YouthCan!

Global partnership for youth employability

More than 64 million young people worldwide are unemployed. Many more do not earn enough to build a stable, independent life. The YouthCan! partnership helps to empower young people and help them prepare for the transition to independence and the job market.

Finding decent work and meaningful employment is a particularly daunting challenge for those who cannot count on the networks, resources and guidance of their families. In many countries, these young people face social and economic exclusion. They have limited opportunities to access the labour market and embark on their career.

YouthCan! is a global multi-stakeholder initiative that supports disadvantaged young people to help them successfully manage the transition to independent adulthood. The programme offers a range of activities for young people, including hands-on experience in a real working environment, access to role models as well as mentors and networks, entrepreneurship training, skills sharing and career opportunities.

YouthCan! builds on the expertise of partners and provides individualised, holistic support to help prepare young people for the job market.

Additionally, the digital platform YouthLinks allows us to leverage the power of technology to reach and support more young people so they can enhance their employability. YouthLinks provides an opportunity for young people and mentors to connect more easily, share materials, create networks and support each other, breaking geographical and time barriers.

The global partnership for youth employability was launched in 2017 and has by now established six global and more than 130 national corporate partnerships.

During 2018 YouthCan! reached out to 5,060 young people in 25 different countries, equally supporting boys and girls. 1,300 corporate volunteers shaped and facilitated trainings, exposure to the work environment and acted as mentors to young people in both online and face-to-face meetings.

Partnering for impact

Working with our corporate and support partners, we aim to increase our impact on the lives of children, young people and communities, actively contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals.
 
As part of the YouthCan! network, corporate partners match local talents with corporate needs, generating business value and strengthening their reputation and brand among customers and employees.

There are many ways you can support YouthCan! at the local, national or international level.

Contact us for more information: YouthCan@sos-kd.org.

Network of global YouthCan! partners