Learn ILOās approach to promoting youth employment, combining analysis of labour market challenges with practical insights into policies and emerging opportunities, with a strong focus on inclusion, gender equality and decent work.Ā
š By the end of the course, you will be able to:Ā
Understand the main challenges affecting youth employment globallyĀ Ā
Explain key labour market concepts used by the ILOĀ Ā
Identify effective policy approaches to support young peopleās access to decent workĀ Ā
Recognize the employment potential of emerging sectors such as the digital, green and care economiesĀ Ā
Understand why inclusion, gender equality and decent work are central to youth employment strategiesĀ Ā
This yearās theme, Human Connection and Dialogue in the Age of AI, explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping communication and social relations, while raising urgent questions around trust, bias, representation, and inclusion.
Over the course of the programme, 50 selected participants will:
Strengthen their capacity as intercultural leaders through a series ofĀ high-levelĀ online masterclassesĀ and peer-to-peerĀ exchanges (Oct-Dec 2026);
Design and lead a dialogue-based community initiative aligned with theĀ programmeāsĀ annual theme, supported by seed funding of USD 10,000 (Jan-Jul 2027); while receiving ongoing mentorshipĀ and leadership development opportunities from an international network of experts and practitioners;
Contribute to international conversations on peace, inclusion, and intercultural dialogue through participation in the UNESCO Global Youth Dialogue for Peace in China (Q3-4 2027)
Join a global community of emerging intercultural leaders and become part of UNESCOās Global Youth Alumni Network;
š Learn more and apply here. šļø Applications are open from 22 June to 19 July 2026 (23:59 CEST).
As part of our commitment to connecting members with opportunities to contribute to cutting-edge research and policy discussions, we are pleased to share a new research initiative developed through a partnership between the ILOĀ and GIZ.
Through this initiative, the ILO is launching a series of case studies to explore how green industrial transformation is reshaping key sectors and creating employment opportunities for young people. The research aims to identify the institutional, policy and systemic factors that drive positive youth employment outcomes and to generate actionable recommendations for policymakers and industry stakeholders at both national and global levels.
To help inform the selection of sectors and countries for the study, we would be grateful for your input through this short survey.
Your insights are particularly valuable in ensuring that the research focuses on sectors with strong potential to generate decent jobs for young women and men while advancing the green transition.
For your reference, an extract from the Terms of Reference can be accessed here. The ILO will launch a Request for Proposals once the sector and country selection process has been completed.
Please note that the survey will remain open until 1 July 2026.
Thank you in advance for your contribution.
With best wishes, The ECāILO Youth Employment Expert Network Team
Hello everyone! š As the annual International Labour Conference (ILC) 2026 nearly comes to a close, we sat down with one of the youth representatives actively taking part in the discussions.
Weāre excited to feature Nea Laine, representative of the Finnish National Youth Council š«š®, as she shares her experiences, engagement, and reflections from the conference.
Read our conversation below š ā and feel free to join in by sharing your own insights and reflections too.
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YouthForesight: Could you briefly introduce yourself and the organization you represent?
Nea: Hello! My name is Nea Laine. As Finland's Youth Delegate for Decent Work, I bring the perspectives of Finnish youth to both the international and domestic tables where today's labor market is discussed. My mandate represents over 1 million members across 130 youth organizations through Finlandās National Youth Council and Sector.
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YouthForesight: As a youth representative, how would you describe your level of engagement at this yearās ILC?
Nea: It was great! Our delegation was given the opportunity to deliver a youth statement in one of the committees, and together with the Danish youth delegates, we had highly meaningful conversations about the topics on this year's agenda with Nordic and international representatives. Because this was only the third time Finland has sent a youth delegate to the ILC, and given that youth are not directly represented there, we are currently doing our best to find collaborative ways to represent young people as impactfully as possible.
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YouthForesight: Which key discussions at the ILC do you think young people should be more involved in?
Nea: While the specific topics change almost every year, young people are deeply impacted by the labor market as a whole, regardless of the immediate matter at hand. On this year's agenda, the discussion surrounding social dialogue and tripartism is highly relevant, especially as the world of work is changing at a rapid speed.
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YouthForesight: What outcomes are you hoping for from this yearās ILC
Nea: Expanding briefly on my previous point, social dialogue must be modernized to include youth voices. These principles should be advanced through trusted national processes that give young people a real say in shaping their professional lives, and it would be great to see this explicitly stated in the official text.
Regarding this year's core conference negotiation, the platform economy, I support the consolidation of a principle-based, universally adaptable global framework for platform workers. Clear, predictable baselines for worker classification and human-in-the-loop algorithmic oversight are also highly relevant for young workers in the platform economy.
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Were you at the ILC 2026 too? Share us your thoughts and experience!
Hi YouthForesight Community! š Make the most of next week with these 3 opportunities to learn, connect, and engage.
ā”ļø Join the PROSPECTS4Youth Intergenerational Network Virtual Roundtable Designed to advance young peopleās engagement, education, skills development and employment in forced displacement contexts, the roundtable will explore collaborative solutions and mobilise collective action that can support young people in forced displacement contexts realise their true potential.Ā
šļøDate: June 10 šTime: 14:00 CEST šOnline via Zoom ā Register Here
ā”ļø Apply to The Pankaj Award to End Conflict Regent Global is investing $250,000 to support young leaders working to prevent and resolve conflict worldwide. One winner will receive $100,000, while other finalists will receive $10,000ā$50,000 to advance their initiatives.
Finalists will also receive a fully funded scholarship to attend the One Young World Summit 2026 in Cape Town (3ā6 November) and gain lifetime membership in the global One Young World Ambassador Community, connecting them with 20,000+ changemakers across 190+ countries.
ā”ļø Join UNICEF YuWaah's Young People's Action Team (YPAT) Are you passionate about advocating for the needs of young people from your communities and voicing their concerns with decision-makers on national and global platforms?
If you're aged 15ā29 and eager to contribute to shaping strategies and programs focused on employment, career guidance, skilling, entrepreneurship and community action for young people, then this is the perfect opportunity for you!
Please note: Young people based in India for the duration of 2026-2027 are eligible to apply.
