PROSPECTS4Youth: Unlocking youth engagement in education and employment opportunities in forced displacement contexts

Young people make up a significant share of the forcibly displaced population. They are the largest demographic across the eight PROSPECTS countries, with a median age of just 22, and roughly half of the refugee population is under 17. Yet forcibly displaced young people, face persistent barriers to education, skills development, decent work and protection. Too many are excluded from opportunities to live with dignity, pushed into informal and often exploitative work, and left out of the policy decisions that shape their lives.

Against this backdrop, PROSPECTS4Youth aims to strengthen the realisation of rights, access to services and socio-economic opportunities for young people by leveraging their meaningful engagement across all 4 PROSPECTS pillars (education, employment, protection and critical infrastructure) with a focus on education and employment. Building on the Phase 1 collaboration between ILO, UNHCR and UNICEF, it establishes an inter-agency Technical Facility to provide integrated support to PROSPECTS countries to scale proven models that expand refugee and host community youth’s access to higher education, skills development and pathways to decent jobs, while advancing localisation, inclusion, self-reliance and resilience.

Drawing on the experience and results from Phase 1, PROSPECTS4Youth delivers technical expertise, builds an intergenerational network of expert organisations, generates and shares knowledge, promotes peer-to-peer learning, and strengthens the capacity of institutions and youth-led organisations to lead and influence policy outcomes and deliver results for and with young people.

Are you looking for technical support on youth engagement, employment or rights at work? Get in touch!