Program Guides:
Youth Livelihoods Development Program Guide
This guide provides a practical set of suggestions and reference materials to improve youth livelihood development practices and to expand programming in this increasingly important area.
Workforce Development Program Guide
This guide is intended to assist those engaged in designing new in-country workforce development programs. Workforce development refers to programs and policies that promote the mastery of new job-related knowledge and skills, access to employment opportunities, and real jobs.
Youth Assessments:
Bangladesh Youth Employment Pilot: Program Description and Assessment Finding
At the request of USAID/Bangladesh, EQUIP3 conducted a youth needs assessment in November 2008. The assessment looked at the demand for employment in horticulture, aquaculture, and leather industries, and the appropriateness of these sectors for youth; the capacity of local NGOs, the private sector, and education and training institutions or agencies to provide relevant skills-development training and education; and employment interests and perceptions among youth. The assessment identified aquaculture and freshwater prawn farming as promising sectors for out-of-school, unemployed, and underemployed youth, particularly women.
Democratic Republic of the Congo - Cross-Sectoral Youth Project: Rapid Assessment for Project Design
The assessment, conducted with Family Health International (FHI), addressed entrepreneurship opportunities for young men and women in Bukavu, DRC. It also refined the design of an entrepreneurship project to be incorporated into the existing Regional Outreach Addressing AIDS through Development Strategies (ROADS) program, implemented by FHI. As a result, a one-year youth entrepreneurship project was designed and started in three sites in Bukavu.
Yemen - Yemen Cross-Sectoral Youth Assessment Final Report
USAID/Yemen tasked EQUIP3 to conduct a rapid cross-sectoral assessment of youth in Yemen. The assessment focus was to better understand how the living conditions and environment of marginalized youth affect their levels of social, political, and economic disaffection; their existing developmental assets; and their priority needs and aspirations. A key finding from the assessment was that youth violence and extremism are associated with the exclusion and isolation youth experience within their families and communities, as well as the injustice they face under weak and corrupt law enforcement and security systems. This finding refutes the mainstream assumption that youth resort to violence because of lack of tolerance for other religions or the West.
Rapid Youth Assessment in the Eastern Caribbean
EQUIP3 had been tasked by USAID/Eastern Caribbean to conduct a rapid youth assessment in Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Kitts/Nevis and Antigua to inform its strategic planning. The assessment sought to determine the realities faced by 15-20 year-olds in the region and identify the resources and programs youth have access to. The findings and strategic options for USAID/EC’s youth strategy are presented here in this Final Report.
Kenya - Garissa Youth Project: Project Assessment and Design
In November 2008, EQUIP3 worked with USAID/Kenya and collaborated with Management Systems International (MSI) to assess the development needs of youth (ages 15–24) in Garissa, a district with high unemployment as well as the highest illiteracy rates and the lowest primary and secondary enrollment rates in Kenya. The assessment looked at youth’s risk level for social disaffection and the conditions contributing to the marginalization of Muslim youth, resulting in recommendations for future youth programming.
Rwanda - Rwanda Youth Employment Assessment Report
In response to Rwandan youth’s needs for education, healthy and more sufficient livelihoods, employment, and job creation, EQUIP3 worked with USAID/Rwanda to assess the challenges and opportunities for urban youth (ages 15–24) in Rwanda. The assessment, which took place between October and November 2008, resulted in a series of program recommendations from the perspectives of youth, the labor market, and policy and local institutions.
Somalia - Somalia Youth Livelihood Program: Proposed Program Description and Assessment Findings
As part of the Somali Youth Livelihoods Program (SYLP), supported by USAID/East Africa, EQUIP3 conducted a rapid assessment in three cities of Somaliland, namely, Burao, Hargeisa, and Las Anod, between October and November 2008. The assessment resulted in a detailed description of a proposed 16-month youth livelihoods intervention to engage 1,200 youth (ages 15–24) in market-driven employment opportunities or further training/education in all three locations.
Angola Youth Assessment Final Report 2006
USAID/Angola requested a rapid assessment of youth in Angola to inform its programming and partnerships with the Government of the Republic of Angola, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. Three development sectors were considered: employment/livelihoods, health, and civic engagement.
Economic Realities and Opportunities for Out-of-School Youth In Haiti, 2006
Presents the findings from 2005/06 IDEJEN youth mapping activities.
Final Assessment of IDEJEN Haiti's Pilot Phase
This January 2007 report analyzes the lessons learned in the pilot phase and makes recommendations for future phases of the project.
Ruwwad: Palestinian Youth Empowerment Rapid Appraisal Mission Report 2005
This Appraisal Report contains the findings from the Rapid Appraisal, and describes recommended potential program interventions. It was created to guide USAID/WBG as it designed and implemented an integrated package of community-based interventions that would engage significant numbers of youth, and provide them with needed skills to become positive leaders.
Education for All Challenge Grant: Jamaica Appraisal Mission Report 2005
This report provides background on the growing phenomenon of unattached youth in Jamaica; describes the Education For All Challenge Grant program; documents consultations and site visits with key local stakeholders; articulates a number of core recommendations; and, outlines a series of next steps in program development.
Youth Assessments External Review
The EQUIP3 team conducted an assessment of activities outside of EQUIP3 programs to better inform USAID and other donor agencies about approaches and frameworks that can facilitate Youth Assessments.
Livelihood Preparation and Workforce Development:
Youth Livelihoods Development Program Guide
This guide provides a practical set of suggestions and reference materials to improve youth livelihood development practices and to expand programming in this increasingly important area.
Youth Livelihoods Brief
This briefing note offers a thorough analysis of Youth Livelihoods Development.
Uganda Case Study
The EQUIP3 team helped to develop a series of Youth Livelihood Mapping Tools that form the basis for this case study in Uganda.
West Bank - Gaza Case Study
This case study is part of the Microfinance, Youth and Conflict research initiative. It examines the impact of conflict on employment for youth, the supply and demand for finance, and the roles of microfinance institutions, youth-serving organizations, families, and other entities in meeting the demand.
Entry Finance: Building the Livelihood Assets and Capabilities of Youth
This one-page document describes the goals and processes of how EQUIP3 uses entry finance to build the assets and capacities of youth.
Economic and Social Rationale to Invest in Out-of-School and Un- or Underemployed Youth in Developing Countries: Making the Case
This paper makes the case for greater investment in programs and policies to address the needs of out-of-school and un- or underemployed youth in developing countries.
Urban Youth Employment and HIV/AIDS
This Desk Study discusses urban youth employment in HIV/AIDS municipalities in Zambia, Swaziland, Botswana and Lesotho.
What Works in Youth Employment in the Balkans and South Africa? PowerPoint
This presentation for USAID shared lessons learned from four youth employment projects in Romania, Albania, Bulgaria and South Africa. It included a discussion of critical components for a successful youth employment program, such as access to micro-credit loans specifically designed for youth.
Reflections on Youth Livelihood: Preparing Out-of-School Youth for Livelihood
This report considers effective policies, programs, and practices for preparing out-of-school youth for livelihood.
Workforce Development Program Guide
This Guide provides a step-by-step process for designing, implementing, and evaluating effective international workforce development programs.
Youth and Conflict:
Youth and Conflict: A Brief Review of Available Literature
This literature review highlights some of the challenges facing policy makers, funders, and practitioners, and signals a number of key factors for success in addressing the needs of youth affected by conflict.
Youth, Microfinance and Conflict Case Studies:
- Uganda
The EQUIP3 team helped to develop a series of Youth Livelihood Mapping Tools that form the basis for this case study in Uganda.
- West Bank
The EQUIP3 team helped to develop a series of Youth Livelihood Mapping Tools that form the basis for this case study in the West Bank.
Youth Participation:
What Works in Youth Engagement
This is a presentation made by Learning and Dissemination Specialist Cathryn Thorup during the Democracy and Governance Program Officers' workshop in June 2005.
EQ Review on Youth Participation
This EQ Review features examples of Youth Participation throughout USAID projects.
Youth Councils: An Effective Way to Promote Youth Participation - Some Initial Findings from Africa
This publication focuses on the role of youth councils as a valuable forums for youth participation that develop their critical social and interpersonal skills, connect them to their communities and to the global arena.
Associate Awards
Please see Associate Award pages for additional publications specific to each project.
