The concept of the guide was borne out of learnings from the response to COVID-19 and other crises, such as civil unrest and flooding, which highlighted the need to further empower children, adolescents and youth to be better prepared for emergencies and to be advocates and agents of change.
The Youth Emergency Guide was created by children and young people from across South Africa. A series of virtual training workshops and remote youth-led drafting sessions were held with children and young people, aged 13-25 years, from across the country. Youth contributions and written submissions were used to inform the overall structure and content of the Youth Emergency Guide.
