Youth Development Programme

The recent rapid minerals-based economic development brings new wealth and opportunities to Mongolia, but also increased risks and vulnerabilities for youth. The educational and health systems are not in a position to assist youth to cope with the negative impacts of speedy urbanisation and deepening social fragmentation. The Government of Mongolia (GoM) started reforms in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector to enhance the technical skills of youth, but realised that there are crucial gaps. In order to lead a healthy and successful life, youth need to develop their soft skills and knowledge to communicate clearly and effectively, take initiative, solve problems and constructively negotiate and deal with conflict. Life-skills training gives young people the tools to make informed choices in their lives and to respect the choices and rights of others. Young people who lack such skills are more likely to partake in risky behaviour, including actions that adversely affect their sexual and reproductive health and professional opportunities. Hence, the GoM has requested UNFPA - a leading agency in human development topics - to assist in developing a comprehensive Youth Development Policy and in piloting life-skills in aimags with important mining activities, in hubs for academic and vocational training, and in poorer aimags to the West and East of the country.

Young men and women with strengthened life-skills for positive, responsible and self-reliant behaviour The project aims to provide youth with life-skills which will not only help young people become more resilient and reduce their personal vulnerability, but also to increase their employability and enable them to participate actively in Mongolia’s rapid economic growth, rather than become marginalized, frustrated and excluded.

Direct beneficiaries: Universities, college and TVET students as well as high school students, young people in non-formal education and resident or mobile young men and women in 12 locations, namely Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan-Uul, Orkhon, Umnugobi, Dornogobi, Dornod, Gobi-Altai, Bayankhongor, Zavkhan, Bayan-Ulgii, Khovd and Uvs. The proposed project seeks to target at least 30%, or 244’000 people, of the 15-34 age group in the pilot areas (according to definition of Mongolia, youth is the 15-34 age group) Indirect beneficiaries: Teachers of TVET schools and medical personnel of local hospitals, young communities in target regions, youth serving civil society organizations.

Phase 1 01.04.2013 - 30.06.2018   (Completed)