Youth employability
– April 8 2019
GoTeach Wins European Sustainability Award
European Commission recognizes youth employability partnership
On April 8th 2019, SOS Children’s Villages received the European Commission’s European Sustainability Award in recognition of the GoTeach partnership. This partnership between SOS Children’s Villages and Deutsche Post DHL focuses on improving youth employability through access to internships, mentoring and skills training.
“On behalf of SOS Children’s Villages, I would like to thank the European Commission for recognizing the GoTeach partnership for youth employability,” said Norbert Meder, CEO of SOS Children’s Villages International, of the honor.
“Our partnership with DPDHL Group has not only equipped young people with the skills and experience they need to kick-start their careers, it has also inspired the genesis of YouthCan!," Mr Meder continued. "Through such partnerships, we can make a real difference in tackling the global challenge of youth employability – and in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Susanne Novotny, DPDHL Partnership Advisor at SOS Children’s Villages International, accepted the award on behalf of the organization at the high level conference Sustainable Europe 2030: From Goals to Delivery in Brussels.
Award recognizes empowerment and inclusion of young people
The theme of the 2019 European Sustainability Award is “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”. SOS Children's Villages International received the award in the category “project/initiative taking place outside the European Union”.
The conference in Brussels gathers European Commission Representatives including First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, Vice-President Jyrki Katainen and Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility Marianne Thyssen; academics, representatives of the corporate sector and of civil society organizations.
The European Sustainability Award, introduced in 2018, is an annual award recognizing the efforts and creativity of European people, businesses and organizations in contributing towards realizing the Sustainable Development Goals.
Mentors share skills and experience
Through the GoTeach program, DPDHL Group employees volunteer as mentors for young people aged 15-25 in their transition to the working world. In addition, the program helps young people prepare for entering the job market through skills training and by giving them opportunities to gain work experience. Young people attend workshops and site visits in different business units at DPDHL Group and other corporate partners, gaining insights and experience into the working world and the skills they need.
Over the last eight years, the GoTeach partnership has gone from success to success, reaching 42 countries and strengthening the employability of thousands of young people. In 2018, 3,087 young people and 1,564 Deutsche Post DHL Group volunteer employees participated in 130 activities. These included more than 100 internships and almost 700 job shadowing opportunities.
Altogether, volunteers from all business units of DPDHL Group and young people from SOS programs devoted more than 14,000 hours to GoTeach in 2018. In addition, 14 new countries joined the global partnership.
The partnership in 2018 did not only expand geographically, it also expanded its range of activities, including employability programs with young refugees from SOS programs in Serbia, Lebanon, Sweden and Syria. Also, young people from the SOS Children’s Village in Gothenburg, Sweden could take a forklift driving training provided by DPDHL Group, including the opportunity to gain a recognized qualification.