Evaluating the Accelerating youth-led businesses in the digital era Programme (YBI)
Updated: Jan 9, 2022
Through funding from the IKEA Foundation, Youth Business International, the Bangladesh Youth Enterprise Advice and Helpcentre (B'Yeah), and the Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust (BYST, India) are implementing the Accelerating youth-led businesses in the digital era programme. The programme aims to reduce youth unemployment by:
Creating and strengthening youth-led businesses
Supporting them to uphold decent working conditions
Supporting them to to integrate digital tools
A team of evaluators from One South, in partnership with in-country research managers, conducted the midterm evaluation to assess the project's relevance and effectiveness and identify key recommendations to guide future implementation. Findings from the evaluation are being discussed with the programme and will be shared in wider dissemination activities.
Last month, I stumbled upon a pop-up market in my neighborhood that showcased local youth entrepreneurs. It was inspiring to see young people passionately presenting their innovative products and services, all while navigating the challenges of starting a business. One vendor mentioned using online platforms to reach customers, a move that reminded me of how much support programs like the Accelerating youth-led businesses in the digital era programme can offer. I was curious about online gaming's role in engaging youth, so I checked out a resource titled Let It Spin at 7Bit; it provided some useful insights on responsible gaming features that could apply to their ventures.