USAID Enriching Youth for Tomorrow trains Turkmen youth to prepare for the modern labor market to then in turn contribute to the local economy and their communities. The project also promotes their active engagement in civil society.

Duration: 4 years (September 5, 2017 – September 4, 2021)
Implementing Partner: JA Worldwide
 

Objectives:  

1. Increase of Youth Competitiveness in the Labor Market of Turkmenistan

2. Increase of Youth Social Involvement and Mobility Level

3. Improvement of Enabling Environment to Support, Protect, Prepare, and Involve Youth

Program Overview

USAID’s Enriching Youth for Tomorrow cooperates with state, non-governmental, international, and business organizations to ensure sustainable and comprehensive achievement of the project objectives. The project’s main local partner is a national public association, the Union of Economists of Turkmenistan.

The project’s activities are consistent with the goals and targets set in Turkmen national policy documents related to youth policy, education, and digital economy including: The State Youth Policy, The Program of Youth Adaption to Labor Market and Improvement of Job Prospects, The Concept of the Digital Education System Development and The Concept of Development of Digital Economy. The project’s programs take into account principles of inclusiveness and are aimed equally at both male and female audiences.

Program Achievements

In partnership with state, non-governmental, international, and business organizations:

2558 young people, including youth from vulnerable groups, completed work-readiness skills development and internship programs. As a result, 92% improved their skills; 61% of them gained employment; 71% increased their incomes. The project improved the process for private sector internships for students in vocational schools and universities through launching a pilot internship program. As a result, 65% of the 43 participants were hired directly by the companies.

526 post-graduate youth were trained in entrepreneurial skills. 12% started their own businesses, 30% have continued to participate in startup programs. The Center for Digital Economy, Entrepreneurship and Innovation was established by USAID’s Enriching Youth for Tomorrow, together with the Union of Economists, to develop youth innovative entrepreneurship programs and interactive platforms.

Through the creation of a Consultative Center for Teachers, 350 trainers and teachers at educational institutions annually receive advisory, methodological and training support in the fields of economics, entrepreneurship and digital technologies. 15 learning manuals and programs, including digital manuals, in these fields for secondary and vocational schools and universities were developed. The Center provides cascade training, so trained teachers, in turn, further train youth.

An exclusive modular soft skills program tailored for Turkmen youth ‘Skills for Success’ was developed by national and international experts. The first in Turkmenistan, a certification program for business and soft skills trainers has been developed. Going forward, 49 certified trainers will train 4000 young people annually.

An inclusive soft skills training program ‘I Can’ has been developed to improve employability skills of youth with disabilities and has been tested. The program will be offered to the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare of Turkmenistan to train social workers and trainers.

1317 volunteers and young people participated in social and healthy lifestyle programs organized by the project.

Every year, over 500 of the participants of the activity’s programs participate in national competitions in economics, entrepreneurship and digital technologies.

The project has developed methodological materials to study challenges and opportunities for youth employment. A survey was conducted of 1100 youth representatives and 160 employers; the results were discussed at 5 roundtables with representatives of state, public, business and international organizations, with involvement of youth. Proposals developed were submitted to the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare of Turkmenistan. The second package of proposals is being prepared for the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Sports and Youth Policy of Turkmenistan.

Contacts