Workforce Development Initiatives for Out-of-school Youth: What Works?

The Out-of-School Children and Youth (OSCY) component of the EQuALLS2 Project provides a menu of offerings for OSCY (12-24 years old) that includes alternative education in non-formal settings and livelihood and workforce development (WFD) skills training. In an effort to identify the key elements that contribute to successful WFD programming, a study was conducted in January 2010 in selected project sites in the Zamboanga Peninsula. The study targeted four population groups: the youth, family members of WFD program participants, community leaders, and employers. The methodology included focus group discussions, site visits, and interviews. It also included collecting data with the use of video, in addition to field notes and other research tools. This document provides a brief overview of this study and its key findings.