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28/4/2015
28/4/2015
In
2010, UNCDF in partnership with The MasterCard Foundation launched the
YouthStart (YS) programme, Building Youth Inclusive Financial Sectors in
Sub-Saharan Africa, as a regional pilot. This innovative programme has worked
with 10 partner FSPs in eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa, granted access
to financial services to over 514,000 young people (of which 46 percent are
young women), and trained almost 502,000 youth in financial education (46
percent young women). Youth that have opened savings accounts with Y
2010, UNCDF in partnership with The MasterCard Foundation launched the
YouthStart (YS) programme, Building Youth Inclusive Financial Sectors in
Sub-Saharan Africa, as a regional pilot. This innovative programme has worked
with 10 partner FSPs in eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa, granted access
to financial services to over 514,000 young people (of which 46 percent are
young women), and trained almost 502,000 youth in financial education (46
percent young women). Youth that have opened savings accounts with Y
S partners
have accumulated $14 million in savings and accessed over $7.3 million in loans
(see figure 1). Early findings from research conducted by the regional pilot
access financial services (eg. savings, loans etc.) in order to open their own
business or to reduce risks associated with the transitions that youth undergo
(eg. dropping out of school).
UNCDF
has learned from the different approaches in which financial inclusion can help
address the youth employment challenge through the regional pilot. In
particular, UNCDF gained a deeper understanding of a) the types of financial
services that best meet the needs of youth according to their socio-economic
context and developmental stages, b) the types of financial services that can
best mitigate the risk of lending to youth; c) the business models that FSPs
can use to deliver financial education to youth, d) the business case for YFS;
e) the types of trainings and tools necessary for FSPs to gain a better
understanding of the youth market; and, f) the changes needed in the policy and
regulatory environment to increase access to financial services for youth.
has learned from the different approaches in which financial inclusion can help
address the youth employment challenge through the regional pilot. In
particular, UNCDF gained a deeper understanding of a) the types of financial
services that best meet the needs of youth according to their socio-economic
context and developmental stages, b) the types of financial services that can
best mitigate the risk of lending to youth; c) the business models that FSPs
can use to deliver financial education to youth, d) the business case for YFS;
e) the types of trainings and tools necessary for FSPs to gain a better
understanding of the youth market; and, f) the changes needed in the policy and
regulatory environment to increase access to financial services for youth.
However,
UNCDF also learned that, if we want to have greater and long-lasting impact in
the youth economic opportunity (YEO) sphere, we need to go beyond financial
inclusion. We need to ensure that while young people access relevant and
affordable financial services they also gain access to entrepreneurship
training, mentoring, apprenticeships and other relevant non-financial services
that support their transition from school to work, secure decent work and/or
start/expand their own business. We also need to ensure that the right policies
and regulatory frameworks are in place to support these transitions and greater
access to economic opportunities for youth.
UNCDF also learned that, if we want to have greater and long-lasting impact in
the youth economic opportunity (YEO) sphere, we need to go beyond financial
inclusion. We need to ensure that while young people access relevant and
affordable financial services they also gain access to entrepreneurship
training, mentoring, apprenticeships and other relevant non-financial services
that support their transition from school to work, secure decent work and/or
start/expand their own business. We also need to ensure that the right policies
and regulatory frameworks are in place to support these transitions and greater
access to economic opportunities for youth.
UNCDF
will take the best practices from the FSPs that participated in the regional
pilot and scale them up, as well as improve the programmes based on lessons
learned within the framework of a new programme entitled YouthStart Global. The
programme will be implemented in 3 phases:
will take the best practices from the FSPs that participated in the regional
pilot and scale them up, as well as improve the programmes based on lessons
learned within the framework of a new programme entitled YouthStart Global. The
programme will be implemented in 3 phases:
- An
inception phase that entails a country specific analysis of the youth
economic opportunities ecosystems in each country and getting the
necessary government support;
- A
phase 1 that consists on selecting the right partners to work with in each
country; and
- A
phase 2 that consists in supporting selected partners to develop, test and
scale up relevant, accessible and affordable services to youth.
Duties and Responsibilities
Objectives
of the Assignment:
of the Assignment:
The
Inception Phase will engage an institutional partner (i.e. NGO, consulting
firm) which will be responsible for conducting in depth mapping of the youth
economic opportunities ecosystem in Benin, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Zambia
(please click here for the RFA). One of the major objectives of the inception
phase will be to ensure a complete review of the regulatory environment is
conducted to identify the gaps and opportunities for relevant policies.
Inception Phase will engage an institutional partner (i.e. NGO, consulting
firm) which will be responsible for conducting in depth mapping of the youth
economic opportunities ecosystem in Benin, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Zambia
(please click here for the RFA). One of the major objectives of the inception
phase will be to ensure a complete review of the regulatory environment is
conducted to identify the gaps and opportunities for relevant policies.
As
such, UNCDF is seeking a policy advisor to support UCDF during the YouthStart
Global Inception Phase in identifying opportunities and constraints within the
policy and regulatory framework in each country and develop a roadmap with
stakeholders in the youth economic opportunities ecosystem.
such, UNCDF is seeking a policy advisor to support UCDF during the YouthStart
Global Inception Phase in identifying opportunities and constraints within the
policy and regulatory framework in each country and develop a roadmap with
stakeholders in the youth economic opportunities ecosystem.
How
to apply:
to apply:
Apply
online at: http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=55637
online at: http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=55637