The Youth Validation and Action Planning Workshop for the Learning to Earning Pathways (LEaP!) Program took place on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at the Benjamin Lim Go Learning Center, AdZU Lantaka Campus, in Zamboanga City. This workshop brought together a diverse group of participants, including representatives from youth sector organizations, out-of-school youth (OSY), and young individuals who had completed Junior or Senior High School (JHS or SHS) through the Alternative Learning System (ALS) or formal education, and were actively seeking employment or self-employment opportunities. Together, they worked collaboratively to identify and address the most pressing challenges that youth in their communities were encountering.
During the session, participants engaged in discussions to identify both emerging and current issues that young people were facing, including challenges related to education, employment, and access to opportunities. They recognized existing solutions and programs that had been attempting to address these challenges, evaluated their effectiveness, and pinpointed areas for improvement. Building upon this foundation, participants proposed creative, relevant, and responsive solutions to tackle the unique issues faced by youth in their communities, ultimately creating a roadmap for change.
The workshop also focused on validating the User Personae developed during the P2E Workshop, ensuring that these personas accurately reflected the needs and realities of youth in the region. Additionally, a SWOT analysis was conducted to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with the proposed solutions. This provided valuable insights into the potential impact of the solutions and helped refine them for maximum effectiveness.
One of the key outcomes of the workshop was the development of a skills delivery program tailored to the preferences of the youth, the needs of their communities, and local priorities. This program was designed to equip young individuals with the skills and knowledge they needed to transition smoothly from learning to earning, improving their chances of securing employment or becoming self-employed.
Through this collective effort, actionable plans were created to empower youth, enhance their skills, and provide pathways for a successful future. By engaging local stakeholders and youth in these workshops, their voices were heard, and their concerns were addressed in a meaningful and impactful way, helping them transition from learning to earning with confidence and support.
