INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FOUNDATION

INITIATIVES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: SINCE IYF'S FOUNDING IN 1990, WE'VE HELPED MORE THAN TWO MILLION SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN YOUTH TURN THEIR TALENT AND ENTHUSIASM INTO JOBS AND CAREERS IN GROWTH SECTORS SUCH AS SERVICE INDUSTRIES, AGRICULTURE, AND CONSTRUCTION. IN 2022 IYF OPERATED 17 PROGRAMS IN 5 COUNTRIES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA (ETHIOPIA, SOUTH AFRICA, ZIMBABWE, KENYA, NIGERIA) REACHING OVER 44,000 YOUNG PEOPLE. IYF'S BENEFICIARIES INCLUDED ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN, OPPORTUNITY YOUTH, STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, AND YOUTH WITH DISABILITY. THESE PROGRAMS IMPROVED ALIGNMENT BETWEEN TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL TRAINING SKILLS COURSES AND INDUSTRY NEEDS, IMPROVED BENEFICIARIES' PATHWAYS TO MEANINGFUL LIVELIHOODS, INCLUDING PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY DIGITAL TRAINING TO SECURE JOBS AND LEARNERSHIPS, CREATED MORE YOUTH-INCLUSIVE AND YOUTH-RESPONSIVE ORGANIZATIONS AND IMPROVED PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES IN TRAINING CENTERS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MASTERCARD FOUNDATION, VIA: PATHWAYS TO WORK APPLIES A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO IMPROVE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERSERVED YOUNG PEOPLE IN MOZAMBIQUE AND TANZANIA. IN SOUTH AFRICA, IYF MANAGES HIGH GEAR, AN EXCITING INITIATIVE THAT IS ADVANCING SOUTH AFRICA'S PUBLIC TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (TVET) COLLEGE SYSTEM. HIGH GEAR DRAWS ON INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IMPERATIVESALONG WITH IYF CURRICULA ENHANCEMENT TOOLSTO STRENGTHEN THE MARKET RELEVANCE OF SELECT PUBLIC TVET COLLEGE COURSES. THROUGH IMPROVED LEARNER RETENTION AND COMPLETION RATES, THE SKILLS FOR LIFE PROJECT IN SOUTH AFRICA SEEKS TO SUPPORT THE COUNTRY'S TVET COLLEGE SYSTEM TO BETTER PREPARE YOUNG WOMEN AND MEN WITH THE LIFE SKILLS AND INDUSTRY-RELEVANT TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES NEEDED FOR ACADEMIC AND WORKFORCE SUCCESS. IYF LEADS SPECIFIC COMPONENTS OF THE KEFETA PROJECT IN ETHIOPIA AND THE TAKUNDA PROJECT IN ZIMBABWE. IN ETHIOPIA, THE KEFETA INITIATIVE WILL SERVE A TARGET OF 2M YOUTH ACROSS 18 ETHIOPIAN CITIES. THE GOAL OF THE TAKUNDA ACTIVITY IS ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE, EQUITABLE, AND RESILIENT FOOD, NUTRITION, AND INCOME SECURITY FOR OVER 300,000 YOUTH. THROUGH THESE PROJECTS, IYF OVERSEES THE COMPONENTS INCLUDING 1) YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, INCLUSIONG AND EMPOWERMENT, 2) INVESTING IN HIGHER EDUCATION ALLIANCES AND YOUTH HUBS AND BUILDING AN EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, AND 3) LINKING THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

INITIATIVES IN THE US AND GLOBAL PROGRAMS: IYF INITIATIVES REACH YOUNG PEOPLE IN RURAL AND URBAN AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES, AND SEVERAL PROJECTS WITH GLOBAL REACH. THE LARGEST PROJECT IYF IS IMPLEMENTING IN THE US AND GLOBAL IS THE YOUTH OPPORTUNITY (YO) INITIATIVE IN CHICAGO WITH FUNDING FROM THE MCDONALD'S CORPORATION. THE GOAL OF THE PARTNERSHIP IS TO REDUCE BARRIERS AND INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE AGES 1624. IYF PARTNERS WITH LOCAL, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRAINING, WHICH INCLUDES CRITICAL LIFE SKILLS LIKE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, TEAMWORK, MANAGING STRESS, AND HANDLING CONFLICT. THE YO INITIATIVE INCREASES OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH THROUGH 1) LIFE SKILLS TRAINING, 2) CONNECTION TO JOBS, 3) YOUTH VOICES, AND 4) COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. AS OF 2022, IYF'S YO PROGRAM IMPACT INCLUDED SERVING OVER 13,000 YOUNG PEOPLE, OF WHICH 87% SELF-IDENTIFIED AS EITHER BLACK OR LATINX, 56% FEMALE, AND 67% OF PARTICIPANTS HAVE SINCE BEEN HIRED OR ARE IN EDUCATION. THE YO PROGRAM IS EXPANDING PROGRAM SITES ACROSS THE US AND PUERTO RICO AND URUGUAY. IN ADDITION, IN THIS REGION, IYF HAS ADDRESSED THE CONCERNS YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS FOR YEARS. IN FACT, YOUNG PEOPLE CRAFTED AND ADVISED SOME OF OUR EARLIEST SOLUTIONS SUCH AS BUILDING IN CRISIS SUPPORT SERVICES IN HIGH SCHOOLS, PROVIDING FREE BI-LINGUAL TELETHERAPY, OFFERING FREE YOGA CLASSES, AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE DIFFERING MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS BY GENDER. IN PUERTO RICK, OUR DO GOOD INITIATIVE IS A THREE-YEAR PROGRAM WHICH THE YOUNG PEOPLE CO-DESIGNED AND INCORPORATES A TAILORED MIX OF LIFE SKILLS, SERVICE LEARNING, COLLEGE ACCESS SUPPORT, AND INDIVIDUALIZED COACHING TO REINFORCE THOSE EXPERIENCES AND SUPPORT PARTICIPANTS IN THEIR NEXT EDUCATION AND/OR CAREER STEPS. IYF PARTNERED WITH THREE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN PUERTO RICO ON THIS PROJECT, WHICH HAS IMPACTED OVER 2,300 YOUNG PEOPLE. AS PART OF IYF'S BHP-FUNDED LEAPS PROGRAM, WE EQUIPPED AND INSPIRED A GROUP OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NORTHERN LOUISIANA CALLED THE TEEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TAC) TO STEP UP AND TACKLE MENTAL HEALTH AT THE POLICY LEVEL, MAKING REAL, LASTING CHANGE IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY. BY PARTNERING WITH A LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE IN-SCHOOL RESOURCES AND ENGAGEMENT FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS IN WEST TEXAS, IYF SUPPORTED TEENS ON THE EDGE OF DROPPING OUT TO STAY IN SCHOOL AND DEAL WITH CHALLENGES IN PRODUCTIVE WAYS. THE HILTON PARTNERSHIP HAS OFFERED LIFE SKILLS TRAINING TO YOUNG TEAM MEMBERS AND OTHERS ACROSS FOUR CONTINENTS.