Youth Employment and Business Start-Up (YouLead) Project – Sri Lanka Quarterly Report - Year Six

The program seeks to bridge the gap between the skills demanded by the economy and those possessed by the youth. The project's objectives are to increase youth employability skills in targeted sectors, improve the quality, relevance, and delivery of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), increase prospects of successful self-employment, and encourage youth to take control over their education and career choices. The project focuses on 12 districts with the highest unemployment among young women and men, including Jaffna, Galle, Kandy, and others. YouLead is empowered to work nationally, but its efforts are concentrated in these high-need areas. The project has identified the Small Entrepreneurs Development (SED) Division as the sustainable partner for the YES online mentoring platform and plans to carry out a capacity-building program for SED in the next review period. The project has achieved several impact highlights, including the partnership with Derana TV, which has claimed over $500,000 as its cost-share for promoting the START UP 21 TV reality program. Derana TV is also planning to continue the program as a bi-annual event with Derana START UP 24. Additionally, the Asian Development Bank has finalized the release of USD 1 million to the Department of Skills Development and Employment (DSE) to replicate the YouLead M SME ED program. The project has also ramped up its sustainability approaches, focusing on institutionalizing its work with partners and counterparts. However, the project has faced challenges due to changes in high-level government leadership, economic instability, and a lack of budget from government partners to keep their commitments. The YouLead project has made significant progress in the third quarter of FY2023, with considerable increases in the number and depth of activities completed. The project has achieved several impact highlights, including the partnership with Derana TV and the replication of the YouLead M SME ED program by the Asian Development Bank. The project's geographic focus is nationwide, with a concentration of efforts in the 12 high-need districts. The project's timeframes are from June 2, 2017, to May 31, 2024, with the current reporting period covering April 1, 2023, to June 30, 2023. The project's recommendations include continuing to institutionalize its work with partners and counterparts, addressing the challenges posed by changes in government leadership and economic instability, and ensuring the sustainability of its initiatives. The project's financial management is overseen by the International Executive Service Corps (IESC), with a budget expenditure of $X million. The project has a cost share and leverage of $Y million, with a status of required approval processes. The project's financial management is subject to the approval of the USAID Agreement Officer Representative (AOR) and the US Government (USG). The project's success stories are documented in Annex B, which highlights the achievements of the project's activities and initiatives. The project's partnerships with international and local partners are documented in Annex C, which outlines the agreements and collaborations between YouLead and its partners. The project's progress is monitored and evaluated through the YouLead Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) system, which tracks the project's activities, outcomes, and impact. The MEL system provides a framework for assessing the project's effectiveness and identifying areas for improvement. The project's recommendations for future action include continuing to institutionalize its work with partners and counterparts, addressing the challenges posed by changes in government leadership and economic instability, and ensuring the sustainability of its initiatives. The project's success will depend on its ability to adapt to changing circumstances and to maintain its focus on achieving its objectives.