Deadline: 29-Aug-2025
UNICEF has launched a call for expressions of interest for the project “Pathways to the Future: School-Based Career Guidance, Strengthening Skills, Employability, and Civic Engagement of Adolescents and Youth in Dnipropetrovska and Zaporizka Oblasts.”
The focus is youth leadership and participation, skills development for adolescents, inclusive civic engagement and employment opportunities for young people, capacity building of youth councils, rehabilitation and equipping of youth spaces, establishment and support of school-based career clubs, tailored career counseling for students, training of educators in modern career guidance and project-based learning, organization of community outreach events to engage parents and caregivers in career planning, implementation of internship programmes for young people, and improved confidence in career decision-making among youth participants.
This initiative comes in response to the devastating effects of the war and the prolonged disruption of education since 2020, which have severely affected adolescents and youth in these regions. Despite these challenges, more than 430,000 young people remain in Dnipropetrovska and Zaporizka Oblasts, including large numbers of internally displaced youth, adolescents with disabilities, and those from marginalized communities. Recent surveys highlight the urgent need for employment support, mental health services, and safe spaces for youth engagement, underscoring the importance of this project.
The project will run from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, and aims to provide structured opportunities for young people to access career guidance, transferable skills, and pathways to employment. It is also aligned with Ukraine’s broader efforts toward modernization of its career guidance system and integration with EU standards, while helping address the acute workforce crisis caused by war, displacement, and out-migration.
Interested civil society organizations must be officially registered in Ukraine, demonstrate experience in implementing donor-funded projects of at least USD 300,000 in the past three years, and have expertise in education and youth programming within the target regions. The selected partner will work closely with UNICEF to deliver the expected results, contribute at least 5% of programme costs, and provide in-person support including regular field monitoring.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.