STRENGTHENING THE EMPLOYABILITY OF YOUTH
LEAVING CARE
The advocacy forum on Strengthening the Employability of Youth Leaving Care took
place in September 2019, at the BMICH. Ms. Manique Gunaratne is playing a role in
advocacy for youth with disabilities leaving care.
Supporting young people leaving alternative care to access decent employment is an
increasingly important priority for SOS Children’s Villages. They want to ensure that all
young people leaving care, receive adequate support to access the labour market.
Strengthening their employability skills is a key focus area, as gainful employment is a key
determinant in ensuring a fulfilling life. However, there are many challenges that are being
faced by this group of youth in acquiring the right skillset and securing decent employment,
owing to various structural issues. There is a mismatch between what is being taught in
educational institutions and the skill-sets needed by industry. Youth aspirations are out of line
with the realities of the labour market, and if left unaddressed, they can negatively affect
employment prospects for youth.
The open forum on ‘Strengthening the Employability of Youth Leaving Care’ attempts to
create a dialog between policy makers, employers, educational institutions and youth about
the employability of young people leaving care, including the challenges they face and their
recommendations to redress the situation. This event was led by youth advocates, supported
by the findings of youth consultations, conducted by SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka in
partnership with Generation Never Give Up (GNG) Network of care leavers in Sri Lanka.
Picture descriptions for vision impaired persons:
Manique in the audience.
Manique Gunaratne
The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon,
385 J3 Old Kotte Road,
Rajagiriya,
Sri Lanka.
