Evaluation of Right To Play's Positive Child and Youth Development Program
Country
Name
Country code
Pakistan
PAK
Abstract
The two-arm cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) aimed at evaluating the Right to Play's Positive Child and Youth Development Program. This is an intervention aimed at empowering children and preventing violence. It is implemented by the international NGO Right to Play and is delivered through 60 sessions (35 minutes) per year over a period of two years for girls and boys. Each lesson is based on an activity, chosen from a manual of games, each of which is carefully designed. After playing, the children are asked to reflect on what they learned from the activity, connect it to an aspect of their lives and then discuss how their learning can be applied in future. The intervention additionally includes; teacher training in play-based learning and positive discipline and gender-based norms, summer camps, sports tournaments and thematic Play Days for children, with invited parents, several times a year. The intervention is delivered by trained coaches, assisted by junior leaders, who are selected and trained from among the school students. The RCT which was led by Aga Khan University, was conducted in 40 single-gender public schools in Hyderabad, Sindh province, Pakistan and enrolled a total of 1,752 children (927 girls and 821 boys) in grade 6 who were followed up for 24 months.