Young people respond to the COVID-19 pandemic

Medical personnel and government alone cannot stop this pandemic from doing massive damage in developing countries and pushing hundreds of millions into devastating poverty. ORDINARY PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE.

Nine out of ten young people live in the developing world and make-up the majority of almost every community. This means young people are key to stopping the spread of this pandemic.

At Restless Development we are redirecting almost all of our resources and efforts to mobilize our networks in Africa, India, and Nepal.

With our support young people are: 

1) Role modeling and influencing their peers, families, communities to make necessary behavioral changes to STOP THE SPREAD.

2) Disseminating accurate messaging for planning, prevention, and response created by young people for young people via digital channels that youth use. This messaging also COMBATS MISINFORMATION and helps to bust common myths. 

WHY RESTLESS?

Unparalleled youth networks.

Unmatched, proven experience.

Youth crafted communications and messaging that speak to young people in their language.

Unmatched agency agility.

WHAT ARE WE MISSING?

Partners like you. We need you NOW MORE THAN EVER.

Detail:

Each of our country hubs are implementing context specific plans to respond to the virus which take into account national and local law, customs and realities. This is the way Restless Development does things. Overall our activities will fall under a few approaches:

1) Young People, from threat to opportunity: Evidence so far suggests that young people are likely to be super spreaders of the virus - but we think they could take on a leading role in slowing the virus. Restless Development can work with its network of over 250,000 young people and organisations to lead a digital campaign that combats the ‘infodemic’ by policing fake news, promotes mental health and well-being and promotes solidarity and collective action. 

2) Community Response: We are thinking ahead to the impact of the pandemic in Africa and South Asia. As ever, the most vulnerable stand to suffer the most (in terms of their inability to self-isolate) and their economic prospects (minimal savings to fall back on during a recession). Restless Development will apply our tested principles of youth leadership, power and agency apply to support young people to lead a community response. 

3) Lobbying Government to Act Fast: Youth-led Accountability: Restless Development will use its proven data-driven, youth-led accountability methodology to support young people to lobby their governments to take the appropriate and timely actions to halt the spread of the virus in their countries. 

4) Countering Civil Restrictions, Youth Civil Society: National lock-downs around the world are key to protecting public health but risk an adverse impact on government restrictions on civic space. The right to vote, protest and respond will be severely diminished. Restless Development will continue new dimensions of our work to strengthen Youth Civil Society in this changing context.