The consequences of Covid-19 on youth employment programmes The youth employment programmes had to endure months in which no training took place, no internships were organised and no gatherings could be held for networking activities and graduation ceremonies. For the young people concerned this also meant a sudden halt in their growth, in the momentum of their talent development and opportunities on the labour market. Many experienced insecurity and stress as a result. “I was getting ready to graduate and was eager to start an internship in the hospitality sector when the pandemic hit. Suddenly I found the world and all its opportunities shut down. I returned to the youth house for a while, along with many
3.2 YOUTH EMPLOYABILITY
other care leavers, the stress was palpable.” – Kawtar, care leaver
A challenge experienced all over the world
The importance of mentorship
Acquiring knowledge and experience
A recent study, commissioned by SOS
For this reason SOS Children’s Villages
The activities are now restarting, taking the
There are more than 64 million young people
Children’s Villages International, found that
actively supports young people who grow up
rules and adapted group sizes into
Young people all over the world have to cope
worldwide officially unemployed, and 145
young people who grew up without parental
in care or in vulnerable families to become
account. Psychological support, extra
with the challenge of becoming independent,
million young people with a job live in poverty:
care are 1.5 times more likely to be
independent young adults. Our youth
guidance and encouragement will be part
following a (vocational) training and finding a
they don’t earn enough to be able to cover
unemployed and looking for work than those
employment programmes offer young people
of these activities in order to limit any
decent job. But for young people from
their basic needs. A lack of work can have
who grew up with parental care. While both
the opportunity to gain relevant and practical
psychological effects of Covid-19.
vulnerable families or without parental care this
devastating consequences for young people,
groups face similar challenges in their search
experience and knowledge and the oppor-
new phase in life is even more challenging.
as it puts them at risk of poverty, social
for work, the study indicated that those who
tunity to work on their personal skills, all to
Extending programmes
They cannot rely on the networks, resources or
exclusion and exploitation. Communities and
grew up without parental care valued support
increase their chance of success on the labour
Some institutional projects such as Sangue
support to which their peers have access.
societies also suffer from the cyclic effects if
networks more than their peers. Having a
market. The young people themselves are
Novo and Constructing Jobs, Building
SOS Children’s Villages has developed
young people fail to become contributing
mentor (18% vs 12%) and having connections
closely involved; their voice and ideas about
Lives have been extended so the
innovative ways, together with the young
members of society.
(23% vs 18%) were considered particularly
what they need and want to achieve are vitally
programmes can be properly completed in
important.
important if they are to successfully take the
full after the lockdowns and we can move
step towards self-reliance.
on to the second phase.
people themselves and partners, to safeguard a self-assured transition to independence. 27 | SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGES ANNUAL REPORT 2020
