This document proposes a project to address youth unemployment in Pakistan by establishing Youth Skill Centers in 10 districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The centers will provide literacy classes, skills training, and life skills education to help unemployed youth and adolescents ages 15-24 develop skills to find work and cope with unemployment. Specifically, the project aims to mobilize youth, raise community support, and empower young people by increasing their skills, knowledge, and access to youth services through the newly established centers.

1. Youth Icon
PROJECT FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
MAKE IT WORK

2. Executive Summary
 Pakistan has the largest cohort of young people in its history,
estimated approximately as 25 million (15-24 years) and
subsequent cohorts are projected to be even larger. Recognizing
the dearth of attention to young people critical life issues that
relate to series of transitions to adulthood: school-leaving,
employment, greater responsibility.
 The project will be implemented in 10 districts of Azad Jammu
and Kashmir. The intervention proposed intends to give the
opportunity to youth and adolescents (15-24) by providing them
with a space (Youth Skill Center), where they can talk freely,
enjoy recreational activities, learn new skills, improve their
literacy and get information life skill based education. The YSC
will be established in collaboration, consensus and support from
the community in order to avoid judgmental attitudes by the
community gatekeepers and cultural specific constraints.

3. Problems
 The lack of employment , life skill based education,
leadership, active citizenship problems at all levels
extending from policy makers to the community level is
one of the major problem that should be addressed. They
are struggling to define their own identity, their
directions for life, career opportunities, to have better
self-esteem and to become responsible for their lives.
 The situation is even more complicated and serious,
when it comes to girls and gender disparities. Their
chances to access such information is even more
restricted than boys. In rural areas the complexity
deepens and is influenced by century old traditions.
Hence, the present challenge is to sensitize these
communities regarding their rights.

4. Purpose of the project
 The main activities will focus on the mobilization of
youth and adolescents for promoting awareness and
equipped with life skill based education, active
citizen, and for empowering young people in
developing life skills for to cope with their
unemployment
 The core of the project will be the creation of Youth
skill Centers, where youth and adolescents in the
selected areas, can benefit from different services
such as literacy classes, recreational activities, sports
activities, skill development.

5. Outputs
 Output 1: Increased political, community and family support for
adolescent and youth interventions.
This output will contribute to solicit the support of government, NGOs
and community stakeholders in the implementation of project
activities by advocacy.
 Output 2: Increased skill and improved knowledge among
adolescents and youth.
This output will empower youth to get skill on different sectors and
knowledge.
Output 3: Improved access to quality youth-oriented services.
This output will contribute to support the project by providing
information & knowledge through youth-friendly centers, parents and
teachers, incorporating issues related to gender to prepare young
people to become responsible adults.