This is a new implementing mechanism which will be a follow on to the work of KAYEC Trust, currently a sub-grantee under PACT, delivering vocation training services to OVC and caregivers as well as psycho- social support to school learners.

KAYEC Trust is an innovative vocational skills training provider in Namibia. KAYEC uses a demand driven approach to economic empowerment that has been proven effective in targeting vulnerable OVC and youth caregivers of OVC with short courses in vocational trades. KAYEC trains up to 950 adolescents annually through short courses (six to 12 weeks) at its two training centers in Windhoek and Ondangwa. The most recent tracer study has demonstrated that up to 73% of KAYEC graduates are earning an income derived from their newly acquired skills, often through small enterprises. Their average income is N$ 1032 (US$ 138) per month, with which children in their families were supported.

1. The mechanism will focus on vocational training and HIV prevention for adolescents with the following goals: 1) to improve livelihoods of adolescent OVC and junior heads of households by providing

appropriate market-driven vocational education and training; and 2) to provide adolescents with appropriate skills and self-esteem to protect their selves from HIV infection.

2. The interventions under this mechanism links to the Partnership Framework and the National Strategic Framework by employing evidence-based approaches to improve livelihoods for vulnerable populations and by providing capacity development for HIV prevention activity with vulnerable populations.

3. The interventions will target vulnerable adolescents, in and out of school, aged 12 to 18, as well as older youth caring for OVC in four to six regions, still to be determined.

4. Key contributions to health systems strengthening are the inclusion of HIV prevention education into vocational training for OVC. Namibia's vocational training sector is currently undergoing major reform and restructuring in order to respond to market demands for skilled labor and to address sustainability. This implementing mechanism will support institutionalization of HIV prevention education into vocational training.

5. Service provision to vulnerable adolescents and adolescent caregivers in vocational training cover the cross-cutting budget attributions of education, as well as economic strengthening.

6. The provision of vocational training by government and by the private service providers is set to become more cost-efficient due to current government efforts to establish a National Training Fund, to which businesses will contribute in the form of a national training levy. A number of development partners are providing technical support in this area, including the USG through the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA).

7. A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan will be developed.

This is a new activity, focusing on direct service delivery in the area of vocational education.

The activity will have the following key components: 1) deliver vocational training for out-of-school adolescents who are orphaned or vulnerable or who care for siblings or other OVC, and 2) provide business and mentoring support to vocational graduates. The existing government vocational training institutions are not meeting current demand and suffer from low quality outcomes. This problem is recognized by government, and sector reform is underway.

1. Deliver vocational training for out-of-school adolescents. Short courses in vocational trades that are in demand in the local construction and other industries will be offered. These courses are based on existing and proven curricula, which are currently being reviewed for accreditation by a newly established government body for regulating the vocational training sector (Namibia Training Authority). Courses will include carpentry, bricklaying, electrical installation, plumbing, and engine maintenance, etc. Training intakes will be advertised through national media, and all applications will be screened against defined vulnerability criteria. Training will focus primarily on mastering practical skills, with a sound foundation on relevant theoretical skills.

2. Provide business and mentoring support to vocational graduates. Under this component, stronger networks with the private industry sector will be developed to help place new training graduates with contractors. Graduates will receive mentoring support on how to start up small enterprises and on basic business skills, such as costing, pricing, administration and finance.

The monitoring and evaluation system will cover the quality of training, as well as tracing of graduates to establish their marketability and benefit to their households, including younger OVC.

Longer-term sustainability of vocational training through government and private providers will be supported through a national training levy.

This is a new activity.

The activity will have the following components: 1) provide HIV/AIDS life skills training to adolescents in vocational training, and 2) conduct a youth development program for vulnerable in-school-adolescents.

1) Provide HIV/AIDS life skills training to adolescents in vocational training Technical assistance will be provided to vocational training institutions to develop or adapt an evidence- based interpersonal HIV prevention skills curriculum, which addresses the key drivers of the epidemic. The curriculum would target young people, particular multiple and concurrent partnerships, intergenerational and transactional sex, HIV risk perception and low prevalence of male circumcision. Training will be provided to instructors at vocational training institutions to deliver HIV/AIDS life skills education.

The target group will be adolescents aged 16-18 attending vocational training institutions, as well as junior heads of households caring for OVC.

This activity will be carried out in close collaboration with the Namibian Training Authority (NTA), a new regulatory body charged with developing unit standards for all vocational trades. The NTA is committed to the inclusion of HIV in its training units.

2) Conduct a youth development program for vulnerable in-school-adolescents A youth development program based on the International Youth Award (IYA) will be delivered to vulnerable children aged 12 - 18, as after-school program in selected towns. The program combines interpersonal HIV prevention education with self-esteem building and leadership development. Integral to the program is also learning support to enable children to perform academically, to stay and do well in school, and to develop a vision for their future in which they can become responsible adults free of HIV.

The IYA consists of different levels, each of which last two years and contains different experiential learning components such as health and HIV life skills, learning support, sports, community service and youth camps. After successful completion of each level, participants receive certificates and medals.

Youth participants in their final year of secondary education will also receive career counseling, and links will be built to vocational training supported with USG funds as well as with tertiary education facilities.

The program will be implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education, using schools as primary catchment areas. Teachers identify vulnerable children and are also the contact and resource persons tracing the progress of participants. In addition, peer mentors who have participated in the youth development program implemented by KAYEC and who have reached or completed the last level of IYA will be used.

Both components link closely with a Public Health Evaluation (PHE), which will begin shortly. A longitudinal study to be conducted by Boston University will develop qualitative and quantitative tools to measure determinants of adolescent OVC vulnerability to HIV, including exposure to interventions for HIV risk reduction, as well as interventions aimed at reducing the impact of HIV on orphans and vulnerable children.

Longer-term sustainability for HIV/AIDS life skills training at vocational training institutions will be guaranteed through the delivery modes by the training centers' own staff. For the youth development program, the involvement of schools and teachers ensures a transition to improved cost-effectiveness.

A monitoring and evaluation plan will be developed, based on existing tools in use by KAYEC.