Cost Of Youth Cabs

The cost of setting up a Youth CAB and the risk of not having a Youth CAB:

Community interactions are dynamic and unique to various contexts and communities. When conducting research or bringing a development programme to a community, it is recommended that practitioners develop context-appropriate, youth-friendly and innovative solutions with the communities. In this regard, community consultation is crucial in implementing youth friendly research programmes that positively respond to the perceptions and needs of local young people involved in clinical trials and socio-behavioural research. However, establishing and working with youth community structures has implications for both the research process and the community at large. In this station we explore the benefits and the challenges of working with Youth CABs, and what risks, if any of not working with them.

What are the benefits of working with the Youth CABs?

  • They know the community dynamics and the current youth concerns and activities that may have relevance in the research process such upcoming youth events that can be used as recruitment platforms, or any other events that may overshadow participation in the research
  • Youth CABs are an essential resource for equity- focused quality improvement efforts in that they provide regular feedback
  • Provide valuable insight into the underlying dynamics of certain disparities.
  • An advisory board can then provide the degree of consistency, longevity and background knowledge.

What are the challenges of working with the Youth CABs?

  • Young people may easily change their mind about participating and serving full term and this may lead to recruiting, training and inducting other members during the course of the research process
  • Young people need more training on their role as community ambassadors
  • They may expect to be considered when research employment opportunities arise and this may create conflict when they are not suitable
  • The safety of young people when conducting their research roles remains the responsibility of the research institution

What are the costs of establishing youth CABs?

Time:

  • It is important to set aside enough time for recruiting, training and inducting youth CABs
  • The research staff need to set time aside to meet and familiarise the youth CABs about the research
  • Youth CABs with limited or inaccurate information about the research objectives may cause harm rather than benefit the research

Funding:

  • Money for recruiting, training and inducting needs to be budgeted for in advance
  • In some instances, it may be advisable to offer incentives (branded clothing to promote the study) and honorarium for participation
  • In some instances, travel costs may be incurred (safety concerns or the vast size of the research community)

Community integration

Working with youth CABs increases the chances of research integrating with the community at large, including those that are not primary beneficiaries of the research. Youth CABs take the research to the community and promote acceptability and uptake of the research project.

Other things to consider:

Youth CABs may need compensation for committing to their positions. Think of appropriate ways to express gratitude to young people such as fun filled leadership camps, offering the use of computer facilities in the research site for them to do their assignments and look for work, link them up to other skills development programmes, offer certification for serving and conduct reference.

BY YOLISWA NTSEPE (MA, PhD)
ADOLESCENT PROGRAMMES MANAGER

UPDATED NOV 22, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

  1. why adolescents?
  2. where do adults fit in?
  3. research methods and designs
  4. ethical concerns with adolescents
  5. protocol development
  6. adolescent friendly site assessment
  7. adolescent peer supporters
  8. implementation frameworks
  9. standard operating procedures
  10. data collection
  11. dissemination

REFERENCES & ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Guidance tool for community advisory boards: Training manual.
https://www.iavi.org/images/Clinical_Research_Centers/IAVI_Community_Advisory_Board_Guidance_Tool.pdf

Good participatory practice: Guidelines for biomedical HIV prevention trials, 2011.
https://www.avac.org/sites/default/files/resource-files/Good%20Participatory%20Practice%20guidelines_June_2011.pdf