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Young Women Building Their Future Project

NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) concept is used to define the status and challenges of young people who are not engaged in education or the labor market. Within the NEET group, women hold a significantly larger share, highlighting a gender disparity in education and employment participation.

“Young Women Building Their Future Project” is implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Sabancı Foundation. The project aims to raise awareness of the challenges and needs faced by young women who are Not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET) in Türkiye, develop solutions to these issues, and establish mechanisms to effectively address their needs.

The first phase of the project was implemented between 2022 and 2024. Face-to-face activities took place in Adana, Diyarbakır, and İzmir, while the Grant Program was extended to cover 20 provinces, including those affected by the earthquakes. Online activities are conducted nationwide.

Initially, a baseline study and field research with 1,626 NEET women were conducted to identify their challenges and needs. Based on the findings, vocational and empowerment training modules were developed and implemented. Additionally, the Opportunities Map was launched to help young women access the nearest education, job, internship, and entrepreneurship opportunities. The Mentorship Program was introduced to connect NEET young women with experienced women professionals. Furthermore, the Grant Program was implemented to support projects from institutions offering solutions to increase NEET women’s employability.

Over three years, the project has reached 6,000 NEET young women through trainings, the Mentorship Program, the Grant Program, and the Opportunities Map, with 800 successfully entering the workforce. 

Beyond its core activities, the project has also contributed to raising public awareness about the NEET concept through communication efforts. Awareness campaigns reached 3 million young women, with a total of 30 million engagements. As a result, the project has created a strong impact at both local and national levels in promoting NEET young women’s participation in economic and social life.

The second phase of the project will be implemented between 2025 and 2027 with the aim of developing good practice examples and mechanisms to enhance the employability of NEET women.

Main Activities:

  • Mentorship Program
  • Online Career Counselling
  • Online Trainings
  • Face to Face Vocational Trainings
  • Stakeholders Mapping
  • Capacity Building Activities for Stakeholders