EDC to Champion Green Skills for Youth at GYEO
We are proud to sponsor this year’s Global Youth Economic Opportunities (GYEO) Summit in Washington, D.C. from September 9–12. Join EDC in conversation on key issues surrounding the transition to a green economy, as we explore pathways to achieve this goal and ensure it is equitable for all.
Find below a list of the different sessions we’ll be participating in:
SPONSOR-LED LUNCH AND LEARN SESSION
Youth in a Just Transition: Solutions at the Nexus of the Climate Agenda, Skills Development, and Youth Employment
September 10, 2024, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
A lightning talk with Melanie Sany, EDC
In this lightning talk, Melanie Sany from EDC will discuss the salient challenges and opportunities at the nexus of the climate agenda, skills development, and youth employment. She will highlight ways that diverse system actors—governments, the private sector, and young people—have developed concrete, locally-owned strategies for ensuring a just transition. As part of this lightning talk, Melanie will present findings from Our World, Our Work, EDC’s global initiative with a 10-year mission to support 1 million youth in their pursuit of inclusive and sustainable jobs in the green and blue economy. She will offer a set of strategies within a larger Our World Our Work theory of change, a framework based in global evidence and intended to highlight locally owned, systems-based approaches that advance an inclusive green economy. Learn more.
OPENING PLENARY
Toward a Youth-Inclusive Green Economy: Levers of Change
September 10, 2024, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
A plenary panel discussion with:
- Bama Athreya, Deputy Assistant Administrator, USAID
- Houyame Hakmi, President and Founder, Union Marocaine des Jeunes Leaders; Founder and President, Green Universities for Sustainability
- Isabel Beltrán, Managing Director, Latin America and the Caribbean, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP)
- Daniel Bresette, President, Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI)
- Moderator: Melanie Sany, Director of Youth, Climate and Workforce Development, EDC
Youth hold the potential to drive a just transition of the world’s economy while speeding adaptation to climate change. To unleash this potential, evidence suggests that youth-inclusive green job growth requires a multi-stakeholder commitment—not only at the national level, but also at the subnational level.
Drawing from evidence from over 20 countries, this session explores this gap between global, national, and local priorities, and it highlights the key factors for greener, equitable, and sustainable growth. Leading experts will explore these factors along four main themes: education and skills needed for green jobs, the private sector’s role in promoting sustainable practices, the role of youth-inclusive financing, and youth’s role in awareness-raising and behavior change.
Innovations in Labor Market Diagnostics and Assessments
September 10 from 2:45 PM – 4:15 PM
A breakout session with:
- Philippa Mary Omolo, Hillock Global Enterprise
- Sara Johansson de Silva, USAID
- Aseel Khatib & Daniela Farinas, Creative Associates
- Kelly John Robillos, Jhon Hayden Bale, & Abidemi Oderinde, EDC
- Karla Yoder & Fawzi Kara Slimane, World Learning
- Abbey Walsh, EFE
Labor market assessments (LMAs) have become a necessary first step in effective employment and inclusive market systems development programming. LMAs are recognized as a critical strategy for understanding the labor market demand which guides these types of programs and hopefully helps to deliver more and better jobs and just transitions for youth, women and others traditionally marginalized groups.
Building on the established approaches and considerations for conducting labor market assessments, this panel will share various innovations on LMAs including youth-led LMAs, the use of AI, tools for analyzing green job opportunities, and approaches for analyzing labor market dynamics in conflict contexts. The session will include small group presentations for participants to learn more in depth about each innovation and then identify implications for further programming or broader uptake of these tools.
BREAKOUT SESSION
Private Sector’s Critical Investment in Building a Green Workforce
September 11, 2024 from 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM
A breakout session with:
- Alenka Zavasnik, Gigatonne
- Arthur Lioravante Chiba, SkillLab
- Jenny Oorbeck, Fresh Coast Climate Solutions
- Moderator: Abidemi Oderinde, EDC
This session will advance the discussion on the private sector’s investments to develop a green workforce. Tackling the challenges caused by climate change requires not only sound climate policies and appropriate funding, but also a workforce that is skilled to address the opportunities and requirements around the green economy. Participants will hear from three innovative companies who have taken unique approaches to supporting youth in building green skills and then in transitioning those new skills to green economic opportunities. Gigatonne trains teams to reduce GHG emissions, and provides jobs, food, and energy security to those in need. SkillLab uses AI to profile people’s skills, connecting them to sustainable careers. Fresh Coast Climate Solutions helps companies green their supply chains and verify their eco-friendly claims.
BREAKOUT SESSION
Practical Solutions for Fostering Systems Change through Program Design and Implementation
September 11, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
A breakout session with members of the Youth Systems Collaborative, including IREX, World Learning, and EDC
Calling all systems change practitioners! Whether you have extensive experience or are just starting to think about systems change, this session is for you. We’ll introduce the youth systems change framework and provide an opportunity to reflect on your youth programming and areas in you which might increase your focus to foster systemic and sustainable change. We’ll share research on different pathways to systems change and evidence of their effectiveness. There will be the opportunity for a deeper dive into practical tools and approaches to facilitate systems change. You’ll walk away with a new lens on your work and concrete ways to integrate systems thinking into it.
We are proud to sponsor this year’s Global Youth Economic Opportunities (GYEO) Summit in Washington, D.C. from September 9–12. Join EDC in conversation on key issues surrounding the transition to a green economy, as we explore pathways to achieve this goal and ensure it is equitable for all. Can’t make it in person? See more details about the available livestream options here.
For more information, make sure to connect with us at EDC’s booth at GYEO and visit edc.org/owow. Join us by signing up for the EDC Update newsletter where we share news updates about related work, research, and opportunities to partner with us.
EDC’s Delegation at GYEO
Nancy Devine | |
Nancy Wallace | |
| Madelyn Cunningham |
Nancy Chervin | |
Nada Berrada | |
Melanie Sany | |
Rachel Blum | |
Abidemi Oderinde | |
| Kelly John Robillos |
Jhon Hayden Bale | |
| Daniel Bresette |
| Isabel Beltrán |
Bama Athreya | |
Houyame Hakmi | |
Alenka Zavasnik | |
Arthur Lioravante Chiba | |
Jenny Oorbeck | |
Alessia García | |
Chloe Phan |
