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Securing long-term employment for migrant youth

The Hope for the Future project, funded by Postkodsstiftelsen, seeks to provide youth covered by the Upper Secondary School Act the support and tools needed to build a sustainable future in Sweden. Youth arrived as unaccompanied minors in 2015 and faced with specific and in the law outlined application-issues, are allowed to complete their education and may be eligible for permanent residency. To be eligible, they need to secure a permanent employment contract that meet specific requirements, within 6 months after graduation. The Law affects about 7,500 youth. Through multi-sectoral collaborations, the project supports their transition to employment.

Entity

War Child Sweden Youth organization, civil society, non-governmental, non-profit organization

Technical assistance, expertise and implementation; Policy, advocacy and convening power

Partners

  • Arbetskraftförmedlingen

    Youth organization, civil society, non-governmental, non-profit organization

    Technical assistance, expertise and implementation

  • Nordisk Kompetens

    Private sector

    Technical assistance, expertise and implementation

Sustainable Development Goals & targets

  • 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
  • 8.8 Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
  • 16.10 Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements
  • 16.b Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development
  • 17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

Themes

description

Hope for the Future rests on four pillars: 1) A mentorship program, 2) Support in job searching, 3) Collaboration between the civil society organisations and the private sector, and 4) Advocacy. Through the mentorship program, youth who are experiencing mental health stress are supported by mentors trained by War Child Sweden. Mentors provide first-aid psychosocial support as well as an introduction to Swedish culture and society. The youth receive further support by partner organisations. This includes supporting the youth emotionally as well as engaging companies to employ young people from this target group. As many of the youths have studied and worked in professions that are facing staff shortages, the project will also play an important role in maintaining industries threatened by a high staff vacancy rate.    Throughout the project, open houses will be arranged two times per month, where the youth can receive practical help with cover letter and CV writing, LinkedIn and Yobber registration, and interview training. Additionally, joint activities for all mentors and youth will be arranged once a month. Pillars 3 and 4 aim to broaden the impact of the project, by bringing awareness to the wider public of the issues faced by these youth. By creating a model of united action between organizations within the civil society and the private sector, the outcomes and learnings from the project can be scaled and replicated by organizations and businesses in other areas of expertise. 

https://www.warchild.se/om-vart-arbete/projekt-i-sverige/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9qwmkEpUwv/
https://nl-be.facebook.com/warchildsverige/
https://se.linkedin.com/company/warchildsweden

Deliverables and links to SDG targets

  • 700 young people benefitted from employment services, including job search assistance, job fairs and career counselling

    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

    The mentorship programme and open houses support the youth in their job search and in making job applications.

    BY: Feb 2023
  • 50 jobs created for young people, including through subsidized employment and entrepreneurship

    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

    The project hopes to reach at least 50 youth employed at different companies and organisations.

    BY: Feb 2023
  • 5 knowledge sharing or advocacy tactics on youth employment carried out, including events, campaigns and media items

    17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

    Advocacy and communication work by War Child Sweden in collaboration with its partners will share its best practices. Moreover, the project aims to create awareness about the youth's situation for better policies.

    BY: Feb 2023
Sweden

Start

20-Sep-2021

End

28-Feb-2023

USD 300,000

Estimated total value of the commitment

700

young people to benefit directly from this commitment

Target: Only young people 20-24

Primarily:
  • Young people in urban areas
  • Young people in rural areas
  • Specific ethnic groups
  • Low-income individuals
  • Graduates of second-level education and students in third-level education or beyond

Gallery

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