USAID Empowered Youth Year 1 Work Plan

The program is implemented by Michigan State University (MSU) and a consortium of partners, including Egerton University, United States International University-Africa, National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International, and National Youth Bunge Association. The program focuses on increasing youth economic prospects, building capacity of Kenyan Higher Education Institutions, and strengthening youth-serving systems. The program's geographic focus is on six high-touch counties: Mombasa, Kiambu, Nakuru, Isiolo, Kisumu, and Kakamega, as well as 20 low-touch counties across eight regions in Kenya. The program aims to empower Kenyan youth aged 15-24 years and connect them to social and economic opportunities. The program's approach is aligned with Kenya's Vision 2030, the President's Big Four Agenda, and the Kenya Ministry of Education Policy Framework for Education. The program consists of three strategic objectives: Objective 1: Increase youth economic prospects; Objective 2: Build Kenyan HEIs capacity; and Objective 3: Strengthen youth-serving systems. In Year 1, the program will focus on building and strengthening curriculum and work-based learning opportunities, partnerships and networks required to spur exponential change in Kenya's youth networks, and partnerships to enhance economic prospects in Years 2-5. The program's theory of change is that if USAID investments can unify youth through an expanded formal network and these youth are empowered through partnerships with county governments, HEIs, and private sector partners to co-lead, co-own, and co-manage innovative solutions to address youth empowerment challenges, and youth can be directly connected to training aligned to economic opportunities, then there will be a measurable impact on their well-being and livelihoods. The program will result in empowered youth networks and increased economic opportunities in six high-touch counties and 20 low-touch counties. The program's approach encompasses two related results pathways: delivering developmental results in the form of significantly enhanced human capital and improved institutional capabilities, and transformational outcomes that stimulate market-based collaborations and change incentives in order to cement sustainability and ultimately advance Kenya's economic development. The program's implementation will involve partnerships with county governments, HEIs, and private sector partners to co-lead, co-own, and co-manage innovative solutions to address youth empowerment challenges. The program will also involve the establishment of 60 county partnerships and 100 youth networks, as well as the identification of 20% of skill training opportunities and business skills programs that will include experiential learning opportunities such as internships or mentorships. The program's monitoring and evaluation framework will involve the use of a real-time beneficiary and indicator tracking database to track progress toward outcomes. The program will also involve the use of a learning plan that demonstrates Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) principles to ensure that the program is adaptive and responsive to changing circumstances.