Gavin David White
External Relations Officer
Duty Station: Mafraq, Jordan
I’m addressing the challenge of establishing new strategic partnerships that respond to the evolved vocational learning needs of Syrian refugee and Jordanian youth.
The urban nature of Syrian refugees, and the prolonged nature of displacement, necessitates a strategic partnership approach to respond to needs and expectations that go beyond the scope of services provided by UNHCR, and its traditional humanitarian partners.
In Jordan, there are limited opportunities available for youth who wish to access learning and skills training with a roadmap to employment, despite a high demand for such programmes; whether for recent school graduates or whose university studies were interrupted due to conflict.
The development of new UNHCR partnerships aim to provide a basis to establish scalable and sustainable programmes that provide opportunities for Syrian youth to be engaged and productive, while providing long-term added value to the host population to compete within an evolving labour market.
I want to find a solution to this challenge to support refugee youth in countries of first displacement, inform their future life-choices, and contribute to a sustainable return and reconstruction process in Syria in the future.