Empowering Young Innovators: Unveiling New Skills and Opportunities in Education
As the leading advocate for education and youth development, UNICEF is proudly announcing today the results of the laborious efforts to foster skills and opportunities for youth at risk of abandoning their educational journey and to ensure that no one is left behind. In only 15 months of implementation of the “QENDRO,” more than 6.000 young people from different regions are equipped with 21st-century skills which are vital for the labor market and daily lives. Nearly 570 teachers know how to advise students in school career orientation programs. While 2,000 teachers have received blended learning training(online education materials and traditional learning methods).
Marginalized youth are supported to become social innovators and entrepreneurs. Launched one month ago, the Early Warning System mechanism is introduced to connect 100 schools with communities and institutions at the local and national levels. Thanks to the tireless efforts of local education authorities, youth at risk of drop-out are identified and involved in skillset-building activities. More than 600 students have already benefited from this project.
“Promoting self-employment and entrepreneurship education is one of the highest returns investments in Albania. Through the “QENDRO” project in more than 10 municipalities all over Albania, we are aiming at keeping youth in schools and creating opportunities for those youth not in education or training to engage in activities that will keep them in the country. I am glad to see that the project is offering these opportunities to youth not only in general secondary education schools but also in VET schools, by supporting them to establish grass-root, youth-led social ventures. “ said Roberto De Bernardi, UNICEF Representative in Albania.
With a clear vision to empower marginalized young people to identify and develop entrepreneurial solutions in their communities, UPSHIFT, as a youth social innovation program, has helped young people to increase resilience, knowledge, and adaptation to dynamic labor markets.
Rolled out in 52 regions in Albania, UPSHIFT welcomes young people regardless of their background, ethnicity, ability, and gender identification. One of the outreach events was the national competition ‘Gjuha Jone- Albania Language’ where at least 50 percent of the participants were girls. From this competition and different UPSHIFT editions, 16 seed-funded projects were also supported, paving the way for innovation and entrepreneurship in the communities of Albania.
‘Qëndro’ project interventions are implemented by UNICEF Albania with the financial support of the Italian Government, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Ministry of State for Youth and Children, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and in partnership with many civil society organizations.