EcoVentures International is hosting a series of workshops to assist organizations engaged in or interested in youth livelihoods programming.
On September 28th, 2009, the following workshops are available:
- Savings Programs for Youth - Best Practices & Tools, an interactive simulation training to help youth-serving organizations incorporate a savings and loan component into their operations. It will be held from 9:30am-12:00pm. Details available here.
- Environmental Livelihood Programs for Youth - Best Practices & Tools, which is meant to help organizations incorporate youth into natural resource value chain projects and recognize new business opportunities that have a positive impact on the local economy and environment. Details available here.
This series will be held at 1627 K Street NW #300, Washington, D.C. Space is limited. To RSVP, email lauren@eco-ventures.org.
Microfinance Opportunities invites you to a one-day training on our new curriculum for youth, Young People: Your Future, Your Money, developed by the Global Financial Education Program (GFEP) as part of our nine-module participatory curriculum package. The workshop will be presented in four chapters: managing money, financial services, financial negotiations, and earning money. Participants will gain insights into GFEP's approach to financial education for youth both in terms of content (topics) and how that content is delivered.
The workshop will be held:
Thursday, October 1, 2009
George Washington University Cafritz Conference Center
9am – 5pm
Registration Fee: $250
The workshop is presented in conjunction with the Global Youth EnterpriseConference. For more information, please follow the link below (and scroll to the bottom of the page), or contact Kate Larson at katel@mfopps.org.
The LAC Development Marketplace & Knowledge Exchange Forum will be held in Washington D.C on January 14 to 15. It will showcase finalists from the World Bank's 2010 Development Marketplace Grant Competition, which identifies and funds innovative, early-stage projects with high potential for development impact. This year’s theme is Youth Developing Opportunity: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Sustainability, in the Latin America and the Caribbean region.
This event will include the following:
- Showcase of projects by Finalists
- Selection of Winners and Presentation of Award
- Capacity Building events and Exchanges
- Networking and Open Space Opportunities
- Working Sessions between the Finalists, Service Providers and DM Partners.
To find out more about this event, and the grant competition, follow the link below.
Following the introduction in the US Senate of the Global Food Security Act, USAID and development implementers will soon be faced with new policy and program choices.
On November 3rd, at the outset of the SEEP Annual Conference, AED and the USAID FIELD-Support Program will host a day of workshops, panel presentations and debate on food security, livelihoods, and economic strengthening. FIELD Day will include a track of sessions on how the topic affects child and youth well-being.
At the close of FIELD Day, please join the Children, Youth and Economic Strengthening Network for a reception celebrating the first anniversary of the CYES Learning Platform.
Registration for FIELD Day and the SEEP Annual Conference is open at the link below.
Please contact Jennine Carmichael at jcarmichael@aed.org for more information about the CYES reception.
The SEEP Network is seeking a facilitator for the Innovations in Youth Financial Services PLP. The PLP engages microenterprise practitioners in a collaborative learning process that combines a small-grant program with an intensive small-group facilitated-learning process aimed at addressing learning at three levels: the individual organization, the PLP group, and the industry at large.
Term: 40-50 days per year over 3 years (August 2009-July 2012)
Innovations in Youth Financial Services
Practitioner Learning Program (PLP) Facilitator
Scope of Work
Summary:
The SEEP Network, founded in 1985 and headquartered in Washington, DC, is an association of international NGOs that support micro and small enterprise development programs around the world. SEEP’s mission is to connect microenterprise practitioners in a global learning community.
The Practitioner Learning Program (PLP) methodology was developed by SEEP as a key way to engage microenterprise practitioners in a collaborative learning process, and to document and share practical, innovative solutions to key challenges in the industry. The PLP combines a small-grant program with an intensive small-group facilitated-learning process, incorporating in-person workshops, email listservs and phone calls, peer exchanges, and distance learning. Practitioner Learning Programs focus on learning at three levels: the individual organization, the PLP group, and the industry at large.
The Practitioner Learning Program (PLP) Facilitator works closely with SEEP to design and implement the learning agenda and dissemination strategy for the PLP. The PLP Facilitator is the lead technical expert for the PLP and, together with the Senior Program Manager, designs and implements the PLP learning experience.
The planned PLP will explore innovations in the field of youth financial services. The expected result will be stronger microfinance institutions better able to respond to the growing demand worldwide for appropriate and accessible financial services for youth.
The PLP Facilitator monitors grantees’ progress, provides training, technical assistance, and mentoring to participants, and is responsible for drawing out and documenting lessons learned across participant programs. The PLP Facilitator works on a consistent, part-time basis and reports to the PLP Senior Program Manager.
Responsibilities:
Program Design
- With the Senior Program Manager, writes the PLP concept paper and Request for Applications for approval by MasterCard Foundation;
- Designs the specific learning questions for the PLP;
- Designs and facilitates a dissemination strategy that will include meetings, workshops, and documentation of lessons learned;
Learning Facilitation
- Moderates technical discussions on an email-based listserv for the thematic area;
- Monitors participant progress on a regular basis to ensure activities are on track and focused on the key learning questions;
- Designs and facilitates closing PLP workshop;
- Makes site visits to PLP participants as needed;
- Facilitates and collaborates with SEEP’s working groups and other strategic partners as needed;
- With the Senior Program Manager, identifies qualified resource persons and organizations to provide additional specialized knowledge, as needed;
- Provides training, technical assistance, and mentoring to PLP participants through meetings and workshops, the workspace, the listserv, telephone calls, and site visits;
Reporting and Dissemination
- Reports regularly to the Senior Program Manager on program activities and progress;
- Assists PLP participants to document their lessons learned in 3-5 practical, easy-to-use learning products (e.g. technical tools, progress notes, briefs, and case studies) to benefit the youth microenterprise field;
- Presents the lessons learned from the PLP at workshops and conferences, as necessary;
- Links key learning and results of PLP activities to other industry initiatives and audiences;
- Makes recommendations to SEEP on improving the PLP learning process.
Level of Effort:
The expected scope of work is approximately 40-50 days per year for 3 years, for a total of 120-150 days. The duration of this work is approximately August 2009 through July 2012. The relevant tasks are tentatively scheduled as follows (subject to change):
Program design and participant selection:
September – December 2009Kickoff workshop:
April 2010Facilitated learning activities:
April 2010 – February 2011Development of learning products: May 2010 – June 2011
Closing workshop:
May 2011Travel Requirements:
The PLP Facilitator is required to travel to PLP-related events, including PLP meetings and workshops. The PLP Facilitator may be required to make site visits to individual participants to provide hands-on training, technical assistance, and mentoring as necessary. Also, the PLP Facilitator may be asked to represent the PLP at SEEP’s Annual Conference or at other key industry events.Qualifications:
- Excellent facilitation and training skills in cross-cultural settings;
- At least five years of experience related to youth financial services required;
- Substantial experience in international development, including knowledge of current practice and trends in the youth microfinance/microenterprise field;
- Strong oral and written communication skills and excellent organizational skills;
- Fluency in English;
- Proficiency in an additional language (Spanish, French, Arabic, etc) highly desirable;
- Skilled in Web-based communications, with full-time, high-speed web access.
Application Deadline:
The deadline to send a letter of interest and CV is August 17, 2009.Contact:
Please send applications and any questions to:
Laura Meissner, Senior Program Manager, The SEEP Network
meissner@seepnetwork.org or +1 202-534-1403
Summary Report for Field Test: Market Assessment Toolkit for Vocational Training Providers and Youth
This report summarizes the results of a field test of the Market Assessment Toolkit for Vocational Training Providers and Youth, which aims to assist vocational training programs in becoming more market-driven. The report summarizes the main findings of the field test in Northern Uganda in terms of the toolkit’s utility, as well as providing more specific recommendations for vocational training providers based on findings from the market assessment.
The report notes that the toolkit is successful in enabling vocational training providers to analyze local market conditions, identifying potential collaborations with the private sector, and creating flexibility for use throughout all phases of training efforts. Key recommendations include that the toolkit be improved to better identify new skills for income generation, and that it be supplemented with an abridged version for programs with time or resource constraints.
For many youth in Africa, the educational systems in African nations are not adequate preparation for the workplace, as the curriculum is mostly theoretical. There is often a mismatch of skills, with most educational institutions still offering courses that are no longer relevant to the current job market, given current economic trends. This raises the following questions:
- How is the skills gap defined more specifically, a prerequisite for designing and implementing adequate solutions?
- How would private sector employment evolve if the match between skills and private sector needs were better synchronized?
- What is the responsibility of the private sector in promoting youth employment?
This study, done in Ghana and Senegal, seeks to address these questions. It finds that the markets for entry-level labor in both countries have great potential, but need to address issues of attrition (turnover rates), literacy efforts, gender disparities, IT and leadership skills, and so-called "soft skills" (especially professional maturity). The report contains extensive detail for each market. Download the full report below.
