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Global Youth Innovation Network (GYIN)
Submitted by programs4africa on Thu, 2011-07-28 15:41
Youth Entrepreneurs—Agents of Change
Purpose
GYIN aims to create and support an enabling environment where youth can act on their own behalf and terms, and to facilitate the exchange of experiences, learning, and networking. Specific objectives are: To identify and engage with youth entrepreneurs, organizations, and their communities; To reinforce and exchange experiences, good practices, and learned lessons; To use a launching event as a springboard to establish a youth network; and To facilitate a social networking platform that is owned and self-managed by youth and that functions as a resource centered on youth and entrepreneurship.
Problem
The International Labor Organization estimates that youth make up 60% of total unemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa. Those with jobs work primarily in agriculture, but scant agricultural skill and limited access to financial resources cause low levels of production and entrepreneurship. African economies are slowly developing into market economies, making agriculture a potentially profitable sector, but several obstacles hinder youth from capitalizing on this trend:
Absence of role models;
Lack of agricultural and entrepreneurial experience and skills;
Limited social/business networks;
Unsupportive environment for entrepreneurship, especially youth entrepreneurship; and
Lack of access to training opportunities.
process
GYIN is a platform and network for rural youth to strengthen their know-ledge about entrepreneurship and agriculture and for youth advocates to strengthen their knowledge base about the demographic.Using membership to a virtual platform, youth will share successful practices, learn agricultural and business skills, and widen their business contacts. The Network will collect information on the members. Research will be published and used to form recommendations for government policies to encourage business development. To facilitate the information exchange, GYIN will hold periodic international conferences. The inaugural conference will be held in Cotonou, Benin from October 10 - 13, 2011.
participants
GYIN will bring together:
- Rural youth entrepreneurs;
- Existing agricultural businesses;
- Government agencies;
- Experts on agriculture and entrepreneurship;
- Researchers; and Policy writers and advocates.
length
Network membership is permanent. International conferences will be held and research and policy recommendations will be published yearly.
