Shillong, Meghalaya: The MPOWER Health Sub-PMU hosted a two-day training programme titled “Facilitating Youth Voices: Focus Group Discussion (FGD) Training for Adolescent Health & Wellbeing” at the Wellness Centre, Additional Secretariat, Shillong, aimed at strengthening the capacity of field-level teams to engage adolescents and understand their perspectives on health and wellbeing.
The training was designed for District Programme Managers (DPMs), Block Programme Coordinators (BPCs) and Adolescent Counsellors, equipping them with essential facilitation and communication skills to conduct Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) effectively and sensitively.
Focus Group Discussions provide an opportunity for young people to express their experiences, concerns and opinions in a structured and supportive setting. When conducted appropriately, these discussions can help programme teams better understand adolescents’ needs, identify challenges they face and inform interventions that are responsive to their realities.
The training emphasised the importance of creating safe and inclusive spaces where adolescents feel comfortable sharing their views. It also highlighted the role of effective communication, active listening and sensitive facilitation in encouraging meaningful participation while ensuring that young people’s perspectives are captured respectfully.
By strengthening the skills of programme managers, coordinators and counsellors, the initiative seeks to support more informed engagement with adolescents across Meghalaya. Equipping frontline teams to listen to young people can help bridge the gap between programme design and the lived experiences of adolescents, ensuring that their voices contribute to discussions and decisions concerning their health and wellbeing.
The training reflects MPOWER Health’s continued focus on strengthening field-level capacity and promoting youth-responsive approaches to adolescent health and wellbeing.