Publication: Interactive Learning Exchange : Exploring Strategies to Reach and Work with Adolescents
Date
2004-03
ISSN
Published
2004-03
Author(s)
Kennedy Elder, Leslie
Abstract
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
have refocused global attention on still unaddressed needs
of children and youth. In response to the MDGs, the World
Bank is strengthening its attention to the most vulnerable
populations such as children and adolescents, through a
cross-sectoral approach to human development including
education, health, nutrition, sexual and reproductive
health, and social protection. One crucial component for
healthy adolescent development is good nutrition. It affects
health, learning, physical fitness and the ability to
withstand stress. Yet this population has received little
emphasis in nutrition programs, and nutrition, in turn, has
received little attention from programs for youth. While
some low-cost solutions to adolescent malnutrition are
available, nutrition specialists and programs do not have
the operational experience needed to access and work with
youth. In order to learn from the experience of adolescent
health and development specialists, and avoid reinventing
the wheel, the World Bank Nutrition team hosted a
consultation to explore best practice strategies for
reaching and working with youth. The objectives of the
workshop were (i) to gather and distill information from
multiple sectors on the successful approaches and promising
practices for identifying, reaching, and working with
vulnerable adolescents in resource-poor settings; and (ii)
to discuss how effective strategies from other sectors might
be exploited for nutrition. The Learning Exchange resulted
in dialogue between a diverse group of adolescent health and
development and nutrition sector specialists that would not
otherwise have occurred. It successfully raised awareness
among youth specialists of the synergies between actions to
address the healthy development of adolescents and improved
nutrition. The consultation also streamlined the learning
process for the nutrition sector about how to work with this
age group.
Citation
“Kennedy Elder, Leslie. 2004. Interactive Learning Exchange : Exploring Strategies to Reach and Work with Adolescents. HNP discussion paper series;. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/3eef1318-5df9-5b8d-9de9-44c0e6c01f13 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”