2019 at the American University in Cairo (AUC). The objective of this event is to enhance the knowledge base and engagement with youth employment programs in Egypt. The project is an outcome of collaboration between Friedrich Ebert Foundation and AUC’s Public Policy and Administration Department. The event sought to connect these players with policy makers and international organizations to foster cross-learning, collaboration and the documentation of activities.
Also known as active labour market policies (ALMPs), youth employment programs seek to improve the prospects of gainful employment of their participants. Youth-focused ALMPs are often offered with the key objective of facilitating the school-to-work transition process by increasing the employability of new entrants to the labour market or by increasing labour demand. In Egypt, these interventions are primarily provided by civil society organizations and the private sector, along with a number of large-scale initiatives by the public sector. ALMPs are generally divided into four main categories. These are 1) training programs (either in-classroom, on the job, for life skills, as second-chance programs, non-formal apprenticeship, financial literacy, or mentoring); 2) entrepreneurship promotion programs (in the form of financial and non-financial assistance); 3) employment services (counselling, search assistance or job placement); and 4) services in the context of subsidized employment and public works projects.
It is our hope that this event will be a major tool for cross-learning and collaboration within this growing field.