ENTERPRISING WORLD KENYA (EWK)
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND SKILLS PROGRAM
The majority of Kenya’s population is under the age of 25 and struggling to find meaningful employment. This untapped demographic dividend of young Kenyans moving into their productive working years presents public and private sector stakeholders with both a challenge and an opportunity.
EWK’s YES program gives motivated but disenfranchised youth the skills and support they need to compete and succeed in the workplace. The activity connects young Kenyans to youth –friendly services (e.g., Labour market information, financial institutions, and 21st century employability skills), allowing them to make informed and empowered decisions about their careers. With skills and Vocational training designed in coordination with local industry and government, EWK –YES program focuses on building local relationships and capacity to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of education and employment outcomes.
OUR WORK
EWK’s programs fosters partnerships between young people, women and PWDs and the public and private sectors to design and develop mutually beneficial programs for increased economic competitiveness and better jobs. This is done through:
- Formation of entrepreneurship Clubs (in partnership with the Ministry of Education TVET)
- Youths Employability Skills
- Entrepreneurship training, mentorship and development (Especially Vulnerable populations)
The program offers a fast –track to employment for youth (ages 18 -35) both with and without college education in the spirit of “Entrepreneurship”.
PROGRAM’S OBJECTIVES
- Engaging host counties, organizations and individuals to ensure alignment of Mission youth activities with the national and county youth agenda
- Improved employability soft skills
- Targeted opportunities for employment
- Increased access to financial services, labour markets information and career guidance
- Gender equitable approaches to employment
- Sustainability through local partnerships.
PROGRAM’S CURRICULUM
This Five (5) day training is aimed at equipping young people with work readiness skills. Work readiness skills are a set of skills and behaviors that are necessary for any job – both formal or informal including self-employment (lack of these skills has contributed to many job seekers missing out during interviews, probation or when running their own ventures, hence end up being labelled “half baked”. Work readiness skills are sometimes called soft skills, employability skills, or job readiness skills. These skills are;
- Administration/ Book-keeping/ Finance (Mostly personal).
- Team work, Sexuality, Vales and Personal grooming.
- Interview Skills and Basic Computer skills.
- Final product: Mock, Interviews, graduation.
- Entrepreneurship (Ongoing for 1 year)
Sustainability through Partnerships/ Linkages
After the young people receive Work Preparedness skills, they are linked to the National/ County government departments, parastatals, NGOs, Individuals businesses and in general the private sector for internships/ workplace experiences for 6-12 months. Some of these young people could end up being absorbed into these areas as full time employees. The partners shall be encouraged to enter into a contract with in order to guarantee a specific number of internships/ mentees per year. Entrepreneurship mentorship shall be given to these young people on an ongoing basis and linked to financial institutions and other institutions that shall guarantee them of Entrepreneurial growth.
Conclusion
The program’s final product is an empowered young leader who is able to function effectively within any organisation they find themselves in. We seek to present an empowered young person who is excellent at what they do; efficient in how they do it; and effective in the final outcome. Kenya requires a new breed of leaders who will be able to provide solutions to various challenges and situations. Transformational leaders of integrity are going to be foundational to this process of change on our continent. This five day training, gives youth, tools to become a young leader who understands leadership formation at its various levels to ensure productivity, excellence, efficiency, and effectiveness in the workplace