Youth Unemployment and the emergence of the discouraged job seeker

Young people remain particularly stricken by the global financial crisis. Currently, some 73.8 million young people are unemployed globally and the slowdown in economic activity is likely to push another half million into unemployment by 2014.

The youth unemployment rate – which had already increased to 12.6% in 2012 – is expected to increase to 12.9% by 2017. The crisis has dramatically diminished the labour market prospects for young people, and many experience long-term unemployment right from the start of their labour market entry, a situation that was never observed during previous cyclical downturns.

Currently, some 35% of all young unemployed have been out of a job for six months or longer in advanced economies. As a consequence, an increasing number of young people have become discouraged and have left the labour market. Long spells of unemployment and discouragement early on in a person’s career also damages their long-term prospects, as professional and social skills erode and valuable on-the-job experience is not built up.

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Here's what’s new on Yipe!

Business Startup

How to Go about Setting up Your Small Business
For someone starting out in business, success is the ultimate goal. Many people have the desire to work for themselves or run a small business but often it’s knowing where to start that means people fall at the first hurdle.

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Events

Kenya’s National Youth Summit set to kick off a new era in youth development
Kenya's National Youth Summit 2013 set to kick off from January 31st to February 1st 2013 will bring together 2,000 young leaders from across the country's 47 counties to inspire pride, patriotism and social cohesion among the young people.

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Awards:

Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship 2014
The Skoll Foundation provides Skoll Awards every year to select few social entrepreneurs whose proven innovations have demonstrated impact on some of the world’s most pressing problems. The Skoll Award recognizes organizations with the potential to not only be individually successful, but also to catalyze large-scale, system-level change.

Kenya’s National Youth Summit set to kick off a new era in youth development

Kenya's National Youth Summit 2013 set to kick off from January 31st to February 1st 2013 will bring together 2,000 young leaders from across the country's 47 counties to inspire pride, patriotism and social cohesion among the young people.

According to the 2009 Kenya Population and Housing Census, the youth aged below 35 years account for more than 70%. This is a significant cohort of the national population that can influence social, economic and political transformation. The youth are therefore critical in achieving the ambitous goals set out in the nation’s development roadmap known as Vision 2030.

With 2013 being a year for general elections, the National Youth Summit is informed by the need to rebrand and inspire young people to act as peace ambassadors who choose to take responsibility and make a difference in their communities.

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Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship 2014

Each year, The Skoll Foundation awards a select few social entrepreneurs whose proven innovations have demonstrated impact on some of the world’s most pressing problems. 

The Skoll Award recognizes organizations with the potential to not only be individually successful, but also to catalyze large-scale, system-level change.

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Call for Applications for Grants Applications Review Training and Volunteering

Deadline for Applications: January 20, 2013
Duration of Volunteer Assignment: 4 Days (January 28-31st 2013).
Target Number of Volunteers: Five (5)

Akiba Uhaki Foundation provides opportunities to young East Africans for on-job learning experience in a social justice grant-maker to develop and pursue a passion for promotion of human rights and social justice; to improve research as well as analytical skills and build knowledge in advocacy, proposal development, project management and grants administration. 

In this regard, the Foundation is looking for in or out-of-university students for engagement in it’s grants applications review process. Successful applicants will be taken through a short training on grants proposals evaluation, grants budget review as well as M & E. At the end of the assignment, all the volunteers will be issued with a certificate. A small stipend will be provided for daily expenses. They will also be entered into Akiba Uhaki’s database for call-up for other future assignments that may arise.

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Do you know that January 2013 is a good time to …

Brush up your skills …

Distance Learning Program on Islamic Microfinance
Islamic Microfinance is an emerging market in the Microfinance sector, and there is an immediate need to educate, train and capacity build on this subject. The AlHuda Centre of Excellence in Islamic Microfinance is offering a distance learning certificate program on Islamic Microfinance.



Clean up your act  …

Keeping records for your business
There’s a saying that goes: what doesn’t get measured doesn’t get done. Running a successful business means keeping accurate and timely financial information. A good record keeping system also gives you the information you need to make better decisions.



Update your market research …

How to find out if your product fits the market
The concept of product-market fit is emerging as an important criteria for entrepreneurs when assessing the viability of starting a business. Not all ideas make for profitable business and its vital to ask before you start just how critical your product or service will be to prospective customers.



Hire someone new …

Employment contract template
An employment contract is an agreement that spells out the roles and responsibilities of the Employer and Employee.




And get inspired! …

Dhamira Moja Youth Group
The Dhamo idea is an African-born global grassroots movement connecting the privileged young (and young at heart) to issues of poverty in Africa and providing them with a framework for action.

Keeping records for your business

There’s a saying that goes: what doesn’t get measured doesn’t get done. Running a successful business entails keeping accurate and timely financial information in order to assess growth. A good record keeping system also provides you with the information you need to evaluate the consequences of your financial decisions.

A business owner engages in various activities whereby money flows through their business. Essentially, there is money coming into the business (income) and money going out of the business (expenses). These money flows are called transactions.

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To start off 2013 with a bang its time to find out if your product fits the market

The concept of product-market fit is emerging as an important criteria for entrepreneurs when assessing the viability of starting a business. Not all ideas make for profitable business and its vital to ask before you start just how critical your product or service will be to your prospective consumers daily lives. Essentially once consumers start using your product, how painful will it be for them in the event that for some reason it is no longer available?

At this stage it’s also wise to assess the competitive landscape and ask the same questions about usage for current market substitutes. 

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Employment contract template

Today's business tool is a template for an employment contract

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Dhamira Moja Youth Group social enterprise profile

Dhamira Moja Youth Group (DHAMO) is a community based organization founded on the principal of empowering young adults who lack skills and have little or no formal education in Kenya's Busia County. 

The Dhamo idea is an African-born global grassroots movement connecting the privileged young (and young at heart) to issues of poverty in Africa and providing them with a framework for action. Anyika Khaimba, the Executive Director was kind enough to answer a few of our questions regarding Dhamira Moja.

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"Stimulating Change From Below" Strategy: Social Justice - Call for Proposals

As part of its Strategy, Akiba Uhaki Foundation invites applications, from community-based or serving civil society organizations, social movements, community media in East Africa, that are creatively and innovatively using ICTs or community media in advocacy work towards progressive realisation of economic, social and cultural rights in East Africa. In particular, we intend to support advocacy initiatives that are using ICTs and/or community media in dealing with worsening inequalities in the East African region:

• inequitable access to quality and affordable healthcare and education;
• increasing youth unemployment levels as well as
• violation of youth labour rights amongst poor-rural communities, women and girls from marginalized communities, ethnic minorities, youth, persons living in informal settlements, persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and/or people living with HIV/AIDs (PLWHAs).

Applications must adopt rights-based approaches with clear focus on addressing the root causes of the identified problems and have clear sustainability measures.

Learn more about the "Stimulating Change From Below" Strategy: Social Justice  - Call for Proposals

ONE Africa Award 2012 | Yipe!

Throughout Africa, there is amazing progress by civil society focused on ending extreme poverty and preventable disease. These new ideas and exciting approaches are designed and implemented by Africans who understand the complexities of bringing about change and transforming lives in their communities.

The ONE Africa Award celebrates these innovations and progress towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Learn more about the ONE Africa Award 2012

Project Inspire: 5 Minutes to Change the World Competition

The Singapore Committee for UN Women and MasterCard have come together to organize this joint initiative called “Project Inspire: 5 Minutes to Change the World.” This competition aims to help young changemakers create a better world of opportunities for women and girls in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.

The competition seeks entries from 18-35 year olds to submit a 5-minute platform to pitch their inspired idea to the world. There is an opportunity to win a $25,000 grant.The grant must show creativity and sustainable impact in the lives of women and girls across Asia, Pacific, the Middle East or Africa through entrepreneurship.

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Social Entrepreneur Grad Certificate - University of North Dakota

The University of North Dakota has launched a new online Graduate Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship to help students develop the entrepreneurial skills needed to create and manage socially-conscious organizations. The program is fully online, giving working professionals the ability to expand their skills while remaining in their hometown.

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Airtel Kenya takes mass marketing via mobile phones too far

The battle for the hearts and minds of Kenya’s 25 million mobile phone users has literally brought out the worst guerrilla marketing tactics from Airtel.

 

Even though they do not offer free services, Airtel’s local marketing methods mean that paying subscribers are literally inundated with SMS text messages, and as if this was not effective marketing, Airtel are now calling subscribers and subscribing them (note: there is no opt-in!) to its music service dubbed “Ziki Tunes”.

“Dear Lucky Subscriber” ominous text messages announce to unsuspecting paying customers with the latest exhortation to reply to sign up for a service at a daily or monthly rate. Daily texts from Airtel offer “exciting” music; low rate and free calls (which we don’t mind!); downloadable games (again which some of us don’t mind!); lottery cash draw entries; top up chances to win handsets and tablets, etc

There are also messages that begin “Strictly confidential: A message of high importance is heading towards you! Follow the instructions …!”.

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Mobile Web East Africa 2012 to take place in late February 2012 in Nairobi

The Kenya ICT Board and All Amber Ltd, the organiser of premier mobile-related events in Africa, will partner to deliver Mobile Web East Africa for a second time. This senior level and progressive conference will take place on 22nd & 23rd February 2012 at the 5* Southern Sun Mayfair hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.

The main objective of the conference is to facilitate the growth of the mobile ecosystem in the region. It is this synergy with the Kenya ICT Board’s wider vision that is the backbone behind the decision to once again participate as the Official Host Organisation of the conference. Mobile Web East Africa returns to Nairobi after a 24-month gap and is part of a sub-Saharan Africa series of events that is contributing to a greater focus on this vital area of technological potential for the continent.

To ensure sector wide representation at this event start-up companies and application developers are eligible to apply for a 50% subsidy to make their attendance more financially viable. All the different elements of the sector will be in attendance and participants will be encouraged to interact to facilitate the establishment of relationships and enable sector expansion, as was the case at the highly acclaimed inaugural event held in February 2010.

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6th Ogunte Women's Social Leadership Awards

Applications to the 6th Ogunte Women's Social Leadership Awards are now
open!

These prestigious International Awards recognise the achievements of women in the UK and abroad, influential female leaders, connectors, campaigners and social entrepreneurs.

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Ashoka Changemakers’ Innovations for Health: Solutions that Cross Borders Competition

Ashoka Changemakers and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Pioneer Portfolio are seeking health care solutions from anywhere in the world that have the potential to be applied in other countries to improve health and health care.

If you are an innovator with a health care solution that has the potential to be applied in other countries to improve health and health care, then you can submit your entry. This competition is looking for initiatives that have demonstrated impact and help vulnerable and underserved populations. Entries are accepted in English, Spanish, Portuguese, or French.

Participating in this competition also helps you get connected to a global online community that supports the impact you are making, or seeking to make, on the ground; gain visibility with our community and our competition partner, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; and have the opportunity to win cash awards.

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Green Economy Eco-Business Innovation Challenge

The Green Economy Eco-Business Innovations Challenge (GEEBIZ) is a global business innovations challenge for young people to express their vision and entrepreneurship skills and apply them to the building of a green economy. The ultimate goal is to ENCOURAGE young people (up to age 30) to put forward innovative business ideas that can form the building blocks of a new, clean green economy based on renewable energy, resource efficiency, social equity, and the restoration as well as the conservation of the earth's eco- systems

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Global Health & Innovation Conference 2012 at Yale

Date: Saturday, April 21 - Sunday, April 22, 2012
Venue: Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

The Global Health & Innovation Conference is the world's largest global health conference and social entrepreneurship conference. This must-attend, thought-leading conference annually convenes 2,200 leaders, changemakers, students, and professionals from all fields of global health, international development, and social entrepreneurship. Register during January to secure the lowest registration rate.

The conference's confirmed speakers include:

Keynote Addresses

• Sasha Dichter, Chief Innovation Officer, Acumen Fund
• Seth Goldman, President and TeaEO of Honest Tea
• Jeffrey Sachs, PhD, Director of Earth Institute at Columbia University; Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development, Professor of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University; Special Advisor to Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon
• Sonia Ehrlich Sachs, MD, MPH, Director of Health, Millennium Village Project, Earth Institute at Columbia University

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