Strengthening Youth Advocacy Through Public Narrative Training in South Sudan

15-17 September 2026, Juba, South Sudan

30 young people and youth stakeholders strengthened their advocacy and storytelling skills during a three-day training workshop held from 15–17 September 2026 at Crown Hotel in Juba, South Sudan.

Organized by Oxfam in Africa under the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab – Power of the Collective programme, the training brought together youth representatives, youth leaders, members of youth-led and youth-serving civil society organizations, and other stakeholders.

The workshop focused on public narrative as a tool for advocacy and policy influence, helping participants communicate their experiences, mobilise communities, and engage more effectively with decision-makers.

Using the “Self, Us, and Now” storytelling framework, participants explored how personal experiences can be connected to shared challenges and transformed into compelling advocacy messages that encourage collective action.

As facilitator Yoal Gatkuoth explained:

“Public narrative provides young people with the tools to turn their personal experiences and shared challenges into compelling advocacy messages, mobilize collective action, and influence decisions that affect their communities.”

By the end of the workshop, 30 participants (12 women and 18 men) had developed their understanding of advocacy and public narrative approaches, strengthened their communication skills, and built connections with fellow youth advocates.

The training contributed to the programme’s wider mission of empowering young people to influence decisions that affect their lives and communities, while encouraging stronger collaboration among youth-led initiatives.