Youth – Employability – Opportunity
18 – 19 January 2009
Amman, Jordan
Under the Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah
Hosted by:
International Youth Foundation
MENA Child Protection Initiative of the Arab Urban Development Institute
Jordan River Foundation
Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development
An Initiative of the Global Partnership to Promote Youth Employment and Employability
Supported by the World Bank
With Corporate Support from:
Aramex
Meeting Location
Grand Hyatt Amman
Hussein Bin Ali Street, Amman, Jordan 11183
Tel: +962 6 465 1234 Fax: +962 6 465 1634
Agenda
Saturday, 17 January 2009
4:00 PM – 8:00 PM Registration
Labeed Hall (B Level)
Sunday, 18 January 2009
Theme: “Youth Employment and Employability in the Middle East and North Africa: Regional Perspectives on Challenges and Current Responses”
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Registration
Labeed Hall (B Level)
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM Welcoming Remarks
Jasmin Hall
This session will officially welcome participants, frame discussions for the two-day meeting, and provide context for the day’s discussion of regional issues.
o Ahmed Al-Salloum, Director General, Arab Urban Development Institute (Saudi Arabia)
o Robert Holzmann, Sector Director, Social Protection, World Bank (United States)
o William S. Reese, President and Chief Executive Officer, IYF (United States)
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM Presentation and Discussion: Regional Trends and Challenges in Youth Employment and Employability
Jasmin Hall
This session will provide a regional overview of youth unemployment and employability issues, data, and trends. It will also summarize results and recommendations from the Arab Urban Development Institute Child Protection Initiative’s recent Brainstorming Meeting held in Amman.
o Nader Kabbani, Director of Research, Syria Trust for Development (Syria)
o Ibrahim Al-Turki, Managing Director, MENA Child Protection Initiative (Saudi Arabia)
o Osman Nour, Expert in Population Studies, MENA Child Protection Initiative (Saudi Arabia)
o Moderator: David Newhouse, Senior Economist, Human Development Network, World Bank (United States)
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM Coffee / Tea Break
11:00 AM – 12:15 PM Panel Discussion: What Skills Do Employers Need among New Entrants to the Job Market?
Jasmin Hall
This session will provide private sector perspectives on what kinds of skills are needed among new entrants to MENA labor markets. Panelists will offer ideas from programs that have worked and discuss what employers need from formal education (both high school and tertiary levels) and from out-of-school programs.
o Osama Fattaleh, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President, Aramex (Jordan)
o Waleed Al Banawi, Vice Chairman, Banawi Industrial Group (Saudi Arabia)
o Wafaa Chafi Fathi, Secretary General, BMCE Bank Foundation (Morocco)
o Moderator: Markus Pilgrim, Manager, Youth Employment Network (Switzerland)
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM Youth Voices
Jasmin Hall
Led by youth panelists and organized by the Jordan River Foundation, this interactive presentation will highlight some of the key challenges – and opportunities – from the perspective of young people as they enter today’s job market.
o Fares Hindeeleh
o Iya Ghasib
o Sarah Kayyali
o Mutasem Majdobh
o Areej Abedlbaqi
o Abedelraheem Al Hadeed
o Andera Othman, Youth Coordinator
1:15 PM – 2:30 PM Lunch
Iris Hall
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM Afternoon “Breakout” Sessions: What Works in Skills Development and Job Placement for Disadvantaged Youth
“Breakout” discussion sessions will feature concrete examples or case studies of programs and strategies that are working or show potential for enhancing youth employability and increasing youth employment. Discussants will include practitioners from within and outside the MENA region.
Breakout Sessions (Choose one)
o Approaches to Building Soft Skills, or Life Skills for Employability
Zuhair Hall
What is the role of soft skills, or life skills, in youth employability programs? What kinds of curricula and pedagogical approaches have been most effective? How are these skills integrated with technical training? This session will include presentations from programs using a variety of approaches to life skills training.
o Ines Houzein, Director of Career Development Center at Ain Shams University (Egypt)
o Rachida Moukni, Program Director, Emploi Habilite Project, Education & Employment Alliance (Morocco)
o Suha Najjar, Center Manager, Princess Basma Youth Resource Center, ZENID / JOHUD (Jordan)
o Mohammad Omoush, Youth Panelist (Jordan)
o Moderator: Azza Hammoudi, Regional Governance Manager, British Council (Jordan)
o What Works in On-the-Job Training and Job Placement
Orchid Hall
What strategies have programs in the MENA region and abroad found to be effective in providing work experience and job placement opportunities for youth? How do they find information about labor market needs? What strategies have they found to be most useful in engaging employers? Practitioners will discuss their experience and approaches to assisting youth to enter the labor market.
o Mazen Hashweh, Director, Resource Development, Welfare Association (Palestine)
o Jacob Korenblum, Co-Founder, Souktel Inc. (Palestine / Canada)
o Jameel Farsi, President of Saudi Jewelry Association (Saudi Arabia)
o Hala Asfour, Youth Panelist (Jordan)
o Moderator: Susan Pezzullo, Learning Director, International Youth Foundation (United States)
o Scaling Programs for Broader Impact
Jasmin Hall
This session will present concrete examples and case studies of strategies for scaling programs through alliances or public-private-civil society partnerships.
o Ehaab Abdou, President, Nahdet El Mahrousa (Egypt)
o Assem O. Kabesh, Chief Executive Officer, Young Arab Leaders (U.A.E.)
o Mariam Swift, Senior Consultant, Morocco Education & Employment Alliance (Morocco)
o Moderator: Awais Sufi, Vice President, Employability Programs, International Youth Foundation (United States)
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM Coffee / Tea Break
4:30 PM – 5:45 PM Panel Session: The Role of Mayors and Municipalities in Youth Employability
Jasmin Hall
o Chair: His Excellency the Mayor Eng. Omar Al Maani (Jordan)
o Maan Shibli, former Mayor of Aleppo, now Associated Professor, University of Aleppo (Syria)
o Amin Jumaan, Deputy Mayor, Sana’a, and Secretary General of Local Councils (Yemen)
o Jessica Tulodo, Acting Team Leader, Urban Programs & Engineering Services, USAID (United States)
5:45 PM – 6:00 PM Review and Preview
Jasmin Hall
7:30 PM Dinner at Grand Hyatt
Theme: “Challenges and Creative Strategies for Increasing Youth Employment and Employability in Jordan”
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM Plenary Discussion – The Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on Youth Employability in Jordan
Jasmin Hall
This session will present perspectives of His Excellency the Minister of Labor and key stakeholders in Jordan on the expected impact of the global financial crisis on youth employability in the country. Panelists will consider avenues for promoting youth employment and employability within the current economic environment.
o His Excellency Bassem Al Salem, Minister of Labor (Jordan)
o Robert Holzmann, Sector Director, Social Protection, World Bank (United States)
o Laith Al Qasem, Chief of Party, SABEQ (Jordan)
o Mustafa Nasereddin, Senior Executive Director, Talal Abu Ghazaleh (Jordan)
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM Coffee / Tea Break
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Youth Voices
Jasmin Hall
This session, organized by the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development, will present perspectives of youth in their own words.
o Mira Abu Dalu
o Ma'en Hamouri
o Buthaina Hassuneh
o Abed Al Mune'm Berree
o Waleed laham
o Maen Safi
o Farah Abadi
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM Lunch – Plenary Discussion
Iris Hall
This session will present perspectives of key stakeholders on youth employment and employability issues in Jordan. Panelists will consider cross-cutting themes of youth development and how they affect youth employability and life opportunities. Panelists will consider the needs of the private and public sectors in Jordan as well as key policy challenges and opportunities in the enabling environment for youth employment.
o Her Excellency Hala Lattouf, Minister of Social Development (Jordan)
o Imad Fakhoury, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Aqaba Development Corporation (Jordan)
o Jay Knott, Mission Director, USAID (Jordan)
o Moderator: William S. Reese, President and CEO, IYF (United States)
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Afternoon “Breakout” Sessions: Enhancing Quality and Relevance of Skills Training for Youth in Jordan
“Breakout” discussion sessions will feature concrete examples and strategies that are working or show potential for enhancing youth employability and increasing youth employment in Jordan. Discussants will include practitioners and researchers in each topic area.
Breakout Sessions (Choose one)
o Learning about What Works through Effective Program Monitoring and Evaluation
Orchid Hall
This session will explore the kinds of M&E systems current training programs are using in Jordan. What kinds of data are needed to assess program quality and relevance? What kinds of indicators should programs be using? What results are programs seeking to achieve? How do programs define success? How can programs enhance M&E systems? How can programs share information and best practices?
o Huda Hakki, Director, ZENID / JOHUD (Jordan)
o Manal Obieda, Youth Initiatives Unit Manager, Jordan River Foundation (Jordan)
o Nader Mryyan, National Center for Human Resource Development (Jordan)
o Susan Pezzullo, Director of Learning, Employability, IYF (United States)
o Moderator: Mattias Lundberg, Senior Economist, World Bank (United States)
o Improving School-to-Work Transitions
Jasmin Hall
What are the key constraints limiting successful school-to-work transitions among youth in Jordan?
What is needed from the formal education system at the high-school level? How can schools provide effective career guidance? What is needed from policy makers? From employers? From families and youth? What needs do youth have that are not being addressed by the formal school system? Where are the gaps? What kinds of actions can be taken at various levels?
o Deema Bibi, Chief Executive Officer, INJAZ (Jordan)
o Haif Bannayan, Executive Director, Jordan Education Initiative (Jordan)
o Dorte Verner, Senior Economist, Latin America & Caribbean, World Bank (United States)
o Moderator: Hadeel Abu Shama, Program Manager, Save the Children (Jordan)
o Strategies for Enhancing Employer Engagement in Youth Employability
Zuhair Hall
How do training programs in Jordan find information about the local labor market? What have been programs’ experiences in securing internship, attachment, or apprenticeship opportunities for youth? Volunteer opportunities? What obstacles have they encountered? Have programs focused on job placement or mostly on training? What strategies have programs found to be most useful in engaging employers? What have been the key challenges in engaging employers?
o Valentina Qussisiya, Director General, Jordan River Foundation (Jordan)
o Rami Al-Karmi, Chief Executive Officer, Shabakat Al Urdun - Netcorps (Jordan)
o Nayef Stetieh, President, Business Development Center (Jordan)
o Tima Al Shoumali, Youth Panelist (Jordan)
o Moderator: Mayyada Abu-Jaber, Chief Executive Officer, Jordan Career Education Foundation (Jordan)
3:30 PM – 3:45 PM Coffee / Tea Break
3:45 PM – 4:45 PM Brainstorming Sessions: Identifying Priorities for Concerted Action to Address Youth Employment Issues in Jordan
Brainstorming discussion sessions will provide an opportunity to identify priorities of stakeholders for concerted action to enhance youth employability and increase youth employment in Jordan in the areas of program design and delivery, research, and partnerships.
Brainstormings Sessions (Choose one)
o Program Design and Delivery
Jasmin Hall
How could meeting participants and stakeholders in Jordan work together to ensure that high-quality, relevant employability programs are piloted or scaled up? What kinds of training programs are seen to be most in need among youth? What are the key components that need to be included? What is/are the target group(s) of youth? What kinds of training providers need to be involved? What results are programs seeking to achieve? How do programs define success? How can programs share approaches and information? How to move forward? Key next steps?
o Moderator: Markus Pilgrim, Youth Employment Network (Switzerland)
o Research on Youth Employment / Employability Issues
Zuhair Hall
What research is needed to understand better the issues of youth unemployment, employability, school-to-work transition, and child labor in Jordan?
What key research has been done? What are the gaps? Who should be involved? Who is the target audience? How can research as well as lessons learned from pilots and training programs be shared in Jordan (and beyond)? Is it worthwhile to create technology-based knowledge-sharing platform?
Key next steps?
o Moderator: Ibrahim Al-Turki, Managing Director, MENA Child Protection Initiative (Saudi Arabia)
o Partnerships to Promote Youth Employability
Orchid Hall
What are our key goals, both individually and collectively? In what ways can meeting participants and stakeholders in Jordan work together to achieve better outcomes in youth employment and employability? Of the models discussed on Day One, what approaches might work well in Amman? What would be different? What stakeholders need to be involved? In what roles? What would we like to see come out of this meeting? What next steps should be pursued? How will this work?
o Moderator: Awais Sufi, Vice President, Employability Center, IYF (United States)
4:45 PM – 5:30 PM Discussion Session: The Way Forward – What Next?
Jasmin Hall
This session will call on rapporteurs from the three break-out brainstorming discussions to report back to the larger group. Following the report-back from the brainstorming sessions, the moderator will facilitate a large group discussion of 1) possible collective actions that can be taken as a follow-up to meeting discussions; 2) maintaining momentum of youth employability efforts through follow-up initiatives, meetings, technology; 3) suggestions for developing an action plan for next steps.
Moderators:
o Markus Pilgrim, Youth Employment Network (Switzerland)
o Ibrahim Al-Turki, Managing Director, MENA Child Protection Initiative (Saudi Arabia)
o Awais Sufi, Vice President, Employability Center, IYF (United States)
5:30 PM – 5:45 PM Conclusion of Meeting
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