Introduction 

The BUSY project is a pilot initiative that will allow the test of skills training and youth employment promotion scheme for vulnerable and marginalized youth ages 16 to 24, and particularly young women and youth ages 16-17, whilst supporting the government and social partners to review relevant policies on industrial training to promote inclusion of formal and informal apprenticeships for vulnerable youth. The project will coordinate with and complement other efforts and programs being carried out by the GOK, particularly the support the World Bank and skills and youth. 

Project Goal

The overall goal of the BUSY project is to increase decent job creation and employability of young people, thereby contributing to reduce unemployment, vulnerability and poverty for vulnerable and marginalized youth, both in urban and rural settings. 

Objective

The project’s immediate objective is to improve the capacity of Kenyan government, employers’ and workers’ organizations, and civil society organizations to establish and expand workplace-based training programs with a focus on vulnerable and marginalized youth, in particular adolescents at or above the legal working age who are engaged in or at risk of engaging in child labour. 

Expected Outcomes 

The BUSY project will achieve the following three long-term outcomes in support of accomplishing the above objective:

• Laws or policies supporting quality workplace-based training opportunities for youth in Kenya, including vulnerable and marginalized youth, are improved and/or implemented by key stakeholders.
•  Kenyan Employers, workers’ organizations, and other stakeholders implement best practices related to workplace-based training for youth, including vulnerable and marginalized youth.
•  The quality of existing public and private programs in Kenya that provide vulnerable and marginalized youth with prerequisite skills to enter workplace-based training programs is improved. 

Expected deliverables/Activities 

►Following are some of the key project deliverables: 

• Identification of gaps in relevant laws and policies on the relevance to promoting  quality workplace-based training opportunities for vulnerable and marginalized young men and women 
• Supporting government agencies in the formulation of a National Skills Development Policy 
• Establishment of  a National Industrial Skills Development Council (NISDC) to spearhead, coordinate and harmonize efforts in this field 
• Providing technical assistance to relevant ministries on awareness-raising, through workshops, forums and media, among national and county level stakeholders in support of legal and policy reform 
• Development of Baseline studies at target counties on the level of awareness and attitudes of employers and workers towards the implementation of workplace-based training programs for youth 
• Development and implementation of Communication strategy addressed to employers, Master Crafts Persons, and the general public living at project target counties and communities to foster attitudinal change and stimulate support and commitment 
• Enhancing capacity of labor inspectorate, the youth officers and MSE associations at county level to promote safe working conditions and decent work in workplace based programs for youth
•  Documenting and disseminating best practices from workplace-based training programs implemented internationally and nationally
•  Supporting the establishment in Kenya of a Global Apprenticeship Network’s National chapter (GNN) in coordination with FKE and GAN headquarters in Geneva
•  Supporting the establishment and operationalization of coordination mechanism of workplace-based apprenticeship training programs at National and County levels
•  BUSY K-YESS will support the establishment and of a Workplace-Based Training Coordination Committees (WBTCC) at national level and in the targeted five counties 
• Undertaking an assessment and selection of pre-apprenticeship training providers for youth (at least 50% young women) and delivered in relevant training institutions