Extreme Lives digital advocacy project in South and South East Asia

Implemented in Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Extreme Lives digital advocacy project produced short documentaries targeting at-risk youth in South and Southeast Asia. These feature personal testimonials from youth who have been at risk and have managed to change their life positively.The documentaries contained key messages and were designed using country-contextual research and behavioural insights. The intervention aimed to increase locus of control, speaking up behaviour and community connectedness among the target youth audience. These indicators were identified as the key to stimulate change in perceptions and behaviours of at-risk youth. Activity-based solutions offered in the videos include closer relations with family and friends, finding a mentor, engaging in hobbies and interests, finding a job, and engaging in volunteering, among others. To measure impact, a set of proxy indicators were developed and a survey, focus group discussions and other means were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data on change of perceptions and behaviours after watching the videos. Lessons learned from this intervention have been the importance of contextual research and the need to closely engage community actors who can support outreach on the ground.