Supporting the Transition to Work: YouthCan! 2018 Report
“The transition into independent adulthood is never easy. However, for young people who cannot depend on their family as a source of support, who do not experience stable homes and social protection, finding decent employment is often a matter of creating or losing their future,” says Norbert Meder, CEO of SOS Children’s Villages International.
YouthCan! supports young people who have lost parental care or are at risk of losing it to successfully transition from school to decent work and to an independent life.
In this global partnership between SOS Children’s Villages and the private sector, corporate volunteers share their time, skills, expertise and own career stories. These volunteers plan workshops, trainings, facilitate exposure to professional environments and act as mentors. Employees and young people can connect face to face or through our digital platform, enabling worldwide collaborative learning through online mentoring, breaking down geographical barriers.
Our unique, multidimensional and tailor-made approach
It has been shown that to make a long-lasting change in young people’s lives, a multidimensional approach is key. That’s why YouthCan! combines the three program pillars — Mentor - Train - Practice — into one individual approach.
The program is tailor-made to the local labour market and the individual needs of each young person and offers and includes an online dimension through digital platforms. Our partner Volunteer Vision provides a platform for cross-boarder online mentorship while Workplace supports the virtual exchange and trainings via online groups.
Mentoring in YouthCan! enables young people to build relationships with the skilled, qualified and motivated employees of our partners who share their skills and time and also become role models to the young people. Specific trainings strengthen a broad range of professional and life skills of young program participants. In addition to that, our partners provide opportunities for the program participants to gain practical work experience.
“I want to say a big thank you to YouthCan! for this great eye-opening opportunity, I’m especially grateful to my mentor, Miss Jennifer - I couldn’t ask for any other. With her experience as an HR professional, she has helped me to become a bold lady, taught me which language to use during an interview and how to overcome my fears about interviews. She has also shown me how to create an interesting CV,” says Jessica, a YouthCan! participant in Nigeria.
Read the full YouthCan! Facts and Figures 2018 report here
Canadians wishing to help young people realize their full potential are encouraged to sponsor a child, sponsor a Village or make a one-time donation. Your support will help transform the lives of the most vulnerable.