15 July is World Youth Skills Day. What is the point of such a day for young people? Diény OUEDA, a young single woman with a degree in sociology, and Olivia R. YAMEOGO, a single woman with a degree in accounting, give their views on the needs of young people and the value of a Day dedicated to their skills.. Diény and Olivia are both employees of the Association Songtaaba des Jeunes pour l'Enfant, a partner in the ACTE Afrique project in Burkina Faso. Diény is the monitoring and evaluation assistant and Olivia is the association's accountant.
For Diény OUEDA, "being young is an asset. Young people are the future of our countries. They have the potential to be trained and supported. We young people need capacity building, especially in the areas of production, and practical advice on entrepreneurship. We also need support and accompaniment for our initiatives to build ourselves. We also need self-confidence and self-esteem. She goes on to explain the importance of the Youth Skills Day: "It's important to devote a day to young people's skills. It's an opportunity for young people to express themselves about their situation. It's an opportunity to discuss and reflect on the problems facing young people. Young people's skills should be valued and they should be given the opportunity to express them. We need to see what skills are essential for young people in the context of the global crisis. What training opportunities are adapted to young people's entrepreneurial needs?
Olivia R. YAMEOGO added: "The celebration of a World Youth Skills Day is a good initiative that provides a forum for young people to express themselves. This day should mark a pause for questioning the problems linked to young people's skills. What do young people need in terms of skills? What training do they need? What skills will make young people employable? It should also be a time for young people to speak out and draw the attention of decision-makers to their needs.
For Diény and Olivia, it is important to support young people in their training and socio-professional integration so that they can fulfil their role as intermediaries. They cite the partnership between Action Education and their association as an example of fruitful collaboration. "Our association is a partner of ACTE Afrique. It received funding to implement a micro-project to raise awareness among young people about citizenship, responsible sexuality and environmental protection. A platform for young people has been set up. It serves as a crossroads for young people to exchange ideas, share experiences and discuss emerging issues. It also enables young people to conduct research using Internet access. Through the platform, young people also benefit from training and capacity-building. It's a good example of partnership, and we want to see it consolidated," says Diény. Olivia continues: "Our association is a beneficiary of the ACTE Afrique project in Burkina Faso. Thanks to this fruitful partnership, we have implemented our micro-project to raise awareness among young people about responsible sexuality, good citizenship, environmental protection and drug use. It's an exemplary partnership, and we want it to continue.
