Youth Challenge

Alliance pour l’éducation – United Way

Think Human Fund

Mission & History

The Alliance for Education – United Way, established in 2018 as a result of a fusion of two former associations, is dedicated to ensuring every young person has the opportunity to dream and shape their future, irrespective of their background.

The mission focuses on creating a supportive network around middle school students from priority education networks, equipping them with the tools and confidence to envision a positive future. This is achieved by engaging local partners and aligning their efforts under a unified vision that amplifies the impact. The organization’s Youth Challenge program helps students develop new skills, broaden their horizons, and discover new opportunities through workshops and partnerships.

Country Information

In France, the educational landscape faces significant challenges, particularly in priority areas where 80,000 youths leave school without a diploma or clear career path. A quarter of students from these areas enter middle school lagging behind their peers, and two-thirds of young individuals aged 15 to 20 feel uncertain about their career choices. Additionally, 43% of students lack a professional project when making career decisions, and the risk of school dropout is higher in priority areas.

The Need in 2026

The need addressed by the project is critical, as many young people in France, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, do not complete their education or have a defined career path. The education system in priority areas struggles with students falling behind academically, which exacerbates feelings of being lost among youths when choosing their career paths. This situation underscores the importance of targeted educational support and career guidance to help students from these areas succeed.

The Project We Fund

The project aims to support 75 youths from 6th to 9th grades by enhancing their social skills and career readiness. The project involves various activities such as book donations, online oral coaching sessions in English, and company visits, all designed to inspire and prepare students for their future. Volunteers from Concentrix actively participate by donating books, sharing career experiences, and engaging in online coaching, thereby directly contributing to the program’s success.

The Result

The Youth Challenge initiative has shown promising results, with targeted beneficiaries including 17,000 young people from priority areas, and activities involving 75 to 150 youths directly benefiting from volunteer engagement. The program is scalable and has been successfully expanded to new regions and cities, like Marseille. The impact is measured through online surveys conducted at the end of the school year, with external experts analyzing the data to ensure the program meets its objectives.

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The Need in 2023-2025

The project aims to mobilize and unite stakeholders in a specific area through a comprehensive program that complements traditional schooling. This initiative caters to students from 6th to 12th grade, focusing primarily on empowering vulnerable youth to make informed career choices. The core objective is to provide these young people with essential tools and a dedicated space that fosters self-discovery and future planning. By offering insights into both the professional world and personal development, the program assists students in re-engaging with school, enhancing their capacity for self-directed learning, and crafting a career path aligned with their abilities and aspirations.

To further achieve these goals, the project seeks to inspire curiosity among young people about the economic and professional arenas. It encourages meaningful interactions between youths from priority areas and professionals, stimulating interest and understanding of various career opportunities. Essential competencies such as self-awareness, confidence, communication, and decision-making are emphasized to develop social skills. At the same time, the program aims to cultivate vocational skills by helping students identify their strengths, understand professional environments, explore different occupations, and build educational and career ambitions that inspire them. This dual focus on personal and professional development equips students with the necessary tools to navigate their future successfully.

The Project We Fund

The project’s overarching goal is to mobilize and unite stakeholders within a specific region to participate in a program that complements traditional education by focusing on self-awareness and understanding the professional realm. This initiative targets students from 6th to 12th grade, with a particular emphasis on supporting vulnerable youths in making informed choices about their future pathways. By equipping young people with essential tools and creating a dedicated environment for self-exploration, the program encourages contemplation about their future aspirations while nurturing these ideas throughout their educational journey. This dual-focus on self-knowledge and professional understanding aids students in re-engaging with school, enhances their decision-making skills, and supports them in developing personalized career plans.

To inspire and captivate young people’s curiosity about the economic and professional worlds, the project fosters interactions and exchanges between youths from priority areas and industry professionals. Key actions include bridging the gap between schools and businesses through employee testimonials, company visits, innovation days, and coaching sessions, alongside the organization of internships or observation periods. Moreover, the program involves collaboration with 40 educational and guidance associations, providing ongoing support throughout the middle school cycle. Nearly half of the Alliance for Education – United Way’s budget is allocated to these Youth Challenge partner associations, emphasizing the importance of these collaborative efforts. To ensure continuous improvement and maximize social impact, the project incorporates regular evaluations and assessments.

The Result

Youth Challenge program is diligently tracked through a rigorous evaluation process that measures both direct and collective effects on youth, schools, NGOs, and companies. By defining and monitoring multiple Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), they effectively assess the progress and outcomes for students over the program’s four-year span. Updated every two years, the evaluation draws from sample sizes varying between 500 and 2000 students, providing insights into the program’s reach and success. Among the key indicators are students’ increased knowledge of career pathways and enhanced public speaking confidence, particularly noted among 9th graders who have chosen a career path they enjoy.

Additionally, the number of schools expressing satisfaction and trust in the program is tracked as an indicator of the program’s quality and influence. To further quantify the impact, they conduct comparative analyses between two groups—students who have completed the program versus those who haven’t. This approach highlights significant engagement increments, showcasing more interaction with NGOs and professionals, and a heightened ability for career development through professional networking.

During the school year 2023-2024, 15 000 youths from 40 middle schools participated to the Youth Challenge, and nearly 1 200 employees got involved in the actions with the youths.

2025 Annual Report

The project directly benefited 350 students from secondary schools in Priority Network Areas. The project impacts include improved self-awareness and aspirations among students, with 94% of schools reporting better understanding of themselves and exploration of future goals.

Testimonies

“They helped me a lot—it was a great experience, and I learned so many new things, It also gave me more confidence in myself,”
-9th grade student, secondary school of Robert Desnos, Orly (94)-

“I really enjoyed it! There were so many different jobs to explore, and the professionals were friendly and
easy to talk to.” -9th grade student, secondary school Romain Rolland, Ivry sur Seine 94-

“It gave me really useful advice for my oral exam, and now I feel much more prepared.” –9th grade student, secondary school Robert Desnos, Orly (94)-

“These testimonials helped me discover new people and gave me ideas for my future job.” -Ylan, 13, Robert Desnos School-

“It was interesting — I was able to open up to the world of work, discover new careers and feel more confident about the future.” -Chris, 13, Virginia Henderson School-

“I learnt how qualifications and studies work. I discovered new jobs and found out how guidance after secondary school works, and what kinds of jobs I can do with different qualifications.” –Sarah, 13, Robert Desnos School-

2024 Annual Report: THFoundation

The project directly benefited 376 individuals. The program, aimed at empowering youth through educational and professional development, reports significant impacts such as improved communication skills, increased career awareness, and enhanced confidence among students.

Testimonies

“This day was very enriching and constructive for me, and it allowed me to learn more. It gave me greater insight into the profession I want to pursue in the future. I also wanted to thank all the staff who welcomed us with such kindness and professionalism, and I thank you for that.” -student 1-

“I was able to get some advice and gain an external perspective, which helped me a lot. I learned what to say, do, and how to behave.” -student 2-

“There is nothing better than these meetings to understand and help students envision their future. Above all, they encourage curiosity and self-confidence. We need them in every area of business.” -Concentrix game-changer-

2023 Annual Report: THFoundation

The project directly benefited 156 individuals, primarily students from partner schools. The initiative aims to enhance students’ understanding of the professional world and career pathways, with significant improvements noted in communication skills and career orientation, driven by partnerships with companies and NGOs.

Testimonies

“It was very helpful. The lady explained to me why my issue was good, but also how I should rework it to make it clearer and how I should better formulate my sentences.” -Guiles, 14 yo-

“I really enjoyed it because the professionals were very positive, and they motivated me and gave me a lot of confidence.” -Souhaila, 14 yo-

“I’ve been lucky enough to work as a volunteer in operations run by the Alliance pour l’éducation association. This association works in France to help young people with serious difficulties at school. For my part, I took part in a career’s forum organized for secondary school pupils in priority education zones. My role was to present my personal and professional background and my job, and to interact with 4th year pupils in the presence of one of their teachers. As soon as we arrived on the premises, we were given a very warm welcome. We felt that we were expected. In each of the groups of secondary school pupils, I had some wonderful encounters with young people who were curious, attentive, respectful and very participative. They were eager to ask questions and their contributions were relevant. These rich experiences fascinated me. As soon as I got back to the office and then home, I wanted to share these wonderful human adventures with my professional and personal circle. All I wanted to do was do it again!” -Emmanuelle Jasson Descovich-