The data is sobering: About 40% of young people worldwide believe they lack the necessary skills and experience to enter the workforce.
As part of YMCA’s global strategy on Vision 2030, on 25 March, 125 YMCA leaders joined webinars to drive forward collective efforts on Meaningful Work.
“It’s painful to see what young people are going through when they are working hard and not having access to jobs,” said Carlos Sanvee, World YMCA Secretary General.
Said Rehana Merali Merchant, World YMCA Pillar Lead for Meaningful Work,” We thank YMCAs for their deep commitment to Meaningful Work. We all have a role to play in ensuring that the 1.1 billion young people coming of age in the next 10 years will be able to access the employment and enterprise opportunities they deserve”.
New resources translate vision into action
The World YMCA presented two new tools: the Strategic Priorities Practical Guide and the Programming Approach, both of which have been shaped by YMCAs and their young people. These tools offer practical steps, example activities, risk mitigation measures, case studies, and templates to help YMCA teams strengthen their Meaningful Work initiatives.
YMCA Vision 2030 was adopted in July 2022, and the Meaningful Work Pillar began in earnest in June 2023 when the YMCA partnered with Deloitte Australia, Accenture and other valued partners. Milestones over the past two years have included:
- Onboarding more than 80 Youth Champions
- Conducting the Global Youth Meaningful Work survey of 10,110 young people across 127 countries
- Publishing two reports in July 2024, introducing a new Meaningful Work definition and 12 standards for Meaningful Work
- Hosting Meaningful Work labs at the YMCA Accelerator Summit in Mombasa
- Finalising and presenting strategic priorities, tools, and an action plan with YMCA leaders
This progress sets the stage for the next phase of work across the YMCA Movement.
Said World YMCA President Soheila Hayek, “When we talk about the impact of young people on their communities, this is just what George Williams did at a very young age. We’re going back to our roots while being forward-looking”.
As YMCAs begin using the new tools, Rehana encouraged leaders to collaborate with young people and partners:
“We call on YMCA leaders and members to actively engage young people and collaborate with governments, employers, NGOs, businesses, training institutions, and communities to support pathways into Meaningful Work—helping young people realise their aspirations for themselves, their families, and their communities.”
