Raising the volume on youth voices in Kiribati

The Australian Volunteers Program is always looking for new ways of volunteering. As part of this, we collaborated with Y-PEER – a youth centre in Kiribati that offers training on sexual and reproductive health issues among young people.

‘It was a first in Kiribati! Bringing leaders together to facilitate a dialogue. Notably, it provided a rare opportunity for church leaders and young people to engage in discussions on the future issues facing Kiribati,’ says Abitara Tekeke, Kiribati Program Manager.

Y-PEER excelled at spreading its health messages in group settings, however their youth centre staff noticed a drop in young people spreading the same messages to their peers outside of the groups.The Australian Volunteers Program team in Kiribati held a workshop to find out why and, in the process, learned how different generations coming together can lead to innovation.

Y-PEER workshop

The program team brought Y-PEER volunteers and community elders together in a two-day workshop. The aim was to make space for deeper listening and map out future volunteering possibilities.

The sessions started by looking at the barriers young people face and what they would want to see in a volunteer program. Next came learning the perspective of community elders and the ways they can engage the youth. Lastly, everything was brought together to plan co-designed activities going forward.

‘It is crucial to listen to young people’s needs, by doing so we can provide the necessary support, guiding them toward becoming valuable contributors to our community,’ says Temaman Reiti, Kiribati Community Leader.

Young people wanted their voices heard and elders were willing to listen, support and work with them.

The workshop was the first time the groups had come together in this context to design something collaborative. It opened a unique dialogue that was instrumental in planning future programs.

What we’re learning

‘We envision a future where elders and youth can work seamlessly as a team, breaking down barriers and truly understanding each other’s needs,’ says Kaaukau Tebiria, Youth Officer for Y-PEER Kiribati.

Co-design is not a new concept. It becomes innovative when we use it in new situations and approach projects with collaboration from start to finish.

Community leaders and elders play an important role in Kiribati's culture. Youth projects are often facilitated through government or church groups. It was important to understand and consider the cultural context of Kiribati, respecting the established relationship between young people and community elders.

We can only know what works best after testing and seeing the results. The work in Kiribati revealed young people’s interest in skill-building and began to look at how this can be incorporated going forward.

What comes next?

The workshop showed the effectiveness of communication, respect and collaboration. In giving young people the chance to voice their needs, the elders were given a chance to listen.

‘In Kiribati, uniting youth and elders is pivotal. By fostering open conversations, elders recognized the value of youth perspectives and pledged support for our needs, paving the way for a brighter future,’ says Kaaukau.