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Donate to the Youth Participation Fund:
(Names/Title/Institution will be listed in our conference program if entered here)
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Program
Information on the 2012 Conference program will be available by April, 2012.
The conference agenda will follow five learning tracks:
- Workforce Development
- Financial Services and Capabilities
- Enterprise Development
- Adolescent Girls and Young Women
- Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment
In case it is of interest, the 2011 Conference program is available below.
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9:00am - 12:00pm
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Optional Pre-Conference Sessions
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| 9:00am - 12:00pm |
Training: Serious Business-- Making a Case for Youth-Inclusive Financial Services
Space is limited. Pre-registration required. Click here for more information.
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| 10:00am - 12:00pm |
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| 12:00 - 1:20 pm |
Conference Registration
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| 1:30 - 2:00 pm |
Welcome Remarks
Ms. Fiona Macaulay, Founder and CEO, Making Cents International (USA)
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| 2:00 - 3:30 pm |
Opening Plenary: Global employment trends and policy levers: how can we take a system-wide approach to youth employment?
Four out of every ten jobs today did not exist four years ago. Technology, cultural shifts and changing demographics combine in unexpected ways to create new career fields like sustainability manager, social networking specialist, and impact investors; and new growth-oriented sectors in certain contexts such as tourism, information and communications technology, and environmentally sustainable product development. No single industry or sector though will provide the jobs answer. While the “Beijing Consensus” and its accompanying “open industrial policy” promoters recognize the value of supporting growth-oriented sectors, they point out that growth sectors don’t just appear; rather, they come about as a result of sustained, structured, public-private collaboration—witness the historical examples of England, the US and Germany, and watch how Chile, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Brazil and India are doing it today.
Speakers on this opening plenary roundtable will debunk the myths and confront the ideologies associated with traditional approaches to employment policy. They will also explore entrepreneurship and creative cross-sectoral partnership models that can effectively contribute to system-wide change. (read more)
Moderator: Mr. Peter Coy, Economics Editor and Senior Writer, Bloomberg Businessweek (bio)
Presenters:
- His Excellency Aziz Mekouar, Ambassador of His Majesty the King of Morocco to the United States of America (Morocco) (bio)
- Ms. Barbara Chilangwa, Executive Director, Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED); Former Permanent Secretary of Education (Zambia) (bio)
- Mr. David Arkless, President of Corporate and Government Affairs, Manpower Group (USA) (bio)
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| 3:30 - 4:00 pm |
Transition Break |
4:00 - 5:30 pm
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Choose from Five 1.5-Hour Simultaneous Breakout Sessions
Lessons Learned, Promising Practices, and Programmatic Examples in 1. Workforce Development 2. Enterprise Development 3. Financial Services and Capabilities 4. Adolescent Girls and Young Women 5. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Impact Assessment
Track 1: Workforce Development
YOUTH360˚: A Comprehensive Approach to Workforce Preparation and Placement
Presenters: (bios)
- Ms. Carla De Vanegas, Director, Search Consulting Group and Executive Director of YOUTH360˚ (El Salvador)
- Mr. Eduardo Tugendhat, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO, CARANA Corporation (USA)
Session Description:
What does it take to develop a full-circle approach to human capital development and youth employment? Join us to learn how to transform the way youth, universities and private sector firms prepare for employment through job training and an online internship search portal. Explore how this initiative is creating new pathways to youth employment while increasing the quality and relevancy of education in both Central America and Eastern Europe. Take away practical guidance on how your initiatives can successfully bridge the gap between supply-side-driven education and demand-driven private sector jobs utilizing today’s online tools.
Presentation Materials (Hyperlinked):
- PowerPoint Presentation: "Bridging the Gap to Youth Employment"
- YOUTH360˚ Video
Track 2: Financial Services and Capabilities
A Nation-Wide Approach to Integrated Youth Financial Services: Palestinian Case Study
Moderator: (bios)
- Mr. Timothy Nourse, President, Making Cents International (USA); Former Chief of Party, ESAF Program, AED (West Bank);
Presenters:
- Mr. Obed Diener, ESAF Program Manager, AED (Gaza)
- Ms. Annie Belt, Senior Manager, International Programs, Making Cents International (USA)
- Mr. Ali Faroun, Manager, Consumer Relations Department, Palestinian Monetary Authority (PMA) (Palestine)
- Mr. Alaa Sisalem, Executive Director, Ryada Financial Services (Palestine)
Session Description:
How can youth-inclusive financial services be integrated holistically at a country level? In this session, partners of the USAID-funded ESAF program in the West Bank and Gaza will broach the challenge of mainstreaming youth financial capabilities and services into a national level financial sector development strategy by sharing a "menu" of program options while addressing lessons learned, cost-effectiveness, and time considerations. Interventions include: integrating financial education into public schools; technical assistance to MFIs developing youth-focused products; business grants and training for young entrepreneurs; and individual development accounts and matched savings. In addition, you will explore strategies for working with regulatory authorities on overall financial inclusion to benefit youth and other underserved groups.
Track 3: Enterprise Development
Increasing Economic Opportunities for Youth in Rural Areas: Experience from Africa
Moderator:
- Mr. Russ Webster, President, Cardno Emerging Markets USA, Ltd. (USA)
Presenters: (bios)
- Ms. Jacqueline Bass, Director, Governance and Economic Growth, Cardno Emerging Markets USA, Ltd. (USA)
- Ms. Deanna Salpietra, Development Specialist, Cardno Emerging Markets USA, Ltd. (USA)
Session Description:
Engage in this session to tap into diverse experience and expertise from working in rural Africa to increase economic opportunities for youth. Cardno will share how it operates at the micro, meso and macro levels to improve the financial capabilities of young people. You will explore promising new directions on how to empower youth in the financial marketplace in a way that contributes to their entrepreneurial success. Carry away tips, tools, and tangible guidance you can use.
Presentation Materials (Hyperlinked):
- PowerPoint on "Lessons in Financial Capability"
-PowerPoint on "Empowering Youth While Building an Inclusive Financial System"
-Value Girls Project Participant Profile: Eunice Anyango Winga
-Value Girls Project Participant Profile: Zachia Owaga Hamisi
-Value Girls Project Participant Profile: Jane Atieno
-Value Girls Project Participant Profile: Eunice Akoth Ajuoga
Track 4: Adolescent Girls and Young Women
Holistic and Replicable Approaches: What Has Been Proven Effective When Working with Girls?
Presenters: (bios)
- Ms. Farzana Kashfi, Manager, BRAC Education Program (Bangladesh)
- Mr. Sarder Lutfor Rahman, Project Manager, Empowerment and Livelihood for Adolescents Program, BRAC Tanzania (Tanzania)
- Dr. Mary Hallward-Driemeier, Lead Economist, Office of the Chief Economist, Financial and Private Sector Development Network, The World Bank (USA)
Presentation Materials (Hyperlinked):
- World Bank PowerPoint presentation
- BRAC PowerPoint presentation
Session Description:
Join this session to examine how different organizations are taking holistic approaches throughout Africa to increase and improve economic opportunities for adolescent girls and young women. The World Bank will frame and launch this journey. BRAC will then lead participants to Tanzania where they will learn how BRAC leveraged their experiences from other contexts to develop an integrated program tailored for 13-20 year old Tanzanian females. Bring a bag to pack your key take-aways.
Track 5: Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment
How to Develop a Financial Capability Project: Building Evidence as You Go
Presenters: (bio)
- Mr. Mat Despard, Clinical Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA)
Session Description:
An exciting global push is underway to increase young people’s financial capabilities in novel ways, from the use of comic books with key messages to text messaging. Yet practitioners need to know how to develop projects with an eye toward evaluation. This means identifying clear, measurable outcomes that youth think are important and talking about why you think your project will be successful based on what you understand about youth. It also means coming up with developmentally and culturally appropriate ways to assess these outcomes. The discussion is especially for those working on financial education, money management training, and/or access to financial services with low-income youth.
Presentation Materials (Hyperlinked):
- PowerPoint Presentation
- Handout: Practice Guidance
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7:30 - 8:50 am
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Conference Registration
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| 9:00 - 9:30 am |
Keynote Address
USAID is developing its first-ever youth policy. How will this affect you? Ambassador Steinberg will share what USAID has been learning and the agency's priorities going forward.
Ambassador Donald Steinberg, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development (bio)
Presentation Material (Hyperlinked):
- PowerPoint
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9:30 - 10:00 am
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Ideas That Change the World
This is your chance to hear talks by two exceptional leaders who will inspire you to think differently about how you work with young people.
- Mr. Jeff Hoffman, Member of the Founding Executive Team of Priceline.com (USA) (bio)
Hear insights on what it takes to foster young business owners from one of the USA's great entrepreneurs. Jeff started his first enterprise while still a student and went on to literally change the way the world does business. What would national economies look like if they each had 10 more Jeff Hoffmans?
Introduction by: Ms. Fiona Macaulay, Founder and CEO, Making Cents International (USA)
- Ms. Judith Bruce, Senior Associate and Policy Analyst, Population Council (USA) (bio)
Girls are like any other demographic group? No way! Be challenged by Judith Bruce, a recognized leader and innovator. She is equipping adolescent girls and young women around the world with the social, economic, personal, and educational assets they need to secure their livelihoods, realize their personal goals, and prepare for safe motherhood.
Introduction by: Ms. Veronica Torres, Director of Youth Economic Opportunities, Making Cents International (Canada)
Presentation Materials (Hyperlinked):
- Jeff Hoffman PowerPoint presentation: "Together we can change the world"
- Judith Bruce's PowerPoint presentation: "The Unique Reason Girl's (and Later Women Are Poor and What We Can Do About It"
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10:00 - 11:30 am
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Plenary: How Is Technology Causing Breakthroughs in Youth Economic Opportunity?
Dive deep into an exploration of how technology is being used to increase the access young people have to financial services and employment, entrepreneurship, and skill-building opportunities. Panelists will address critical questions surrounding the use of technology that youth, youth-serving organizations, and financial institutions are tackling around the world.
- Which technology-based models hold the greatest promise for increasing and improving economic opportunities for young people?
- How are organizations in our field and youth themselves leveraging mobile phone technology?
- What are some of the barriers that make technology inaccessible or inappropriate for certain youth populations?
Moderator: Mr. Wayan Vota, Senior Director, Inveneo (USA) (bio)
Presenter:
- Mr. Jacob Korenblum, Co-Founder and President, Souktel Inc. (Canada) (bio)
- Mr. Peter Broffman, Manager of Informal Education, Corporate Affairs Group, Intel Corporation (USA) (bio)
- Mr. David Mukaru, Head of Sector-Microcredit, Equity Bank (Kenya) (bio)
- Ms. Leah Gardiner, Fundraising Advisor, TakingITGlobal (Canada) (bio)
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11:30 - 11:45 am
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Transition Break
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11:45 - 1:15 pm
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Choose from Five 1.5-Hour Simultaneous Breakout Sessions
Lessons Learned, Promising Practices, and Programmatic Examples in 1. Workforce Development 2. Enterprise Development 3. Financial Services and Capabilities 4. Adolescent Girls and Young Women 5. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Impact Assessment
Track 1: Workforce Development
Scaling Up: Regional Lessons, Local Execution
Presenters: (bios)
- Mr. Nawfal Fassi-Fihri, CEO, Education for Employment Foundation-Maroc (Morocco)
- Ms. Branka Minić, Director of Global Corporate Affairs, ManpowerGroup (USA)
- Mr. Taleb Salhab, Vice President, Programs and Affiliate Services, Education for Employment Foundation (USA)
Session Description:
Join the EFE Foundation to learn how to take programs to scale and build capacity to manage rapid growth. You will examine case studies of EFE’s programmatic experiences in Jordan, Palestine, Yemen and Egypt, which are informing EFE’s national expansion plan in Morocco. They offer transferable learnings and guidance for others seeing to scale their initiatives. You will walk away with a better understanding of the various approaches and techniques that can be used when designing and building partnerships for scale -- whether with the private sector, government institutions or NGOs-- and which lead to the maximization of impact, reach and results.
Presentation Material: (Hyperlinked)
-PowerPoint
Track 2: Financial Services and Capabilities
Building a Youth-Friendly Policy and Regulatory Framework: What Does it Take for Policy Makers to "Get it Right"?
Presenters: (bios)
- Dr. Sanjaya Acharya, Senior Economist, New ERA (Nepal)
- Mr. Jared Penner, Program Executive, ChildFinance (The Netherlands)
- Ms. Tanaya Kilara, Associate Microfinance Analyst, CGAP (USA)
- Ms. Sara Myers, Research Associate, YouthSave, Center for Social Development (USA)
Session Description:
Many countries have stringent regulatory constraints and policies around identification, parental guardianship, and mandatory reserves that make it difficult or impossible for financial institutions to provide financial services to low income youth. In this session, CGAP, CSD, ChildFinance, and New ERA will take a comprehensive look at the way that policies impact youth savings and financial inclusion. Beginning with an exploration of policy environments around the world, join presenters for a comparative analysis of regulatory environments for youth financial service offerings in four countries (Colombia, Ghana, Kenya and Nepal) before deep-diving into a country-specific case study with New ERA, YouthSave’s local research institution in Nepal.
Presentation Materials:
- Please click here to access the hyperlinked presentation material on www.YFSLink.org.
Track 3: Enterprise Development
Partner with the Experts: Engaging Youth in Win-Win Partnerships
Presenters: (bios)
- Ms. Maria Springer, Executive Director, LivelyHoods (Kenya)
- Ms. Ashley Gaffney, Teacher, Academy of Entrepreneurship at Buchholz High School (USA)
- Ms. Donna Martin, Director of Programs, Academy of Entrepreneurship at Buchholz High School (USA)
Session Description:
How do you develop demand-driven, impactful and sustainable programs? Partner with the youth you aim to serve. Join Lively Hoods, and explore how a youth-led Kenyan social enterprise partnered with reformed street youth to develop iSmart, a sales force that operates in urban slums. You will also learn how the Academy of Entrepreneurship at Buchholz High School in Florida engages students in the school’s operations in a way that builds the students’ workforce and entrepreneurship skills while improving the model. Through interactive discussions, you’ll take away practical tips on how to achieve win-win partnerships with youth that enhance economic opportunities and advance programming objectives.
Presentation Materials (Hyperlinked):
-LivelyHoods PowerPoint presentation
- LivelyHoods winning video from conference video contest
- Academy of Entrepreneurship's PowerPoint presentation: "Youth-Led Initiatives in the Academy of Entrepreneurship"
Track 4: Adolescent Girls and Young Women
Challenging Squared: Opening Income Pathways for Extremely Marginalized Young Women
Presenters: (bios)
- Ms. Raquel Barros, Luo Nova (Brazil)
- Ms. Manjula Pradeep, Navsarjan (India)
- Ms. Cynthia Steele, Executive Vice President, EMpower (USA)
- Dr. Corinne Whitaker, Independent Consultant (USA)
Session Description:
Life circumstances and cultural prejudices make earning a decent wage even harder for young women who face extreme marginalization and discrimination. Drawing on experiences of organizations in vastly different settings—which are creating opportunities, removing hurdles, and building the skills and confidence of young women who are parenting, have histories of substance abuse (Lua Nova, Brazil) or are Dalit (formerly known as untouchable caste) (Navsarjan, India)— this workshop will provide practical lessons on how to: empower very marginalized young women; explore ways these young women can earn income in “nonstandard areas”; and help young women overcome practical obstacles to earning income.
Track 5: Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment
Conducting M&E in Conflict-Affected Environments
- Mr. Moustafa Khalifeh, Director of Finance and Administration, CHF International ACSI Iraq (Lebanon)
- Mr. Ahmad Lamaa, Director of Business and Operations, CHF International ACSI Iraq (Iraq)
- Ms. Julie Zollman, Associate, Bankable Frontier Associates (USA)
- Ms. Barri Shorey, Youth and Livelihoods Special Projects Officer, International Rescue Committee (USA)
Session Description:
How can you address the unique challenges of conducting monitoring and evaluation on conflict-affected areas? Learn how CHF International and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) collect, analyze and use data to inform their youth livelihoods and microfinance programs. CHF will explore the particularities of reaching and working with youth in Afghanistan and Iraq, where security, short-term outlooks and trauma are real issues which require adaptations of youth-friendly product and project methodologies. The IRC will share their qualitative research on the financial behaviors and lives of youth living in conflict-affected Northern Uganda. Using an adapted financial diaries methodology, the IRC and partner, Bankable Frontiers, learned how youth access and manage financial and social capital and importantly, how this information informs the design of financial service programming.
Presentation Materials (Hyperlinked):
- CHF International's PowerPoint presentation
- IRC and Bankable Frontier Associates' PowerPoint presentation
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1:15 - 2:15 pm
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Lunch
Option 1: Open Seating in the Ballroom for Informal Networking and Meetings
Option 2: Working Lunch Opportunity: USAID Listening Session on Youth Development
Presenter: Dr. Clare Ignatowski, Senior Advisor, Workforce Development and Youth, EGAT/Office of Education, USAID (USA) (bio)
USAID will briefly describe new directions in youth policy, research, and implementation. However, most of the session will be dedicated to hearing from implementing partners about your ideas for improving how we work together, including collaboration across sectors and types of stakeholders, working for scale and sustainability, and for deeper youth engagement. Please come with your ideas and suggestions.
Option 3: Working Lunch Opportunity: Multilateral Investment Fund Listening Session: Focus on Latin America and the Caribbean
Presenters:
-Ms. Elena Heredero, Senior Specialist, Multilateral Investment Fund, Inter-American Development Bank (USA)
- Ms. Maria Elena Nawar, Lead Specialist, Multilateral Investment Fund, Inter-American Development Bank (USA)
- Ms. Maritza Vela, Senior Associate, Multilateral Investment Fund, Inter-American Development Bank (USA)
Join the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) of the Inter-American Development Bank to explore the findings of a comprehensive third-party study of the MIF´s portfolio of youth-related projects. The study examined the adaptability and scalability of proven models and identified what doesn’t work and why. Over the past decade, the MIF has been an active promoter of youth employability programs, supporting approximately 100 projects for US$ 70 million, with a leveraged total of approximately US$ 71 million from other organizations and corporate partners.
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2:15 -3:45 pm
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Choose from Five 1.5-Hour Simultaneous Breakout Sessions
Lessons Learned, Promising Practices, and Programmatic Examples in 1. Workforce Development 2. Enterprise Development 3. Financial Services and Capabilities 4. Adolescent Girls and Young Women 5. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Impact Assessment
Track 1: Workforce Development
Designing New Curriculum and Applications for Knowing, Doing and Understanding Business
Presenters: (bios)
- Ms. Amal Abu Shhab, Director of Curriculum Digitization, Queen Rania Center for Education Technology (Jordan)
- Mr. Nilhan Siam, Manager, Education Reform Support Project (Jordan)
- Ms. Katherine Merseth, Project Director, Creative Associates International (USA)
- Ms. Klaudia Youell, Program Associate, Creative Associates International (USA)
Session Description:
How can we help youth become successful in business and entrepreneurship? Youth are traditionally trained in academic silos, yet evidence suggests that companies today seek workers who are cognizant of strategic goals and operations, think systemically, connect with organizational units and teams, and deliver multiple services to diverse clients. Can business education be transformed to meet needs of the 21st Century? We will examine how students learn through integrated business curriculum, employ technology and do business, using examples from a program in Jordan. Attendees will explore how integrated curriculum, supported by technology and entrepreneurship, makes business education effective and relevant.
Presentation Material
-PowerPoint Presentation
Track 2: Financial Services and Capabilities
Market Research for Youth-Inclusive Financial Services (YFS): Tools and Trends
Presenters: (bios)
- Ms. Corrinne Ngurukie, Africa Regional Technical Advisor, YouthSave (Kenya)
- Ms. Rani Deshpande, Director, YouthSave, Save the Children (USA)
- Ms. Maria Perdomo, Program Manager, YouthStart, UNCDF (USA)
- Mr. Ben Shell, Senior Associate, New Product Development, Women's World Banking (USA)
Session Description:
What do market research results tell us about youth-inclusive financial services? In this session, you will explore youth financial services market research trends from 22 financial service providers in 13 countries, as presented by the YouthStart and YouthSave programs. Each will highlight lessons learned and will discuss the different processes and tools used to conduct and evaluate their market research. Through an interactive market research scoring exercise you will apply one such tool to assess the quality of a market research study conducted by Women's World Banking's local partner in Ethiopia, PEACE MFI.
Presentation Materials:
- Please click here to access the hyperlinked presentation material on www.YFSLink.org.
Track 3: Enterprise Development
Changing Course: Transforming At-Risk and Gang-Involved Youth through Enterprise Development
Presenters: (bios)
- Mr. Richard Jones, Deputy Regional Director, Catholic Relief Services (El Salvador)
- Ms. Ibania Rivas, Program Quality for Learning, Catholic Relief Services (El Salvador)
- Mr. Timothy Cross, President, YouthBuild International (USA)
Session Description:
Engage in this session to gain a greater understanding of the challenges youth face in violent neighborhoods of Central America and other regions, as well as creative solutions that have helped youth rehabilitate and improve their involvement within their communities. This session will focus on holistic programs that facilitate youth civic engagement, ownership, and decision-making in every step of the enterprise development process. You will learn promising practices for promoting entrepreneurship among at-risk and gang involved youth. Participants will have access to case studies, practical tools for adapting business and investment plans, lessons on savings groups for entrepreneurship, and findings from project evaluations.
Presentation Materials (Hyperlinked):
- CRS Case Study Handout- "Rebuilding Lives and Livelihoods": Promising Practices for Working With Gang-Involved Youth
- CRS Case Study Handout- "Creating Change, Creating Opportunities: Promising Practices in Youth Enterprise Development for At-Risk and Gang-Involved Youth"
- CRS and YouthBuild Powerpoint- "Changing lives: Transforming at risk and gang-involved youth through Entreprise Development
Track 4: Adolescent Girls and Young Women
Learning What Works for Conflict-Affected Adolescent Girls and Young Women
Presenters: (bios)
- Mr. Josh Chaffin, Senior Program Officer, Economic Strengthening and Child Protection, Women's Refugee Commission (USA)
- Ms. Jina Krause-Vilmar, Senior Program Officer for Livelihoods, Women's Refugee Commission (USA)
- Ms. Jennifer Schulte, Program Officer for Youth and Livelihoods, Women's Refugee Commission (USA)
Session Description:
What does it take to reach adolescent girls and young women in conflict-affected contexts with programs to promote their economic recovery and advancement? Share key insights on practical program planning and evaluation recommendations on building economic opportunity for conflict-affected adolescent girls and young women, and learn how investments in economic strengthening programs that actively engage girls can contribute to their greater well-being and resilience, as well as that of their families and communities for wider economic recovery. The session will synthesize findings and share top recommendations from multi-year action research initiatives of the Women’s Refugee Commissions’ Youth and Livelihoods programs.
Presentation Materials (Hyperlinked):
- Josh Chaffin's PowerPoint
- Jina Krause- Vilmar's PowerPoint
- Jennifer Schulte's PowerPoint
- Resource List: Resources from Displaced Youth Initiative
- Case Study Exercise
Track 5: Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment
Mixed Methods: A Practical Primer
Presenters: (bios)
- Ms. Leah Katerberg, Program Manager for Monitoring and Evaluation, MEDA (USA)
- Ms. Eva Roca, Staff Associate, Poverty, Gender, and Youth Team, Population Council (USA)
Session Description:
Evaluating programs for youth is much more complex than evaluating programs for adults. While the need to measure outcomes is clear, the way to measure outcomes is less certain. Through this evidence-based session, you will examine a number of important issues in youth programming evaluation, including how to: factor in the multi-dimensionality of program outcomes, allow for the time and attention span of youth, attribute for the developmental changes in youth, and determine the age-appropriateness of measurement instruments. You will also contemplate the ethics of control groups and how to effectively address gender issues while taking a mixed methodology approach to evaluation.
Presentation Materials (Hyperlinked):
- MENA's PowerPoint
- Population Council's PowerPoint
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3:45 - 4:00 pm
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Transition Break
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4:00 - 6:00 pm
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Plenary: Spotlight on Strategies to Support Youth-Owned Growth Businesses
“Small and growing business”, “impact entrepreneurs” and the “missing middle” are increasingly receiving attention from private sector companies, funders, social entrepreneurs, and others. This session spotlights entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial thinkers who share what’s innovative, replicable, and making a difference with growth-oriented entrepreneurs in both urban and rural areas, those with social missions, and “gazelles” in developed and developing economies. You’ll first meet the funders and policy-makers and hear about the research for where to invest to create an entrepreneurial ecosphere that increases the number of new firms. Then, learn about how to identify the young business owners with potential and support them with demand-driven training, mentorship, financing and other services. Finally, be inspired by successful young entrepreneurs who are creating employment and hear what services make the greatest difference to them as they move through different stages of their business life cycles. Panelists will also address gender considerations and how to move microentrepreneurs, with growth potential, up the ladder.
Moderator:
- Ms. Fiona Macaulay, Founder and CEO, Making Cents International (USA) (bio)
Presenters:
- Mr. Andrew Fiddaman, Managing Director, Youth Business International (UK) (bio)
- Mr. Samuel Gonzalez Guzman, Founder, Fundacion E (Mexico) (bio)
- Mr. Chris Haughey, Founder, Tegu (USA/Honduras) (bio)
- Ms. Nell Merlino, Founder, Count Me In and the Make Mine a Million Dollar Business program (USA) (bio)
- Mr. Jonathan Ortmans, President of Entrepreneurship Week & Senior Fellow, Kauffman Foundation (USA) (bio)
Presentation Material (Hyperlinked):
- Tegu Video
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7:30 - 8:50 am
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Conference Registration
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9:00 - 10:30 am
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Plenary: Youth Economic Opportunity in the MENA Region
Uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have brought to the global stage the significant challenges young people are facing in the region. Many youth are unemployed, underemployed, alienated, and frustrated. What approaches, programs and policies can reverse these trends; and which ones are already making breakthrough progress in supporting young people in their efforts to access decent employment and business opportunities?
Moderator: Ms. Brandee McHale, Chief Operating Officer, Citi Foundation (USA) (bio)
Presenters:
- Ms. Svava Bjarnason, Senior Education Specialist, International Finance Corporation (USA) (bio)
- Mr. Jamie McAuliffe, President and CEO, Education for Employment Foundation (USA) (bio)
- Mr. Awais Sufi, Vice President for Work Programs, International Youth Foundation (USA) (bio)
Presentation Material (Hyperlinked):
- Education for Employment (E4E) video and report
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10:30 - 10:45 am
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Transition Break
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10:45 - 12:15 pm
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Choose from Five 1.5-Hour Simultaneous Breakout Sessions
Lessons Learned, Promising Practices, and Programmatic Examples in 1. Workforce Development 2. Enterprise Development 3. Financial Services and Capabilities 4. Adolescent Girls and Young Women 5. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Impact Assessment.
Track 1: Workforce Development
Creating "Win-Win" Partnerships with the Private Sector: What Does it Take?
Moderator:
- Ms. Kate Carpenter, Vice President, Public Sector Business Development, International Youth Foundation (USA)
Presenters: (bios)
- Dr. Mohammad Almbaid, Country Director, International Youth Foundation Palestine (USA)
- Ms. Mara Kronenfeld, Manager, Middle East Programs, International Youth Foundation (USA)
- Ms. Rana Al Turk, Country Director, YouthWork Jordan, International Youth Foundation (Jordan)
Presentation Material (Hyperlinked):
-PowerPoint
Session Description:
While the private sector should play a prominent role in workforce development, it does not generally offer the kind of investments and support that help build effective institutions, match technical and vocational training to market demand, and encourage internships and on-the-job training. During this session, you will learn from proven practice in Haiti and the Middle East and North Africa region. Facilitators will share “how to” guidance that can make the difference in your efforts to build sustainable and strategic partnerships with the private sector. You will leave equipped with practical tools, lists of additional resources, and an enhanced understanding of how to build “win-win” alliances that increase youth employment opportunities
Track 2: Financial Services and Capabilities
Designing Integrated Services for Youth: Applying Market Research Findings to Product Adaptations
Presenters: (bios)
- Mr. Mamadou Diallo, Regional Manager, West Africa, Freedom from Hunger (Mali)
- Ms. Sonmani Choudhary, Analyst, MicroSave (India)
- Mr. Frans Purnama, Country Microfinance Advisor, Plan Indonesia (Indonesia)
- Ms. Rosanna Ramirez, Director, Youth Microfinance (USA)
Session Description:
By examining a variety of services and the lessons learned to date, this session will guide you to analyze projects that offer both financial services and financial education intended to increase the capacity of youth to build assets and prepare for the future. Using Plan Indonesia's youth-friendly market research findings and Freedom from Hunger's existing service offerings in Ecuador and Mali, you will work with session participants to determine how certain services could be adapted to your local context. You will draw conclusion on which design elements and delivery mechanisms for integrated services work best to reach your target population.
Presentation Materials:
- Please click here to access the hyperlinked presentation material on www.YFSLink.org.
Track 3: Enterprise Development
From Local to National: Effective Approaches for Engaging Governments in Support of Youth Enterprise Development
Presenters: (bios)
- Ms. Irene Mutumba, Founder, Private Education Development Network (PEDN) (Uganda)
- Ms. Valerie Meza de Leon, Program Manager, Latin America, Aflatoun (The Netherlands)
- Mr. Eric Glustrom, Executive Director, Educate! (Uganda)
Session Description:
Local and national governments can play a key role in bringing youth enterprise development programming to scale. Learn how Aflatoun has worked with governments around the world to incorporate social and financial education into formal school systems. Engage in a live case study with the Private Education Development Network (PEDN) on how PEDN successfully worked with Uganda’s Ministry of Education to integrate Aflatoun’s program into 22 schools. You’ll then interact with Educate!, which has worked with the UN’s International Labour Organization and Uganda’s National Curriculum Development Center to incorporate social entrepreneurship education into Uganda’s national curriculum. You’ll fill your pockets with concrete “how to’s” on building effective government partnerships.
Presentation Materials (Hyperlinked):
- Aflatoun PowerPoint Presentation: "Aflatoun Global Partners Collaborating with Ministries of Education"
- Overview of Educate!
- If you are interested in using Educate!'s leadership and social entrepreneurship curriculum, please contact Maya Ellman at maya@experienceeducate.org and she will send you a copy.
Track 4: Adolescent Girls and Young Women
How to Design Integrated Programs that Lead to Nutrition and Economic Outcomes for Young Female Caregivers
Presenters: (bios)
- Ms. Catherine Bohen, Senior Manager and Nutrition Advisor, Chemonics International (USA)
- Mr. Fernando Maldonado, Senior Specialist, Enterprise and Capacity Building, Making Cents International (USA)
Session Description:
Development priorities around young women, enterprise development, food security, nutrition and gender are interrelated. Yet programs are often designed and implemented through sector-specific approaches. Programming designed to support young women and female-headed households can achieve powerful and measurable results when it leverages social and economic incentives. By participating in this session, you will learn how to develop integrated programming that improves household asset management and nutrition practices while empowering young women. You'll engage in an interactive discussion, pulling from programming experience in Nigeria with 2,000 young female caregivers, and take away guidance that can inform your cross-sectoral initiatives.
Presentation Material (Hyperlinked):
- Making Cents International and Chemonics International PowerPoint: "Integrated Livelihood and Nutrition Programs for Young Women"
Track 5: Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment
We're All in this Together: Measuring Developmental Assets in Youth
Presenters: (bios)
- Mr. Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, Executive Vice President, Search Institute (USA)
- Ms. Teresa Wallace, Senior Resource Materials Specialist, World Vision International (USA)
Session Description:
A wide range of NGOs are looking for ways to gather and utilize data that are relevant across program areas, sectors, and contexts. This session will share field experiences of developing, testing, and using the Developmental Assets Profile (DAP) in multiple contexts with promising results that highlight strengths of particular programs while also connecting to a larger vision of youth development. You will discuss findings, explore challenges and strategies for language and cultural adaptations, and dialogue on how to “go to scale” with measures that are rigorous while also being practical and useful for program improvement.
Presentation Material (Hyperlinked):
- PowerPoint Presentation
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12:15 - 1:15 pm
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Lunch
Option 1: Open Seating in the Ballroom for Informal Networking and Meetings
Option 2: Working Lunch Opportunity: Youth Workforce Development: Moving Forward as a Field
Participants are invited to a facilitated discussion about trends, challenges and opportunities that define the Youth Workforce Development field. Bring your questions, comments and suggestions (along with your lunch) to help advance the research and practice in the coming year and learn how to be a part of this ongoing conversation.
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1:15 - 2:45 pm
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Plenary: Entertainment for Change-- Effective Uses of Entertainment Education, Social Media and Social Marketing
Entertainment education and social marketing have proven to be powerful tools for communicating messages in an effort to raise awareness for causes impacting society for decades. We’ve listened to some of the most influential artists perform music about HIV & AIDS prevention in Latin America; we've played audience to actors battling gender norms on soap operas in South Africa; and our children have gained financial literacy skills by watching a group of puppet characters on TV programming in the U.S. With the advent of conversational media tools, the methodology employed to effectively convey messages has changed dramatically. These tools offer instantaneous engagement with youth in a way never realized through traditional channels. This diverse panel will share expertise on how we can utilize these new and exciting mediums to enhance employment and entrepreneurship prospects for young people.
Moderator: Ms. Elena Suarez, Chief of Development Communications and IDB Youth Program, Inter-American Development Bank (USA) (bio)
Presenters:
- Mr. Gerard Bush, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Director, The brpr Group (USA) (bio)
- Mr. Mario Cader-Frech, Vice President of Public Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility, MTV Networks Latin America and US Hispanic (USA) (bio)
- Mr. Mike Rios, Creative Director, 17 Triggers (Cambodia) (bio)
Presentation Material (Hyperlinked):
- The brpr Group's "Falling Whistles" video
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2:45 - 4:15 pm
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Choose from Five 1.5-Hour Simultaneous Breakout Sessions
Lessons Learned, Promising Practices and Programmatic Examples in 1. Workforce Development 2. Enterprise Development 3. Financial Services and Capabilities 4. Adolescent Girls and Young Women 5. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Impact Assessment.
Track 1: Workforce Development
Responding to Market Demand: Tools to Analyze and Understand Workforce Development Needs
Presenters: (bios)
- Mr. Joseph DeStefano, Senior Education Research Analyst, RTI International (USA)
- Ms. Rebecca Prokity, Director of the Workforce Development Program, Bridgemont Community and Technical College (USA)
- Mr. Phil Psilos, Senior Economic Growth Specialist, RTI International (USA)
- Mr. David Rivkin, Technical Officer for the National Center for O*NET Development (USA)
Session Description:
You will learn about a number of tools for assessing market demand and understanding private sector (employer) needs for export oriented, national and local industries. The session begins with a framework for assessing TVET policy that affects the relationships between training provision and workforce development needs. Then, you will reflect upon new research RTI and Duke University conducted that introduces Global Value Chains as a way to examine workforce needs. Next, you will explore methodologies U.S community colleges employ to design industry-specific curriculum and training to respond quickly to regional, national and local trends. Finally, you will hear how U.S. job seekers, education institutions, employers and public and private organizations use the information housed in the Occupational Information Network Data Collection program to make career choices and policy decisions, monitor trends and tailor training. Is this technology transferable to developing countries?
Presentation Material (Hyperlinked):
- O*NET website
Track 2: Financial Services and Capabilities
Financial Capabilities Programs: A Comparative Analysis of Systems and Results
Presenters: (bios)
- Ms. Karen Austrian, Associate, Population Council (Kenya)
- Ms. Jennifer Gurbin Harley, Project Leader, Youth-Inclusive Financial Services, MEDA (Canada)
- Mr. Adil Sadoq, Field Project Manager, YouthInvest, MEDA (Morocco)
- Mr. Craig Tower, Research Officer, Microfinance Opportunities (USA)
Session Description:
Do financial capabilities programs actually affect young people’s behavior? If so, how? Through a comparative analysis of qualitative and quantitative impact data from three financial capabilities programs around the globe, this results-oriented session will explore assessment tools and methodologies implemented to measure the effect that financial capabilities programs has on youth. Each panelist will share programmatic examples and results of change in youth participants’ savings behavior and financial literacy, as well as other indicators such as self-esteem, decision-making capacity, networking, social mobility, communication with parents, future life goals, and more.
Presentation Materials:
- Please click here to access the hyperlinked presentation material on www.YFSLink.org.
Track 3: Youth Enterprise Development
A Systemic Approach to Youth Employment Programming
Moderator:
- Ms. Lara Goldmark, Technical Area Manager, Private Sector Development, DAI (USA)
Presenters:(bios)
- Ms. Dawn Hayden, Regional Program Manager - North, RISEN program (Sri Lanka)
- Mr. Jeyathevan Kaarththigeyan, Program Development Officer, RISEN program (Sri Lanka)
- Mr. Abderrazak Lakjaa, Manager of the Workforce Development Component of Morocco Economic Competitiveness Program, DAI (Morocco)
- Mr. Lino Carcoforo, DAI (USA)
Session Description:
The goal of this session is to develop and test ideas for a systemic approach to youth employment programming. Participants will be presented with examples of “partial” programming approaches and then be asked to “put the pieces together” in a new way. Speakers will be from projects operating under one of the “partial modes”, and offer lessons and ideas about how their interventions could benefit from complementary interventions and activities. Types of “partial” approaches include competitiveness projects; democracy and governance programming; business environment reform; education & training; stability and post-conflict projects; “youth focused” engagements; and others. Innovation and creative approaches welcomed!
Presentation Materials (Hyperlinked):
- Background Document on USAID/RISEN "Stabilization of Youth through Providing Employment Opportunities"
- PowerPoint Presentation of PowerPoint RISEN
-PowerPoint on Somaliland Beverage Industries
-PowerPoint on "Organizing and Qualifying the Seasonal Agricultural Workforce of Moqaf"
-Handout of project highlights
Track 4: Adolescent Girls and Young Women
Young Women as a Catalyst for Change: An Enterprise-Based Solution to Energy Poverty
Presenters:
- Ms. Katherine Lucey, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Solar Sister, Inc. (USA) (bio)
Session Description:
Join Solar Sister for an in-depth look at an enterprise-based solution that is powered by deliberately reaching out to young women and empowering them to be entrepreneurs. Learn how an Avon-style model for distributing clean energy technology is working in rural Africa. By listening to real life examples from Solar Sister's growing network of female entrepreneurs, you will gain insights into the importance of deliberately targeting young women by using an approach that is positive, empowering, and fun. You will also engage in a discussion on some of the unexpected challenges involved in bringing an enterprise-based approach to communities that are used to aid-based "solutions."
Presentation Material (Hyperlinked):
- Solar Sister's PowerPoint
Track 5: Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment
Impact Evaluation in Practice: Choosing the Right Method and Overcoming Implementation Challenges
Moderator:
- Mr. Kevin Hempel, Consultant, Social Protection and Labor Unit, Human Development Network, World Bank (USA)
Presenters: (bios)
- Ms. Helen Gale, Research and Policy Manager, Youth Business International (UK)
- Ms. Anne Marie Golla, Economist and Evaluation Specialist, International Center for Research on Women (USA)
- Mr. Mattias Lundberg, Senior Economist, Social Protection and Labor Unit, Human Development Network, World Bank (USA)
Session Description:
Join this Fish Bowl session to learn about the design and implementation of impact evaluations in the youth livelihood field. Together with representatives of several organizations currently planning or conducting impact evaluations, participants will a) explore how different evaluation techniques can be used depending on the operational context of the intervention, and b) share questions and experiences about some of the real world issues that commonly arise during an impact study. Participants will leave the session with a better understanding of how a variety of tools can be used to measure program impacts.
Presentation Material (Hyperlinked):
- Youth Business International's new report: "Youth Entrepreneurship- Closing the Gap"
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4:15 - 4:30 pm
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Transition Break
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4:30 - 5:20 pm
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Plenary: How Can You Partner with Funders?
Hear directly from funders that are supporting initiatives to increase and improve economic opportunities for young people. What are their funding priorities? How do you partner with them? What are the challenges they are addressing with their funding approaches? This unique learning opportunity also enables funders to hear from grantees and potential grantees about their pressing priorities and questions. Join the dialogue!
Moderator:
- Mr. Timothy Nourse, President, Making Cents International (USA) (bio)
Presenters with Hyperlinked PowerPoint Presentations:
- Ms. Rajasvini Bhansali, Executive Director, International Development Exchange (IDEX) (USA) (bio)
- Dr. Nicole Goldin, Senior Advisor, Policy, Bureau for Policy, Planning, and Learning, USAID (USA) (bio) PowerPoint
- Ms. Deepali Khanna, Director, Youth Learning, The MasterCard Foundation (USA) (bio) PowerPoint
- Ms. Nancy Lee, General Manager, Multilateral Investment Fund, Inter-American Development Bank (USA) (bio) PowerPoint
- Ms. Florencia Spangaro, Program Officer, Citi Foundation (USA) (bio)
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5:20 - 5:30 pm
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Closing Remarks
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