YouthSpark: Digital Skills and Computer Science

MSFT Philanthropies commits to empower youth

Completed

At Microsoft Philanthropies we believe in advancing a future for everyone, where every person has the skills, knowledge, and opportunity to achieve more. We focus on empowering people: Economies and societies are being rapidly transformed by technology. As a result, digital skills are becoming essential to the jobs of today and tomorrow. One of the greatest challenges we face is ensuring everyone has access to the skills and knowledge needed to succeed. We're committed to ensuring people aren't left behind. We’re working to ensure that everyone has access to the opportunities technology provides, in a digital economy that benefits everyone.

This commitment is part of:

Digital Skills for Decent Jobs for Youth

Entity

Microsoft Private sector

Technical assistance, expertise and implementation; Policy, advocacy and convening power; Financial and/or in-kind contribution

Partners

Girls who code
Youth organization, civil society, non-governmental, non-profit organization
Technical assistance, expertise and implementation; Policy, advocacy and convening power; Financial and/or in-kind contribution
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
United Nations system entity
Technical assistance, expertise and implementation; Policy, advocacy and convening power
Organismo Internacional de Juventud para Iberoamérica (OIJ)
Other regional or multilateral organization
Technical assistance, expertise and implementation; Policy, advocacy and convening power
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
United Nations system entity
Technical assistance, expertise and implementation; Financial and/or in-kind contribution
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
United Nations system entity
Technical assistance, expertise and implementation; Financial and/or in-kind contribution
International Labour Organization (ILO)
United Nations system entity
Technical assistance, expertise and implementation; Policy, advocacy and convening power

Sustainable Development Goals & targets

4.3 By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations
4.c By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States

5.b Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women

8.2 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
8.6 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training

16.10 Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements

Achievement At Glance

We partner with over 110 nonprofit organizations in 41 countries to reach millions of young people with quality digital skills and computer science experiences that pique interest in technology and spark excitement. Through cash grants, technology, and resources, we support nonprofits to increase the capacity of organizations to develop and grow high quality computer science programs. In addition to teaching millions of youth digital skills and computer science, Microsoft grantees have trained more than 200,000 teachers who will go on to teach computer science around the world.

On our commitment to youth in fragile situations, we continue to work with UNICEF on the Learning Passport and with UNHCR on the Connected Education in Kakuma, Kenya.

Key Highlight On Guiding Principle

Expanded multi-stakeholder partnerships
Multi-dimensional and multi-sectoral approach
Expanding investments in youth for quality education and skills development

IMPACT:

in a multistakeholder alliance approach with nonprofits, UN organizations and other private sector partners.
On the ground: ensuring a global initiative is also relevant and implemented according to local needs.

ENABLERS: Human rights as we focus on humanitarian and access to education and skills; and with a gender equality focus.

APPROACH: we engage youth directly in the creation and execution of our programmes, as well as ensure we are providing the resources required to execute them.

For example, with UNHCR and the Connected Education programme, refugee youth and local host community youth participated in the creation of the programme for Kakuma, and furthermore, youth who has participated, have become trainers for the programme execution.

description

Career Pathways: Invest in organisations to provide the career skills for digital economy. $10M to organizations serving under-represented populations. 25,000 individuals in the US for a skills based labor market. Youth Spark Digital Skills: Increase equitable, high-quality computer science programs. Decrease gaps in participation. Generate demand for computer science education teachers. 50% female. 80% from underserved communities . Youth in Fragile Situations: Humanitarian work to empower displaced youth, young girls. partner with UN & nonprofits to provide digital skills and training for livelihoods. committed to Sustainable Development: UNICEF for 75M Children and Youth on the Move, UNHCR to reach 25K refugee Youth in Kakuma, UNDP on Digital Skills for youth in Africa and Asia.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/philanthropies/default.aspx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GirUPwIx87w&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oLRRk5b-AI&feature=youtu.be
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/skills-employability/computer-science
www.learningpassport.org

Deliverables and links to SDG targets

Progress: 22,457,448 young people trained in relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, ICT skills and soft skills

4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship

Young people, specially those displaced and young women have access to Digital Skills, including CS Edu.

BY: Dec 2019

Start

01-Jul-2018

End

30-Dec-2019

22,457,448

young people to benefit directly from this commitment

Target: Only young people 15-19, 20-24, 25-29

Primarily:

Young people in urban areas
Young people in rural areas
Young women
Young men
Youth with disabilities
Low-income individuals
Young people with low levels of education and/or drop-outs

Challenges faced in implementation

As an example, for youth in fragile situations, a challenge faced in Kakuma camp, in Kenya, has been the inclusion of young women to ensure a 50% of participation to be female. Creatively UNHCR has approached the inclusion and ensured messaging targeted for young women and their families to join, and the goal continues to progress with these learnings. Another challenge for our nonprofit organization partners has been the partnerships they need to develop to ensure access to devices and connectivity as needed.

The below commitments are part of this overarching commitment

Coding and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Good

Gallery

Would you like more information about this commitment? Log in or sign up to contact the focal point.