Sports Coach, Altus Sport, South Africa
“Looking back on 2015 I took the responsibility to change my life. I decided to join Altus as a coach because it is close to home. What I did not expect was that my name grew in my community from my involvement with Altus Sport. As the year went on, I got to meet facilitators doing baselines and drove with them to help with translation. Angela taught me how to interview and run focus groups. I came across a rude woman – a principal – who did not want to understand our programme. She didn’t like us interviewing the kids even though we had permission. Unfortunately she is someone I see as having a clever mind, but being selfish. How can you say “why is the programme for black communities and not white?” She was mean but we were calm with her and gave her all the answers that she needed answers for. I explained that the programme is important and is educating young girls in the community, help them to gain confidence and have courage. A very significant change that this programme brought about was when one of the participants told the principal – very respectfully – that the programme taught them never to be as rude as she was.”
Staff Member, NOWSPAR, Zambia
"Through my involvement with NOWSPAR, I have been able to learn new skills such as computer skills, interpersonal skills because I was interacting a lot with other facilitators and the girls in the schools I was working. I also built my leadership skills because I was a facilitator and I used to go on my own to organise sessions at the school sometimes. I am now able to coach a group of girls now and this is something I could not do before."
A key component of leadership is to build an AGYW’s cognitive abilities to process information and to make decisions. Experience and knowledge are the most influential factors in decision-making. A leader, like all humans, makes mistakes as she operates in a dynamic, changing environment. Process tools such as checklists, methods and charts help her to apply her best critical thought; balancing fast, intuitive and emotional thought with slower, deliberate, logical thought. Experienced decision makers use failure and conflict to re-examine assumptions. Learning to apply processes in critical thinking and decision making can start very early. A girl’s ability to evaluate and determine alternative courses of action can gradually be used to apply problem-solving methods to keep her on track in reaching her personal and professional goals. But, first, a AGYW must understand her rights and know where to access information and support.
These basic process skills, organised in five main categories, are important for girls' and young women's economic empowerment.
Decision making and Evaluating Consequences
- Rights
- Body and Reproductive Health
- Safe Spaces
Analysis of Information and Influences
- Gender-based Violence
- Accessing Community Services
Problem Solving and Working Toward Goals
- Risk Taking
- Seeking Creative and Innovative Approaches
Results Delivery
- Initiative
- Planning and Organisational Skills
- Results Orientation
Programme Management
- Industry Knowledge and Job Skills
- Technical Competence
- Project Management
- Enterprise Management
For more details on individual skills within PROCESS and how they help AGYW become economically empowered, download the PROCESS framework at the following PDF link. 
Process Skills Details.pdf