Youth Excel Project Report 2021–2023

Youth Represent DRC is the Youth Excel project implemented in Kinshasa by CERC, funded by USAID through IREX, with technical support from SFCG, under sub-agreement FY22-YOUTH_EXCEL-CERC-01.

Phase 1 · 2021–2022Young people as researchers

CERC trained and mentored the ICON of 10 youth-led and youth-serving organisations. Trained in implementation research, 20 young researchers studied how to include marginalised young people in education and workforce programmes, and presented their findings to decision-makers at a Data Summit in Kinshasa in August 2022.

Phase 2 · 2023From research to livelihoods

Nine of these organisations formed a consortium and put their findings into practice: 45 young people with limited access to education, employment and other opportunities were identified, given psycho-social support and trained, and formed five micro-enterprises, each equipped and funded by a microgrant. After the IREX-funded project ended (July 2021 – February 2023, 20 months), CERC supported them through 10 months of online mentoring funded by the project, to December 2023.

Youth Excel is a global initiative funded by USAID and led by IREX. It strengthens youth leadership by supporting youth-led and youth-serving organisations to generate evidence through implementation research, improve development programmes using data, and foster dialogue between young people and decision-makers. CERC was selected by IREX, together with its consortium partners, to implement the project in the DRC as Youth Represent DRC.

Implementation research is a mixed-methods approach to collecting data during programme implementation in order to improve it. It helps teams learn how to adapt tested programmes to new contexts, scale up, achieve cost-effectiveness and strengthen impact.

GoalsWhat the project aimed to achieve

• Diverse youth in Kinshasa create and lead data-informed, inclusive youth development at local, national and global levels.
• Youth-led and youth-serving programmes strengthen their ability to gather and use evidence about their programmes to strengthen and expand their impact.
• Youth in Kinshasa disseminate learning from their implementation research so that the evidence can inform programmes and policies.
• Youth and adults use data as an inclusive intergenerational language to collaborate and inform decision-making.
• Youth-led and place-based networks facilitate collaboration between public, private and civil society actors to expand development impact.

ApproachHow CERC worked

• Support youth organisations and networks to address local development issues through implementation research.
• Strengthen skills in digital leadership, data leadership and advocacy.
• Be inclusive: prioritise gender and social inclusion in every activity.
• Strengthen intergenerational partnerships through issue-based collaborative networks and data summits.
• Promote research and advocacy: synthesise and share youth evidence to influence development agendas and policies.

2021–2022A network of youth organisations doing research

The work built on the ICON formed in 2021: 10 youth-led and youth-serving organisations in Kinshasa, including one LGBTQI-led organisation and two organisations led by people living with disabilities. Trained by CERC in implementation research and in gender equality and social inclusion, the young members of the network designed and carried out research on how to include underrepresented and marginalised young people in education and workforce development programmes, and compiled their findings in final knowledge products.

August 2022ICON Data Summit in Kinshasa

In August 2022, CERC, in partnership with IREX and SFCG, held the ICONs Data Summit in Kinshasa. The summit was part of the Youth Excel ICONs, a youth participatory research project in Kinshasa and North Kivu that aimed to improve the ability of underrepresented youth to sustain positive livelihood outcomes and to support them in advancing development agendas.

Under the theme “Increasing inclusion of underrepresented and marginalised young people in education and in workforce development programmes”, the ICON participants presented their final knowledge products to a diverse range of stakeholders.

26 people trained in implementation research, gender equality and social inclusion: 20 young researchers of the ICON organisations and 6 CERC staff, who became coach-facilitators of the network.

November–December 2022Preparing Phase 2: a joint Quick Impact Project

Building on their research, 9 organisations trained under the YR-DRC project joined forces to design and implement a joint QIP, “Socio-Economic Reintegration of 45 Unemployed and Underrepresented Youth in Kinshasa”.

The project offered the 45 young people vocational training, capacity-building workshops, mentoring and access to resources to look for a job or start a business. Group activities and networking helped them build a supportive community and exchange ideas and experiences.

In December 2022, CERC delivered the ICON trainings of Activity 4. The micro-grants for income-generating activities, the printing of the training participation certificates and the monitoring and evaluation visits were planned for the following weeks.

After the Data Summit, the 9 ICON organisations that had taken part in Youth Excel formed a consortium and drew up a common action plan for a three-month project funded by USAID through IREX: “Socio-economic reintegration of 45 young people with limited access to education, employment and other opportunities in the city of Kinshasa”. Its aim: the effective and lasting empowerment of the young people, and their self-reliance through income-generating activities.

The 9 ICON organisations of the consortium, which formed the economic interest groups:

• Académie congolaise pour l’innovation (CINA)
• Congo pour tous
• Jeunes Chefs d’État
• Jeunialissime
• Kin Car Wash
• Parlement des jeunes de Kinshasa
• Solidarité féminine pour la gouvernance (ASFG)
• Synergie des jeunes pour l’unité et le développement (SJUD)
• Ujuzi Sustainable Services

Step by stepFrom identification to start-up

1. Identification of the 45 young people.
2. Psycho-social support and detoxification.
3. Training in trades and in entrepreneurship.
4. Purchase and distribution of equipment and start-up funds to 5 production units.

January–February 2023Five economic interest groups

The young people formed five economic interest groups (groupements d’intérêt économique, GIE):

• two groups, each creating a micro-enterprise producing dairy products (curdled milk), bakery products and cosmetic and non-cosmetic products, and training other young people;
• two groups, each setting up a computer centre – at Camp Nkokolo and Camp Malula – training young people in computing, design, printing and photocopying;
• one group setting up a micro-enterprise for training young men and women in sewing and tailoring, in Ngaba.

CERC supported the five groups in writing their business plans and in identifying local donors. Each group received equipment and a microgrant to start its business.

IREX funding ended in February 2023, after 20 months (July 2021 – February 2023). CERC committed to support the five economic interest groups in implementing their microgrants through 10 months of online mentoring funded by the project, from March to December 2023.

What CERC achieved

• CERC managed the ICON to collaborate and conduct implementation research on how to strengthen the inclusion of under-represented and marginalised youth in education and workforce development in the DRC.
• CERC supported 9 youth-led organisations to co-create a common action plan to strengthen the inclusion of 45 under-represented and marginalised young people in workforce development in Kinshasa.
• As anchor partner, CERC built the capacity of the youth-led and youth-serving organisations of the ICON to analyse and interpret the data they collected; its coach-facilitators helped the ICON set up its networks and areas of collaboration between member organisations.

Lessons learned and good practice

• The willingness to work together regardless of gender, age, religion, disability or social category, and the joint work of the 9 ICON organisations on one action plan.
• The engagement of marginalised and under-represented young people in the trainings, and their wish to continue beyond the project; some ICON participants led leadership and entrepreneurship training, and one ICON organisation made its office available for computer training.
• The final beneficiaries showed strong engagement and satisfaction with the approach, and collaboration and mutual acceptance between young people of different backgrounds, genders and sexual orientations grew, as their testimonies show.
• Good practice: providing kits and materials to vulnerable, marginalised and under-represented young people so that they can become self-sufficient through small income-generating activities.

The project’s indicators, as recorded in CERC’s programme records (Salesforce). Phase 1 targets are those of the sub-agreement; Phase 2 targets are those of the consortium’s action plan.

Result	Target	Achieved	Status
Phase 1 · 2021–2022
Youth organisations in the ICON	10	10	Achieved
Young researchers trained in implementation research	–	20	Reported
CERC staff trained in implementation research	–	6	Reported
Data Summit presenting the youth research	1	1	Achieved
Phase 2 · 2023
Youth organisations in the Quick Impact Project	10	9	Achieved (90%)
Young people supported back into work or business	45	45	Achieved
Youth micro-enterprises equipped (economic interest groups)	10	5	Achieved jointly: 5 shared enterprises by choice (10 planned)

To maximise impact, the ICON organisations chose to work together rather than alone: instead of ten separate micro-enterprises, they pooled their resources into five joint businesses – collaboration is at the core of the YR-DRC project. Each enterprise received equipment and a US$10,000 microgrant, and together they gave work to all 45 young people targeted.

2023Challenges and how CERC responded

Challenge	Mitigation
Funds to implement the ICON action plan. The business plans drawn up by the 45 young people with limited access to education, employment and other opportunities, grouped in 5 micro-enterprises, were ambitious for the funds available.	CERC planned to mentor the ICON participants to help the 5 micro-enterprises raise funds from local businesses, international organisations and United Nations agencies.
Coordination, communication and division of labour between the organisations, and between the ICON participants and CERC, were weak.	Group meetings of the ICON team implementing the action plan, and regular meetings at CERC’s office.
State allies were not available to support the action plan.	CERC contacted other allies proposed by the ICON to involve them in its implementation.

FundingUS$168,697.07 for both phases

USAID funded Youth Represent DRC through IREX under sub-agreement FY22-YOUTH_EXCEL-CERC-01: US$97,527.91 for Phase 1 (2021–2022), used in full, with every financial report approved by IREX, including the monthly financial reports for November and December 2022; then a second instalment of US$71,169.16 for Phase 2 (2023), disbursed by IREX in February 2023. IREX’s funding ended in February 2023.

Of the second instalment, US$50,000 – 70% – went directly to the young people’s businesses: each of the five economic interest groups received a US$10,000 microgrant. The rest paid for staff fringe benefits (US$4,758.48), per diem of field staff (US$8,000), rent and office internet (US$1,968) and indirect costs (US$6,442.68). CERC costs – staff fringe benefits (US$4,758.48), per diem of field staff (US$8,000), rent (US$900), office internet (US$1,068) and indirect costs (US$6,442.68), US$21,169.16 in all – kept CERC at the young people’s side throughout 2023, including the 10 months of online mentoring, as they implemented their impact projects. Phase 2 cost US$1,582 per young person supported into work. The business plans drawn up by the 45 young people were ambitious for the US$50,000 available (see “Lessons and challenges”).

Value for moneyEconomy, efficiency, effectiveness, equity

We assess value for money with the four criteria used by most donors: economy (buying inputs at the right price), efficiency (turning inputs into results), effectiveness (achieving the intended change) and equity (reaching those most left behind). The figures come from the financial reports approved by IREX (Phase 1) and CERC’s statement of expenditure (Phase 2); they are not audited.

Measure	Phase 1 2021–2022	Phase 2 2023
Funds received (US$)	97,527.91	71,169.16
Funds spent (US$)	97,527.91	71,169.16
Share of funds going directly to participants	–	70.3%
Indirect costs, share of the total	8.7%	9.1%
Cost per youth organisation supported (US$)	9,752.79	7,907.68
Cost per young person supported into work (US$)	–	1,581.54
Cost per micro-enterprise created, all costs (US$)	–	14,233.83

EconomyInputs at the right price

• Phase 1 was funded by advances against monthly financial reports: IREX approved each report before paying, and the award was spent in full – US$92,716.59 to December 2022 and US$4,811.32 of approved expenses in January–February 2023.
• In Phase 2, running costs were limited to a share of the office rent (US$900) and the office internet connection (US$1,068); the per diem of field staff came to US$8,000.

EfficiencyInputs turned into results

• Phase 2 built on what Phase 1 had created: the same research network, its trained researchers and CERC’s coaches carried the work forward.
• US$50,000 of the US$71,169.16 of Phase 2 – 70.3% – reached the young people’s businesses directly, as five microgrants of US$10,000.

EffectivenessThe intended change

• All Phase 1 targets were met: 10 organisations, a Data Summit, research findings shared with decision-makers.
• All 45 young people targeted were supported into work through five micro-enterprises, which also train other young people. The plan foresaw ten; the organisations chose to join forces in five larger, shared businesses.

EquityReaching those left behind

• The research network included one LGBTQI-led organisation and two organisations led by people living with disabilities.
• Phase 2 targeted young people with limited access to education, employment and other opportunities, including those needing psycho-social support and detoxification, and welcomed young people of all backgrounds, genders and sexual orientations.

• November 2022 report: fully approved by IREX.
• December 2022 report: approved by IREX.
• Final disbursement: US$6,746.05, the balance of the award, approved by IREX on 7 February 2023 with the December 2022 report and received from IREX in February 2023.
• No-cost extension: one month, through 28 February 2023, to complete the remaining activities.
• Last quarterly report: January–March 2023 narrative report to IREX (see below).

The four CERC staff working on Youth Excel all signed IREX’s protection policy declaration. These activities were paid from the final IREX disbursement: the US$4,811.32 of projected expenses for January–February 2023 in the December 2022 report approved by IREX.

ThanksOur partners

CERC thanks USAID and IREX for their trust and support, Search for Common Ground for its technical support, and the youth-led and youth-serving organisations of the Kinshasa ICON and the young people who took part in the project, as researchers, innovators and leaders of change.

The figures below are those of CERC’s Monthly Financial Report and Cash Advance Form for 1–31 December 2022, under sub-agreement FY22-YOUTH_EXCEL-CERC-01, as approved by IREX. Amounts are in US dollars.

Phase 1 · to 31 December 2022Budget and expenditure

Budget category	Approved budget	Expenditure December 2022	Cumulative expenditure	Budget variance
Labor	31,636.66	2,286.39	34,551.13	−2,914.47
Fringe benefits	19,860.01	1,586.16	23,578.01	−3,718.00
Travel	3,480.00	200.00	1,806.65	1,673.35
Equipment	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Supplies	900.00	0.00	910.00	−10.00
Contractual	10,000.00	0.00	3,870.00	6,130.00
ODC	23,150.52	3,189.00	20,124.73	3,025.79
Subtotal direct costs	89,027.19	7,261.55	84,840.52	4,186.67
Indirect costs	8,500.72	651.16	7,876.07	624.65
Total expenses	97,527.91	7,912.71	92,716.59	4,811.33

Youth Excel – by yearExpenditure and funds received, 2021 and 2022

The expenditure to December 2021 is that of 2021 (2020–2021 report, note 2); the 2022 expenditure is the cumulative expenditure to 31 December 2022 less 2021.

Budget category	2021 US$	2022 US$	Cumulative to 31/12/2022
Salaries and fringe benefits (labor and fringe)	18,150.72	39,978.42	58,129.14
Travel	392.00	1,414.65	1,806.65
Supplies	785.00	125.00	910.00
Contractual	–	3,870.00	3,870.00
ODC	2,410.00	17,714.73	20,124.73
Indirect costs	2,023.78	5,852.29	7,876.07
Total expenditure	23,761.50	68,955.09	92,716.59
Funds received from IREX	32,506.71	58,275.15	90,781.86

Funds received: US$32,506.71 in 2021 and US$58,275.15 in 2022 – US$90,781.86 to the end of 2022; the final disbursement, US$6,746.05, was received in February 2023 – US$97,527.91 in all, the full award. With it, IREX disbursed the second instalment of the sub-award, US$71,169.16, for Phase 2: US$168,697.07 received in all.

December 2022Cash and advance request

Budget category	Cumulative advances to date	Cash available	Projected expenses	Advance requested
Labor	32,156.01	−2,395.12	0.00	2,395.12
Fringe benefits	21,926.93	−1,651.08	0.00	1,651.08
Travel	1,406.65	−400.00	531.77	931.77
Equipment	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Supplies	910.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Contractual	6,000.00	2,130.00	3,330.00	1,200.00
ODC	20,562.73	438.00	512.16	74.16
Subtotal direct costs	82,962.32	−1,878.20	4,373.93	6,252.13
Indirect costs	7,819.54	−56.53	437.39	493.92
Total expenses	90,781.86	−1,934.73	4,811.32	6,746.05

The advance requested, US$6,746.05, was the final disbursement of the sub-agreement, approved by IREX on 7 February 2023 and received in February 2023.

December 2022Expenditure log

Expense	Category	US$
Salaries of the project staff	Labor	2,286.39
Statutory contributions, housing, medical care and transport of the project staff	Fringe benefits	1,586.16
Rent contribution, November 2022	ODC	300.00
Office internet connection, November	ODC	89.00
Per diem, field staff	Travel	200.00
Activity 4 ICON – trainings	ODC	2,800.00
Subtotal direct costs		7,261.55
Indirect costs		651.16
Total, December 2022		7,912.71

Micro-grants for income-generating activities (Activity 4 ICON), per diem, monitoring and evaluation, and the printing of training participation certificates were pending the validation of the November report.

Phase 2 · 2023Expenditure of the second instalment

CERC’s statement of the expenditure of the second instalment of the sub-award, US$71,169.16, received in February 2023 and spent in 2023 – not audited. Amounts in US dollars.

Item	Budget category	US$
Microgrants		50,000.00
ICON – microgrants to the 5 economic interest groups (US$10,000 each)	Other direct costs	50,000.00
CERC costs: support to the young people in 2023, including 10 months of online mentoring		21,169.16
Statutory contributions, housing, medical care and transport of the project staff	Fringe benefits	4,758.48
Per diem, field staff	Travel	8,000.00
Rent contribution, November 2022	Other direct costs	900.00
Office internet connection, November	Other direct costs	1,068.00
Indirect costs	Indirect costs	6,442.68
Total		71,169.16