Refugee Children - The Leadership Education and Empowerment Programme for refugee young people

Refugee adolescents and youth often fall between the gaps in adult, and younger children’s programming. These young people have specific needs based on their stage of life and development that more often than not remain... [ view full abstract ]

Refugee adolescents and youth often fall between the gaps in adult, and younger children’s programming. These young people have specific needs based on their stage of life and development that more often than not remain unmet – meaning the investment that is made in them as younger children is often lost.
Providing much needed opportunities for these young people to learn, grow and play active participatory roles in their communities, society more broadly and humanitarian response is essential. These opportunities contribute to helping to combat feelings of disenfranchisement, helplessness and boredom, amongst other challenges, and can help contribute towards developing a generation of young people capable of rebuilding and leading in the future.
With this in mind, UNHCR are working with Scotties Place, a US-based NGO, on the ‘Leadership Education & Empowerment Programme (LEEP). LEEP promotes academic achievement, leadership development, and community empowerment to promote positive social change. Working on two fronts – with adolescents and youth/adults – LEEP offers individualized academic support through one-to-one tutoring helping to strengthen confidence and self-esteem and guide students in the formation of healthy and supportive relationships, with the goal of promoting unity, leadership and community building. Primarily led and facilitated by members of the refugee community LEEP promotes many of the same benefits for programme staff – youth and adults – as for the adolescent recipients.
Since implementation in Botswana, nearly 85% of students have seen their grades improve; nearly 90% of students reported that both their self-esteem and confidence has strengthened as a result of the programme and LEEP staff designed and conducted a two-day training for volunteers from the host community primary school, establishing an afterschool tutoring program for Batswana children.