A better future for vulnerable youth in Albania | Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD)

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), over 40 percent of Albania’s youth are unemployed. One of the challenges young people face when seeking gainful employment, is the lack of skills and education to respond to market needs. These challenges are compounded for youth with disabilities.

Since 2009, UNDP has been working towards addressing these challenges. The latest project, implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth, aims to improve youth employment opportunities in three selected regions with the highest rates of youth unemployment: Lezha, Kukes and Shkodra. The project works to enable local actors to identify and address youth employment challenges and to provide quality employment services to citizens.

“Employment promotion and skills development needs to be seen as closely linked to private sector needs and to local economic development challenges and opportunities. To this end, UNDP has introduced modalities to improve both private sector participation and the involvement of all relevant actors to address youth employment issues,” says Eno Ngjela, UNDP Programme Officer.

The project is actively targeting youth with disabilities and aims to encourage more than just income generation, but true and lasting social inclusion. Over 500 youth have received on-the-job training and have subsequently gained employment, and over 350 men and women have received training on entrepreneurship and business plan development.

The project is funded by the Swiss Development Cooperation for a period of 2 years and is helping vulnerable young people put their skills to good use and work towards a better life.

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