POLICY & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Young Africa Works

conference in South
Africa

Expanding impact and

inclusion through Policy
and Thought Leadership
Hannah Tsadik, Director for Policy and Thought Leadership
(PTL), walks us through the Foundation’s new and inclusive
strategy.

HORIZON MAGAZINE I ISSUE 7

Creating sustainable change and self reliant growth independent from the west
Steve Biko - self emancipation and black pride in America

Saviour complex and navigating respect

POLICY & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
“Measuring our impact is essential for us and the Board. We are
developing an impact measurement framework that will be ready
by the end of 2023. The framework will also guide any program or
function engaged in policy and thought leadership.”
address structural barriers to young people’s
economic opportunities. This implies moving
and adding chairs at policy and private sector
decision-making tables.
Beyond, it means creating new tables where
young people can imagine and action change
with those who hold power and join in to listen
and reflect. We also want to be able to shift
conversations from the immediate to the long-
term – to the future that could emerge which
realizes opportunities for young people and
generations to come. An ambitious vision.
So, where do we start in 2023? This
year is about thoughtful and intentional
implementation. We want to catalyse change
for young people who are furthest away from
decision-making. To realize substantial progress
vis-à-vis the three outcome areas, we want to
pursue three key shifts, beginning this year.
They are foundational for our enhanced role as
a thought leader. They include that:
We centre young people as experts, thought
1 leaders, and actioners in our policy and
thought leadership work. The strategic outcome
of voice and agency will be foregrounded in all
work linked to the youth livelihoods questions,
and we will make a significant investment in
field-building.
We leverage our power as a convener in
2 the issue ecosystems we operate in. For
convenings, we are setting out five performance
measures. Firstly, convenings function as
dialogue platforms which typically involve more
than one convening.
Secondly, dialogues are defined by bringing
together a diverse set of actioners
(government, the private sector, international
actioners, and young people). Thirdly, dialogue
is a form of communication where we pay
attention to relationships, proactively account
Foreign investment in Africa the debates , African solutions to African problems
for power imbalances, and seek to level them
during the exchange. Dialogue requires self-
reflection, a spirit of inquiry, and personal
change in participants. Fourthly, dialogues go
beyond talking; they involve the purpose of
learning, understanding, increasing motivation,
and eventually improving actions.
Fifthly, we want young people to experience
their participation in convenings as
meaningful.
We integrate policy and thought leadership
3 intentionally in ongoing Foundation
programs and impact. We need to lead with
our investments so that we stand on strong
ground of evidence and credibility. Our
investments also need a more enabling policy,
private sector and narrative environment, so
that young people can access dignified and
fulfilling work now and in the long run, beyond
our investments.
MEASURING SUCCESS
Measuring our impact is essential for us and
the Board. We are developing an impact
measurement framework that will be ready by
the end of 2023. The framework will also guide
any program or function engaged in policy and
thought leadership.
Similarly, when we speak of dignified and
fulfilling work, the Foundation has been clear
that only young people facing the actual
challenges can truly speak to what work can
be deemed as dignified or fulfilling. That is the
same approach we are taking for policy and
thought leadership impact.
I feel the bar will be set when we hear
consistently from folks outside the Foundation
referring to us as the people to talk to
because we are on the pulse for young
people’s aspirations, priorities, and we
are credible champions for their ideas and
contributions.
ISSUE 7 I HORIZON MAGAZINE