Capacity-Building of Youth to Grow the Economy: a Public-Private Partnership

This project aims to develop the capacity of approximately 9 000 young people to grow the economy in Burkina Faso. Girls and boys aged 13 to 18 receive training and develop job skills that meet local labour market needs. Residents from 13 communities in the south-west and northern central regions benefit from this project. The project aims to make young people more employable in various trades with high market demands including: carpentry mechanics welding plumbing hairdressing electrical wiring weaving sewing and masonry. The project involves pre-vocational and vocational technical training and relies on existing networks of non-formal basic education centres and vocational training centres. Non-formal basic education centres offer an alternative by providing pre-vocational training for young people who have not had access to the formal education system. Vocational training centres continue the work of non-formal basic education centres by offering vocational training and job entry opportunities thus making young people more employable. This project is implemented by Plan International Canada and co-financed by IAMGOLD.

The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include : 1) Youth (50% girls) of the project zones participate in improved pre-vocational and vocational training in line with market needs to increase their employability; 2) Communities and decentralized structures in charge of training and youth employment programs use best practices to ensure quality programs in relation to market needs and in line with the gender perspective; and 3) A stronger partnership between government institutions mining companies donors and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to increase investments in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).