EVALUAREA PROGRAMULUI NAȚIONAL DE ABILITARE ECONOMICĂ A TINERILOR (PNAET)

The program aimed to promote economic empowerment among youth by providing training, consulting, and access to financial resources. The program was implemented by the National Youth Council of Moldova (CNTM) with the support of USAID. The program consisted of three main components: training and consulting for young entrepreneurs, facilitation of access to financial resources, and post-financing monitoring by the Development Local Council (DLC) through the Financial Participating Institutions (IFP). The program's objectives were to increase the number of young entrepreneurs, improve their skills and knowledge, and enhance their access to financial resources. The program's results were evaluated in relation to the development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the agricultural sector. The evaluation of the program's relevance in relation to the needs of young entrepreneurs was conducted using the Youth Mainstreaming Methodology, developed by the National Youth Council of Moldova with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The methodology aimed to identify the causes of structural disparities between the needs of young entrepreneurs and the actions promoted by the program. The evaluation revealed that the program had a positive impact on the development of young entrepreneurs, but there were still significant disparities between the needs of young entrepreneurs and the actions promoted by the program. The evaluation identified the following causes of structural disparities: lack of access to financial resources, limited market access, and inadequate training and consulting services. Based on the evaluation results, the National Youth Council of Moldova recommended the following adjustments to the program: increasing access to financial resources, improving market access, and enhancing training and consulting services. The evaluation also recommended the development of a new program that would address the specific needs of young entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector. The evaluation of the program's relevance in relation to the needs of young entrepreneurs was conducted in two parts. The first part described the program and its results, while the second part evaluated the disparities between the needs of young entrepreneurs and the actions promoted by the program. The evaluation aimed to identify the causes of structural disparities and provide recommendations for improving the program.