Listening to young voices: facilitating participatory appraisals on reproductive health with adolescents

In a detailed report about the Partnership for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (PALS) in Zambia, implemented by CARE International, the authors look at applying participatory learning and action techniques in working with young people. In the context of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, the report looks at how the PALS program is a creative response to address the reproductive health needs of young people. The report is structured into 6 main areas: introducing the Zambian experience; the key principles and challenges of participatory learning and action (PLA); preparing for PLA and practical tips for the field; PLA methods and describing the tools; documentation and reporting; and finally tying the report together by describing how to use PLA to create an adolescent reproductive health intervention.