Youth to Youth: Measuring Youth Engagement - Liberia 2012

This study — a collaborative effort between Search for Common Ground, American University, the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY), the Ministry of Youth and Sport in Liberia, and Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo Information Services (LIGIS) — aims to assess youth engagement in Liberia and examine the extent to which the priorities of international donors are aligned with those of youth. This multi-faceted report adopts a holistic approach to cover various aspects of a complex pilot process. Working outside the traditional bounds of academic and practical research, this effort is adult-supported but entirely youth-led. As such, this project endorses the very principles and practices it espouses, showcasing youth‘s ability to assume leadership roles and affect positive change in their society when offered an appropriate platform. The research team (composed of 24 Liberian youth, six American University graduate researchers, and one Search for Common Ground intern) spoke with over 1000 youth in more than 600 conversations throughout all 15 counties in Liberia. The team also interviewed more than 20 representatives from donor agencies. This report is an outlet for amplifying youth voices as they were heard by the research team. The emphasis of this report is to provide an accurate representation of Liberian youth‘s feelings, perceptions, and priorities on youth engagement, frequently in their own words, without disregarding the perceptions of Liberian adults and the international community.