The Adolescent Kit / Kit Remaja initiative is a participatory disaster risk reduction and youth empowerment programme implemented by UNICEF Indonesia with ChildFund, local organisations and government partners. Since 2015, it has supported adolescents in disaster-prone communities to identify hazards, assess vulnerabilities, develop practical solutions and engage with local decision-makers through facilitated Adolescent Circles.
The methodology combines participatory risk mapping, peer discussions, creative problem-solving, community engagement and advocacy. In selected villages in Kupang, adolescents successfully proposed measures addressing drought-related water scarcity, leading to the installation of wells and water pumps financed through local development budgets. Other groups advocated for broader community improvements and increased recognition of adolescent participation in village planning.
The initiative has contributed to strengthening young people's capacities and integrating adolescent-responsive approaches into education and emergency preparedness programmes. UNICEF's implementation assessment also identified substantial differences in participation and decision-making influence across communities, highlighting the importance of qualified facilitators, sustained institutional support and access to formal planning processes.
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Adolescent Kit / Kit Remaja for Disaster Risk Reduction
General Information
UNICEF Indonesia adapted the Adolescent Kit for Expression and Innovation, locally known as Kit Remaja, to support meaningful adolescent participation in disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness and community development.
The initiative established Adolescent Circles in which young people participated in structured activities to identify local risks, examine vulnerabilities, develop practical solutions and communicate their proposals to community members and public authorities. The activities combined collaborative learning, hazard and capacity mapping, interviews, creative techniques, prototype development and engagement with decision-makers.
Implementation was supported by UNICEF, ChildFund and local partner organisations, with connections to schools, village administrations and national educational institutions. The approach enabled adolescents to address issues directly affecting their safety and well-being, including water scarcity and other climate-related challenges.
Documented results include the successful incorporation of adolescent-generated proposals into village development plans and the installation of nine water wells across three villages in Kupang. The intervention also contributed to the expansion of adolescent participation within school safety and emergency response programmes.
UNICEF's 2018 assessment found improvements in participants' confidence and communication skills, alongside important limitations in implementation quality, continuity and institutional influence. Of 41 Adolescent Circles examined, four successfully presented their proposals to local decision-makers, while three groups in Kupang achieved concrete projects at village level.
Indonesia's geographical and environmental characteristics expose its communities to multiple hazards, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, floods and droughts. These hazards affect adolescents through disruptions to education, livelihoods, public services and community life, with additional consequences for their physical safety and psychosocial well-being.
Despite their exposure and their capacity to contribute local knowledge, adolescents have historically faced barriers to meaningful participation in preparedness and community decision-making. Programmes addressing disaster risks were frequently developed by adults with limited opportunities for young people to express their priorities or influence proposed interventions.
UNICEF Indonesia participated in the development and initial testing of the Adolescent Kit from 2013, introducing early activities in disaster-prone communities in North Jakarta in 2014. Beginning in 2015, UNICEF and ChildFund expanded implementation with local partners, initially in Kupang and Ende and subsequently in Boyolali and Lampung.
The programme was implemented in 29 villages across these four districts during the period examined by the 2018 assessment. It sought to strengthen adolescents' competencies, increase their opportunities for community participation and create connections with institutions responsible for local development and disaster preparedness.
The Adolescent Kit methodology subsequently informed wider work across emergency response, education, child protection and social policy, including activities following volcanic emergencies and adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hazard Type
Geographical Scope - Nuts
Population Size
Population Density
Needs Addressed
The initiative addressed the limited inclusion of adolescents in disaster preparedness, risk reduction and local decision-making in hazard-prone Indonesian communities.
Although young people experience the consequences of disasters and climate-related hazards, their knowledge, needs and perspectives have frequently received insufficient consideration in planning processes. Adolescents often lack opportunities to identify risks, discuss their concerns with authorities and participate in the development of practical solutions affecting their communities.
These barriers are reinforced by social norms that underestimate adolescents' contributions, unequal access to participation opportunities, and limited institutional capacity to involve young people meaningfully.
In the programme's implementation areas, adolescents identified problems such as drought-related water scarcity, environmental risks, interruptions to education and insufficient community infrastructure. These issues demonstrated the connections between disaster vulnerability and wider social and economic conditions.
The initiative sought to strengthen adolescents' practical competencies and agency while developing mechanisms through which their proposals could reach community leaders and local government institutions. It also addressed the need for stronger facilitation, intergenerational dialogue and institutional responsiveness to adolescent-generated solutions.
The programme primarily targeted adolescent girls and boys aged 10–19 living in disaster-prone communities and humanitarian contexts.
Adolescents face particular vulnerabilities during disasters because of their dependence on household and community resources, limited opportunities for decision-making, and potential disruptions to education, mobility and psychosocial well-being.
Gender-related vulnerabilities emerged clearly in the activities conducted in drought-affected communities in Kupang. Girls were frequently responsible for collecting water over considerable distances, with consequences for their school attendance and daily activities.
The initiative operated through cooperation between UNICEF Indonesia, ChildFund, local implementing organisations, educational institutions, community representatives and public authorities.
UNICEF provided the programme methodology, technical guidance and support for institutional partnerships. ChildFund and local organisations coordinated community activities, trained facilitators and supported adolescents in developing proposals.
Village administrations and district authorities retained responsibility for local development decisions and the allocation of public resources. Adolescent Circles provided an organised mechanism for young people to develop collective proposals and, where appropriate institutional connections existed, communicate them to decision-makers.
In selected communities, adolescent participation was linked to the musrenbang, Indonesia's participatory development-planning process. This enabled youth-generated proposals to enter formal discussions concerning village priorities and expenditure.
The model combined community-level participation with established government decision-making structures. Its effectiveness depended substantially on the responsiveness of local authorities and the quality of relationships established by implementing partners.
The initiative contributed to organised preparedness activities through the integration of adolescent participation into community risk reduction, school safety and emergency-response programmes.
Adolescents participated in identifying hazards, analysing vulnerabilities, assessing community capacities and developing proposals to address locally relevant risks.
Through these activities, participants gained experience in recognising disaster-related challenges and communicating preparedness priorities within their communities.
UNICEF also collaborated with educational and emergency management partners to integrate the Adolescent Kit methodology into existing institutional programmes. From 2018, emergency focal points from ten high-risk provinces received training on adolescent-responsive approaches.
The programme relied mainly on existing community, educational and administrative infrastructure.
Implementation required accessible spaces for Adolescent Circle activities, educational materials, supplies for participatory exercises and arrangements for communication with community members and local authorities.
Schools, community facilities and village government premises supported group meetings, workshops and presentations. The methodology was designed to be adaptable to settings with limited technological resources.
In selected locations, adolescent participation also contributed to improvements in physical infrastructure. In Kupang, youth-generated proposals addressing water scarcity were incorporated into local development plans, resulting in the installation of nine water wells across Kuaklalo, Oelesala and Oeltuah.
The principal purpose of engagement was to strengthen adolescents' meaningful participation in disaster risk reduction and community decisions affecting their safety, well-being and development.
The initiative sought to enable young people to identify risks and vulnerabilities, analyse community challenges and collectively develop appropriate responses.
It also aimed to improve communication between adolescents and adult stakeholders, including parents, educators, community leaders and public authorities. The establishment of these relationships was essential for ensuring that adolescent-generated proposals could be considered within existing planning processes.
Through practical activities, adolescents were encouraged to develop confidence, communication skills, leadership, cooperation and problem-solving capacities.
At the institutional level, engagement sought to increase recognition of adolescents as legitimate contributors to local planning and to strengthen the capacity of public authorities and community organisations to support continued participation.
The programme combined structured participatory learning with opportunities for community action and institutional dialogue.
Adolescent Circles. Regularly facilitated groups provided safe spaces for adolescents to share experiences, acquire competencies and collaborate on community issues.
Participatory hazard and capacity mapping. Adolescents identified environmental risks, vulnerabilities, community resources and possible interventions.
Peer interviews and community discussions. Participants collected information about problems affecting their communities and explored different perspectives.
Creative activities and digital storytelling. Drawing, collaborative exercises, visual communication and Community Digital Storytelling were used to develop and communicate ideas.
Prototype development. Groups translated identified problems into practical proposals and examined the feasibility of possible solutions.
Community events and presentations. Adolescents communicated their findings and proposals to parents, community representatives and public authorities.
Engagement with planning institutions. In selected locations, groups accessed formal village development-planning processes, including musrenbang meetings.
Facilitator training and mentoring. Adult and youth facilitators supported group activities, community outreach and communication with institutional stakeholders.
Adolescents exercised influence through the identification of community priorities, formulation of proposals, communication with local stakeholders and, in selected locations, participation in formal development-planning processes.
The programme's most significant documented outcomes occurred in Kupang, where Adolescent Circles in Kuaklalo, Oelesala and Oeltuah identified drought-related water scarcity as a major problem.
Participants developed proposals for wells and water pumps, initially presented their ideas to parents and subsequently engaged village authorities with support from UNICEF, ChildFund and LPMM.
The three village administrations agreed to include the proposals in their development plans. Nine water wells were installed across the villages, and adolescent representatives were subsequently invited to participate in musrenbangmeetings.
In Lampung, adolescent proposals also influenced institutional practices. Following a presentation by young participants, the district head issued a circular instructing leaders in 131 villages and relevant district departments to involve children and adolescents in village planning processes. The assessment did not establish the extent to which this instruction was subsequently implemented.
The initiative strengthened adolescents' capacities through participatory learning, collective problem-solving and experience in communicating with community stakeholders.
The Adolescent Kit's methodology addressed communication, expression, leadership, critical thinking, decision-making, cooperation, creativity and other competencies relevant to meaningful civic participation.
Adolescent Circles enabled young people to practise these abilities through community mapping, discussions, collaborative activities and the preparation of practical proposals. In successful locations, the experience of presenting ideas to public authorities strengthened participants' confidence and provided direct experience of community decision-making.
The intervention also contributed to the development of institutional capacity. Teachers, facilitators, civil society organisations and government representatives received training and practical experience in adolescent-centred engagement methodologies.
Longer-term empowerment was supported by the integration of the approach into school safety programmes, emergency response training and wider UNICEF programming.
The 2018 assessment nevertheless identified significant limitations in the measurement and sustainability of competency development. Many groups discontinued structured activities after their project cycle, and evidence of long-term behavioural change was limited.
Vulnerable Groups
Governance
Emergency Preparedness
Infrastructure Readiness
Engagement Level
Empowerment Level
Implementation
The Adolescent Kit / Kit Remaja initiative combines structured participatory learning, community-based disaster risk reduction and opportunities for adolescent influence over local decisions.
Its distinctive elements include:
- Youth-led identification of vulnerabilities: adolescents identify hazards and community challenges based on their own experiences and understanding of local conditions.
- Structured participatory methodology: the four-phase Adolescent Circle approach connects self-expression, collective learning, community analysis and practical action.
- Integration of disaster preparedness and civic participation: activities address environmental and social vulnerabilities while developing competencies for participation in public decision-making.
- Connections with existing governance mechanisms: selected groups successfully engaged village authorities and influenced development plans through established participatory planning processes.
- Tangible community outcomes: documented examples include water infrastructure improvements responding to drought-related vulnerabilities.
- Institutional adaptability: the methodology has been incorporated into educational programmes, emergency-response training and wider adolescent participation initiatives.
- Replicability through accessible resources: implementation relies primarily on trained facilitators, educational materials and community partnerships, allowing adaptation to different geographical and institutional settings.
English; Bahasa Indonesia
UNICEF Indonesia, in partnership with ChildFund Indonesia and local implementing organisations, including LPMM, YKSB and LPAMAS, local schools and community organisations.
UNICEF has extensive international experience in humanitarian response, emergency preparedness, education in emergencies, child protection and child-centred disaster risk reduction.
UNICEF Indonesia has supported national and local institutions in developing school safety programmes, strengthening emergency response capacities, providing psychosocial support and addressing the vulnerabilities of children and adolescents affected by disasters.
The Adolescent Kit initiative built on these institutional competencies and on partnerships with organisations experienced in community-based disaster risk reduction.
ChildFund was selected as an implementing partner partly because of its established experience in DRR programming, work with children and adolescents, and network of local organisations across Indonesia.
UNICEF's assessment nevertheless identified differences in technical capacity and facilitation quality between implementing partners and local teams. These findings illustrate the importance of distinguishing organisational experience at national level from the effective capacities available for implementation within individual communities.
UNICEF Indonesia: programme development, adaptation, technical guidance, training support, monitoring and institutional coordination.
ChildFund Indonesia: coordination of programme implementation with local partners and support for community-level activities.
Local implementing organisations: Lembaga Pengembangan Masyarakat Madani (LPMM) in Kupang, Yayasan Keluarga Sejahtera Boyolali (YKSB) in Boyolali, and Lembaga Pemerhati Anak dan Masyarakat (LPAMAS) in Lampung, among others.
Adolescent participants: identification of community vulnerabilities, participation in learning activities, development of proposals and engagement with community stakeholders.
Facilitators and youth leaders: organisation of Adolescent Circles, delivery of participatory activities and support for community engagement.
Parents and community representatives: support for adolescent proposals, participation in discussions and facilitation of communication with village leaders.
Village and district authorities: consideration of proposals, development planning, resource allocation and potential institutionalisation of participation mechanisms.
Educational and emergency preparedness institutions: Ministry of Education and Culture, National Secretariat for Safe Schools, Indonesian Red Cross and Indonesian Scout Movement, which contributed to wider institutional integration and training activities.
The following sequence combines the programme's documented implementation arrangements with UNICEF's established four-phase methodology.
- Programme preparation and contextual adaptation. Identify disaster risks, adolescent vulnerabilities, implementing partners and opportunities for participation. Adapt Adolescent Kit materials to the local context, including disaster risk reduction activities relevant to the participating communities.
- Partnership development and facilitator training. Establish cooperation with civil society organisations, schools, community representatives and local government institutions. Train facilitators in the methodology, participatory techniques and adolescent engagement.
- Formation of Adolescent Circles. Recruit adolescent participants and establish facilitated groups. The methodology recommends groups of approximately 7–25 adolescents, supported by one or two facilitators, with appropriate arrangements for inclusion and safe participation.
- Starting Our Circle. Establish group relationships, shared rules and safe environments for communication and participation. Introduce collaborative exercises to strengthen trust and cooperation.
- Knowing Ourselves. Support adolescents in identifying their abilities, concerns, experiences and priorities. Develop capacities for self-expression, communication and reflection.
- Connecting. Facilitate analysis of community challenges through participatory hazard and capacity mapping, peer interviews, discussions and other activities connecting participants with their local environment.
- Taking Action. Identify priority problems, generate possible solutions, assess their feasibility and develop practical proposals or prototypes for community initiatives.
- Community dialogue and institutional engagement. Present proposals to parents, community representatives and local authorities. Establish opportunities for adolescents to participate in existing planning mechanisms where appropriate.
- Implementation and follow-up. Support the adoption of feasible proposals, monitor the implementation of activities and strengthen connections with schools, civil society organisations and local authorities to facilitate continued participation.
Human resources: programme coordinators, trained facilitators, educational staff, community mobilisers and technical support personnel. Facilitator capacity was particularly important for ensuring the quality and continuity of participation.
Educational resources: Adolescent Kit guidance documents, activity cards, session-planning tools, participatory mapping materials and supplies for group exercises.
Logistical resources: accessible meeting spaces, transport arrangements, training venues, materials distribution and facilities for community events and presentations.
Institutional resources: cooperation with schools, village administrations, district authorities and civil society organisations able to support the development and consideration of adolescent proposals.
Financial resources: support for facilitator training, programme coordination, transport, educational materials, workshops, monitoring and community activities.
2013–2014
Participation in the initial development and testing of the Adolescent Kit, including early implementation activities in North Jakarta.
2015–2016
Programme implementation with ChildFund and local partners, initially including Kupang and Ende.
2017–early 2018
Expansion to Boyolali and Lampung; continuation of Adolescent Circle activities and advocacy in participating communities.
2018
Formal implementation assessment and integration into additional education and emergency-response activities.
2020
Adaptation of the methodology for digital participation and psychosocial support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021
Documentation of cumulative results and wider institutional integration in UNICEF's humanitarian case study.
Experience of the Implementing Organisation in DRM
Target Audience
Resources Required
Timeframe & Phases
Participation Results
- Participation requires institutional access. Adolescents' capacity to formulate proposals must be accompanied by opportunities to engage the authorities responsible for planning and resource allocation.
- Facilitator competence is critical. Qualified facilitators support deeper learning, stronger group cohesion and more effective progression from participatory activities to community action.
- Adult stakeholders influence participation outcomes. Parents, community leaders, teachers and implementing organisations can help create conditions in which adolescent contributions are recognised and considered.
- Practical results strengthen the legitimacy of adolescent participation. Successful implementation of community proposals can increase recognition of young people's abilities and encourage further engagement.
- Equitable participation requires specific measures. Outreach and facilitation must account for differences in age, gender, educational status and social vulnerability.
- Long-term empowerment requires institutionalisation. Continued participation depends on monitoring, local ownership, adequate resources and integration into existing governance and educational processes.
UNICEF's 2018 assessment documented several challenges affecting implementation quality, adolescent participation and the translation of community proposals into decisions.
Limited facilitator capacity. Some facilitators lacked sufficient experience in participatory methodologies and adolescent empowerment. This affected the depth of discussions, participants' understanding of the activities and the development of practical competencies. The assessment recommended additional training, mentoring and technical supervision.
Uneven opportunities for institutional participation. Many groups completed participatory activities without obtaining opportunities to present their proposals to local decision-makers. In successful communities, more intensive support from implementing partners and sustained contact with village authorities facilitated access to planning mechanisms.
Limited inclusion of marginalised adolescents. Recruitment often favoured young people already active in schools or community programmes. Older adolescents, out-of-school young people and socially marginalised groups were more difficult to involve. The assessment identified the need for stronger outreach and better adaptation of activities.
Financial and organisational constraints. The transition from prototype development to implementation was hindered in some locations by insufficient resources, limited advocacy capacity and difficulties navigating local budgeting procedures. In Kupang, cooperation with parents, community organisations and village authorities helped groups secure resources for their proposals.
Inadequate monitoring and continuity. Many Adolescent Circles discontinued structured activities after the project period, and follow-up mechanisms were insufficient to establish sustained behavioural change or institutional influence.
Risk reduction activities were adapted to locally identified hazards, adolescents' experiences and the institutional capacities of participating communities.
Through Adolescent Circles, young people examined disaster-related vulnerabilities, analysed available resources and developed solutions addressing problems affecting their daily lives.
In Kupang, drought-related water scarcity was identified as a priority because of its consequences for education, household responsibilities and community well-being. Adolescents developed practical water-supply proposals and secured support from village authorities for their implementation.
The programme also faced organisational risks, including insufficient facilitator capacity, unequal participation, weak connections with decision-makers, limited resources and inadequate long-term monitoring.
UNICEF's assessment recommended stronger situation analyses, inclusive recruitment strategies, facilitator development, early engagement with public authorities, additional technical supervision and systematic monitoring.
These recommendations provide a basis for adapting the methodology to different contexts. The reviewed evidence does not establish that all recommended measures were subsequently implemented in every participating community.
Risk & Mitigation Plan
Scalability and Sustainability
The programme's sustainability was based on the progressive integration of Adolescent Kit activities into existing educational, community and government structures.
UNICEF Indonesia collaborated with institutional partners to incorporate adolescent participation into school safety, emergency-response training and broader educational and social programmes. These arrangements created opportunities to extend the methodology beyond its initial implementation.
At community level, sustainability depended on the continued involvement of trained facilitators, local organisations, parents and public authorities. The successful integration of adolescent-generated proposals into village development plans demonstrated the possibility of connecting participation with established planning and financing mechanisms.
UNICEF's 2018 assessment nevertheless found that many Adolescent Circles discontinued activities after project completion and that continued institutional support was uneven.
The available evidence therefore supports an emerging model of institutional sustainability through educational integration, local partnerships and selected government commitments. It does not establish a uniformly self-sustaining operational or financial arrangement across all implementation sites.
The Adolescent Kit methodology has demonstrated adaptability across different geographical settings, disaster risks and institutional programmes.
UNICEF Indonesia initially implemented the approach in selected disaster-prone communities and subsequently expanded its application across multiple districts and humanitarian contexts.
The programme was also adapted to address wider issues affecting adolescents, including child marriage, menstrual hygiene management, education and psychosocial well-being.
By September 2021, UNICEF reported the following cumulative results across the broader Indonesian Adolescent Kit programme:
3,312 Adolescents participated
146 Adolescent Circles established
400 Facilitators trained
99 Solution ideas developed
The programme's principal innovations are methodological and organisational, combining participatory education, community-based risk assessment and mechanisms for adolescent engagement in local decision-making.
Most activities relied on accessible educational resources, printed materials, facilitated discussions, community mapping and collaborative exercises.
Digital technologies supported selected activities, particularly Community Digital Storytelling, which enabled adolescents to document and communicate their experiences and proposals.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF adapted the methodology to support online activities and psychosocial interventions for adolescents affected by restrictions and social isolation.
Technology therefore played a complementary role in communication, learning and programme adaptation. The implementation did not depend on advanced digital infrastructure or specialised disaster-monitoring technologies.
The categories of direct expenditure documented by UNICEF include:
- Production, printing and distribution of Adolescent Kit educational materials and facilitator guidance.
- Initial training and capacity-building for facilitators, teachers and relevant institutional partners.
- Materials and supplies for participatory activities, including community mapping, creative exercises and prototype development.
- Organisation of training workshops, community events and meetings with local authorities.
- Transport and logistical support for programme implementation and community outreach.
- Documentation, communication and advocacy activities.
Recurring operational needs include continued facilitator support, refresher training, educational materials, meeting arrangements, transport, programme coordination and engagement with local authorities.
Additional resources are required for monitoring, documentation, quality assurance and activities intended to sustain adolescent participation beyond the initial project period.
The programme demonstrates that adolescent participation in disaster risk reduction can contribute to both individual capacity development and concrete improvements in community preparedness.
Its experience highlights the importance of connecting participatory learning with institutional decision-making opportunities, investing in skilled facilitators and creating supportive relationships between adolescents and adult stakeholders.
The implementation also demonstrates that local development mechanisms can provide opportunities for financing adolescent-generated solutions, as shown by the water infrastructure interventions in Kupang.
Sustained participation requires attention to inclusion, programme continuity, monitoring and institutional responsiveness. The available evidence suggests that successful outcomes depend substantially on local implementation quality and the willingness of public authorities to consider and act upon young people's contributions.