Youth empowerment
We believe if young people are supported to earn an income and access resources, they can sustain their own livelihoods and actively seek out new economic opportunities.
The issue
Young people aged 16-35 are the most vulnerable group in society. They are heavily impacted by poverty and often face barriers such as low education, unemployment, social discrimination and inequality, as well as increasingly having to deal with the effects of climate change.
Young people often have limited access to services and may lack the appropriate skills to be able to gain decent job opportunities.
From our work, we recognise the huge potential of our youth in economic development. Our global programme is designed to address the barriers that prevent youths from accessing decent work and empower them to become active agents of change.
How VSO supports youth
We advocate for the creation of decent green jobs and raise awareness about the rights of young people and promote social accountability between young people and their communities.
We design and implement programmes that mentor individuals in how to start-up businesses and give them access to financial services and digital technology, provided through partnerships with local youth-centred groups. Our programmes are informed through field-testing and building guidelines around the barriers that stop young people from accessing decent jobs.
We also empower young people through our youth networks. These connect young people together who want to work to influence policies and promote systematic changes that allow for the creation of inclusive and decent jobs.
