Economic Inclusion and Income Generation for Youth in Brazil

UNICEF Brazil is inviting eligible partners to implement projects that promote economic inclusion, employability, entrepreneurship, and income generation for adolescents and young people in vulnerable situations. The initiative aims to improve access to education, vocational skills, financial literacy, and dignified employment while strengthening sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystems across Brazil.

What is the UNICEF Brazil Youth Economic Inclusion Partnership?

The UNICEF Brazil Youth Economic Inclusion Partnership is a collaborative initiative that seeks experienced organisations to implement strategies that help vulnerable adolescents and young people gain the skills, knowledge, and opportunities needed to achieve economic independence.

The programme responds to challenges such as educational inequality, unemployment, poverty, and limited access to decent work by supporting youth through employability programmes, entrepreneurship development, financial education, and local economic inclusion initiatives.

Background

Brazil is home to more than 47 million young people aged 15 to 29, accounting for approximately 23% of the country’s population. While this represents a significant opportunity for economic and social development, many young people continue to face barriers that limit their potential.

Some of the major challenges include:

• Limited access to quality education.
• School dropout and interrupted learning.
• Youth unemployment and underemployment.
• Informal and insecure employment.
• Poverty and social exclusion.
• Food insecurity and inadequate housing.
• Limited access to sanitation and other essential services.
• High levels of violence affecting young people.

The COVID-19 pandemic further intensified these issues by disrupting education and increasing the risk of school dropout and economic vulnerability.

Programme Objectives

The initiative aims to:

• Promote economic inclusion for vulnerable adolescents and youth.
• Increase access to education and vocational training.
• Improve employability and workforce readiness.
• Support entrepreneurship and self-employment.
• Strengthen financial literacy and economic autonomy.
• Create sustainable income-generation opportunities.
• Build stronger local ecosystems that support youth employment and entrepreneurship.

Key Highlights

• Programme Name: UNICEF Brazil Youth Economic Inclusion Partnership
• Organiser: UNICEF Brazil
• Programme Type: Partnership Opportunity
• Target Beneficiaries: Adolescents and young people in vulnerable situations
• Focus Areas: Economic inclusion, vocational training, entrepreneurship, financial education, and income generation
• Funding Information: Not specified in the programme announcement
• Eligible Applicants: Organisations capable of implementing youth economic inclusion initiatives in accordance with UNICEF partnership requirements

Focus Areas

The programme supports projects in several interconnected areas.

Economic Inclusion

Projects should help young people:

• Access decent work opportunities.
• Improve employability.
• Increase economic participation.
• Build sustainable livelihoods.

Skills Development

Eligible activities include:

• Vocational training.
• Technical skills development.
• Career readiness programmes.
• Workforce preparation.
• Skills aligned with labour market demand.

Entrepreneurship Support

Projects may include:

• Entrepreneurial training.
• Business development support.
• Innovation and enterprise development.
• Youth-led business initiatives.
• Access to business resources and mentoring.

Financial Education

Activities may cover:

• Financial literacy.
• Budgeting and money management.
• Savings and financial planning.
• Economic decision-making.
• Building financial independence.

Territorial Intelligence and Labour Market Analysis

Projects are encouraged to undertake:

• Vocational assessments.
• Competency mapping.
• Local labour market analysis.
• Identification of employment opportunities.
• Regional economic trend analysis.

These activities help align training and employment support with local market needs.

Strengthening the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

The programme also seeks to:

• Strengthen local entrepreneurship ecosystems.
• Improve support services for young entrepreneurs.
• Connect youth with employment and business opportunities.
• Build partnerships between public institutions, civil society, and the private sector.
• Promote sustainable economic development.

Who Can Apply?

The opportunity is open to organisations capable of implementing projects that support adolescents and young people in vulnerable situations.

Applicants must satisfy UNICEF’s partnership and eligibility requirements.

Expected Project Activities

Selected partners may implement activities such as:

• Conducting vocational diagnoses.
• Mapping youth skills and competencies.
• Delivering employability training.
• Providing entrepreneurship support.
• Offering financial education.
• Identifying local employment opportunities.
• Supporting income-generation initiatives.
• Building partnerships that strengthen youth economic inclusion.

How to Apply

Interested organisations should:

1. Review the programme objectives and eligibility requirements.
2. Confirm that the organisation meets UNICEF’s partnership criteria.
3. Design a project aligned with the programme’s focus areas.
4. Demonstrate experience in youth development, employment, education, or entrepreneurship.
5. Prepare a detailed implementation plan and supporting documentation.
6. Submit the partnership proposal through the official UNICEF application process before the specified deadline.

Why This Programme Matters

Young people represent one of Brazil’s greatest opportunities for long-term economic and social development.

This initiative helps to:

• Reduce youth unemployment.
• Improve access to education and training.
• Encourage entrepreneurship and innovation.
• Strengthen financial independence.
• Promote inclusive economic growth.
• Break cycles of poverty and exclusion.
• Create sustainable opportunities for vulnerable adolescents and youth.

By strengthening local support systems and expanding economic opportunities, the programme contributes to more inclusive and resilient communities.

Tips for a Strong Proposal

To improve your application:

• Demonstrate experience working with vulnerable youth.
• Show measurable results from previous employment or entrepreneurship programmes.
• Include labour market analysis in your proposal.
• Build partnerships with employers, educational institutions, and community organisations.
• Present a realistic implementation plan and budget.
• Explain how the project will create long-term impact.
• Include monitoring and evaluation indicators.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common issues:

• Submitting proposals without a clear economic inclusion strategy.
• Failing to demonstrate organisational capacity.
• Providing unclear project objectives or expected outcomes.
• Ignoring local labour market needs.
• Focusing only on training without employment or entrepreneurship pathways.
• Omitting sustainability plans.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the main objective of the programme?

The programme aims to improve economic inclusion for vulnerable adolescents and young people through education, employability, entrepreneurship, and income-generation opportunities.

2. Who will benefit from the initiative?

The programme targets adolescents and youth in vulnerable situations across Brazil.

3. Is a funding amount specified?

No. The programme announcement does not specify a funding amount or grant size.

4. What types of organisations can apply?

Organisations that meet UNICEF’s partnership requirements and have experience delivering youth-focused development programmes may apply.

5. Does the programme support entrepreneurship?

Yes. Supporting entrepreneurship, business development, financial literacy, and income generation is one of the programme’s core priorities.

6. What is territorial intelligence?

Territorial intelligence involves analysing local economic conditions, mapping labour market opportunities, assessing youth competencies, and identifying sectors with employment and entrepreneurship potential.

7. Why is this programme important?

The initiative helps vulnerable young people gain the skills, confidence, and opportunities needed to access decent work, build sustainable livelihoods, and contribute to Brazil’s long-term social and economic development.

Conclusion

The UNICEF Brazil Youth Economic Inclusion Partnership provides an opportunity for organisations to help adolescents and young people overcome barriers to education, employment, and entrepreneurship. By supporting vocational training, financial education, labour market integration, and sustainable income-generation initiatives, the programme aims to empower vulnerable youth, strengthen local economic ecosystems, and create pathways to dignified and lasting employment across Brazil.