EASTERN VISAYAS REGIONAL YOUTH EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING DEVELOPMENT PLAN (EV RYEET DP)

1. EASTERN VISAYAS REGIONAL YOUTH EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING DEVELOPMENT PLAN(EV RYEET DP) PENVER AND ASSOCIATES Philippines Saint Paul School of Business and Law, Inc

2. Experience and Discovery Labour Force (LF) is the backbone of the economy. Youth employment is crucial to a nation’s development just as how LF plays a vital role in the development of the nation and in the upliftment of the economic well-being of the people. However, the region’s young workers are increasingly struggling to find a decent job. Eastern Visayas (EV) Youth LF Participation is currently estimated at 686, 507 out of the total 1, 865, 000 with an approximately 40, 491 young workers that enter the Labour Market, annually. Current unemployment is placed at an average rate of 5.1% - a translation to 2, 065 annually new unemployed youths. 69-70% of the annual 40, 491 young labour market entrants come from the rural areas of the region; while 46-47% of those entrants are High School (UG & G)*, 43-44% for the College (UG & G), 9-10% for the Elementary (UG & G) and 1-2% coming from No Grade Completed at all; and 60-65% of those entrants are female youths. It is then impossible not to see peers and/or colleagues being affected by this reality. In fact, most opt to work overseas if possible – for reasons such as lack of opportunities, political instability, economic slowdown, health risks as well as personal preferences, explorations and ambitions for improved life. Ages 20-24 year old currently contribute the greatest share of the regional Overseas Filipino workers departure which usually are destined to the Middle East and South Asia.

3. While Youths, themselves, are directly responsible for this employment reality, the social and the overall economic environments largely affect in facilitating and providing real-time knowledge, skills, adequate employment opportunities and productive activities. Hence, it is evident that Social Institutions and Support Systems such as the Family, the School, the Government, NGOs or Pos and the other Significant Private Entities’ substandard values formations, educations, trainings; and non-economically and non-socially responsive Activities, Projects and Programs are pushing more poor, young workers into informal sector jobs, often at low pay and miserable working conditions rather than for an inclusive education, employment and training development which encourages transition from low-to middle-then to high-income status. On this regards, it is evidently held by the team that Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) are largely part of the problem of Youth Unemployment as a consistent contributory factor due to their continuingly autocratic, strict and pre-ordained knowledge approach of modern traditional educational system which is more concerned with the delivery of knowledge, not enough with understanding youths’ experiences to purposefully engage them into learning and give them a focused reflection that increases knowledge, develop life skills, clarify and strengthen values; and develop human capacity to contribute back to their respective communities. Thus, there become a problematic Labour Market Supply and Demand situation by mismatching based on values, core competencies, educations and trainings that are usually required.

4. However, this plight in the youth sector is further allowed to persist by the presence of traditional and/or non-responsive social systems that continuously sets certain frameworks and boundaries to define the extent of greater possibilities that the current social and economic situations can actually generate and afford more than the prescribed. Policymakers and the government itself, has its own confirmation biases also that relatively allowed youth unemployment problem to exist knowing the available remedies, networks, resources and powers it inherently have are not strategically utilized to the best interest and welfare of the greater public especially the youths. Instead, it obvious that there is undirected purpose and non-commitment to more innovative and sustainable solutions as they tend to resort to “band aid” solutions that literally defeat its purpose on the long-term span; this could be further traced to the roots of traditional and corrupted political system that engulfs the region. Nonetheless, there is also a point to exist as a case that non-state actors are likewise contributory factors to Youth Unemployment. Hence, it is undeniable how these actors affect the daily social and economic exchanges within the region; while most of their actions are not really responsive to the roots of the pressing issues confronting young people and its waiting labour market – noting further that there is strong consistency and sustainability to challenge the region’s status quo.

5. The Innovative and Sustainable Solution Solution Matrix

6. Youth Unemployment Quality Solutions’ Education We, at Penver and Associates, assert that in order to solve the region’s pressing unemployment issue confronting the youths, a quality education on Youth Unemployment itself should be given ample time, attention and commitment as an advocacy to challenge status quo and sustain the changes it envision. It is then termed Youth Unemployment Quality Solutions’ Education though the overall project is referred to as Eastern Visayas Regional Youth Employment, Education and Training Development Plan as our Team focuses and underpins the necessity of strategic and collaborative education of the Youth sector and the relevant sectors attached – on the reality of Youth Unemployment – giving greater significance on tracing associated social and economic risks and costs. Thus, a comprehensive and proper education of the Youth and the relevant sectors on Youth Unemployment, itself, will natural encourage the propagations of continuously innovative and sustainable quality solutions that practically respond and answers the challenge of this kind of unemployment.

7. Key Area 1: Higher Educational Institutions & Training/Learning Centers Penver & Associates recognizes that the established Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) and Training/Learning Centers (TLCs) around Eastern Visayas are indeed a Key Area of Concern that has to be seriously and vitally taken into account of coming up innovative and sustainable solutions to address Youth Unemployment, in general. It is well taken and asserted by the team that HEIs and TLCs are really part of the problem on Youth Unemployment. Thus, it is logical to claim that they really will also have great inputs and/or guidance in the formulation of a new, fresh and creative comprehensive solution and equally big roles and/or influences in its subsequent executions and applications. Though HEIs and TLCs are part of the greater social systems and the community, a need of viewing them separately is a must. Hence, it is generally accepted in principles that these HEIs and TLCs are communities of their own rights, academic knowledge and secured worlds. Thus, we will tap and engage this Key Area in challenging the status quo of Youth Unemployment in the region by encouraging in itself, an internal innovative changes – such as through a multi-faced and well coordinated Curriculum Mapping and Dialogues and so that at later times, they will produce globally competent individuals who matches the Labour Market Demands as purported by responsive Educational, Training and Skills background; decreasing then the potential number of graduates to be unemployed.

8. Key Area 2: Youth (the Self) Penver & Associates recognizes the complimentary and equal accountability and responsibility of the Youths, themselves in formulating innovative and sustainable solutions to address Youth Unemployment, in general. Hence, the Team asserts at this point that the best way of creating the best and responsive solution to a problem is when the primarily and directly involved and affected people are strategically educated and integrated into the solution as well as to its subsequent executions and/or applications to confront the issue. We will then tap and engage the Youths in confronting its own issue by providing them the necessary awareness and knowledge to open them to the realities of the Labour Market. This will be furthered by the creative, career-based and entrepreneurial thinking explorations – more of life coaching to build personal power and intelligence that will make the youth realize that their Futures are just waiting for their acceptance; that it is within their visible vision and controls as a result of their current actions. The goal here is to encourage young people’s mindset renewal across the region though a moderately gradual peer and life educations but consistent in manners and efforts in order to give them the spirit of individual empowerment, goal setting and strategic career planning.

9. Key Area 3: Community Penver & Associates also recognizes the complimentary and equal influence and responsibility of the Community, in formulating innovative and sustainable solutions to address Youth Unemployment, in general. Likewise, the Team asserts at this point the undeniable influence and contribution of the Overall Community with greatest respect to the Government resources and powers to really come up the best and responsive solution to Youth Unemployment as well as to its subsequent executions and/or applications. We will then tap and engage the Community in confronting Youth Unemployment by strategically networking and coordinating them to open and facilitate to the realities of the Labour Market. The goal here is to encourage the Community as consolidated diverse sectors that significantly affect Youth Unemployment especially the Local Government and known NGOs or Pos and/or Non-State Actors across the region though opening them to the realities of what even better they can do to help mitigate Youth Unemployment as well as the great futures that socially and economically unutilized youths have to offer to the national growth and better living standards. Thus, motivating new perspectives and investments that will naturally pave ways and open doors for Youth Employment in Eastern Visayas.

10. Planned Results and Outcomes Penver & Associates as a Team recognizes and accepts that this Project will not only take hours to execute and apply. This will rather be a matter of consistent advocacy and commitment aimed at our peers, the Youths. And will continue while Youth Unemployment is not really minimized through well education, networking and coordination of those identified Key Areas of Concern - if not zeroed-out in the Eastern Visayas. This Project is estimated to reach at least 75% of the unemployed young people in the region by educating them on this issue and a gradual increase in percentage turnover or scope of at least 2% lead gap from the previous improvement is expected over time.