Partnerships for Youth Program

The USAID West Bank and Gaza youth program “Partnerships for Youth” is a 5-year, $16 million program. This program will fulfill the Mission’s overall objective for youth development; “Youth with increased opportunities to realize their potential to effectively contribute to social and economic development in a stable and prosperous Palestinian state”. The primary objective of this program is to expand educational and leadership opportunities for youth ages 14-29 throughout the West Bank by creating sustainable hubs for youth innovation and learning. The program will help achieve the following sub-objectives: 1. Increased youth leadership and community engagement. 2. Increased employability skills for youth through access to programs, internships and trainings relevant to market needs. 3. Technical training in potentially growing/successful sectors (i.e., ICT and media).4. Increased youth access to improved educational and leadership activities.5. Strengthened youth institutions as well as networking and coordination among them. 6. Improved facilities available for youth activities at the local and national levels.7. Increased donor, private sector, and USAID program support to the three existing and eight new Youth Development and Resource Centers (YDRCs) and 33 youth clubs. The implementing partner will need to coordinate with other USAID implementing partners under USAID’s Private Enterprise, Health and Humanitarian, Infrastructure and Democracy and Governance Offices to expand relevant programs to the YDRCs and youth clubs. This approach is meant to draw youth from across the West Bank into the YDRCs and youth clubs to find a variety of information and resources relevant to their interests. 8. Increased innovative approaches to include young women and/or targeted activities specific for female participants. The project outcomes include enhancing leadership and life skills for approximately 40,000 youth, supporting the capacity building of the three existing YDRCs in Nablus, Al Bireh and Hebron, establishing eight new YDRCs in the eight remaining governorates, and sharing resources with approximately 33 clubs (three in each Governorate) to serve youth in marginalized areas.