Quarterly Report: Youth Employability Skills (YES) Network, January - March 2012

The project's primary objective is to enhance the skills and knowledge of young people, enabling them to secure employment and contribute to the country's economic growth. The project's activities are focused on several key areas, including facilitating public-private dialogue to improve labor market demand and supply, developing venues for meeting immediate skill and training needs, and strengthening the job services capacity of the Employment Service Agency (ESA) and private job matching companies. Additionally, the project aims to provide continuing professional development opportunities for teachers in Vocational Educational Training (VET) schools and to integrate productive connections with current and planned USAID and other donor workforce-related activities. During the January-March 2012 quarter, the project made significant progress in achieving its objectives. Two sessions of the Local Economic and Social Council for Strumica were held, where the Rules of Procedure were defined and adopted. The project also facilitated the development of work readiness skills training by youth-serving NGOs, established career centers, and implemented job club activities. Furthermore, the project strengthened the job services capacity of ESA and private job matching companies by providing work readiness skills training at ESA centers and implementing the Work-Based Learning Program. The project also focused on providing continuing professional development opportunities for VET teachers, including work readiness skills training and the Work-Based Learning Program. Additionally, the project aimed to make VET schools and the VET Center more responsive and relevant through creative and innovative mechanisms. The project's monitoring and evaluation activities included the administration of evaluation questionnaires to youth, contribution to the yesnetwork.mk website, and focus groups with youth participating in NGO WRC workshops. The project also maintained and updated the project database, tracked youth, and conducted professional orientation tests and filming best practices workshops. For the coming quarter, April-June 2012, the project proposes to continue its activities in the same areas, including facilitating public-private dialogue, developing venues for meeting immediate skill and training needs, and strengthening the job services capacity of ESA and private job matching companies. The project also plans to provide continuing professional development opportunities for VET teachers and to integrate productive connections with current and planned USAID and other donor workforce-related projects. The project's administration and finance activities are also ongoing, with a focus on ensuring the effective management of project resources and the timely completion of project tasks. The project's administration activities and outcomes are reported in the quarterly report, along with proposed activities for the next quarter.