Adapting To The Times – The USADF/LSETF Employability Project Example By Lucky Ihanza

By Lucky Ihanza

The USADF- LSETF Employability program currently being implemented by DDI and targeting 15,000 young people in Lagos State, was not designed for a pandemic era.It was designed in response to the need to promote small enterprise development in underserved communities, drive community benefits through social enterprises, and establish sustainable development models, especially as they relate to youth and women-owned and managed enterprises.

It was aimed at providing globally competitive, industry, and trade relevant skills to 15,000 youth in Lagos State over the next five years – equipping them to take advantage of employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

In a normal year, we’d have been in training centres across Lagos, delivering the first cohort to beneficiaries. But 2020 has proven to be anything but a normal year. As the pandemic hit the communities where we work, we focused all our efforts on ensuring that the project’starget audience – young people in Lagos State wouldn’t be left “isolated” from the intended gains and project outcomes. We rapidly enhanced and adaptedthe program implementation, while simultaneously ensuring that all stakeholders are safe.

First, we had to reconfigure the business models of enterprises to key into the sectors that provide immediate respite for the economy. We engaged key players in the healthcare and healthcare-related industries with the aim of improving the skills of the unemployed, recently laid-off workers and under-employed, upskilling and reskilling themto enhance their employability prospects for the emerging opportunities in the healthcare industries.

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Despite the challenges of lockdown that COVID-19 has presented, we remain committed to ensuring that young people in Lagos State are provided with globally competitive, industry-relevant skills. We switched to a virtual training classroom, focusing on in-demand skills like Cyber Security, Virtualization, 2D/3D Design, Cloud Computing, Software Engineering,Interior Design,etc. for about 210 young people, equipping young people with in-demand skills. After the training, we are already collaborating with industry players so that we can place graduates of the training programme in paid employment.

In a normal year, we’d have published this annual report two months ago… but 2020 has proven to be anything but a normal year. As the COVID-19 pandemic hit the communities where we work, we focused all our efforts on ensuring that our adolescent participants wouldn’t be left isolated and that their health needs would be met. We did this by rapidly enhancing and adapting our programming, while simultaneously making certain our Coaches are safe and supported.

Despite all the challenges that COVID-19 has presented in our communities and to our work, we remain committed to ensuring youth can live healthier and more resilient lives. Grassroot Soccer’s impact in 2019—made possible by your support—has laid the groundwork for GRS to continue to support youth through this crisis and into the future. In 2019 we collaborated with 118 partners in 21 countries, reaching 1.3 million adolescents with live-saving information. Those young people need us now more than ever, and we are redoubling our efforts in 2020 to ensure they have the health information they need to survive and thrive. I look forward to reporting back to you in 2021.

By Lucky Ihanza