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YouthSpark: Digital Skills and Computer Science
Description/achievement of initiative

At Microsoft Philanthropies we believe in advancing a future for everyone, where every person has the skills, knowledge, and opportunity to achieve more. We focus on empowering people: Economies and societies are being rapidly transformed by technology. As a result, digital skills are becoming essential to the jobs of today and tomorrow. One of the greatest challenges we face is ensuring everyone has access to the skills and knowledge needed to succeed. We're committed to ensuring people aren't left behind. We’re working to ensure that everyone has access to the opportunities technology provides, in a digital economy that benefits everyone.

Implementation methodologies

Career Pathways: Invest in organisations to provide the career skills for digital economy. $10M to organizations serving under-represented populations.  25,000 individuals in the US for a skills based labor market. Youth Spark Digital Skills: Increase equitable, high-quality computer science programs. Decrease gaps in participation. Generate demand for computer science education teachers. 50% female. 80% from underserved communities . Youth in Fragile Situations: Humanitarian work to empower displaced youth, young girls. partner with UN & nonprofits to provide digital skills and training for livelihoods. committed to Sustainable Development: UNICEF for 75M Children and Youth on the Move, UNHCR to reach 25K refugee Youth in Kakuma, UNDP on Digital Skills for youth in Africa and Asia.

Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer

Coordination mechanisms/governance structure

Partner(s)

Microsoft; Girls who code; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Organismo Internacional de Juventud para Iberoamérica (OIJ); United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF); United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); International Labour Organization (ILO)
Progress reports
Goal 4
4.3 - By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
4.4 - By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
4.5 - By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations
4.c - By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States
Goal 5
5.b - Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women
Goal 8
8.2 - Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
8.3 - Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
8.5 - By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
8.6 - By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training
Goal 16
16.10 - Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements
12 / 2019
15,505,210 young people trained in relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, ICT skills and soft skills
Other, please specify
In-kind contribution
We Strengthen the ability of nonprofit organizations, UN organizations and schools to offer computer science education, Through digital transformation, donation of technology, and resources on digital skills

Basic information
Time-frame: 2018-07-01 - 2019-12-30
Website
Partners
Microsoft; Girls who code; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Organismo Internacional de Juventud para Iberoamérica (OIJ); United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF); United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); International Labour Organization (ILO)
Countries
Contact information
Jennifer Brooks, Director of UN Relations, jenbrook@microsoft.com
United Nations