Part of Larger Initiative to Expand Access to Job and Entrepreneurship Opportunities

Doha - 30 July 2012: As part of a long-term effort to improve employment and civic engagement opportunities among Palestinian youth, the International Youth Foundation (IYF) has partnered with Silatech to deliver a four-day specialized career guidance training to representatives of youth-focused organizations in the West Bank. The nine Palestinian organizations who participated in the training included schools, universities and youth-serving NGOs. Improving access to quality career counseling is one element in IYF's Youth Entrepreneurship Development (YED) program, a four-year USAID-funded initiative to expand job, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement opportunities for up to 10,000 young Palestinians.

"IYF is very pleased to partner with Silatech to leverage its expertise and resources in promoting access to quality career guidance among Palestinian youth," said Dr. Mohammad ALMbaid, IYF Country Director in Palestine. "This training is also part of YED's long-term strategy to build the capacity of youth-serving institutions to better prepare Palestinian youth for success in the job market." 

The training sessions included both the theory and practice of career counseling. Participants learned how to conduct effective guidance sessions, give meaningful and appropriate feedback, and integrate Tamheed, Silatech's program for career guidance based on online psychometric assessments. Trainees gained hands-on experience through opportunities to conduct a number of career guidance sessions themselves.

Salpi Giacaman, a student counselor at Bethlehem University, reflected on what he gained from the experience.  "This was one of the best training sessions that I have attended. I learned a great deal, and I was able to immediately practice these new methods with my students." Participants agreed there is an urgent need to focus on career guidance among Palestinian youth.

According to Dr. Rachel Awad, who leads Silatech's career guidance programming and co-delivered the training:  "It was a true joy and pleasure to be able to work with such motivated and focused individuals. It is rewarding to know that their organizations now have the capacity to provide effective, professional career guidance advice to help Palestinian youth find their way in the working world." 

During the training, a number of students from local universities took the Tamheed assessments and received one-to-one career advising sessions.  Mohamed, a third- year university student, explained: "This has been very helpful. With my Tamheed report and my advisor, I am now thinking about new options that I would not have thought of before."   Reem, another student, commented: "By far the best part about this experience is the one-to-one feedback. I am very pleased that someone has taken the time to know who I am as a person, and to provide me with career advice based on that information. This has really been a unique experience."

About Silatech
Silatech is a Qatar-based social initiative that works to create jobs and expand economic opportunities for young people throughout the Arab world. The organization promotes large-scale job creation, entrepreneurship, access to capital and markets, and the participation and engagement of young people in economic and social development. Founded in 2008 by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Silatech finds innovative solutions to challenging problems, working with a wide spectrum of development organizations, governments and the private sector to foster sustainable, positive change for Arab youth. www.silatech.com 

About the International Youth Foundation
The International Youth Foundation (IYF) invests in the extraordinary potential of young people.  Founded in 1990, IYF builds and maintains a worldwide community of businesses, governments, and civil society organizations committed to empowering youth to be healthy, productive, and engaged citizens.  IYF programs are catalysts of change that help young people obtain a quality education, gain employability skills, make healthy choices, and improve their communities.  To learn more visit www.iyfnet.org

Media Contacts:
Tarek Kassar
Head of Communications and Outreach, Silatech
Tel: +974.4499.4827
Email: tkassar@silatech.com

© Press Release 2012