Youth Employment and Empowerment

Unemployment amongst young people in Liberia is a budding nightmare that continues to undermine their growth potential as well as their successful transition to adulthood. It is also a major conduit to persistent and rising instability on the entire continent of Africa, most especially, in Liberia; with specific reference to the youth unemployment being much higher in urban areas than in rural areas. This is simply because unemployed rural youth often assume that work opportunities are better in big cities like Monrovia, and many flock to urban areas where their qualifications and experience may be inadequate to meet labor market needs. Under such circumstances, youth are likely to accept harsh or exploitative working conditions, and many remain unemployed. In Liberia today, young people occupy the highest number of unemployed Liberians. This condition is not only deteriorating for them, but it is also a threat to national security and the overall wellbeing of the nation’s economy.

There has been several programs implemented by government and her many partners to alleviate the unemployment rate amongst youth, but based on the fact that young people have only been considered as passive beneficiaries to these programs rather than partners in the implementation, no one can boast of their ultimate outcomes. As a result, the overall effects of government spending and the efforts of international organizations are blurry and Liberian employers now rely more on adult workers, who have more work experience, than youth. According to the International Labor Office, this preference reflects the failure to acknowledge that, “whereas young people do lack job skills and experience, they can often compensate for this with enhanced motivation and a potential for offering new ideas and insights” (2007, p. 10).The cry of young people is everyone’s cry.

The Youth Employment and Empowerment program was created to foster an atmosphere of educational development, and provide employment opportunities for the young people of Liberia.

Our mission is to provide young people with first time structured jobs that teach positive working skills and habits which will serve them throughout life. Our young people also experience the positive incentive of receiving paid for a job well done.

Job training for young people in Liberia has become increasingly more imperative as the structure of the youth employment market has changed. Today, young people in Liberia with inadequate education have comparatively fewer employment opportunities than their counterparts sixty years ago. The stakes for young people in obtaining and maintaining secure employment, particularly those with limited education, are high. For those without high school degrees or the equivalent, work experience is extremely important in building a base for future advancement in the work force.

Our Youth Employment and Empowerment provides the following opportunities:

• Interview Skills
• Job Placement & Follow-up
• Skills Assessment
• job readiness/soft skills training (including job search skills and workplace norms)
• career planning including developing individualized plans for addressing barriers and achieving employment goals (individualized employment plans)
• job training (teaching skills for specific jobs, including skills training
• job development/placement including placement in temporary jobs
• Career Counseling
• entrepreneurship training for youth business entrepreneurs

Youth Crime Watch of Liberia will help high school seniors transition to university or the work force. Students will learn how to apply to University/college, research, basic computer training/internet education and apply for scholarships, write resumes, and develop job-interviewing skills.

Because our goal is to provide youth with skills and opportunities they need in order for them to succeed in school, work and in the community, we will work with various governmental agencies, Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), International NGOs to provide for these young people with the opportunity to participate in an internship that so significantly need.

Do you have a project for our Youth Employment and Empowerment Program? We are always seeking for work/internships for our youth/student! You can E-mail us at info@ycwliberia.org or call us on these numbers: +2316604432/            +2316605658      

If you have an interest in assisting us in making our program better for the youth of Liberia, Please do not hesitate to contact us as well. We are always seeking individuals or organizations willing to share their information and knowledge with our youth, as well as those who have the ability to certify our youth in any skills that will be useful.