 Since 2001, nearly 20,000 young people ages 16 to 29 across Latin America and the Caribbean have reaped the benefits of entra 21’s focus on IT training, life skills and job placement assistance. USAID chose the entra 21 program from among 400 alliances worldwide to receive its 2006 Global Development Alliance Excellence Award. This new alliance has been created to support innovative strategies for scaling up training and job placement projects that have proven to be successful as well as to support projects that equip vulnerable young people and rural youth with job and life skills that allow them to obtain productive jobs in the formal economy.
We are pleased to announce that the entra 21 program, an initiative of the International Youth Foundation (IYF) and the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has recently been awarded a new challenge grant of US$10 million from the MIF. The annual award showcases exemplary initiatives that demonstrate positive outcomes and bring new partners into the development community.
 The program will include a rigorous evaluation, learning and dissemination component.
This call for proposals refers to the new program component that is directed to training more vulnerable youth (youth from historically marginal ethnic groups, youth that live in rural areas, as well as youth that face particularly difficult situations, such as disabled youth, those with HIV/AIDS, those at risk to join gangs or those displaced by violence).
We ask for your support in distributing this information to organizations in your network that could fit our profile. For more information, please consult our Application Guide. The deadline for receiving applications is 30 September 2007.
entra21: Preparing Youth in Latin America and the Caribbean to Enter the Modern Workplace The International Youth Foundation (IYF) and the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) of the Inter-American Development Bank have joined forces to prepare workers for the jobs of the new economy in Latin America and the Caribbean. Together we created a US$29 million program, entra 21, to co-finance youth employment projects in information technology (IT). This four-year collaboration aims to:
* Support local projects that train young people and assist them in securing jobs that require IT skills
* Create partnerships among nonprofit organizations, governments, and businesses to meet the IT training and employment needs of the region
* Identify, document, and disseminate best practices in training, job placement, and collaboration among participating organizations
The employment needs of young people in Latin America and the Caribbean
More than half the population of Latin America and the Caribbean is under the age of 24, with youth unemployment rates on the rise in most of the countries of the region. Existing educational systems are failing to equip youth with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in a fast-changing marketplace. At the same time that more and more youth are unprepared for the workforce, businesses have an urgent need for workers equipped with the technical skills to contribute to the region’s growing information-based economy. Demand for IT skills is expected to rise sharply in the region as more organizations migrate toward the Internet and automate their businesses with application software.
Young people possess the creativity and adaptability to thrive in the IT area; yet more programs are needed to equip youth with the knowledge and skills to take advantage of growing opportunities. Greater investment in such programs will help narrow the growing gap between the supply of and demand for skilled workers, while helping to bridge the digital divide between developed and developing countries.
About the Supported Projects
Download information about our 35 projects throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
About The Multilateral Investment Fund
The Multilateral Investment Fund is a special fund, administered by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), whose mission is to strengthen the private sector in Latin America and the Caribbean. In partnership with governments, business organizations, and NGOs, the MIF provides a mix of technical assistance grants and investments to promote the growth of micro and small enterprise, support market reforms, and build the capabilities and skill standards of the workforce. Over the past seven years, the MIF has supported some 430 projects, with a total investment of US$700 million.
Success Stories
To read how entra 21 positively impacted the life of 21-year-old Ruth Dary Ortiz in Cartagena, Colombia click here
To read how entra 21 positively impacted the life of 22-year-old Romina Collman in Quillmes, Argentina click here
For More Information
View an informative video from the IDB about the entra 21 program (in Spanish; 3 minutes, 31 seconds; WMV format).
To learn more about IYF's Youth Employment initiatives click here |
