Empowering Youth Futures: YMCA’s New Career Guidance Initiative
Latest News Empowering Youth Futures: YMCA’s New Career Guidance Initiative This year, the YMCA has taken further steps in providing structured and impactful career guidance for young people. Building on the certification of our youth workers in the ProfillPASS methodology, as well as the methodology for life skills and employability from the project „Empowering Youth through New Opportunities“, YMCA successfully piloted both individual and group career support. Last year we started providing career guidance one-on-one, and this year we have started working with groups of peers with both initiatives aiming to help young people better understand themselves and make informed decisions about their future professional paths. Whether individual or group support, the YMCA approach has two main components: providing development of career (mostly “soft”) skills and providing development of life skills (via various types of character-building activities). Considering the group’s career support, in March this year, within the overall service YMCA provides for the local youth center, we piloted a three-part workshop series for primary and high school students. These sessions were tailored for age-specific youth. Participants explored the importance of personality types and self-awareness as a foundation for choosing a meaningful career. Each workshop focused on: Gaining deeper self-understanding, Setting clear and achievable personal and career goals, Creating a CV and personal portfolio, Building a professional network. Throughout the sessions, young participants also engaged with inspiring real-life people and their career journeys in psychology, music, academia, and civil society. The final workshop allowed them creatively to shape their envisioned career paths, reinforcing the importance of making thoughtful life decisions. Trainers for this three-part workshop series were Prof. Dr. Sašo Kočankovski (Psychologist and Gestalt Therapist) and Anita Gagovska (Social Innovator). These structured activities address the growing need for accessible career counseling. We aim to close the gap between youth potential and market demands by also initiating collaboration with schools, companies, and local educators to create a stronger ecosystem for youth development. With this, the YMCA reaffirms its mission to support young people in their personal and professional development through relevant, evidence-based, and youth-centered initiatives.
Youth Meaningful Work Survey
At the World YMCA, we dream of a world where all young people can access decent jobs and meaningful work. To achieve that dream, we need to understand the views and experiences of young people.The YMCA is delighted to launch the “Youth Meaningful Work” survey, designed by young people for young people. What the survey involves:• The survey asks young people aged 18-35 all around the world what meaningful work means to them, and their hopes, fears, needs, expectations, and how ready they feel for work in the future.• The survey is open for 8 weeks, until Friday 15 December 2023 and takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. Why have a survey:By hearing the voices of thousands of young people across the globe, the survey will provide a strong evidence base to help design solutions for young people, with young people. We need your help:For our survey to be successful, we need your help in making sure we hear from as many young people from diverse backgrounds as possible across the world.• Complete the survey if you are aged between 18-35 – we want to hear about your career aspirations and experiences, and what you might need to achieve your aspirations. Access the survey through our website via this link: Youth Meaningful Work Survey• Distribute our survey – we ask that you distribute the survey widely by sharing the above link to young people, partners and across your networks, to help amplify the voices of young people within your local communities. Need more information?• See our website dedicated to the Youth Meaningful Work Survey. The website will provide tools and resources, responses to frequently asked questions, our communications kit and other supports, and will share videos posted by young people from all around the world!• For more information or support, please refer to our new website or contact the Global Meaningful Work project team at contact@youthmeaningfulwork.com. Thank you for your support of this important project.
