The youth employability event, titled “Cooperation around youth skills for youth-led SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) achievement”, was co-organized by SOS Children’s Villages, DHL Group, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the Permanent Mission of Germany to the UN.

Speakers called for the creation of more partnerships such as YouthCan!, SOS Children’s Villages global employability and entrepreneurship programme.

Under the umbrella of YouthCan!, SOS Children’s Villages partners with the private and public sector to empower young people to become self-reliant. In 2023, YouthCan! benefited 18,000 young people globally with the support of around 300 partners, including four global partners DHL Group, AkzoNobel, Siegwerk & TK Elevator.

“What we need more are technical skills - those like hairstyling, working with wood, accounting, engineering, etc.,” said Adi Soumena, 21, a member of the YouthCan! Youth Advisory Board from Indonesia, during the panel discussion. “There is still a gap, and to close it we need more partnerships to offer diverse opportunities for young people’s individual needs, especially for those with no university education.”

The need is especially great for young people without families who age out of care institutions at 18, or for those who grow up in vulnerable families, says Paloma de Souza, 23, a YouthCan! Youth Advisory Board member from Brazil.

“There are significant disadvantages when looking at things like education, mental health, social networks, and protection, risk of poverty and even climate change,” she said.

“Among young people from vulnerable families, there are many who leave school – including young girls, due to early pregnancies or early marriages. Then girls are not prepared to take care of their children. It is like a cycle,” Paloma concluded.

No one can do it on their own

Annalena Edler, Deputy Head of the UN division of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, said accelerating progress to achieving SDG 4 – to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education - is something no actor can do on their own. “It needs to combine the efforts of governments, international organizations, the business sector and civil society – combined efforts such as the cooperation between our development ministry, SOS Children's Villages and the DHL Group.”

Education and learning new skills are key, she added. “Education and fostering skillsets not only help people get out of poverty and precarious situations, but also gives peace, promotes gender equality, health and climate action.”

Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, UN Special Representative from the ILO, another speaker on the panel, noted there were reasons to celebrate, namely that the global youth unemployment rate reached a 15-year-low in 2023, falling to 13.8%.

However, 269 million young people between the ages of 15 and 24 were still not in employment, education, or training in 2023, of which two out of three in this category are female, she said.

“The problem is huge, no doubt about it. But we can celebrate because we're having some positive changes,” said Ms. Samuel-Olonjuwon. “(such as) what is happening with YouthCan!”

Ms. Samuel-Olonjuwon cited the importance of youth-led initiatives, to address youth employability. “The youth should be in the driver seat but if they cannot be in the driver seat they should be co-drivers … as we begin to not only undersand what the issues are, but work together with the key policy makers to ensure that the key issues are addressed.”

Urgent need for more partnerships

Christoph Selig, Vice President of Corporate Citizenship of DHL Group, a YouthCan! global partner from the very beginning, said there is “urgency’ for the private sector to do more to address youth unemplyoment.

“I urge the private sector to step up! By leveraging our unique skills, capabilities and assets, we can take responsability and drive innovative solutions for the SDGs and beyond. Together with our non-profit partners, we can create a sustainable future for young people!,” Mr. Selig said.

Diana Rosales, Executive Director of SOS Children’s Villages in Mexico, said the partnership with DHL has helped young people in Mexico where 41% of those between 15 and 25 do not have equal job opportunities – many of them women and girls.

“With the DHL partnership we can give these young people the opportunity to have trainings, to develop the skills for employment and entrepreneurship – to strengthen the first generation,” she said.

Sofia Garcia Garcia, Head of Strategic Partnerships at SOS Children’s Villages International, emphasized that the mentorship provided by partner volunteers is all about creating meaningful human connections with young people, particularly those who “need the most to be listened to, who are the furthest behind”. 

What’s next for YouthCan!

"What's next? Scalability,” said Maria Berenguer, Head of Youth & ICT4D at SOS Children’s Villages International. “We want to reach much more young people, but we cannot do this alone. We need to do it with civil society, with corporate sector, with public sector. So, we are capable to provide an already working and improved model to many young people."