Cape Town, South Africa - The Y+ Global team met at the beginning of May in Cape Town, South Africa, for a three-day meeting to strengthen team building, programme reflections and updates and knowledge sharing to feed into agreed work plans. With support from Frontline AIDS, the meeting was also a reunion for ‘old’ staff and the introduction of new faces to the team, including graduate trainees.
Over the three days, colleagues were given an orientation for new staff joining Y+ Global in 2023. The staff meeting was an opportunity to reflect on progress and challenges and explore areas of improvement to ensure the outputs align with Y+ Global’s strategic priorities. More importantly, the meeting agenda and sessions were geared towards building teamwork, cohesion, trust, and respect.“Y+ Global is entering a new chapter. With a larger, more passionate and dedicated team, Y+ Global is now more capable of fulfilling its promises and handling a greater volume of work. We will deliver on our promises. Y+ Global is committed to actively supporting the development of partnerships required to address the needs of young people, in all their diversity — particularly youth-led organisations that improve access to essential information, services and commodities. We will continue to represent, advocate and amplify the voices of young people living and affected by HIV on all platforms,”Maximina Jokonya,
Interim Executive Director of Y+ Global
The meeting welcomed Tumie Komanyane from Frontline AIDS, who introduced the READY programme to new team members. The capacity-building session was helpful to staff in learning about project management, monitoring and evaluation, and guidance to improve internal policies on human resources that include safeguarding and strengthening procedures when working with focal points and country networks. Colleagues were also introduced to crucial programmes such as Her Voice Fund, Ground Up, and Love Alliance, and the work with consortium partners included 4Youth, Vibrant Young Voices, You(th) Care and Youth WISE.
Colleagues had a window to present their work plans and updates on projects and activities to explore areas for enhanced collaboration between departments to achieve set objectives. During these discussions, it was emphasised that resource mobilisation and cutting-edge innovations should be prioritised, and seeing how Y+ Global can look beyond current programmes and explore new partnerships in new funding spaces. Other critical sessions included financial management, policies, donor engagement, communications, and advocacy. Later in 2023, Y+ Global will launch the Communications and Advocacy Strategy that looks into ways of working and managing the network of relationships between stakeholders. This strategy aligns with Y+ Global Strategic Plan from 2022-2025.“This year, we have many exciting projects in the pipeline. This includes reactivating the READY Academy and READY Movement, unpacking the WHO self-care guideline for youth, initiating youth-led campaigns on meaningful and ethical youth engagement with the Vibrant Young Voices consortium, engaging young people in the Global Fund's seventh grant cycle with the Count Me In consortium and strengthening our global advocacy at key events like Women Deliver and ICASA. We are proud to continue working with over 100 youth-led organisations and network partners across the globe, amplifying their voices and ensuring their meaningful participation in decision-making processes and advocacy spaces.”Đoàn Thanh Tùng
Programme Manager at Y+ Global
At the meeting, the team dove into emerging issues faced by young people living with and affected by HIV and brainstormed solutions to address rising inequalities. At the end of the three-day meeting, Y+ Global staff participated in a team-building activity to bolster teamwork and communication, improve morale and engagement and foster innovation and creativity.
