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Rapport de l'atelier ouest africain sur les bonnes pratiques en matière d'emploi des jeunes tenu à Accra au Ghana avec la participation de Synapse.
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Improving and Scaling Initiatives for Youth Employment
REGIONAL WORKSHOP:
Business Collaboration for Youth Employment in West Africa
TechnoServe - Accra, GhanaMay 21 - 22, 2008
FINAL REPORT
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Table of Contents:
1. BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................ 31.1 Programme ............................................................................................................................ 3
2. RESULTS OF WORKING SESSIONS ...................................................................................... 42.1 Working session 1 ................................................................................................................. 4
2.1.1 Entrepreneurship Projects .............................................................................................. 52.1.2 Skills Training Projects .................................................................................................. 62.1.3 Linkages Projects ........................................................................................................... 72.1.4 School to Work Projects ................................................................................................. 8
2.2 Working Session 2 ................................................................................................................ 93. WORKSHOP EVALUATION .................................................................................................. 104. OBSERVATIONS AND COMMENTS .....................................................................................11Annex 1: Participants .................................................................................................................... 12Annex 2: Future services from YEN ............................................................................................. 15Annex 3: Additional Reading Material..........................................................................................17
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1. BACKGROUND
The Private Sector Initiative (PSI) is a project of the Youth Employment Network for West Africa (YEN-WA) supported by the UK Government. The purpose of the PSI is to facilitate an increased role of the private sector in finding solutions to the challenge of youth employment. The workshop brought together the project managers from 10 business-sponsored youth employment projects around West Africa. The objective of the workshop was 4 fold:
Provide a platform of exchange for project managers of the good practice projects1. Collect feedback on YEN-WA’s draft publication “Private Sector Collaboration for Youth 2. Employment in West AfricaGenerate ideas for how to improve and scale up initiatives3. Provide direction and guidance for future activities of YEN-WA’s Private Sector Initiative.4.
The meeting was hosted in Accra, Ghana by Technoserve Ghana while workshop facilitation was provided by Mr. Markus Pilgrim, YEN Manager, according to the METAPLAN methodology.
1.1 Programme:
Day 1
8.30 Registration and final preparation of Project Market
9.30 -Welcoming Address (Ms. Joyce Aryee, CEO Ghana Chamber of Mines and Chairman of Global Compact Ghana Network) -Introduction of program and participants -Visit of the Project Market
11.00 Defining lessons learned: I. Entrepreneurship Projects – Synapse Centre Senegal
12.00 Defining lessons learned: II. Skills Training – Cisco Networking Academy13.00 Lunch Break14.30 Youth entrepreneurship project visit – Ghana Industrial Skills Development
Centre
18.00 End of Day
20.00 Joint Dinner
Day 2
9.00 Defining lessons learned III: Linkages – GAC – USADF SME Linkages
10.00 Defining lessons learned IV: Transition from School to Work - CLASSE
11.00 Break
11.30 How to improve the private sector guide on youth employment: Feedback on draft guide
13.00 Lunch14.30 Follow up on networking, up scaling and replicating case studies presented16.15 Closing
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2. RESULTS OF WORKING SESSIONS
Workshop participants partook in working sessions in the mornings of day 1 and day 2.
2.1 Working session 1:
The first set of working sessions sought to define lessons learned, keys to success and areas of improvement in the 4 key areas of business intervention in youth employment:
1) Entrepreneurship2) Skills Training3) Business Linkages4) Transition from School-to-Work
Practical examples of youth employment projects covering each intervention area were provided by project managers in the form of 20 minute power point presentations followed by 40 minutes of debate. During the debates, participants were asked to identify what they liked about the project and how they thought it could be improved.
Ms. Joyce Aryee, CEO Ghana Chamber of Mines and Chairman of Global Compact Ghana Network
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2.1.1 Entrepreneurship Projects
Synapse Centre DakarCire Kane, Director
“We try to develop the person before we develop the venture.”
View Presentation Online
Question 1: What are the keys to success?Strong mentoring component – connection to Dakar business community•Monitoring and Evaluation – closely track each entrepreneur and effectively communicate •resultsSystematic Process – entrepreneurship training follows proven path to success•Maximizing resources – started with only $12,000•Created Business clubs in schools to raise awareness for entrepreneurship•Share resources, expertise and “start-up” pack for other youth interested in replicating the process •in other organizations.Working with bank to have start-up guarantee fund for youth to begin their venture.•
Question 2: What are the areas for improvement?Scalability. Try to enlarge target group as there were only 12 participating entrepreneurs in the •first yearSharing process with education system to mainstream entrepreneurial education.•Further technical and managerial competencies of entrepreneurs.•Source funding for start-ups of entrepreneurs•
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2.1.2 Skills Training Projects
Cisco Networking Academy Julius Ayuk Tabe, West and Central Africa Area Academy Manager
“If we know that this is where the world is going, and we prepare them to get ICT jobs, we will greatly increase the opportunities for jobs and development.”
View Presentation Online
Question 1: What are the keys to success?Preference for disadvantaged groups – reduced course fees for girls and unemployed youth•Work-forced development and employment creation.•Empowerment: Training of Trainers, starts from CISCO.•60% of graduates find jobs, 20% are self-employed (LDC initiative).•Soft-skills in parallel with technical skills.•Wide outreach of the program – established in 160 countries•People who come out of the program become their own bosses.•CSR model that benefits both students and the business.•Academy program is only ten years old.•Sustainable – IT is in demand which means clients are willing to pay for training!•Standarization of skills assessment globally.•All UN languages are represented.•
Question 2: What are the areas for improvement?More awareness raising in schools. •Insufficient resources from Cisco for expansion.•Marketing skills to beyond the ICT sector, into other areas that are needed basic ICT for their •operations. Decentralization from urban areas and the problem of connectivity. •Could translate curriculum into local languages (costs are +$100 000 USD/local language).•
Mr. Julius Ayuk Tabe, Cisco
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2.1.3 Linkages Projects
USADF and Guinea Alumina Corporation SME Linkages ProgrammeMr. Brent Habig, Regional Investment Advisor
“We want these SMEs business to develop holistically as an avenue for change.”
View Presentation Online
Question 1: What are the keys to success?The push for local development and the capacity development and training and the need for that •to occur.Long-term engagement with the SMEs, rather than just one or two years. The organization •can’t fund start-ups, but there is a focus on funding SMEs that have some aspect of training targeted at youth. Liked the diversity of projects that they are working with, and the SMEs that are doing business •and provide services with each other.
Question 2: What are the areas for improvement?The need to diversify agricultural production rather than focusing on rice alone.•Share experiences with other MNC and other mining firms.•USDAF could integrate and support certification process for environmental and social impact/•issues.Could work harder to integrate youth into the program with formal linkages with universities, •higher training institutions, etc.USDAF could develop a training organization much like the GISDC for technical training, and •can share facilities to reduce to cost of each individual SMEs.The SMEs could have a scaled-interest loan to manage the transitions between getting money •and having to pay back the loan fully. All loans are non-collateral, and the interest rate is zero with USDAF, and there are adjustments for inflation. Monies paid back are placed into a revolving fund. Negotiation skills are lacking, and the need to education on cultural differences to make sure •that the right business agreement is reached.
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2.1.4 School to Work Projects
Child Labour Alternatives through Sustainable Systems in Education Mr. Jason Befus, Programme Manager and Ms. Matilda Broni, Project Officer
“We try to persuade youth that agriculture is a viable, money making option.”
View Presentation Online
Question 1: What are the keys to success?Sustainability of cocoa farming, and the longevity of the industry in Ghana.•Inter-cropping and diversification of planting different crops to yield at different times, and •maximize the land areas. Their approach of attacking the systemic problems of child labour is very subtle, and does not •face the industry head on. Long-term child labour numbers will diminish.
Question 2: What are the areas for improvement?Diversify to other areas outside of the cocoa industry.•The time frame of the project is too short- should be a five to six year projects.•How do you ensure that the out of school youth receive the benefits of the program? Need for •additional, long-term monitoring and evaluation. Targeting the adults may help, and to be included in the process. They use adult labour in the •cocoa example plot. Do you help the existing farms produce higher yields? Promoting small technologies in the field •of cocoa production can reduce the need for child labour as well.
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2.2 Working Session 2:
During the second working session, participants separated into 2 break out groups. Participants were asked to provide concrete suggestions for the improvement of YEN-WA’s draft publication “Private Sector Partnerships for Youth Employment in West Africa”. The publication features 9 business sponsored youth employment case studies contributed by the workshop participants.
Group 1 - Suggestions for improving the publication:Add a “How-to” section on how engage the private sector for implementing partners- how do these •organizations begin the dialogue to work together? (Make a general guide and then supplement with the examples from case studies).What the private sector should expect in partnering with the social sector•At the beginning of each case study, there should be a “what you will learn” summary section for •guided reading and increased usability of the case studiesNeed list of acronyms.•Reader friendly pictures and graphics.•Annex 1: Should be additional column regarding potential impacts for each sectoral role.•Provide a feedback mechanism for usability of the guide- ie. YEN contact details.•Show the importance of Labour Market Information.•
Group 2 - Suggestions for improving the publication:The reference is always to the “private sector” being big business community, FDI, and diasporas •investment (10% of business community) while has made no reference for direct intervention for the development of the rest of the private sector ie. Microenterprise, agriculture, SME’s and big defunct business (90% of business commuity). The goal should not only be to formalize this 90% but also to help them with direct action for employment creation. What is the universe of different partnerships types that exist? Provide a framework to understand •the universe of partnership options. Clearly highlight the different sectors of support. Almost always we focus on the bigger areas of •engagement, and should include all levels support and engagement. Make compelling reading at the beginning. We should clearly highlight lessons learned.•The contact person and weblinks should be clearly highlighted at the beginning of the case •study. Benefits to the private sector should come out clearer.•Skills gap, and sectors of opportunity should be highlighted as well: Labour market information •is critical to include.
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3. WORKSHOP EVALUATION
Workshop participants completed evaluation forms at the end of the workshop. A summary of the feedback given to YEN follows:
Workshop effectiveness:1) the workshop received a majority of “excellent” marks for achievement of objectives, amount of knowledge and skills received and overall workshop rating.Facilitator effectiveness:2) the facilitator received a majority of “excellent” marks for preparation, knowledge of topic, interaction with group and overall rating.Workshop administration:3) the workshop received a majority of “excellent” marks for suitability of training venue, condition of workshop equipment and the attitude of the workshop staff.Time Frame:4) All 15 workshop participants rated the 2 day time frame of the workshop as “well chosen”.
What topics should have been presented in more detail?Clearer indication of business interest areas for youth employment•How to form linkages with the private sector•
What suggestions do you have for improving the programme?More breakout sessions should be facilitated next time •Sharing event documents in good time over two weeks before event•Getting more private sector partners to participate•More youth leaders involved in the process•
What other workshop topics are of importance to you?Mechanisms of sustainable job creation with relevant impact. •Training workshop for youth workers.•Partnership building skills and best practice•Project monitoring and evaluation•Proposal writing and follow up•Scalability and replicability•Youth lead business development•
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4. OBSERVATIONS AND COMMENTS
During the final session of the workshop, the facilitator asked workshop participants to provide guidance for the future services that YEN could provide to the group of participants. The following is a summary of the suggestions made1:
Plan events or trainings to merge project managers with the private sector.• Increased networking, communications and facilitation between organizations by YEN.• Increased communications- either via newsletter, ICT, blogging, forum etc- between partners and • private sector.YEN facilitation/support for brokering partnerships, trainings to pursue such efforts, etc. Targeted • towards brokering partnerships with the private sector. Serve as a coordinating link between all stakeholders.• Database of various areas: best practices, lessons learned, projects, organizations, tools for • different YE areas.YEN-WA should define common vision/objectives for network participants.•
1 A complete list of contributions can be found in Annex 2
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Annex 1: Participants
Name/email Organization Position For me, the role of the Private Sector in Youth Employment is…
Expectation of workshop
Ezenwaka Jasper/[email protected]
Shell LiveWire Nigeria
LiveWIRE Nigeria Programme Manager
Provision of Seed Funds for youth enterprise development.
Pick up valuable lessons to improve project delivery
Shika Acolatse/[email protected]
Technoserve: Believe, Begin, Become
Project Manager Scale up to generate wealth through profits, employment
Build a strong network of people with the same hands on vision.
Jason Befus/[email protected]
Child Labour Alternatives through Sustainable Systems in Education (CLASSE)
Programme Officer
Creating sustainable, non-subsidized employment, but wide-spread and support for youth training
New ideas and potential partners.
Matilda Broni/[email protected]
ECHOES Ghana Country Manager Creating and enabling for youth, skill startup tools, sustainable youth employment
Learn new ideas from other organizations
Cire Kane/[email protected]
Senegal Promise Programme
Director Enabling environment, mentoring and access to capital
Learn from good practices, network
Ken Donkoh/[email protected]
Barclay’s and Youth Business Ghana: Oguaa Business Incubator
Team Leader Proactive support- YE is good business for the private sector.
How to engage the private sector.Demonstrating that it is a win-win situation.
Youssouf Sissoko/[email protected]
APEJ Internship and Apprenticeship Program
Chef Département Promotion Prospection et Evaluation
Offer opportunities, job security
Understand the challenges on youth employment
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Edward Humado/[email protected]
Ghana Industrial Skills Development Centre (GISDC)
Operations Manager
Partnership and sustainability Find ways of imparting demand-oriented skills onto youth (hands on)
Brent Habig/[email protected]
Guinea Alumina Corporation and USADF: Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Linkages Programme
Regional Investment Advisor
Sustainable job creations and local linkages
Share linkages experience, learn about skills training
Julius Ayuk Tabe/[email protected]
Cisco Systems Networking Academy
Area Academy Manager
Tools to help youth get ready for today’s market
Tools to make a difference one by one.
Francis Avura/[email protected]
Representative from Ministry of Manpower and Youth Employment Ghana
Directeur de cabinet
Corporate responsibility to youth and society. Skills training and direct employment.
Sharing of ideas and best practices.
Christy Banya/[email protected]
UNDP Private Sector Focal point
Create opportunities for sustainable employment to the development of youth
Come up with strategies for sustainable youth employment
Emmanuel Eduzkie/[email protected]
Youth Employment Summit
Country Manager To provide jobs and improve livelihoods.
Provides solutions for private sector engagement in youth employment.
Salua Nour/[email protected]
GTZ Sierra Leone GTZ Representative Sierra Leone
Organize itself to access national resources
Networking with other stakeholders and the promotion of GTZ approach to YE+PSD in Sierra Leone
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Drew Gardiner/[email protected]
YEN-WA Consultant
Markus Pilgrim/[email protected]
YEN Manager Crucial as the bulk of jobs will come from private sector
Find the demand for YEN services.
Fati Bodua Seidu /[email protected]
Ghana Government
Deputy National Coordinator
To mentor and create avenues for sustainable jobs and on the job training.
Learn best practices for PPP to create jobs.
Robyn Agoston/[email protected]
Youth Challenge International
Ghana Country Team
To provide labour market information, to provide employment opportunities, and to provide leadership and career guidance/resources
Finalize a tangible guide/document from its draft form.Develop tools and best practices for private sector engagement on YE in WA
Joyce Aryee/[email protected]
Ghana Chamber of Mines and Global Compact
Director Provide linkages to entrepreneursProvide direct employment
Raise awareness and network project managers
Kofi Asare Anyemedu/[email protected]
UNDP Private Sector Focal point/Global Compact
Partnerships, receiver and trainee of employable youth.
To gain firsthand information on initiatives to address YE in WA, and to plan effectively to reduce unemployment in WA
John Amoah/[email protected]
OBI Administrator Active partnership with the development workers in Youth Employment
Learn of other projects model and form linkages
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Annex 2: Future services from YEN
Annual Programmes/Workshops•Funding for networking events•Create an avenue/networking group to share best practices•Meet once and a while to share experiences•Host regular online discussion forms for workshops and partners.•Organize another meeting to assess how we are doing and other initiatives that come up to address •YE.Expansion for a YEN-WA newsletter for networking, showcase updates.•Put definitions of common updates in circulation for updates.•Support linkages for effective collaboration•Be the communication center for growing network between stakeholders•Provide a platform for partnership with the private sector.•More multi-national participation.•Continue with the network will allow easy project replication across the sub-region.•Conference to merge project managers with the private sector.•Database of programs.•Create a platform for members to network.•Create an inventory of projects and to host on YEN website.•Expand the network.•Create database of types of partnerships.•Link the youth with the existing opportunities already in the labour market. •Develop objectives.•Online exchange space to keep in touch and share ideas•Create blog on YEN-WA website.•Web-portal for info sharing.•Serve as a link between partners and members.•Exchange info and ideas.•Facilitate private-public networking.•Create a mailing list of the group for regular exchanges. •Complete a list of contact details of the participants that should be circulated.•Impact of projects in the communities.•Advocacy targeted at private sector and government on the need to support YE.•Toolkit on specific YE models (i.e.- enterprise development, linkages, school to work).•Training on host work with the private sector, capacity building.•Support in brokering partnerships•Drive stakeholders to “write” on executive tasks to take in charge.•Sharing of tools, i.e.- entrepreneurship, training materials, mentoring.•Promote YEN-WA network partners regional to international private •sector.Include and engage more private sector.•
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Success/lessons from private sector, funding, technical cooperation.•Create ongoing forum of YE actors in WA.•Best Practices.•
Results from Project Market - Winning poster from GTZ Sierra Leone
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Annex 3: Reading Material - Links to Good Practice in Business Partnerships for Youth
1) International Youth Foundation: What Works in Engaging Business in Youth Employment and Livelihood Strategies?
2) International Youth Foundation: Alliances for Youth: What Works in CSR Partnerships?
3) United Nations Global Compact: Joining Forces for Change
4) International Business Leaders Forum: Business and Youth in the Arab World
