Global Shapers Upskill Namibians and Support the UN’s Youth Strategy

The aim of the United Nations Youth Strategy is to scale up global, regional and national actions to meet young people’s needs, realize their rights and tap into their possibilities as agents of change. In line with this strategy, the United Nations Information Centre  in Namibia welcomes and supports initiatives targeted at young people, such as Shape Skills, a pilot project designed and implemented by the Global Shapers Windhoek Hub.

The project aims to upskill 15 youth in Namibia to improve their chances of employment and career growth through a series of skills building workshops. The program is divided in four thematic areas:

1. Marketing, Communications and Diplomacy
2. Entrepreneurship
3. Project Management
4. IT and Web Design

The first workshop of the Shape Skills project took place on September 26, and it will be followed by weekly sessions until the end of October. The workshops will be delivered by the Global Shapers team in Windhoek, and, adhering to social distancing measures, all the sessions will be done virtually. Global Shapers’ vision and goal is for this pilot to be the first of numerous upskill projects.

Shape Skills responds to the high youth unemployment rate in Namibia, which was of 46% in 2018, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency. It also addresses the weakening economic conditions for employment aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic. By implementing this project, Global Shapers and UN Namibia aim to contribute to Sustainable Development Goals such as No Poverty (Goal 1), Zero Hunger (Goal 2), Gender Equality (Goal 5), Decent Work and Economic Growth (Goal 8), Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (Goal 9), and Reduced Inequalities (Goal 10).

This pilot project has already confirmed the relevance of initiatives that target youth development, that ensure young people are empowered to achieve their full potential, and that recognize young people’s agency, resilience and their positive contributions.

 

About the Global Shapers Windhoek Hub The Windhoek Hub is a Hub filled with young, dynamic individuals who are making an impact in their surrounding society. The Hub brings together young people who are willing to share their time and efforts in social projects to enhance and brighten the lives of the communities in and around Windhoek. We focus on projects that will have a sustainable impact. Together with our partners we aim to interact with stakeholders at various levels, share insights, make impact and inspire others to do the same.

Global Shapers contact details: Michael Hasheela (Curator), Vissta Black (Vice Curator), Mpho Katjiuongua (Project lead) - windhoekglobalshapers@gmail.com

About the Sustainable Development Goals  The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. The 17 Goals are all interconnected, and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve them all by 2030.