YMCA wants to identify how to make the biggest difference for young people and communities by connecting increasing skilling, learning and job opportunities for young people with decent jobs and opportunities to build sustainable livelihoods. With 264 million, or 1 out of every 5 young people out of education, employment or training (two-thirds of whom are women), this has the scope to tackle a significant – and worsening – issue.
In 2022/2023, the Development Partnership arm of the global consulting firm Accenture – with its ?WhatIf! Innovation team, and an advisory group of international partners and YMCA people – plotted an end-to-end path of what every young person needs from the YMCA in the world of work.
They developed an ‘adaptive strategy’ for the Meaningful Work pillar of Vision 2030: an ‘end-to-end’ service of ‘opportunity platforms’ from helping young people find their ‘life project’ at the YMCA (what they like to do, and what they’re good at); to building the skills, knowledge and networks to finding their next job; or growing their enterprise or following skills pathways. All this, accompanied by a wrap-around ecosystem of support such as finding the right people with whom to journey, and maintaining balance in mind, body and spirit.
