Jongeren strategie/ Youth Strategy
Reactie
| Naam | Civic Engagement Alliance (Daan Mulder Dicky de Morree) |
|---|---|
| Plaats | Utrecht |
| Datum | 29 augustus 2019 |
Vraag1
1. If you look at the 3 regions that we focus on (MENA, Horn of Africa, Sahel) – can you mention specific trends per region which are relevant for the strategy. Are there, for example, specific sectors where there is much to be gained? Or specific skills that young people lack in a certain region or sector?The Civic Engagement Alliance (CEA) is a joint collaboration between ICCO, Edukans, Kerk in Actie, CNV, Prisma, Woord en Daad, Wilde Ganzen and southern civil society organizations under the Dialogue & Dissent Strategic Partnership Programme of the Dutch MoFA. CEA works focuses on 4 thematic areas: civic space, food & nutrition security, small agricultural producer empowerment & inclusive markets and responsible business. Within these areas, CEA aims at strengthening the position of excluded groups in society, including youth. The programme is carried out in the Netherlands/ EU and 12 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. See: https://civicengagementalliance.org/. For this consultation we requested input from our colleagues in Benin, Mali, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and the alliance partners in the Netherlands
Please see the attached document for the specific trends per region.
Vraag2
2. Do you have examples of successful "scaled up" initiatives / programs in the field of education and work to increase youth employment, and if so, which ones? Or do you know of certain successful initiatives that are worth scaling up in the 3 regions mentioned?
Overall:
- The Edukans programme Learn4Work, supported by the Dutch MoFA between 2012-2018, which focused on the adaptation of training and education to the labour market demand. The programme has reached 125.000 youth in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
See: https://edukans.org/learn4work/.
- The Strengthening African Rural Smallholders program has improved access to finance for thousands of smallholder farmers (also for youth) in Ethiopia, Senegal, Rwanda and Burkina Faso
(https://www.icco-cooperation.org/en/projects/stars).
Kenya:
- Yusudi has two programmes that address the skills gaps experienced by the youth.
See: https://www.yusudi.co/
- The K-Yes programme was successful as part of Youth Power program of USAID.
See: https://www.youthpower.org/kenya-youth-employment-and-skills-program-k-yes
- Opportunities For Africans is a successful online hub for presenting different opportunities for the youth
See: https://www.opportunitiesforafricans.com/category/kenya/
- Inspire Spaces provides vulnerable students with education
See: http://www.inspirespaces.org/
Uganda
- Kyambogo University has proven to be an innovative partner for agrifood related initiatives. For example, through the Fresh Vacuum-Sealed Matooke (FREVASEMA) project, it managed to expert Matooke banana to the US and Europe.
- The Enable Youth program of Truvalu has successfully trained youth to become entrepreneurs
See: http://enableyouth.ug/
Benin:
- The PAEFE and PAFPAA programmes of the Swiss cooperation (Helvetas) in Benin give a second opportunity to young who have dropped out of school, and trains youth to manufacture efficient tools for agriculture
See: https://www.helvetas.org/fr/suisse/ce-qu-on-fait/comment-on-travaille/nos-projets/afrique/benin/benin-ecole & https://www.eda.admin.ch/dam/countries/countries-content/benin/fr/150108-Benin-Fiche-technique-PAFPAA_FR.pdf
- The new project ‘Youth employment create opportunities at home in Mali’ (EJOM) by ICCO aims to train 8,620 young people (including 2,586 women and 1,293 returnees) and to create 6,472 jobs. Despite the complex circumstances, everything indicates that EJOM’s approach is successful. Of 2,500 young people who were trained in 2018, almost everyone started their own business.
See: https://www.icco-cooperation.org/en/project/youth-employment-in-mali/
Vraag3
3. Do you have specific ideas or additions about how we can make young people part of this policy? How do we ensure that they participate in the implementation of this strategy?- Consult youth via social media. Since youth are expressing themselves more freely on social media, this could be an opportunity to hear their opinions
- Establish a diverse youth think tank with youth from both the Netherlands and African countries and let them come up with new ideas for existing challenges. This will result in innovative ideas.
- Organise a call for concept papers by youth to be involved in the design and implementation of this policy
- Establish online youth groups per country, which may not only serve to consult youth on the new Dutch youth policy, but will also help youth to learn from each other and join hands to do advocacy to strengthen their position.
- Engage not only youth, but also other generations. In many African countries (especially Sahel), youth can only participate when this is supported by the other generations.
Vraag4
4. Anything else you feel is worth mentioning?- The application of technologies and innovations will engage more youth in the agrifood sector, which has a lot of potential for youth.
- The education chain prepares children and youth for future employment. In any youth policy, it is therefore important to pay attention to primary schooling as well. Already from a young age children start learning the skills, both hard and soft, that prepare them for their future work.
- Clarify the roles of each stakeholder in the new Dutch youth policy. Governments are generally responsible for education but are unable to deliver. What roles should and can NGOs and the private sector fulfil?
- In order to reach youth, other generations need to be involved as well. Youth participation is in many countries depends on the acceptance by people from the older generations, like parents or community leaders.