Economic Development and Regional Action Plan for the Creation of Decent Jobs for the Youth in Tunisia (DEPART)

Geographical area of implementation: Tunisia (three regions :Ariana, Kef and Gafsa, and possibly a fourth one to be selected jointly with national partners)

Donor: The Netherlands

Contact (s): Ms. Kholoud Alkhaldi, Senior Enterprise Development Specialist | Karim Toumi, National Coordinator of DEPART Project | Arij Ben Jebarra, Administrative and Financial Assistant

Project Background

The PARE project, or PRO-PARE, PARE PLUS, is essentially a follow-up to the MDG-F project to promote youth employment (ended in May 2013). Action plans have been formulated and prioritized in the three governorates/ regions of Ariana, Le Kef, and Gafsa. They are referred to as Programme d’Action Regional pour l’Emploi des jeunes (PARE).

Elaborated in 2011 and validated in 2012, the new PARE project is meant to provide technical support to implementation whilst pursuing a participatory approach within the network of actors created. The focus of the project on supporting the implementation of PARE was highly emphasized by all stakeholders, especially by local committees. It has also emphasized the need to strengthen the capacity of local partners and stakeholders to assess local needs in order to design and implement demand-driven actions and interventions through efficient and sustainable use of local resources.

Implementation Strategy

• Support the provision of technical assistance to translate policies into actions and achievements at the local level.
• Support community participation and encourage local ownership through the active participation of different groups of beneficiaries in the identification, prioritization, selection, planning, programming and implementation of project activities.
• Promote coordination to facilitate transparency and accountability in the development process and create synergies between the project and the government efforts.
• Evaluate and use the ability to support sustainable development through entrepreneurial skills training, Business Development Services (BDS), in kind grants, social enterprises and cooperatives.
• Promote and use of participatory LED approach to analysis and identify the market potential to be aligned with the upgrading of value chains for sectors/sub sectors with potential to grow and create jobs for the youth.
• Optimize the use of local resources to promote social and environmental sustainability and support a green economy.
• Integrate the principles and gender aspects to increase the participation of women in the local economy.

Objectives and expected outcomes

1. Development of a strategy with a focus on job creation for the youth.
2. Strengthening of stakeholders’ capacity to implement priority areas based actions and projects.
3. Creation of jobs for the youth.
4. Strengthening of public, private and civil society institutions to follow up sustainable design and implantation of local economic strategies and actions for youth employment at national and regional levels.

Implementing partners

• Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training
• Office of Social Development
• Local committees
• Social partners

Target groups

• Members of the Local Steering Committee ( regional government representative, civil society, social partners);
• the coordinators of the LED process;
• young women and men graduates, under- qualified and unemployed in the region

For further information, please contact:

KarimToumi, National Coordinator of DEPART Project; E-mail: [email protected]

Arij Ben Jebarra, Administrative and Financial Assistant; E-mail: [email protected]