OIYP conducts regular monitoring and evaluation of the program at key points through the 3 year cycle. An end of cycle report is produced that reflects on successes, challenges and lessons learnt.

OIYP started in 2000. In the last 10 years the program has grown and evolved. An external impact assessment was commissioned in 2010 to look at the extent to which the OIYP Program has contributed to building the capacity of young people to influence changes in their communities (the domains of change listed below). All stakeholders of OIYP were asked to contribute to this evaluation.

Domains of Change

Personal empowerment: Personal empowerment of active citizenship, that is, internal empowerment leading to an increase in self confidence and awareness, leadership skills, knowledge of rights and social justice issues; confidence to engage in social action; and capacity to bring creativity and innovation.

Relationships and influence: Expanding network of relationships and sphere of influence, including awareness and knowledge of how to use power structures, in order to achieve change and establish a presence of youth leadership and voice within communities.

Challenging and influencing power structures: Capacity to engage with, challenge and influence power structures, including the ability to actively identify and challenge gender inequality.

Enabling environment and society: Developing an enabling environment for active citizenship, where community expectations are pre-empted and considered; access to decision makers is made possible, and young people are safe and support to have authority over their lives and hold decision makers to account.

Peaceful and just communities: Changes toward more just communities, policies and practices of governments, corporations, and intergovernmental organisations, through a combination of engagement, advocacy and popular campaigning; as well as holding governments and other actors to account for delivering on these commitments to change policy and practice.

Read the Oxfam International Youth Partnership’s Active Citizenship and Accountability Report 2010 here. Drawing on a recent 10 Year Impact Assessment of OIYP, conducted by Social Compass and several of OIYP‟s major project reports, this paper synthesizes their key findings. In particular, the paper articulates how OIYP‟s model of change and program experience correlates with existing literature on active citizenship and accountability.