Youth-serving organizations (YSOs) provide critical services and support to youth. Nevertheless, many have little knowledge of positive youth development (PYD) principles, or view them as difficult to operationalize. To help YSOs improve the quality of their programs, SCS Global developed the Youth Programming Assessment Tool (YPAT).

The new tool includes four parts: 1) Assessment Form, 2) Implementation Guide, 3) Facilitator Guide, and 4) Youth Feedback Tool. It provides a structured process and set of indicators and benchmarks based on PYD principles and examples of how to integrate PYD into programs and organizational structures. It guides YSOs in reflecting on their own practices, identifying areas for improvement, and creating actionable priorities. Download the tool at: https://ypat.fhi360.org/.

To develop the tool, FHI 360 reviewed more than 20 youth program assessment tools and held consultations with experts and stakeholders in the field. The new tool was pilot tested by three YSOs in Jordan and six in Jamaica. This spring/summer, it is being used in the Democratic Republic of Congo to assist organizations integrate PYD into their systems, and in Zambia to support activities of the Ministry of Youth, Sport, and Child Development.