Right Track Africa carried out a study using Utilization-Focused Evaluation (UFE) principles in 2019 to analyze the extent to which the CAP Youth Empowerment Institute (CAP YEI) project has been gender-inclusive. CAP YEI is a non-governmental organisation founded in 2011, in partnership with funding organizations such as the MasterCard Foundation, EU, GIZ and others, that provides employability and entrepreneurship skills and linking vulnerable young people between 18 and 25 years of age to livelihood opportunities. The vulnerability in the youth refers to poverty, school dropouts, early motherhood or those in conflict with the law.
CAP YEI commissioned a study to analyse the extent to which its program has (since its inception) been designed to be gender-inclusive, the extent of success in this, and any supporting and limiting barriers to gender growth. The study developed lessons and recommendations on how this growth can be improved. The objectives of this study were developed in detail during inception interactions between CAP YEI’s management and its Learning Partner (Right Track Africa, RTA). The discussion was guided by the principles of Utilization Focused Evaluation (UFE).
CAP YEI implements a “Basic Employability Skills Training (BEST)”, a workforce-preparation programme for vulnerable youth. The three-month long BEST programme comprises different modules that “link learning with livelihood.” Life skills training is an integral part of this training and a foundation to all the other elements of the BEST-programme. Through BEST program, the youth get equitable qualitative learning after which they are able to access labour market-oriented opportunities, savings and credit to support their pathways to safe and positive futures. Through direct training (demonstration and replication centres) as well as indirectly (capacity building of the instructors of VTCs to apply BEST model in their
training), enrolled youth are taken through the program with expectations of changing their lives to a more meaningful life by linking them to internships, employments, entrepreneurship opportunities and supporting those wishing to pursue further studies