What We Do

Our Initiatives

At EMpower, we equip our partners with tools, knowledge, and connections to amplify their impact. Through technical assistance, communities of practice, and learning exchanges, we strengthen the skills and capacities of organisations worldwide.

By fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and addressing common challenges, we create a network of support that helps partners grow and adapt. Our initiatives empower local organisations to deliver more effective, sustainable programmes that improve the lives of marginalised youth in emerging markets.

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Technical Assistance and Capacity Strengthening

EMpower strengthens the capacity of our global grantee partners through ongoing technical assistance from Programme Officers. This support empowers organisations to effectively implement programmes and achieve greater impact.

Examples of our recent technical assistance:

  • One-on-one support from regionally based experts in Latin America to strengthen organisations' monitoring, evaluation, and learning capacities.
  • A series of webinars on child and youth safeguarding and tailor-made support for organisations in East and Southeast Asia.
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Communities of Practice at EMpower

EMpower fosters collaboration and learning among our global grantee partners through Communities of Practice (CoPs). These CoPs are country-level or regional gatherings where partners connect, share best practices, and address common challenges in youth programming. Currently, EMpower has seven CoPs, globally.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Support in South Africa

In 2024, our team in South Africa supported an expert-led initiative to strengthen the monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems of 12 Cape Town-based partners.  

Upon completing the process, one participant shared, “I was reminded of the value of creativity. We discussed the challenges of reporting on complex qualitative data, and I have some new ideas for how to tackle it.” 

AwareNest—a partner-led, regional CoP on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in East and Southeast Asia 

Recognising the importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights, our team began fostering collaborative learning and knowledge sharing through the AwareNest Community of Practice (CoP), a regular forum led by our grantee partner Pamflet and supported by EMpower.

Online Regional Community of Practice in Latin America 

During COVID, EMpower launched an online Regional Community of Practice (CoP) in Latin America to provide solidarity and support to our partners there. Now co-funded by the Tinker Foundation, this CoP is led by Fundación Alvaralice, one of our grantee partners in Colombia. It brings together all of EMpower’s Latin American grantee partners and those of Tinker to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices on youth programming and organisational capacity strengthening. This collaborative platform has become a vital space for equipping our partners with valuable insights and practical tools to enhance their work and adapt to emerging challenges in the field.

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Learning Exchanges 

EMpower strengthens the sector through bringing grantee partners together for Learning Exchanges, which are in-person events that explore a specific topic. These exchanges leverage the expertise of EMpower and grantees, and often result in publications to disseminate learnings with the sector more broadly.

Recent examples include:

  • In the Philippines, a two-day Learning Exchange spearheaded by EMpower partners to launch a Youth Consultation in the country, attended by Indonesian Youth Fellows. This event facilitated the exchange of insights on meaningful youth engagement (MYE) concepts and experiences, empowering local Youth Fellows and fostering cross-country collaboration with their Indonesian counterparts.
  • A multi-day learning exchange in South Africa to gather insights from young people and local organisations to advance adolescent mental health. A report then compiled key learnings to share with other funders and key stakeholders working on this topic. 
  • A convening in Mexico to explore best practices in engaging young people, which influenced EMpower’s process for engaging Youth Fellows in Mexico. 
  • A two-day learning journey in Mumbai that discussed topics such as meaningful youth engagement, gender and inclusion, mental health and participatory processes for monitoring, learning and evaluation. 
  • In Delhi, a two-day Learning Journey to explore youth engagement, participatory methods, and economic well-being, featuring insights from the Girls Advisory Council
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Exporting our Learnings into the Ecosystem

EMpower influences the philanthropic sector by capturing lessons and best practices in youth development—offering our expertise and drawing on our grantee partners' experiences. We prioritise listening to, learning from, and increasing the visibility and voice of young people. We regularly host events and workshops to share these learnings with the broader ecosystem.

In the last year alone, EMpower led over 82 events with this aim.

Example of our impact:

Our partnership with CARE leveraged the success of EMpower's Learning Community model. CARE adapted this model for its programmes in Bangladesh and Nepal, resulting in a toolkit, Learning Communities on the Move, to help organisations shift social and gender norms. This toolkit centres girls' expertise and dynamic contributions, recognising their role as change-makers.

Check out our recent publications.

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