The Road to the SDGs

X Established in April 2019, YEP! is a knowledge-sharing online platform for organisations that focus on youth development, including governments and policymakers, youth-led and youth-focused organisations, donor agencies, CSOs, multilateral organisations, private sector entities, and educational institutions. X The platform refers to ‘employability’ rather than ‘employment’ as its focus is beyond the discourse of ‘getting a job’ and more about creating a conducive environment and ecosystem, including attitudes, skills, functions and structures required to sustain and enhance economic growth. METHOD X The mandate of the YDS is to address all types of youth education through its operations in economic and social infrastructure and inclusive social development. It fosters youth economic empowerment through programmes in economic and social infrastructure, Islamic finance, private sector development, and inclusive social development. In addition, it supports countries in their efforts towards developing mechanisms to promote an enabling environment for youth engagement. X With a focus on education and economic empowerment, the YDWG achieves its objective by: – Sharing information and experiences – Refining and applying good practice methodologies – Peer review mechanisms – Exploring potential areas of collaboration/implementation – Addressing a common agenda of advancing youth development issues – Supporting integrated strategies for young people’s engagement. X The YEP! platform works towards the aims of the P5P in raising awareness and creating linkages. It addresses youth employability along the GVC in the industries IsDB is championing, contributing to the body of knowledge produced in the area of youth development through: – Industry focus – Balanced scope and scale of programmes – Geographic representation. ACHIEVEMENTS X The YDS is focusing on interventions at strategic, country programming and operational levels, prioritising collaboration with other development organisations to mobilise resources and capitalise on technical expertise to address the youth development agenda. X The desired impacts include establishing IsDB as a credible partner of choice in youth development by supporting youth networks, partnering with youth groups, and facilitating volunteering opportunities. Communication and outreach mechanisms are being established to promote ‘buy-in’ and build a sense of ownership among the beneficiaries. X During the COVID-19 pandemic, YEP! has been used to enhance knowledge about the impact of the pandemic on youth. The IsDB Youth COVID-19 Response Blog is an online knowledge initiative aimed at documenting the efforts and initiatives being implemented at an organisation level. X The stories of these organisations are featured on the blog page of YEP. X Since its inception, the YDWG has taken part in or organised three knowledge-sharing events: – OECD launch of Global Report, ‘Governance for Youth, Trust and Intergenerational Justice’ – Presentation by Commonwealth Secretariat introducing youth policy priorities for Commonwealth member states, with a focus on evidence-based youth policies and the Youth Development Index tool – YDWG Webinar on the Youth COVID-19 Responses of its members. INVESTMENT X Recent IsDB investments in youth programmes include: – Vocational Literacy Programme (US$ 500 million) – Microfinance Support Programme (US$ 500 million) – Youth Employment Support Programme (US$ 250 million) – Education for Employment Initiative (US$ 250 million) – Education for Competitiveness (US$ 300,000). W O R L D E M P L O Y M E N T S O C I A L O U T L O O K The ILO 2018 World Employment Social Outlook reported the global youth unemployment rate at 13% , a level three times higher than the adult rate of 4.3% [ 143 ] T H E R O A D T O T H E S D G s | P R O G R E S S A N D A C H I E V E M E N T S