behaviors among youth in Seychelles. It will focus on four dimensions: a) school disengagement; b) teenage pregnancies; c) substance abuse; d) joblessness. To address these issues in a sustained manner, it will support a comprehensive program comprised of three components. Component 1: Schools as hubs for integrated social services. This component aims to create a conducive environment for learning and personal development. It includes three subcomponents designed to enhance academic outcomes, improve health services, and address behavioral challenges.Subcomponent 1.1. Strengthening academic support in schools. In primary schools, it will support the development and implementation of lesson plans for core subjects and a new coaching system for teachers using a standardized classroom observation tool. In secondary schools, it will support the implementation of a computer-assisted adaptive learning system to improve learning outcomes. Subcomponent 1.2. School-based health services. Leveraging on available infrastructure, school-based health centers (SBHC) will be implemented in selected areas with high prevalence of risky behaviors. The centers will offer a discrete and trusted environment with a range of age-appropriate health services to students, such as routine check-ups, STI screenings, contraception, pregnancy testing, health education, and mental health services. Subcomponent 1.3. Tackling Behavioral Factors Through Comprehensive After-School Programs. This subcomponent will support the scale-up of some of the current after-school programs, such as sports and eco-clubs to reach approximately 6,000 students. To incentivize participation of the most vulnerable students, the subcomponent will support the scale-up of social protection programs (through a dedicated fund) and make benefits conditional on participation in after-school activities. Specifically, two new interventions across secondary schools will be implemented: a cognitive-behavioral therapy program for at-risk students and a new program consisting of ten sessions, with the objective of lowering the environment of conflict in schools.Component 2: Skills for better transition to jobs. This component focuses on modernizing Seychelles’ Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system to prepare youth for meaningful employment in a rapidly evolving labor market while providing more skilling opportunities for vulnerable youth. It includes two subcomponents.Subcomponent 2.1. Strengthening TVET at the Secondary level. This subcomponent focuses on enhancing the GESDP to better prepare students for further education and employment. To build technical skills, secondary schools will establish partnerships with post-secondary professional centers, formalized through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). These partnerships will enable GESDP students to access training opportunities as part of their curriculum, prioritizing sectors with high demand for workers. Subcomponent 2.2. Strengthening Post-Secondary TVET opportunities. This subcomponent seeks to create pathways for GESDP graduates to transition into post-secondary professional centers, addressing the current limitation where these students are confined to apprenticeship programs. Component 3. Fostering a coordinated approach across agencies and stakeholders. Given the multiple dimensions of the challenge of youth at risk and the multi-sectoral nature of the proposed interventions, a whole-of-government approach is needed to ensure that the interventions achieve their goals based on the evidence, with continuity, and coordination. This should be complemented with efforts to engage non-state stakeholders. Thus, this component will have two subcomponents. Subcomponent 3.1. Interoperable data systems for early detection of youth at risk. This subcomponent will support the development of an integrated data system which will be the base for the creation of an early warning system to detect youth at risk.Subcomponent 3.2. Communication campaign for youth empowerment. This subcomponent will deliver a nationwide communications campaign rooted in behavioral science to promote the You-RISE concept and foster positive youth development.