Recent IYWG Activities

IYWG Meeting Focuses on Parents and Integrated Services for Young People

In December 2007, the Interagency Youth Working Group hosted a day-long meeting in Washington, DC, called "Youth: New Research, Program Experiences, and Applications." The meeting focused on two topics: parents' influence on the health of young people and integrated reproductive health and HIV services for youth. USAID and Family Health International organized and hosted the meeting for the Interagency Youth Working Group.

"This was an outstanding day in sharing the latest information on these topics," says Jenny Truong, the youth champion in the USAID Office of Population and Reproductive Health. "The combination of research and program experience perspectives from a number of organizations can help us address the challenges of working with parents and integrating HIV and RH services for youth."

Speakers came from the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FHI, Pathfinder, the Population Council, and Population Services International. Discussion sessions were integrated throughout the day, and small group discussion sessions near the end discussed two complex questions: Should services stress dual method use or the condom for dual protection? Should program emphasize referral systems or more services at one site?

The IYWG also hosted a half-day workshop on measurement issues related to community involvement and youth programming. Representatives of CARE, Measure Evaluation, and Advocates for Youth coordinated the workshop, where nearly 50 people worked on this issue through a case study and discussion.

FHI is the secretariat for the Interagency Youth Working Group (IYWG), a network of nongovernmental agencies, donors, and cooperating agencies, supported by USAID. Click here for more information about the Interagency Youth Working Group.