Youthmakers Hub’s training on Communication and Advocacy in Kenya
On 20 and 21 May 2025, Youthmakers Hub successfully conducted a partner-facilitated training in the Turkana region of Kenya, as part of the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab – Power of the Collective activities, under the AU-EU Youth Lab programme. The training, titled “Lead the Narrative: Communication for Youth Advocacy,” focused on enhancing young people’s communication and networking skills and strengthening their online and offline presence to advocate for change effectively.
For this initiative, Youthmakers Hub partnered with Learning Lions, an organization dedicated to creating learning opportunities for marginalized youth from remote areas, who are the core target group of the programme. The two-day intensive training brought together 30 young participants, primarily young refugees from marginalized communities living in and around the Kakuma refugee camp, equipping them not only with insight and knowledge but also practical tools to adapt communication strategies to diverse contexts for impactful advocacy. The training team comprised three Youthmakers Hub trainers, Konstantinos Maragkos, Silvia Diazzi, and Stefanos Stagakis, as well as two trainers from Learning Lions, Olsen Fischer and Rael Akai, who collaboratively designed a programme tailored to participants’ specific needs.
Alongside presentations and sessions on communication, social media for advocacy, networking, public speaking, and pitching, the training featured interactive exercises and workshops based on real-life scenarios, enabling participants to personalise their communication and networking approaches aligned with their goals. Additionally, participants engaged in non-formal learning sessions, participated in networking games, and enjoyed team-building activities. A highlight was the Live Library, offering insightful stories and actionable advice on successful networking for advocacy. The training concluded with a certificate awarding ceremony, group photos, and participant reflections, marking a meaningful and comprehensive learning journey over the two days.
The impact of this training on the participants’ lives is profound: by equipping marginalized youth from remote and underserved communities with critical advocacy and communication skills, the programme empowers them to amplify their voices, engage more confidently in decision-making processes, and advocate for their rights and needs effectively. Importantly, during the sessions, the Youthmakers Hub team collected valuable feedback from participants on the co-creation and development of the Youth Voices Lab mobile app, which is currently under development. This input will help ensure the app meets the real needs of young people from marginalized and remote communities.
The training stood out as a capacity-building activity that enhances the potential to drive positive change for young people facing challenges in accessing opportunities. This action helped participants gain tools to invest both within their communities and beyond, promoting greater inclusion and social transformation.
