Future Skills

Since 2013, our Future Skills project has been an initiative dedicated to meeting the evolving needs of children formerly in the Early Childhood Care and Development program. It focuses on Positive Youth Development, providing young individuals with essential tools to tackle the complexities of adolescence and transition into capable, resilient, and accountable adults. Especially for children from institutional care settings, this program plays a crucial role in preparing them for care leaving and re-integration.

This project has garnered significant backing from HSBC, BOSCH, AVPN and individual donors for its role in empowering youth to achieve the 21st-century educational objective and Sustainable Development Goal No. 4.3 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, highlights the importance of vocational education and training.

Adolescence is a critical period of transition. A time when society expects youth to be equipped with the tools they need to navigate the challenges and responsibilities of adulthood. Unfortunately, this is not always the reality. UNFP states that investing in the needs of youth is perhaps the single best way to bring benefits to society as a whole.

According to a report commissioned by Ernst & Young in the U.S. alone, deficits in basic skills cost businesses, colleges and under-prepared graduates as much as $16 billion annually in lost productivity and remedial expenses.

As we invest in the growth, skills and well-being of our youth, we are investing in the future of our communities and society as a whole.

When youth have opportunities to build the core skills needed to be productive participants in their communities, the next generation of citizens, workers and parents will thrive.

In the past 5 years, the Future Skills project has achieved significant milestones:

  • 80% of youth in the WWO Future Skills program successfully completed the Pittman Lerner 6C’s model and the WWO triangle for Personal Capacity Building.
  • 70% of beneficiaries with past trauma gained peace of mind and have a clear vision for their future through the WWO Psychosocial support program.
  • 70% of care leavers developed a SMART Future plan and are ready for reintegration.
  • 60% of beneficiaries secured decent jobs meeting their standard living costs within one year of graduation.
  • 20% of beneficiaries pay it forward by serving their junior schoolmates and youth in the community.
  • Local communities have become change agents by adopting the project model for scaling up purposes.

These accomplishments demonstrate the impactful outcomes and sustainable growth of the Future Skills project over the years.