The Jordan Youth Innovation Forum aims to build youth capacity and onboard them to freelancing online platforms.
The Problem
Around 50% of young people in Jordan are unemployed. Also, there is a gap between what educational institutions provide and what employers need. The majority of jobs offered are based in Amman, and women from rural areas rarely have the means to travel to such jobs either due to conservative cultural norms or due to inconvenience. Furthermore, COVID-19 caused a decline in available job opportunities on a national scale. Unemployment deprives the young population of securing essential needs, due to the lack of income and its negative impact on mental health.
The Solution
The Jordan Youth Innovation Forum (AFAQ) aims to build youth capacity and onboard them to freelancing online platforms. The goal is to boost international career prospects, while avoiding the drain of local talent and labour pool in the country, through the provision of remote income-generating opportunities. AFAQ'S platform connects mentors and coaches with participants to provide career coaching and guidance, enabling young people to work remotely through freelancing platforms. The target beneficiaries for this project are estimated at around 200 young people, aged 20 to 35 years in Jordan, who are college or university graduates in fields that allow remote work (such as graphic design, social media, technical support, and programming). Additionally, the project will facilitate a platform where employers and employees can find each other, to significantly increase the chances of getting a job.
Impact
AFAQ aims to build social resilience among vulnerable youth groups (mainly women and refugees) in Jordan and indirectly contribute to diminishing poverty and inequality levels. The project also provides economic empowerment to participants who can eventually build their own businesses.
SDGs
Team
