The Need
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 Midterm Report
Alliance for Education – United Way, actively addressed the need for enhanced educational opportunities and career readiness among youth in France. Statistics indicated that a significant portion of students lacked exposure to diverse career paths and the professional world, creating an urgent need for intervention. To counter this, their initiative, the Youth Challenge program, successfully engaged 280 direct beneficiaries, notably among 13-18-year-olds, ensuring equal participation across genders.
The solution we provided involved in-school volunteer opportunities such as coaching sessions for 9th graders and career path testimonials. These activities were tailor-made to build self-confidence, enhance public speaking skills, and broaden career awareness. Impressively, 71% of coordinators affirmed the program’s effectiveness in aiding earlier career orientation, while 95% praised its ability to bring inspiring professionals to schools.
The project was part of a larger commitment involving more than 1,250 volunteers and collaborations with 43 schools across five regions. This collaboration provided students with life skills development, increased interest in educational pursuits, and a substantial understanding of potential career paths. Ultimately, the program fostered a more socially cohesive community and paved the way for young individuals to explore a myriad of career opportunities, aligning with our ongoing mission to empower future generations.
Testimonies
“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-
