Appreciative Inquiry-Based D&I Course

The application period for our 2025 course is now closed. Applicants will be notified of acception the week of 24 March.

The Appreciative Inquiry-Based D&I Course is designed to equip participants with the tools and strategies needed to adapt, scale, and sustain evidence-based HIV programs for adolescents and young adults (AYA) in resource-constrained settings. Grounded in the principles of dissemination and implementation (D&I) science and guided by appreciative inquiry, the curriculum leverages the strengths and innovations already present within the PATC³H-IN network. Participants will explore the critical processes of adaptation, scalability, and sustainability, all of which are essential to optimizing the HIV prevention and treatment continuum for AYA in low-to-middle-income countries. Through a focus on real-world challenges and participatory approaches, the course emphasizes the importance of tailoring interventions to diverse cultural, socio-economic, and health system contexts. By integrating best practices and lessons learned across the network, participants will develop actionable insights and strategies to enhance program impact and equity while addressing the unique needs of AYA. 

At the conclusion of this course, participants will draft action plans and refined project ideas for youth-focused initiatives, emphasizing sustainability, scalability, and adaptation. Participants who have completed this course will also receive INSPIRE’s Certificate in Appreciative Inquiry-Based D&I.

Contact us at learning@inspireyouthhealth.org with any questions.

Important Dates


Submission deadline
16 March 2025, 19:00 WAT

Applicants notified of selection
Week of 24 March 2025

Notification of acceptance
26 March 2025

Course dates
31 March – 2 May, 2025

Mentoring pods*
through March 2026

*For eight selected participants

2025 Course

31 March- 2 May, 2025
Live sessions on Tuesdays, 10-11:00am CT/ 18-19:00 WAT

Target Audience

Early-career researchers, implementers, practitioners, and policymakers working on youth-focused initiatives in public health, education, and social services, with an emphasis on addressing challenges related to sustainability, scalability, and adaptation, including HIV-related programs.

Course Components

  • 1 hour pre-recorded lectures (provided one week prior to the live session)
  • 1 hour live sessions (Tuesdays, 17:00 WAT)
  • Assigned reading and case studies

Eight applicants will receive small group mentorship in addition to the course. These mentoring pods will meet every other month from May 2025-March 2026.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will:

  • Know how to approach their work using an appreciative inquiry lens to identify strengths, amplify successes, and create opportunities for growth in youth-focused dissemination and implementation (D&I) science.

  • Understand principles of sustainability, scalability, and adaptation in youth-focused D&I science, while emphasizing the value of leveraging existing community assets and capacities.

  • Develop actionable strategies for implementing evidence-based practices that not only meet the unique needs of youth but also inspire engagement, creativity, and leadership among young stakeholders.

  • Co-create and refine project-specific plans for scaling and sustaining youth-focused interventions, emphasizing iterative feedback loops and collaborative input from diverse youth voices, including those addressing HIV and broader public health priorities.

  • Build a network of peers, mentors, and youth stakeholders grounded in mutual respect, shared vision, and co-ownership to foster continued innovation and collaboration.

  • Identify and celebrate examples of successful youth-focused interventions to understand the key elements that contributed to their success and explore how those lessons can be adapted to other contexts.

  • Apply appreciative inquiry principles to overcome barriers, foster resilience, and reframe challenges as opportunities for innovation in youth-focused D&I science.

  • Cultivate a strengths-based mindset that empowers youth and partners to co-design solutions that are culturally relevant, sustainable, and impactful.