The early work situation of young people has welfare consequences for their future. Addressing youth employment issues is a major concern for governments, and is all the more challenging where stable economic policies are not in place and institutions are weak. This presentation highlights select findings and recommendations from the evaluation of the World Bank Group Support to Youth Employment Programs. To read the full study, click on the following link: http://ow.ly/e4NmN

1. WBG Support To Youth Employment
Programs :
Selected Findings From An IEG Evaluation
Creating Opportunities for Youth Employment
The World Bank
September 25, 2012
Independent Evaluation Group (IEG)

2. Three questions
1. What is the nature of the Bank Group’s support to
countries tackling youth employment problems?
2. What is the evidence that the Bank Group supports
priority country needs in youth employment issues?
3. What is the evidence regarding the effectiveness of
that support?

3. Differences in youth employment across
countries need different approaches
Nature of Problem Context
High unemployment for Economic crisis, structural reforms and lack of job
all young workers creation in all countries
Youth cohort growth is larger than job growth (e.g.
Sub-Saharan Africa)
High unemployment for Voluntary unemployment among higher-income
highly-educated youth youth in MICs and LICs (e.g. Sri Lanka and
MENA region)
Large number of casual, low- In MICs and LICs with a small formal sector
productivity, low-paid jobs Rural areas (farm and off-farm)
held by youth Children in workforce and low school enrollment
High unemployment Regional disparities in all countries
concentrated in subgroups of Discrimination against subgroups
youth (minorities, poor)

4. What is the Bank doing?
Between FY01 and FY11, the Bank loaned $2.85 billion to
youth employment through 90 operations in 57 countries,
reflecting 0.9% of total lending
700 13.5
World Development Global Crisis
Report on Youth
600
13
Youth Unemployment Rate (%)
500
Youth Unemployment Rate
12.5
US$ Millions
400
300
12
200
11.5
100
0 11
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Fiscal Year of Approval
IBRD Actual IDA Actual Youth Unemployment Rate

5. Where did lending for youth employment go?
►70% of lending to 10 countries, and 30% to 47 countries
►Education
• 40% of 90 projects and of $2.35 billion lending for YE
• Other sectors: SP, FPD, PREM, SDN
►Projects have a supply-side approach:
• Most often supported: Labor market information, quality of
formal TVET, information on training, skills recognition
• Few interventions to support hiring, self-employment, business
environment
• Comprehensive approach missing including demand-side

6. What is the evidence regarding the effectiveness of Bank
support?
► Youth employment is not a strategic issue in most CAS and CPS
► Evidence is scant on employment/earning effect in projects:
• Tracer studies find positive employment and earning effects of TVET
• Workplace training increases effectiveness of formal TVET, but is
restricted by small formal sector
• Little is known from Bank support to:
– Smoothing the transition from school to work and facilitating job mobility
– Job creation / work opportunity interventions
► Few Bank operations identify impact on low-income youth
► Need better diagnostics to inform policy

7. Key lessons
►Apply an evidence-based approach to youth employment
programs
►At the country level, take a strategic approach to youth
employment by addressing the issue comprehensively,
working across teams:
• Participation of private sector
• Monitoring and follow up of individual program participants, and
• A combination of complementary interventions,
• Work in rural low-income areas, programs stimulating the market
environment for growth of farms, household enterprises and rural
agribusinesses is essential, including addressing constraints faced by
rural youth in accessing land, credit and skill.