The Training of Trainers Manual - UNFPA

Day 6
The second attitude is ‘youth as recipients’. Read the text from the handout or the
flip chart, or ask a volunteer to do so.
Youth as recipients: Adults allow young people to take part in decision-making
because they think the experience will be ‘good for’ the young people.
If read by a volunteer, ask him or her to give an illustrative example.
Explain that some adults have this attitude, which patronizes youth. Adults with
this attitude think that involving youth will be a ‘good experience’ for them as they
transition into adulthood but that youth participation is only somewhat useful and
not important to the programme. Thus, youth are allowed to conduct only trivial
activities (‘It won’t matter if they mess up’) or activities that adults do not want to
do. In fact, this attitude often results in adults’ treating youth as tokens. An example
is remembering at the last moment to include youth on a panel or in a discussion.
Refer the participants to Hart’s Ladder of Participation (Handout 16. From
Youth Participation to Youth-Adult Partnerships) which depicts participation on
a continuum, from manipulation and tokenism, which do not constitute real
participation, to higher levels of participation in which young people initiate,
direct, and share decisions with adults.
Ask that participants who can relate to this attitude to put up their hands.
Ask them if they ever have felt belittled or demeaned by adults simply because
they are young.
To further explain the ‘youth as recipients’ attitude, refer back to the previous
example: ‘Let’s say that I hold this attitude. With David, I might plan and develop
the poster’s message and layout, and then allow David to choose a colour for the
text. Or I might have David put the posters up in schools, because I don’t want to
and don’t have time.’
The third attitude, which is what we are working to achieve, is ‘youth as partners’.
Read the text from the handout or flip chart, or ask a volunteer to do so.
Youth as partners: Adults respect young people as having something significant
to offer and recognize the great impact youth bring to a project. Youth are
encouraged to become involved.
Adults who have this attitude treat youth with respect. As a result, everyone gains
from the partnership.
Section 2. Guidelines for Training of Trainers
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