Achievement at a glance
The programme addresses the challenge of youth employability, with a target on youth coming from underprivileged backgrounds. The youth from SOS Children’s Villages are being connected to employees from DPDHL through different activities to advance the young people’s careers for sustainable, financially, independent adult lives. Since 2011, when the programme was initiated, it expanded to 26 countries, in South America, Africa, MENA, Europe and Asia. In terms of beneficiaries reached, throughout the years our programme engaged more than 7000 youth and 4200 DHL employees as volunteers.
Challenges faced in implementation
We encountered challenges in the initial phase while negotiating the partnership. It needed time to find a common understanding, to get to know the partner, the structures and different company cultures. The solution was to start with a pilot year and give the programme time and flexibility to grow. Within this pilot year we successfully established a successful framework and a trustful and open relationship that until today ensures to avoid further challenges. On a local/national level the main challenges reported are time, resources and communication.
Next steps
In the existing partner countries the local programme will be further developed by:
1) increasing the number of youth reached in the countries
2) improving the existing programs; learning from and replicating successful interventions; making the programme more effective and efficient;
New countries will be reached by making our programme scalable and adaptable and offering inspiring tools to replicate the successful model in other parts of the SOS Children’s Village Federation.
Measurable outcomes
Beneficaries
The beneficiaries are youth between 15 and 25 from SOS Children’s Villages, in the 26 countries where the programme exists. We also consider the employees of DPDHL Group that volunteer in the activities as beneficiaries of the programme.
Actions
Through activities that connect the targeted youth with DHL employees, like: workshops, job shadowing, internships, job orientation, entrepreneurship and soft and basic skill training activities.