This Power Within competency framework builds on 15+ years of CARE’s program design, implementation, and research with young people. Not only has the focus on leadership and life skills proven to be a popular inclusion in our work, but its inclusion is also a multiplier of impact. The more we see young people building these competencies, the more engaged they become in making informed decisions about their futures. Power Within (PW) is a competency framework which supports young people’s (ages 10-24) development by building life skills that help them deal with the challenges and demands of their daily lives. The model contains three primary competency domains: strong self-image, strong mind, and strong voice. The competencies are transferable, which means that they can be applied in many situations, and they can be practiced throughout program activities in most, if not all, of CARE’s direct work with adolescents and youth. This document begins with background on the model, including its origins in 2008, evidence of its impact, and influences guiding this update and refresh of the model. The PW framework and theory of change are presented, providing guidance for project and program development which include these PW competencies. Following this, there are three sections, one for each domain. Included in each section is an overview of each domain, and in-depth definitions for each of the PW competencies. There are also examples of what the application of each competency can look like, so that progress can be better understood. In addition to sections on each of the three domains, there is also a section on the foundational component of ‘wellbeing’, outlining the reasons for its inclusion, and what it means when it is successfully included. Finally, as with all programming, especially programming with young people, there is a duty to ensure safer programming. In other words, what are the actions and precautions that can be put in place proactively to minimize risk to those who participate.
This Power Within activity toolkit builds on decades of CARE’s program design, implementation, and research with young people. It is intended to be used together with the 2024 Power Within Competency Framework for Adolescents and Youth. Power Within (PW) builds critical competencies for adolescents and youth (10-24 years old), giving them internal resources to inform their decisions and transitions as they grow from children into young adults. The model contains three competency domains - strong self-image, strong mind, and strong voice. - with sequenced competencies and a fourth, foundational domain of well-being. The competencies included are transferable, which means that they can be applied in many situations, and they can be practiced throughout program activities in most, if not all, of CARE’s direct work with this impact group. This toolkit can be used as a resource for those designing and implementing programs for adolescents and young adults aged 10-24. It offers a menu of activities for developing the competencies in CARE’s competency model. The set of activities here may be borrowed and adapted to the needs of participant groups, the contexts in which they live, and the topical focus of a particular program. For example, planning activities for adolescents 10-14 years old, and planning activities for youth 20-24 years old will require different approaches and activities. This toolkit provides sample activities that may be adapted to fit the profiles of the young people who are participating in activities. It is not a curriculum or a program guide but may be used to assist the development or adaptation of those materials. Read More
This version includes the full GBV Guidance for Development Programs with the following annexures, and more resources. This is the complete and comprehensive version of CARE's GBV in Development Guidance which can be used and adopted by all projects, across impact areas, when integrating a GBV mitigation, prevention or response approach. Read More
Young people represent a large proportion of the population in many countries: one in six people worldwide is between the ages of 15 and 24, and nearly half of the global population is under 30. These formative years are filled with opportunity, yet they are a finite amount of time to inform the pathway of a young person’s future. CARE’s Power Within model is a competency-based framework to support young people in building essential life skills during this critical window. In 2008, CARE launched the Power Within model for adolescent leadership development, focused on building five core competencies for people ages 10-19. Power Within’s competency framework supports young people’s development by building life skills that help them deal with the challenges and demands of their daily lives. The model contains three primary competency domains: strong self-image, strong mind, and strong voice. The competencies are transferable, which means that they can be applied in many situations, and they can be practiced throughout program activities in most, if not all, of CARE’s direct work with adolescents and youth. This approach is similar to teaching Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies in formal education that integrate ‘soft’ skills into a subject area curriculum. Power Within also aligns with the Positive Youth Development Framework, which prioritizes the development of young people’s assets, agency, contribution, and enabling environment. In 2024, the model was updated to include youth (now inclusive of ages 10-24) and reflect lessons from CARE’s work and other prominent models and evidence regarding what young people need. Read More