OBJECTIVE
To provide family life education (FLE), youth sexual reproductive health (SRH) services, other aspects of youth development and; to train youths to become leaders and volunteers.

BACKGROUND
The Youth Advisory Center (YAC) was founded in 1979 by the Federation of Family Planning Association of Malaysia (FFPAM) to provide youths with information, advice, and guidance on issues pertaining to their health particularly RH. The FFPAM proposed the project to the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and the state of Penang was selected as the project site because:

? the initiative for this programme came from the Penang Family Planning Association’s State FPA Manager; and
? this island state is more open to new ideas and innovations.

MAIN ACTIVITIES
Literature concerning youths is made available in the Centre's library. Talks, dialogues, video programmes, and exhibitions on family planning (FP) and FLE are tools for information dissemination.

Counselling services encompassing sexual health, relationships, and employment are provided for all youths, as well as skills-building services for which a small fee is charged.

The FFPAM does not support the provision of contraceptives to unmarried members of the population no matter the age, although contraceptive advice is provided to youths. Thus, youths who require contraceptives or other sexual health services are referred to doctors, who on a voluntary basis, are associated with the YAC.

The YAC undertakes outreach activities such as youth camps, youth factory outreach; and education activities, where both in-school and out-of-school youths are reached. Participants are educated on health, sexuality, communication and problem-solving through the use of role-play and games. Education activities comprised talks and poster competitions which are held in conjunction with events such as World AIDS Day. Workshops held at factories specifically target female youths.

MANAGEMENT FEATURES

Strategy

• Established normative linkages by creating awareness among the leading community members on its activities.

• Established client linkages since most potential clients came to know about the programme via the press and word of mouth.
• Established formal functional linkages with other organisations mostly through personal contacts with respected community leaders which enabled the YAC to facilitate programme development and implementation.
• Built enabling linkages which provided resources for it to function.

Capacity-Building

• Network with other NGOs.
• Press advertising.
• Mobilise the support of school teachers and community leaders.

Mobilising Resources

• Used the mass media (the local press and radio stations) to augment its exposure and increase the chances of a successful programme opening.
• Social activities to which members are encouraged to bring a friend.

Managerial Leadership

• Ensure expansion and financial sustainability.
• Detail and plan the implementation of YAC activities.
• Conduct evaluation of programme activities and decide on the necessary programmatic and budgetary changes required to improve programme implementation.

EVALUATION FINDINGS

• The YAC has succeeded in establishing overall good contact with the Chinese, but not the Malay community.
• Based on the YAC’s programme models, other youth organisations have incorporated aspects of its FLE into their activities, and the YAC receives referrals from a wide audience.
• Sometimes, adults express frustration about youth programmes, but one of the most important lessons learnt is that youths must be allowed to be young – ie: they should be helped along the way, but adults should not try to take over.
• High turnover of youth volunteers and weak financial resources are two of the most significant constraints in sustaining the programme.
• Due to the lack of impact indicators, it is difficult to evaluate youth programmes.
• It is almost impossible for youth/adolescent SRH programmes to be fully self-reliant and they will most likely continue to rely on donor/community support.