80,000 young people in Kenya to access role models and support for school-to-work transition
Nairobi, Kenya 18 March 2015 – Future First Global and ‘I Choose Life – Africa’ (ICL) launched an exciting new partnership today which will provide access to role models and support in the transition from school into jobs, for some 80,000 young Kenyans over the next two years. The two-year partnership, launched in Nairobi, will see the expansion of the Future First programme into at least 80 government secondary schools across eight counties – Nairobi, Meru, Laikipia Machakos, Taita Taveta, Uasin Gishu, Turkana and Mombasa – reaching some of the most disadvantaged communities in Kenya.
“We are incredibly excited to be working with ICL in order to expand our programme to reach thousands of young people with access to role models and mentors over the next two years” said Pauline Wanja, Kenya Programme Manager for Future First in Kenya.
[gdlr_quote align=”center” ]We are incredibly excited to be working with ICL in order to expand our programme to reach thousands of young people with access to role models and mentors over the next two years[/gdlr_quote]
Through the Future First model of alumni community building, 80 schools will be empowered with the tools required to build alumni networks and the training they need in order to mobilise alumni volunteers to support students at their old schools. The partnership builds on a successful two-year pilot of the Future First alumni community-building model across Nairobi.
“The Future First alumni model provides an exciting opportunity for synergies, complementing our mentorship program, and we believe this partnership will give the program the impetus it needs for maximum impact in building school communities. Our goal remains to empower and inspire girls to complete a full education”, said Mike Mutungi, CEO of I Choose Life- Africa
While progress in expanding access to education has meant that young people in Kenya are better educated than ever before, 67% of young Kenyans between the ages of 15 and 24 are thought to be out of work and millions more enter unstable employment after leaving school each year.[i] The mismatch between what is learnt at school and the skills required in a changing jobs market, along with a lack of access to information about jobs[ii], are among the most frequently cited causes of youth unemployment. The launch of this programme aims to tackle these critical issues, providing a sustainable link between school and the world of work. Data on the current school to work transition context in Kenya is available to download here.
About Future First Global
Future First Global’s vision is to turn every school into a community by engaging former students, now in jobs, as mentors, role models and work experience providers to young people at their old schools. By doing this, we hope to have a global impact in supporting the school-to-work transition for millions of young people.
About I Choose Life
I Choose Life – Africa (ICL) is one of the leading Non-Governmental Organizations that has programs in over 210 institutions (tertiary institutions, High Schools and Primary Schools) across 22 counties in Kenya and has a great focus on academic and career mentoring. ICL recently launched the Adopt a School Campaign! inviting Corporates to become professional mentors and provide resources to support school infrastructure improvement in Laikipia, Meru & Mombasa County Schools.
For additional information contact: Pauline Wanja, Pauline(at)futurefirst.co.ke or info(at)futurefirstglobal.org
[i] Association for the Development of Education in Africa (2014), Kenya Country Report for the 2014 Ministerial Conference on Youth Employment
[ii] United Nations Development Program and Government of Kenya (2009), Kenyan Human Development Report.