Youth Empowerment initiative in Arab Region: AjialCom Najat Rochdi Regional Coordinator

2 Outlines What is ICTDAR What is ICTDAR Youth empowerment initiative Youth empowerment initiative Case study: Morocco Case study: Morocco Challenges Challenges The way forward The way forward

3 What is ICTDAR? Information & Communication Technology for Development in the Arab Region Information & Communication Technology for Development in the Arab Region As a result of AHDR on knowledge As a result of AHDR on knowledge Started in October 2003 Started in October 2003 Based in Cairo Based in Cairo Coverage: All Arab Countries Coverage: All Arab Countries

4 Link to AHDR2 Access, sharing and dissemination of Knowledge, Access, sharing and dissemination of Knowledge, Skills development, Skills development, Arabic Content development, Arabic Content development, Strategy formulation Strategy formulation Arab Region

5 Service lines Awareness raising Awareness raising Stakeholders campaigns and participation Stakeholders campaigns and participation Capacity development Capacity development Strategy formulation and implementation Strategy formulation and implementation Employment generation Employment generation Pro-poor initiatives Pro-poor initiatives

6 ICTDAR Regional initiatives/projects –Mashrouati: ICT Hub to support SMEs –WRCATI: Women empowerment –AjialCom: Youth empowerment –e-Governance (REGI, Arab Regional e-gov Institute) –ICTARB: ICT for Blinds and visually impaired –Policy formulation –Knowledge sharing platform Bawabat Achabab, regional workshops, regional events, LAS/Arab Working Group, )

7 Outlines What is ICTDAR What is ICTDAR Youth empowerment initiative Youth empowerment initiative Case study: Morocco Case study: Morocco Challenges Challenges The way forward The way forward

8 Project Development objectives –To develop Skills –To address unemployment, underemployment, and population loss in rural area –To enable local development –To access to knowledge ~~~~~~~~~~~~~to give them a channel to voice their opinion, to participate and to act ~~~~to develop leadership, entrepreneurship and a enlightened citizenship (rights and duties)

9 Information services Provide adequate information to enhance their knowledge about issues of their concern: drug, sexual education, HIV/AIDS, human rights, election ~~~~~play an active role in the local community. Provide adequate information to enhance their knowledge about issues of their concern: drug, sexual education, HIV/AIDS, human rights, election ~~~~~play an active role in the local community. Link all relevant national and international information sources Link all relevant national and international information sources Networking and collaborative platform Networking and collaborative platform CoP CoP Arab Youth Portal (Bawaba Achabab) Arab Youth Portal (Bawaba Achabab) Trough one platform: AjialCom Trough one platform: AjialCom

10 From a Concept ~~~~ To a Franchise AjialCom

11 Access to knowledge Access to knowledge Awareness Raising and advocacy (development issues: HIV, Drug, workforce development, unemployment, entrepreneurship,..) Awareness Raising and advocacy (development issues: HIV, Drug, workforce development, unemployment, entrepreneurship,..) Skills development Skills development Job creation/Address unemployment Job creation/Address unemployment Entrepreneurship Development Entrepreneurship Development Networking (Youth for Youth by Youth) Networking (Youth for Youth by Youth) In partnership with NGOs In partnership with NGOs Income generation ~~~~ SME Income generation ~~~~ SME

12 ICTARB

13 Visually impaired empowerment Visually impaired empowerment Access to knowledge (use of audio and Braille technologies) Access to knowledge (use of audio and Braille technologies) In partnership with NGOs/local authorities In partnership with NGOs/local authorities Skills development Skills development Social rehabilitation Social rehabilitation Access to new job opportunities Access to new job opportunities

14 Outlines What is ICTDAR What is ICTDAR Youth empowerment initiative Youth empowerment initiative Case study: Morocco Case study: Morocco Lessons learned Lessons learned The way forward The way forward

15 Project description Community Access Center Community Access Center Service provider Service provider ToT (IT, business management, french, english, know how,..) ToT (IT, business management, french, english, know how,..) Local development dynamic Local development dynamic 10 centers year 1 10 centers year 1 PPP PPP Sustainabilty Sustainabilty Monitoring: SC Monitoring: SC Phase 1: April 04-June 05 Phase 1: April 04-June 05

16 AjialCom today: Figures Figures Manuel of procedures Manuel of procedures Value added services/Income Value added services/Income Franchising AjialCom Franchising AjialCom Toolkits Toolkits Synergies Synergies

17

18 Membership Boys/girls

19

20

21 Source of Income

22

23 Photo Gallery..\My Documents\Projects\AjialCom\Photo Gallery..\My Documents\Projects\AjialCom\Photo Gallery..\My Documents\Projects\AjialCom\Photo Gallery

24 Pb faced Management (turn over) Management (turn over) Location of AjialCom Location of AjialCom Local community ownership Local community ownership PPP PPP Content development (NGOs,..) Content development (NGOs,..) Monitoring Monitoring

25 The way forward in Morocco 100 AjialCom centers by December AjialCom centers by December 2005 Based on requests from parliamentarians Based on requests from parliamentarians Franchising AjialCom Franchising AjialCom Solidarity funds (wealthy centers to subsidize difficult locations) Solidarity funds (wealthy centers to subsidize difficult locations) 50 centers per year ( ) 50 centers per year ( ) Connect with other national initiatives (outlet to introduce ICT in schools, SMEs, ) Connect with other national initiatives (outlet to introduce ICT in schools, SMEs, ) Specific centers for vulnerable groups (single mothers, prisoners, centers to resist violence against women,..) Specific centers for vulnerable groups (single mothers, prisoners, centers to resist violence against women,..)

26 Outlines What is ICTDAR What is ICTDAR Youth empowerment initiative Youth empowerment initiative Case study: Morocco Case study: Morocco Challenges Challenges The way forward The way forward

27 Challenges High demand High demand Monitoring Monitoring Local community involvement and buy in/ownership Local community involvement and buy in/ownership Management/Business approach Management/Business approach Go beyond IT/Content Go beyond IT/Content

28 Implementation strategy With UNDP COs With UNDP COs Policy combined with quick wins projects/initiatives Policy combined with quick wins projects/initiatives Business model for replication Business model for replication Business plan for sustainability Business plan for sustainability Partnership with NGOs, private sector (PPP): Microsoft, CISCO, Sakhr, national private sector; Partnership with NGOs, private sector (PPP): Microsoft, CISCO, Sakhr, national private sector;

29 Outlines What is ICTDAR What is ICTDAR Youth empowerment initiative Youth empowerment initiative Case study: Morocco Case study: Morocco Challenges Challenges The way forward at the Arab Region level The way forward at the Arab Region level

30 The way forward Mainstream ICT in existing national Youth programs Mainstream ICT in existing national Youth programs Consolidate existing initiatives and start replicating/expanding them in the region Consolidate existing initiatives and start replicating/expanding them in the region Youth portal/CoP launching Youth portal/CoP launching Special focus on Youth empowerment and SME Special focus on Youth empowerment and SME

31 More on