Who We Are
The Youth Research and Studies Unit is a specialized unit dedicated to producing scientific and applied knowledge on issues affecting Palestinian youth. It seeks to connect scientific research with training, advocacy, and policymaking.
The Unit works to empower young people to participate effectively in community development and reconstruction by strengthening their research capacities and engaging them in knowledge production and positive change.
Vision
An aware and active Palestinian youth generation that leads transformation and contributes to building a society that is more capable of recovery, development, and sustainability.
Mission
To produce applied knowledge that connects scientific research, training, and advocacy in ways that strengthen the role of young people in community development, democracy, and reconstruction, while contributing to the development of evidence-based policies and programmes.
Unit Objectives
The Unit seeks to achieve a number of strategic objectives, most notably:
- Identify and analyse the needs of Palestinian youth.
- Support scientific research and link it to training and capacity development.
- Empower young people to become researchers and community leaders.
- Provide evidence and data to support development programmes and projects.
- Transform research and study findings into advocacy tools and public policies.
- Document the impact of wars and crises and propose pathways for recovery and reconstruction.
Areas of Work and Research Themes
The Unit focuses on several priority research themes:
Youth, Civic Participation, and Democracy
Studying issues related to community and political participation while promoting the values of citizenship, democracy, and youth leadership.
Youth, Economy, and Livelihoods
Conducting research on employment, entrepreneurship, the local economy, and youth economic development.
Education, Health, and Human Development
Studying the challenges facing education, health, and human development, particularly during crises and emergencies.
Youth and Social Cohesion
Promoting social cohesion, psychosocial support, and trust-building among community members.
Reconstruction from a Youth Perspective
Engaging young people in the planning, implementation, and advancement of reconstruction and sustainable development efforts.
Working Methodology
The Unit adopts a participatory approach that ensures youth engagement throughout the various stages of the research process by:
- Conducting participatory research with young people.
- Empowering young people to lead and manage research studies.
- Linking research to the needs of community programmes and projects.
- Transforming research findings into training programmes and practical tools for advocacy and influence.
Unit Programmes
The Unit provides a diverse range of programmes and services, including:
- Scientific studies and research.
- Research and analytical reports.
- Policy papers.
- Training manuals and toolkits.
- Youth dialogue platforms.
- Local and international advocacy programmes.
- Research and academic partnerships.
Unit Outputs
The Unit seeks to achieve tangible outputs in the following areas:
Knowledge-Level Outputs
- Scientific studies and research.
- Analytical reports.
- Policy papers.
- Training manuals.
Youth-Level Outputs
- Training and qualifying young researchers.
- Developing youth leaders capable of analysis and decision-making.
- Promoting a culture of research and critical thinking.
Community-Level Outputs
- Youth-led reconstruction initiatives.
- Programmes that promote democracy and community participation.
- Evidence-based advocacy tools.
- Proposals and policies that support recovery and development.
Added Value
The Unit serves as a knowledge and research arm that supports the Association’s work and contributes to:
- Improving the quality of programmes and projects through scientific evidence.
- Amplifying the voices of Palestinian youth and highlighting their issues.
- Transforming field experience into publishable and usable knowledge.
- Attracting funding opportunities and partnerships based on research and knowledge.
- Contributing to development policymaking and decision-making.
- Moving from responding to immediate needs towards sustainable impact and meaningful change.
Unit Slogan
“Knowledge for Change, Youth for the Future.”
