Youth-friendly health spaces provide adolescents and young people with safe, confidential environments where they can access accurate health information, mentorship, and essential sexual and reproductive health services. However, The Youth Platform Three Sixty (TYP) observed that some young people were hesitant to participate in existing facility-based youth-friendly spaces due to group dynamics, where outspoken or influential members unintentionally discouraged quieter or less confident peers from actively engaging.

To address this challenge, TYP360 first strengthened existing youth groups by promoting respectful communication, inclusivity, active listening, and shared leadership through mentorship sessions. These efforts were reinforced through the Global Fund-supported project implemented by the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ), which provided capacity-building trainings to strengthen peer leadership and improve the management of adolescent health spaces.

Recognizing that some young people still remained reluctant to join established groups, the project introduced an innovative community-based peer mentorship model. Young community members who were not affiliated with the existing facility-based groups were identified and trained as peer mentors. Equipped with knowledge, leadership, and communication skills, these community peers became approachable entry points for young people seeking information and support in a more comfortable and neutral environment.

The approach produced positive results in Choma, where young people who had previously been hesitant to access youth-friendly services gradually became more confident and actively engaged after receiving support from community peer mentors. The model strengthened peer learning, expanded community outreach, and improved linkages between young people and health facilities.

This experience demonstrates that creating truly youth-friendly services requires more than establishing physical spaces. By investing in inclusive, community-based peer mentorship alongside facility-based platforms, TYP and CHAZ created additional pathways for engagement, ensuring that more young people feel heard, respected, and empowered to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.