Thematic Areas
Each YouthLab Fellow is placed in one of four key thematic clusters—critical areas where informed advocacy can shift attitudes, change behaviors, and transform communities:
Sexual Grooming & Cross-Generational Relationships
Addressing the manipulative tactics used to exploit adolescents and challenging the normalisation of age-disparate sexual relationships.
Child Marriage
Equipping young advocates to combat early and forced marriage through awareness, education, and policy-driven action.
Menstrual Equity & Period Poverty
Promoting dignity, access, and justice in menstrual health to end period stigma and ensure no adolescent is left behind.
Harmful Traditional Practices (HTPs)
Current focus: Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) – Supporting bold youth voices working to end FGM and other practices that endanger health, dignity, and rights.
Together, these clusters empower young changemakers to shape conversations, lead peer education, and implement advocacy that resonates at the grassroots level.
Why This Matters; Our Theory of Change
At The Smile Outreach, we believe that when adolescents are informed, supported, and emboldened, they can lead transformative change in their communities.
OUR VISION
RESULTS
IMPACT GOALS
ACTIONS
By fusing education, youth-led advocacy, and community-rooted storytelling, The YouthLab transforms passive learners into active changemakers.
At The Smile Outreach, we believe that when adolescents are informed, supported, and emboldened, they can lead transformative change in their communities.
The Journey:
Our Vision
We envision a world where the youth are empowered to become social change-makers—confident in their identity, equipped with knowledge, and emboldened to take on advocacy in its truest form.
Our Impact Goals
To realize this vision, we aim to:
- Promote youth agency for social change
- Ignite youth-led movements rooted in empathy, data, and lived experience
- Empower informed sexual decision-making
- Reduce harmful practices through education and community action
What We Hope to Achieve (Results)
- Increased Awareness: Young people and their communities become more informed about SRHR (Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights) and harmful practices.
- Strengthened Advocacy: Fellows evolve into bold youth advocates championing gender equality and social justice.
- Cultural Transformation: Norms begin to shift, as silence, stigma, and harmful traditions are replaced by dialogue, safety, and inclusion.
How We Do It (Actions)
We operationalise this theory of change through three core pillars:
- Capacity Building
Via the Outreach Youth Lab, we offer training, mentorship, and community-building tools to equip fellows with practical advocacy skills.
- Resource & Toolkit Development
Through the Hand-to-Mind project, we co-create educational tools—flashcards, comics, animations—translated into local languages and guided by real-life stories.
- Dissemination & Advocacy
Fellows launch mini-campaigns, facilitate community workshops, and bring knowledge to life in homes, classrooms, and beyond.
Resource and Training Experts
Sisan Josephine Victor-Woko
Female Genital Mutilation Expert
Otaria Benjamin
Sexual Grooming Expert
Goodness James
Child Marriage Expert
Morenikejimi Olaniran
Menstrual Equity Expert
Frequently Asked Questions
YouthLab is open to passionate individuals aged 18–35 living in Nigeria, regardless of background or prior advocacy experience. We especially welcome first-time advocates who demonstrate curiosity, commitment, and a desire to spark positive change in their communities.
Each fellow is placed in one of four thematic clusters:
- Sexual Grooming & Cross-Generational Relationships
- Child Marriage
- Menstrual Equity & Period Poverty
- Harmful Traditional Practices (Current Focus: FGM)
These clusters serve as the foundation for all training, co-creation, and outreach activities.
Fellows are chosen based on their application form, personal statement, and potential for growth. Shortlisted applicants are invited to a virtual interview. We seek a diverse, dynamic group of individuals who are ready to learn, collaborate, and lead change.
After the training phase, all fellows are eligible to submit a community dissemination proposal. Top 10–15 fellows are awarded mini-grants ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦1,000,000, based on merit, feasibility, and alignment with YouthLab goals.
All courses, modules, and resources are hosted on The Outreach Academy, our dedicated e-learning platform. Fellows receive login access at the start of the fellowship and are supported throughout by their assigned Resource Expert.
The YouthLab is a fully virtual program. All trainings, discussions, and cluster sessions are conducted via Zoom, Slack, and our learning platform. However, dissemination activities may take place physically within local communities.
Fellows receive:
- Weekly mentorship from Resource Experts
- Peer collaboration in Slack/WhatsApp channels
- Access to ready-made and co-created advocacy tools
- Opportunities to co-develop comics, animations, and flashcards
- Certification, visibility, and post-lab support
Post-fellowship, fellows join The Smile Outreach Alumni Network, gain access to ongoing learning opportunities, and receive support in launching their own advocacy projects or community initiatives.
Yes! We actively welcome collaborations with organizations aligned with youth development, gender justice, or community empowerment. Email us at info@thesmileoutreach.africa to explore partnerships.
Our work would not be possible without the contributions of our partners. Thank you for supporting our mission to create a safer world for all.
