The first episode sets the global scene for adolescents in crisis. We talk to Khalid*, a 13 year old Syrian refugee living in a tent in Jordan with his family, and Fatuma*, a mother of two small children who was brutally forced from her home at the age of 18. She lives in a government-supported centre for internally displaced people south of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

Like the many thousands of young refugees they both face many vulnerabilities because of their legal status. Forced to grow up fast, any employment is confined to sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing that require low skills and are rewarded with low pay, no benefits and no health insurance.

For all the agencies tasked with supporting refugees and internally displaced persons, understanding the different needs of adolescents is vital to designing age and gender appropriate support and services. Listening to the voices of the young people affected by crisis is the first important starting point.

Episode 1 speakers:
1. Dr Prerna Banati, UNICEF
2. Dr Nicola Jones, Director, ODI Principal Research Fellow and GAGE Director
3. Workneh Yadete, GAGE Ethiopia Qualitative Research Lead and Research Uptake and Impact Coordinator
4. Jude Sajdi, GAGE Jordan researcher
5. Fatuma*, adolescent IDP in Ethiopia facing dearth of economic opportunities
6. Khalid*, adolescent Syrian refugee working in gruelling conditions in ITS in Jordan

* The names are pseudonyms to protect individual adolescent identities.