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Improving Employment Opportunities for Youth in the Pacific Fragile and/or Conflict-Affected Situations: Workshop on Skills Development for Decent Work in the Pacific 10–13 May 2016 • Suva, Fiji

Proceedings

Supported by ADB TA 8065-REG: Enhancing ADB's Engagement in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations (Project Number 45328-001) The views expressed in this document are the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Directors or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the source, originality, accuracy, completeness or reliability of any statement, information, data, fnding, interpretation, advice, opinion, or view presented, nor does it make any representation concerning the same.

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Contents

Abbreviations………………………………………………..................................... iv Executive Summary.…………………………………………………………………. v

Day 1 1 Messages Audrey Aumua, Deputy Director General, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)..………. 1 Robert Jauncey, Country Director, Asian Development Bank (ADB)………………….………….. 2 Howard Politini, Vice Chair, Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO)..……………... 3 Presentations Fragility in the Pacific—Challenge for Youth……………………………………………………. 4 Youth Employment in the Pacific Island Countries…..……………………………………………… 5 Sessions Breakout Session: What is the Employment Situation for Youth in Your Country….................... 6 Session 1: Open Space Technology—Synthesis of Opportunities and Challenges for Youth Employment………...……….…………………………………………………………………… 8 Session 2: Panel Discussion—Improving Access to Skills Development Opportunities for Young People in the Pacific……………………………...……………………………..…………….. 11

Day 2 14 Presentations Introduction to ADB Youth for Asia Program………………….…................................................. 14 Skills International—A New Zealand Perspective: Progress through Partnership...................... 14 Discussions Discussion 1: Introduction to Participatory Action Research………………………………………. 16 Discussion 2: Conceptual Framework, Research Goals and Questions, and Literature Review……………………………………………………………………………………….. 18

Day 3 24 Discussions Discussion 3: Field Research Methods …………..………….……………………………………… 24 Focus Group Discussion………………………………………………………………………………. 25

Day 4 29 Presentations of Research Proposals…………………... …………………………………………. 29 Closing Remarks: Synthesis and Next Step………………………………………………………… 29

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Acknowledgments 31

Appendixes 32 1: Final Program……………………………………………………………………………................. 32 2: List of Participants….……………………………………………………………………………….. 34 3: Fragility in the Pacific—Challenge for Youth……………………………………….…………….. 37 4: Youth Employment in the Pacific Island Countries…………………………………………........ 49 5: Skills International—A New Zealand Perspective: Progress through Partnership…………… 55 6: Introduction to Participatory Action Research……………………………………………………. 58 7: Review of Literatures, Research Goals and Questions, and Conceptual Framework………. 63 8: Field Research Methods…………………………………………………………………………… 71

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Abbreviations ADB Asian Development Bank CSO civil society organization FCAS fragile and/or conflict-affected situations FCEF Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation FSM Federated States of Micronesia ICT information and communication technology ILO International Labour Organization MYS Ministry of Youth and Sports (Fiji) NGO nongovernment organization PAR participatory action research PIPSO Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation PYC Pacific Youth Council SPC Secretariat of the Pacific Community UYEP–WB Urban Youth Employment Project–World Bank Note: In this document, “$” refers to US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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Executive Summary

Background Securing decent work opportunities is one of the greatest challenges confronting youth in the Pacific. Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relating to education1 and decent work2 will be particularly challenging for youth in the Pacific, due to the existing deficit in decent work opportunities that already exists for young people, further compounded by the presence of fragile and/or conflict affected situations (FCAS) in many Pacific island countries (PICs).3 Youth confront clear and specific challenges in finding decent work. On the supply side, youth typically lack work experience, have inadequate and/or inappropriate skills, and face other socio–cultural barriers—all factors that limit the attractiveness of youth to employers. Mirroring these limitations on the demand side, employers typically offer few opportunities for youth to acquire the necessary skills through apprenticeships or on-the-job training, preferring to hire people with demonstrated experience. These constraints are amplified in the context of fragile and/or conflict-affected situations (FCAS) in the Pacific, where private sector development is constrained, and the ability of the public sector to absorb a growing number of young people is also limited. A range of youth-oriented policies have been adopted and government- and civil society-led youth employment initiatives implemented in many Pacific island countries and territories to combat the difficult skills and employment challenges confronting youth. In 2015, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) launched the Pacific Youth Development Framework 2014–2023 (PYDF).4

About the Workshop To contribute to the implementation of the PYDF, ADB, in partnership with SPC and the Pacific Youth Council (PYC), held a 4-day consultation workshop on skills development in Suva, Fiji.

Themed, “Improving Employment Opportunities for Youth in the Pacific Fragile and/or Conflict-Affected Situations,” the workshop aimed to strengthen the voice of Pacific youth in the process of developing policies and programs that improve skills, employment, and decent work outcomes for young people; improve the level of knowledge and awareness of the particular challenges confronting Pacific youth in FCAS; and identify opportunities for meeting these challenges. From 10 to 13 May 2016, 18 youth representatives from Fiji, Kiribati, the Republic of Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu

1 SDG 4 is to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”

2 SDG 8 is to “promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all.”

3 ADB’s Pacific development member identified as FCAS are Kiribati, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the

Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. 4 SPC. 2014. The Pacific Youth Development Framework 2014–2023: A Coordinated Approach to Youth-centred

Development in the Pacific. Suva. http://www.spc.int/images/publications/en/Corporate/Pacific-Youth-Development-Framework.pdf

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articulated the aspirations of Pacific youth relating to skills and employment opportunities;

identified priority challenges and opportunities that Pacific youth face in developing skills that will lead to a decent job;

reviewed and discussed recent or ongoing initiatives designed to improve access to skills development opportunities for young people in the Pacific;

drafted, reviewed, and finalized a concept note for the preparation of country case studies; and

were trained on participatory action research methodology in order to conduct this methodology it in their home countries.

Permanent Secretary Alison Burchell of the Ministry of Youth and Sports was among the panelists on the first day. Other resource persons and panelists were from the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the University of South Pacific, and the World Bank. Organizations working on the youth sector, skills development, and employment in the Pacific region also had representatives. These included the Australian High Commission, Skills International from New Zealand, and Fiji-based Pacific Islands Association of Non Governmental Organisations (PIANGO) and Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO).

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Day 1

Workshop Messages

Audrey Aumua Deputy Director General, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)

Ms. Aumua welcomed guests and development partners and expressed appreciation that the workshop gave importance to youth employment in the Pacific, which is among Pacific youth’s concerns and one of the four priorities of the Pacific Development Youth Framework 2014–2023. Ms. Aumua highlighted some information on the state of youth employment in the Pacific:

Youth unemployment is estimated at 23% and is increasing quite rapidly. In Melanesia5 communities, it is increasing 3% faster than the rest of its Pacific neighbors.

Job creation is difficult, generally due to low economic growth in the region, and in the jobs that are created, young people are six times less likely to secure employment relative to older workers.

Limited job opportunities result in large youth unemployment and underemployment for young men and women alike especially in the urban centers. Unemployment rates for young women in every Pacific country are higher compared to men.

Many young people are not engaged in productive activities, and only a few access tertiary education because of the low rate of post-high school completion. These youth are often known as “NEET Youth”—youth that are not in employment, education, or training.

In Kiribati, 58% of young men aged 20–24 years are defined as NEET. It stands at 44% in the Republic of Marshall Islands and 46% in Samoa. There is little development attention given to young people who have left—or fallen out of—the formal education and employment system.

Ms. Aumua mentioned that although there is a large amount of information available on the status of youth in the region, there is on the other hand a shortage of comparative data on Pacific labor markets and a varying definition of employment and unemployment which make analysis and comparison difficult. For instance, only Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, and Palau use the international standard defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO) for unemployment—and these countries show as having the highest rates of unemployment in the region. In addition, many available jobs cannot be classified as “decent jobs.” Poor quality jobs can

5 Melanesia includes Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu.

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keep people in poverty. In Fiji, for example, around 1 in 5 workers earn less than $2 per day. Another 2 in 5 workers live just above the poverty line, remaining highly vulnerable to falling back into poverty. In knowing this, there is a need to understand the lost potential in the region. In the review of the previous regional youth strategy, the estimate of lost output due to unemployment was placed at approximately $828 million in 2011, increasing to $2.05 billion by 2015 and $3.18 billion by 2020. Ms. Aumua also highlighted the work being done at SPC, where youth employment opportunities are promoted by building the productive capacity of young people in agricultural entrepreneurship, renewable energy, oceanic and coastal fisheries management, and climate change adaptation programs. SPC conducts the Youth@WorkProgramme in Solomon Islands, for example, which empowers young people to find employment. In managing the regional repository for development data, SPC works with the ILO to support Pacific island countries and territories to standardize their methodology for measuring unemployment, including youth unemployment. Ms. Aumua urged the youth participants to share about their country experiences stressing that the research will be an important milestone in advancing the work done by several agencies on youth unemployment. She also enjoined the participants and organizers alike to: (i) understand why the current employment strategies are not benefiting young people and ascertain where and how to focus investment strategies to engage more young people in both formal and informal economy; (ii) understand the true scale of the youth unemployment situation, and the returns that Pacific countries can have if they invest in youth employment strategies; and (iii) hear from young people what these challenges are and what opportunities they see for meeting these challenges.

Robert Jauncey Regional Director, Pacific Subregional Office, ADB

In his welcome remarks, Mr. Jauncey emphasized that qualifications needed for employment today are getting higher, and there is a greater demand on people to have skills to compete in a more globalized economy. Thus, young people face a more bewildering set of choices as they look for jobs. Questions such as—What type of careers to pursue? What kinds of qualifications need to be achieved? What institutions can provide these qualifications? Are there scholarships available?—present a whole range of choices.

He highlighted ADB’s belief that decent work is an integral part of achieving inclusive development. Creating more opportunities for young people to get started in the world of work is one of the critical elements of the new sustainable development goals (SDGs) and SDG 8 is mainly focused on promoting inclusive sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all.

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To support these goals, this consultation and training workshop hopes to achieve three main things: (i) hear directly from the youth in the region answers questions on the issues that the youth face, and the policy actions the youth feel government and donor partners need to take; (ii) determine the specific constraints that the youth face in the Pacific and how to tailor programs that meet Pacific needs and situations based on lessons drawn from Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere; and (iii) hear from the private sector, the frontliners in creating decent employment opportunities on their perspectives and priorities for skills and young people. In closing, Mr. Jauncey said he would like to see concrete research proposals from the youth on what can be done and recommendations on policy changes and programs in the region that would best meet the needs of the youth.

Howard Politini Vice Chair of Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO)

6 and Member of Fiji Commerce and Employers

Federation

Mr. Politini provided the private sector’s perspective on skills development for decent work in the Pacific. He presented the job skills market situation in Fiji, as well as the challenges that arise when looking at recruitment and retention—people development needs, employee engagement, employee motivation, and retention. All are challenging aspects because of the fluidity of people as people are in search of better benefits, greater challenges, and returns for labor and a better life. With that, he further said, “People live, people learn, and people leave.”

The converse is also true as the larger economies now are enticed to export products and skills to smaller economies like the Pacific, as economic pressure mounts on the global competition. With the unprecedented influx of human resources to Europe dubbed the “refugee crisis,” Mr. Politini will be attending a United Nations (UN)–hosted World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul and aims to look at private sector’s role in humanitarian action. Mr. Politini emphasized the huge role and responsibility that private sector plays in all of the issues of mankind today. He further gave a short background on the involvement of the private sector in providing employment opportunities:

Traditionally governments provided employment and school leavers aspired for an 8-to-4 job within the civil service where their parents probably worked.

When entrepreneurship was encouraged and foreign traders entered Pacific environments in the colonial era, commerce was spawned. Governments eventually relinquished business and commerce.

6 PIPSO’s structure is the largest private sector organization in Fiji and it is a United Nations

(UN)–recognized employer organization. It is has seven industry sector councils, including a Women’s Entrepreneurship Council. This year a Youth Council will also be established.

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Commerce evolved fairly quickly to create the private business sectors which today are the economic engine rooms of all economies.

Commerce and competition are synonymous and they operate in environments which governments are expected to facilitate with infrastructure, transport, and energy.

From the industrial revolution to today’s information and communication technology (ICT) revolution, the demand for an indispensable human resource competency is even greater.

As to the small island states economies of the Pacific, he stressed the need to identify the inventory of skills needed to establish and grow local goods and service industries to the single standard of global best practice; and practice passing on and innovating skills to keep right abreast with opportunities and challenges that innovation, competition, and demand bring to the market. Lastly, Mr. Politini advised the participants to think and do well inside first before moving onto thinking outside of the box.

Presentations

Fragility in the Pacific: The Challenge for Youth Patrick Safran, Principal Operations Coordination Specialist (Fragile Situations), ADB

Mr. Safran gave a brief overview on the concept of fragile states and its context to the Pacific region (A copy of his presentation is in Appendix 3). He explained the cycle of fragility within a country and the three types of factors that determine a fragile state—Capacity, Legitimacy and Authority—which when balanced together, makes a “resilient state”. In Asia and the Pacific, there exists a continuum from fragility, conflict, transitional situation, and then to stable state. Though these elements are not static or permanent, other elements can contribute to a Pacific

state’s fragility like its small size, isolation and remoteness, and lack of connectivity or links to the market. Presentation Highlights

Peace and stability are prerequisites to economic growth.

Pacific states need to conceptualize what fragile means to them.

It is a necessity to understand the local context when working in countries identified as fragile states.

ADB’s measurement of fragility has a lot to do with the economic indicators and situation of a country, but is also looking at its resilience as well.

It is recognized that fragility matters in development and if no attention is paid to the elements of fragility there will not be any development.

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Some of the countries in the Pacific identified by ADB as fragile states—Kiribati, the Republic of Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, and Tuvalu—have this status due to their size, geographical remoteness, and susceptibility to the effects of climate change.

Removing the status of fragility completely depends on the individual constraints of that particular country. In terms of the Pacific countries which are largely at risk to the effects of climate change, the fragility factor cannot be removed entirely, but rather minimized or reduced (by also working to improve other factors within the state—governance, policies, socioeconomic factors). However, a country’s status will still remain fragile because of its static size and vulnerability.

A good example of the resilience factor—a cyclone or typhoon hitting Fiji and the Philippines—will have the same impact and devastation on the people. However, it is the ability of how the state recovers after the natural disaster in terms of providing relief and emergency services, and rebuilding of infrastructure that will determine the strength of the resilience within a state. In this example, because the Philippines has stronger capacity in terms of its economy and governance it would be able to recover quite quickly after a natural disaster.

Youth Employment in the Pacific Island Countries Satoshi Sasaki, Officer-in-Charge, Economic Development and Job Creation, International Labour Organization Mr. Sasaki presented on the youth employment situations in the region based on studies and data of the International Labour Organization (ILO). 7 His presentation included a global and regional context explanation of what the issues are, how they are being tackled, what tools are being used, and what the appropriate entry points and roles will be for the youth participants of the workshop (His presentation is in Appendix 4).

According to ILO data, high unemployment rates of young people in some Pacific island countries, particularly Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, and Nauru, are at almost 50%. This is a staggering figure, higher than the world average for young people in unemployment of around 13%, Mr. Sasaki noted. Pacific’s average rate for youth unemployment is 23%. Youth are generally not regarded as economic engines or drivers in their countries, thus, security of jobs for young people is not a priority. It is for this reason that many youth policies contain sections dedicated to promoting youth participation in economic development. Mr. Sasaki shared examples of initiatives to promote youth employment in different Pacific countries. One of which is the Youth at Work Programme being implemented in Solomon Islands and its achievements.

7 ILO presently has 11 Pacific member states in the Pacific.

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Presentation Highlights

There are 76.3 million unemployed youth globally, 13% higher than adult unemployment.

The working poor are largely overlooked when discussing the issue of employment. These are workers who are not receiving adequate income for the work they do.

How long it takes for young people to find jobs upon graduating is an issue. The global average is 19 months. There are many factors that will determine this and one is the level of education they have reached.

There is a need to create 600 million jobs within the next 10 years to satisfy the number of jobs needed for young people.

Aside from looking at the supply side, i.e.,finding people who are employable, there has to be job opportunities which are more on the economic development side.

The government should support enterprises to create more jobs.

Vulnerable youths must also be taken into account, for example, in terms of gender and young people living with disabilities.

Education and training opportunities as well as entrepreneurship and self-employment opportunities need to be increased and easily accessible for young people.

Creating labor rights for youth.

ILO promotes decent work, which means that it is not only important to create enough jobs, but it is important that these are quality jobs.

The unemployment issue in the Pacific has an impact on larger, more extended families which are common in the region. If there are a number of youth in a household who cannot find employment and otherwise stay home as NEET youth (not in employment, education, or training) there is a substantial burden placed on the principal breadwinner of the family.

There is commitment on the youth unemployment issue at the higher levels of government, however the problem lies in how these can be filtered down and implemented into policies that reach out to the community.

Youth already working within government ministries should share and advocate for youth issues and policies down to the municipal and provincial levels of government.

Sessions

Breakout Session: What is the Employment Situation for Youth in Your Country? The session that followed was a discussion in break-out groups. Youth representatives were divided into groups of three based on their country’s size, access to resources, and geographic location:

Group A: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands Group B: Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau Group C: Kiribati, Nauru, Tuvalu

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The groups then presented a brief overview of the youth employment situations in their respective countries. The information from the reports was used in the Panel Discussion on improving access to skills development opportunities for young people in the Pacific.

Group A: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands

Unemployment rate. Group reported an 18.6% youth unemployment rate in Fiji. Of that number, 1,640 degree holders are still unemployed. In PNG, 50% of males and 30% of females are unemployed. However, some statistical data do not accurately reflect the real situation as much of the data is conducted by international organizations. While in Solomon Islands, 60% of the population is under the age of 25 and of this, 75% are unemployed. Data is based on the 2009 census.

Issues of youth unemployment. These issues are more or less experienced in all three countries: (i) Political instability; (ii) Urbanization: Rural–urban drift; (iii) Alcohol and substance abuse; (iv) Increased criminal activity; (v) Breakdown of communication lines between government ministries especially in terms of implementing national youth policies and how it is communicated down to the communities and the youth themselves; (vi) Lack of opportunities available for new graduates, also lack of experience which hinders them from attaining a good job.

Initiatives addressing youth unemployment. All three countries have a national youth policy. PNG and Solomon Islands have existing national youth policies. Fiji’s policy has been written and compiled however it is yet to be released. Fiji has a National Employment Centre, a seasonal workers programs (fruit picking) agreement with Australia, and a thriving tourism and agriculture industry, which has a potential to generate more jobs for young people. PNG has a number of extractive industries, such as mining and logging. Solomon Islands has a Youth at Work Programme and is giving focus on its agriculture, fisheries, and logging industries. Both PNG and Solomon Islands have the Rapid Employment Scheme (targeting youths).

Souang Tellei of Palau presents the opportunities and challenges of youth employment for her Northern Pacific Group members.

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Group B: Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu

Unemployment rate. Kiribati reports a 54% unemployment rate, where 34% are young people. Nauru reports 46% unemployment rate. Whereas in Tuvalu, 54% of the population are unemployed and 34% are young people.

Issues of youth unemployment. Most of the issues for the three countries are similar in terms of the lack of education and skills training needed for young people to advance and find good quality employment.

Initiatives addressing youth unemployment. All three have been part of a seasonal workers scheme which is an opportunity for the young people to find employment. Kiribati has a program where seed funding is provided to young couples to set up small businesses. This initiative is run by the Kiribati Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Nauru has established a youth monograph—first document published on youth statistics. The Regional Processing Camp (established for the refugees in Nauru) has increased employment rates, building the capacity of youths because the camp certifies its workers depending on which department they are employed in. Tuvalu has an emerging pacific leadership program for young women, e.g., assist young women in setting up small businesses. Moreover, group reported the move to separate Tuvalu’s Ministry of Health from the Education Department.

Group C: Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and Palau

Unemployment rate. Kiribati reports a 54% unemployment rate, where 34% are young people. Nauru reports 46% unemployment rate. Whereas in Tuvalu, 54% of the population are unemployed and 34% are young people.

Initiatives addressing youth unemployment. The Marshall Islands (mostly Majuro) has the following initiatives in place: (i) Nongovernment organizations conduct training skills programs; (ii) National Training Council provides opportunities for school dropouts to access further training opportunities in Hawaii; (iii) Training is also available for environmental programs; (iv) Variety of internships is available; and, (v) Local hospitals employ the most youth this is due to the existence of a nursing school. In FSM (Pohnpei), the government is the largest employer and mainly employs teachers. The only bachelor’s degree available at the local college at the moment is a BA Education. The country also has a newly established nursing school will provide new opportunities for those wanting to pursue nursing and will boost employment at the hospital. While in Palau, hospitality training school exists but data is not clear on the number of youth graduates annually.

Session 1: Open Space Technology—Synthesis of Opportunities and Challenges for Youth Employment In this session, youth representatives discussed and identified employment opportunities, challenges, and strategies in their respective countries. This activity gave them a space in which to learn about their countries’ similarities and differences and to provide a few strategies to address the challenges they had identified. Discussion highlights are in Box 1.

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Box 1: Employment Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategies in the Pacific Island Countries

A. Employment Opportunities 1. Scholarships

(i) Increase the amount of scholarships for skills training 2. Training opportunities

(i) In the Marshall Islands, life skills training and culture are used to provide training, e.g., Waan Aelõñ in Majel or Canoes of the Marshall Islands (men) and Jurenae (women).

(ii) Papua New Guinea (PNG) has a youth in business program with the National Development Bank called Young Enterprise Scheme, which provides training and seed money to provide start-up business support for youths.

(iii) Increase the number of training opportunities and life skills workshops for youth and school leavers.

3. Improving information on employment availability

(i) Fiji has important information on the issue contained in the Bureau of Statistics (ii) Nauru has a monograph with detailed data on the employment situation of the country. (iii) The PNG Urban Youth Employment Project has a database of everyone involved in the

program. 4. Preserving and re-investing in indigenous knowledge

(i) Revive cultural practices as a means of economic development, e.g., traditional handicrafts and arts sales, tourism.

(ii) Some countries look into how to use indigenous knowledge to overcome employment challenges.

B. Employment Challenges 1. Job availability

(i) Inability to replace lost jobs (ii) Locals losing jobs to expatriates. (iii) Economy does not have enough jobs available for school leavers.

2. Financial constraints

(i) In Tuvalu, it is a challenge for youth enterprises to have access to funding, e.g., providing security for a loan.

(ii) In general, it is difficult for youths to access financial assistance to start their own business. 3. Socio–political concerns

(i) Implementation and enforcement of policies (ii) Cultural norms and nepotism (iii) Black magic and superstition (iv) Lack of youth consultation and representation in developing youth policies (v) Non-inclusive governance/general capacity issues in governance

4. Cultural superstitions

(i) There is the challenge of the belief of black magic embedded in some cultural practices. (ii) In Solomon Islands, almost 10 of 15 young people spoken to in a group study said that black

magic had prevented them from finding work. (iii) In Nauru, superstitious beliefs, as a cultural barrier, prevent young people from applying or

engaging in employment activities.

(Continued on next page)

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5. Marginalization factors

(i) Gender—women (ii) People with disabilities (iii) Geographical remoteness (iv) Expensive internet (v) Lack of communications

6. Education and training

(i) Lack of skills/experience (ii) Low wages (iii) Youth outmigration (iv) Limited technical and vocational education and training (v) Lack of job-ready skills (vi) Poor levels of education (vii) How to contextualize what we learn

C. Employment Strategies 1. Fiji, PNG, Solomon Islands: Linking education with employment

(i) Need for more accurate, relevant, updated, and verified statistics. (ii) Strengthen youth relationships through dialogue between all levels of government, NGOs, and

the private sector. (iii) Encourage microenterprise—creating capital to help youth start enterprise initiatives.

2. FSM, Palau, Marshall Islands: Linking marginalized groups, education, training, and internships

(i) Develop infrastructure development to facilitate communications and have better access to radio and television.

(ii) Create mandatory internship programs between schools and employers. (iii) Establish a national employment center to help match jobs and skills.

3. Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu: Focus on weak information management on youth employment

(i) Establish a national employment center—Lobby national government that this will be a good opportunity for young people and will be an entry point for them to access information on employment opportunities.

(ii) Request technical support from funding and development partners such as ADB and ILO. (iii) Engage youth NGOs and CSOs to implement this program in partnership with the

government. (iv) Ensure implementation of youth policies. (v) Lobby and collaborate with youth-led organizations. Working together will ensure program is

implemented in a timely manner. 4. General Strategies

(i) Establishment of employment institutions

Create business incubation centers for youth

Establish national employment centers

Strengthen existing employment institutions

(ii) Internships

Provide practicum in high school

Have graduate development programs

Implement volunteer schemes

Generate part-time jobs

Have all of the above available at all levels

(Continued on next page)

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(iii) Collaboration with other groups

ILO membership for Nauru

National Training Centre in Marshall Islands

NGO and CSO involvement

Increase partnerships between youth groups and CSOs

Partnerships with faith-based and religious organizations (iv) Improvement of information on employment

Improve statistics

Have youth employment referrals

Strengthen existing training institutions

(v) Capacity and access to technology

Tech savvy generation

Increased internet accessibility ADB = Asian Development Bank, CSO = civil society organization, ILO = International Labour Organization, NGO = nongovernment organization. Source: Prepared by the organizing team.

Session 2: Panel Discussion—Improving Access to Skills Development Opportunities for Young People in the Pacific Panelists: Tom Gillis, Urban Youth Employment Project, World Bank; Mereia Carling, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC); Edward Bernard, International Labour Organization (ILO); Alison Burchell, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS), Fiji; and Avnit Narayan, Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF). Moderator: Andrew Parker, Pacific Department, ADB This session involved an interactive panel to react on the youth situation presentations from Breakout Session and Session 1 and to discuss the experience of initiatives designed to improve access to skills development opportunities for young people in the Pacific. The panelists represented a diverse set of perspectives and interests.

Mereia Carling of SPC and Edward Bernard of ILO provided a brief of programs offered by their respective organizations.

Alison Burchell of Fiji’s Ministry of Youth and Sports spoke on the training being provided for youth aged 15–35 years who are not in employment, education, or training. She said to all participants to look at the green economy. The Pacific has a huge amount of potential but also has a huge amount of risks, for example its vulnerability to natural disasters. There should have better coordination.

Tom Gilis of World Bank’s Urban Youth Employment Project talked about the project in PNG and on the issue of having accurate and relevant information and on break gender barrier by placing women in traditionally male-dominated jobs.

Avnit Narayan of the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF) said the organization will set up its eighth council to focus on the youth and issues such as the increase of youth unemployment rate.

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A group photos of youth representatives, facilitators and panel discussion guests.

Discussion Highlights The question raised to the panel was about their thoughts on reducing the fragmentation in delivery, i.e., greater coordination between private and public sectors, and possible collaboration where national and local governments can work together. The question incited a range of answers and suggestions from the panel and participants, including:

Better coordination and collaboration. A panelist highlighted how previous works involving Pacific youth were criticized due to the lack of coordination. Thus, coordination among development and government partners was deemed as an area to improve on in developing Pacific youth development frameworks. Moreover, apart from encouraging more collaboration on the government side, a move is being made to have adaptable frameworks, have actual implementations rather than just plans, and have these work for the particular country rather than putting in place plans just because they worked elsewhere. Lastly, a youth participant also highlighted the youth’s duty to collaborate. Participant further said that there is no use to get funding for youth development if the youth is not involved in the implementation and in the end the project or program will not benefit the youth.

Establishment of a youth think tank. One suggestion made was to establish a think tank to encourage people to contribute and to keep them engaged to work toward achieving the goals of the youth development frameworks. A panelist said the think tank will bring stakeholders together to help guide the progress of all of their work. The suggestion was received well by the youth participants. However, one participant shared how a think tank exists in his country but it tends to just sit for 5 years and forget in the end what the original plan was. At in-country levels, having members from different organizations and pushing for better coordination at a higher organization level were therefore deemed important.

Extension and adaptation of youth projects. A youth participant inquired about the expansion of the Urban Youth Employment Project of the World Bank to rural areas and noted how opportunities like this should not be missed out by the rural youth. To which one panelist remarked that there are issues of recognition and scale but there is a process of adapting. There are lessons to be

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learned from others, and that big thinking is needed to address issues, i.e. making a big whole part out of the small-scale things/parts done.

Participation of youth councils. The representatives from the national youth councils were reminded by the panelists to lobby government and organizations in order to get implementation and benefits. They were also reminded to define their role and to stick to it—to organize themselves and share information.

Information and knowledge sharing. One panelist commented that there has to be a good information system that documents results and has accountability as this will help keep support coming. A youth participant then recounted how the youth do not have access to educational opportunities due to lack of resources (i.e., cash), thus, conducting small trainings will help improve their skills and build confidence. To which a panelist remarked that being small should not stop the youth since knowledge is not only academic.

Forward looking and future planning. A member of the panel challenged participants by raising these questions: Are we thinking BIG enough? Are we looking at the next few years or the next generation? That is, not only will I have a job, but my children will have a job. Have we got ourselves into training for trainings sake? Are we using training as a walking stick instead of taking the plunge? What are our scare skills? Train for these!

Panel Discussion panelists on the topic Improving access to skills development for young

people in the Pacific featuring (L-R) Moderator, Andrew Parker (ADB), Alison Burchell

(Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sport, Fiji), Edward Bernard (ILO), Tom

Gillis (UYEP-World Bank), Mereia Carling (SPC) and Avnit Narayan (Fiji Commerce and

Employers Federation)

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Day 2

Presentations

Introduction to ADB Youth for Asia Program Jecel Censoro, Consultant, ADB

Ms. Censoro presented ADB’s Youth for Asia program and its three core themes: events, projects, and communications. ADB believes that the youth are the key to the sustainable development of Asia and the Pacific, thus, the program, which began in 2013, aims to promote and support the role of young people in the region’s development. Ms. Censoro also invited youth representatives to join the Youth for Asia Facebook group to receive updates on the program. This includes messaging proposals, information, and other questions on the program. The Facebook group acts as a link to other organizations that can provide funding for youth-related programs or projects. However, unsolicited proposals are not accepted unless ADB is already engaged in, for example, a project, technical assistance, etc. Presentation Highlights

Guided by ADB’s NGO and Civil Society Center, the initiative supports youth policy dialogue and participation of youth in knowledge events. It integrates fresh ideas from the region’s young change makers into ADB’s development projects.

The initiative fosters dialogue with and involves young people in policy discussions enabling them to better engage with government and development partners, as well as encourages them to work on solutions and development activities.

Through the initiative, ADB and its member countries work more closely with young people including the vulnerable and marginalized. Youth are involved in protecting the environment and reducing the effects of climate change; expanding opportunities for education, employment, and entrepreneurship; and advocating for improved citizenship, access to clean water, and better sanitation facilities and hygiene practices.

Mobilizing youth accelerates sustainable economic growth, reduces inequalities, contributes to better governance, and responds more actively to the needs of families and local communities throughout Asia and the Pacific.

Skills International—A New Zealand Perspective: Progress through Partnership Samantha McNaughton, Senior Consultant, and Jenny Gibbs, Legal Counsel, Skills International

Ms. McNaughton and Ms. Gibbs shared information on Skills International’s work in helping people and industries to develop vocational qualifications (Appendix 5). This involves identifying career and educational pathways that ensure sustainable success for individuals, companies, industries, and ultimately, for New Zealand. The presentation gave workshop participants to ask questions and find avenues for replication of Skills training and skills development initiatives within their own countries.

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One of Skills’ recent initiatives Skills NZ was the rebuilding of Christchurch after the earthquake of 2011. The organization provided assistance in seeking skilled construction workers from all over the world to help rebuild Christchurch. Skills NZ also works with various agencies throughout the country to help address skills shortages and to help employers, industries, and schools to drive educational achievement among young people. Youth are kept in school as long as possible, encouraged to get a tertiary education (university, college, trade school, technical training), to work, or a combination of all of the above. Presentation Highlights

Literacy and numeracy is an important aspect of Skills’ work, ensuring that people have the skills to read, write, perform calculations, prepare budgets, and use computers.

Skills NZ trains young people on how to effectively communicate in the workplace, how to apply for jobs, and how to write a compelling CV. These skills will help them secure good jobs and a successful future.

Success is having young people in sustainable, meaningful and well-paid employment (for their entire career) that lifts well-being for individuals, families, communities, and the nation.

Young people bring fresh perspective, fresh ideas, and new ways of thinking to help industries propel to success.

Emphasis on education and connecting with schools and integrating the skills approach within the school curriculum will be a brilliant initiative for education systems in the Pacific.

Key to getting youth interested in working is to attract talented young people and make careers more accessible and attractive for them to engage in.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade New Zealand funds short-term training awards for Pacific islanders to come to New Zealand for short-term courses (12 weeks to 12 months maximum).

The “Got a Trade? Got it Made!” Program is a good initiative to replicate in the Pacific where many youth are more practical rather than academic.

The “Bright Sparks” Program is another practical initiative providing skills for potential electricians, engineers, information and communication technology engineers all of which are valuable skills needed in the Pacific region.

Collaboration between employers who need skilled people and who will take on school leavers is important. Having training providers who will deliver their particular training qualifications. And also about the students and young people having access to these opportunities and taking them.

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Discussions

Discussion 1: Introduction to Participatory Action Research Facilitator: Vivian Koster, SPC

In the first discussion activity, the facilitator re-emphasized the goals of the workshop which was to gather more information from the youth participants and the communities that they came from on how best to find solutions to the youth unemployment issue in the region. She said the best way to extract this information would be using a participatory and action-based method (Appendix 6). She engaged youth participants in three activities 1. Recycled Paper Ball activity In “Recycled Paper Ball,” youth participants had to throw a piece of paper into the center of the circle when they experienced or felt a familiarity to any of the statements asked. These statements were based on life experiences and community engagements.

”I have seen so many young people in my community finish school, but cannot find jobs.”

“I have spoken in my traditional language when explaining something complicated to my elders.”

“I have met with government officials regarding an issue in my community.”

The recycled paper ball activity: Participants gather in a circle and listen to a series of statements. With each statement that resonates or is something they have experienced individually, a piece of recycled paper is thrown into the center. At the end of the activity, the pile of paper in the middle symbolizes the amount of collective knowledge present within the group.

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2. Knowledge Type identification Participants were then asked what the statements reveal about knowledge? Responses included

“The knowledge that we have and the experiences we have gained is not rubbish.”

“Knowledge is power and when we contribute knowledge we have a variety of pieces of information.”

“Knowledge is dynamic (not every piece of paper was flat or the same) and unique.”

“The knowledge is within the community—it is not about the expert or the academic.”

These answers were categorized into three knowledge types:

Community knowledge—cultural practices and wisdom.

Knowledge from experience—what we learn and know from living and doing.

Academic knowledge—published facts and data from research conducted by experts from outside the community.

The entire workshop focused on academic knowledge, specifically, participatory action research (PAR). This included a detailed look at the people-centric and action-based components of PAR. Youth participants were introduced to research terminologies and important steps required when planning and conducting research within the community—organizing goal, research questions, samples, quantitative data, qualitative data, secondary data, data collection, data entry, data analysis, data report back, research findings, policy recommendations, and report and report release. 3. Understanding the PAR process

The last activity provided youth participants a better understanding of the PAR process. Each component was placed on the wall and participants were given pieces of paper with the corresponding definitions of the key steps to match. They thought of the issues and topics they would want to include and gain a more in-depth understanding of in their research proposals. Discussion Highlights

The participatory action research (PAR) is a collaborative process and is people-oriented. It typically goes through a cycle of planning, action, reflection, and evaluation.

The fact that it is a cycle means that you, in this case the youth representatives, are constantly going back to the community to ask questions, verify information, and test its validity and relevance to the community.

In the recycled paper activity, what was thought to be a pile of rubbish being thrown into the center of the circle was in fact a pile of valuable knowledge.

PAR is informed by and responds to the experiences and needs of people.

Questions to consider when conducting PAR on Youth Employment: Youth employment is a problem, but how is it a problem? In your village,

town, community?

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What exactly is the root cause of the problem? Is it that there are not enough jobs? Is it that the senior people in workplaces have been there for a long period of

time? Is it the lack of experience? How are youths going to achieve the relevant experience? Are there family responsibilities to look after?

PAR is more democratic because of its inclusive methodology.

PAR builds a base of people that are engaged in an issue.

People sometimes tend to question the knowledge that they have because they do not have the academic qualification. However, having the knowledge and skills is most of the time more important than acquiring a school diploma.

Communities at the very least build their own confidence, with the knowledge that it has. Communities already have the answers. They do not need experts to come in and tell them what to do, and instead it should be a collaborative process where both parties learn from one another.

PAR is action oriented, it is not just research to gather information but it is to use that information to take action. Those actions do not necessarily have to be big things; they just need to make sense to the community.

Participants engage in a feedback session on the processes of research and the importance of having a relevant timeline and strategy to follow.

Discussion 2: Conceptual Framework, Research Goals and Questions, and Literature Review Facilitator: Vivian Koster, SPC Youth participants were taken through the thought process of developing a goal and conceptual framework for their research proposals (Appendix 7). The conceptual framework would serve as a visual reminder of the steps and aim of the research being undertaken or putting their ideas into effect.

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1. Mapping a conceptual framework As first activity, youth representatives brainstormed and mapped a conceptual framework for their research design and identify the challenges, opportunities, and the approach to use when gathering information from their communities. This activity helped participants to start their thinking process. Though, it was also emphasized that the original conceptual framework was likely to change throughout the research process with new ideas, readings, and information coming in. Initial results of youth participants’ draft research conceptual frameworks are in Table 1. This marked the first step in the development of the draft research proposals by the youth participants. Each activity in the coming days built on the development of the proposals.

Solomon Islands youth participants Vanessa Rhodie and Mary Tuhaika brainstorm over their research strategy.

2. Developing goals and research questions After working on their draft conceptual frameworks, the facilitator trained youth representatives on writing the “what” (goals) and the “why” (questions). Their goals should meet the SMART criteria: Specific, Measurable, Appropriate, Realistic, and Time-Bound. On developing research questions, they were provided with good and bad examples of questions. They participated in a “what and why sheet” activity to help them formulate the appropriate questions in order to get the best information possible for their research. By matching the “what and why” questions, participants were able to determine and formulate an overall goal or a big idea for their research.

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Nauru representative Gwein Jose presents his colorful research framework in the form of a detailed flow chart.

3. Reviewing literature The facilitator emphasized the need for the youth researchers to have accurate and reliable background information on their topic of research. Having a good literature review will enable researchers to point out differences in view and results, as well as providing possible explanations for those differences. She reminded them of the importance of referencing sources of information correctly by using citations within the text.

Table 1: Initial Results of Country Conceptual Framework Discussions

Country Preliminary Research Mapping (Conceptual Framework)

Fiji

Research on youth unemployment

Gather a sample of the people that will be interviewed for this research. Fiji is divided into five divisions and in each division there are urban and rural dwellers.

Youth range is 18–35 years and this will be the target group.

Approach the National Youth Council, which is the umbrella body for all the youth groups in Fiji, request access to provincial youth councils.

Within the provincial structure, there are 75 leaders which jointly represent Fiji’s 14 provinces.

Have to consider traditional protocol and entry point to access youths living in provinces and rural settings (villages).

Establish contacts with provincial leaders to help in conducting research and gathering data from village youth.

Other partners to work with include the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Pacific Youth Council, the media, religious or faith-based organizations (e.g., the Methodist Church is very influential as the largest Christian denomination in the country).

(Continued on next page)

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Country Preliminary Research Mapping (Conceptual Framework)

Kiribati and Tuvalu

Brainstorming on current structures for engagement and how to work sustainably into the future

The National Youth Council (NYC) will work closely with the government and the focal point with the government is their youth officer.

Within NYC, will work closely with its 15 members. These include island youth groups, faith-based youth groups, the Red Cross, and the Family Health Association.

NYC has its own strategic plan focused on advocacy, capacity building, and networking.

Activities and strategic plan will be aligned with the National Youth Policy.

The strategic plan is being designed by the young people in consultation with the Pacific Youth Council.

There has to be more capacity building for young people in order to accommodate the needs and issues that arise in communities, such as unemployment, teenage pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS.

Improving advocacy and capacity to present youth issues to development partners and the government to ask for assistance.

Networking has to be introduced and encouraged to young people in a useful, meaningful way. Tuvaluan youth has to go out of their comfort zones.

The focus of the research proposal will be on youth unemployment targeting the 15–35 years age range that the NYC works with. To do this, work has to be within the structures mentioned.

The challenge is find someone in a permanent role to coordinate and oversee the work. At present it is mostly done on a voluntary basis.

Marshall Islands

The Marshall Islands has the highest percentage of youth unemployment in the region. Research will look at ways to improve the situation of youths in the country.

Study and gather what data and statistics already exist on youth unemployment including what has been done to increase youth employment and the number of potential jobs and opportunities available for youth

Share the information with the Youth Services Bureau in order to find more opportunities for youth

Nauru

Youth unemployment: Why are youth unemployed? Does the lack of housing affect youth employment in Nauru?

Target group is Menang District which has a population of approximately 10,000.

Target age group: 18–35 years.

Topics of discussion that will form the basis of questions to the community would be on housing, and what are the existing factors and what can be done to relieve those factors hindering youth from finding employment opportunities.

Looking at potential opportunities available such as life skills and trade jobs: Where are these available opportunities and how can the youth gain access?

How to connect these opportunities with youth organizations, government, and NGOs and to link job-creating initiatives to their existing programs.

(Continued on next page)

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Country Preliminary Research Mapping (Conceptual Framework)

Palau

Research on adapting environment to climate change and creating youth employment

There are many environmental groups such as the Marine Sanctuary, Shark Sanctuary etc. but there are still many youth unemployment who have already acquired the skills and capacity to gain employment in these areas.

Among the challenges in conducting a research are getting funds, participation and involvement from the government and the state, obtaining and providing traditional knowledge, and getting youth excited and involved in environmental issues

Reviving traditional knowledge is an opportunity to provide a platform for older people to share this knowledge through forums and networking.

Groups that need to be approached include the National Youth Council, faith-based groups, NGOs like Nature Conservancy, and UNICEF.

Dialogue with the village chief or traditional leaders and with the families of the youth will engage more people to share.

Easier to access the unemployed youth in Palau due to the smaller population (approximately a total of 3,000) through social media and surveys in schools as a start to access the sample.

Analyze the data, make a plan that will help improve Palau’s environmental resilience to climate change, and in the process, provide jobs for unemployed youth.

Papua New Guinea

Focus on youth unemployment targeting the 18-35 age group

Sample will be the urban settlements in Port Moresby.

Type of information: what are the types of unemployed youths in Port Moresby, e.g., those who did not perform well academically, those who are wealthy but do not want to look for a job etc. What are the opportunities for these youths and their varying circumstances?

This information will be shared with government and NGOs/CSOs to identify if there are existing programs or new programs that can be established to help and empower these unemployed youth.

Develop case studies from the information which will assist future youth programs on unemployment.

If this research is successful then it can be shared to select rural areas.

Solomon Islands

Research on youth employment the Solomon Islands.

Targeting two main groups: youth population and youth stakeholders/decision makers on the youth policies.

Focus on Honiara which has a large percentage of unemployed youth.

Youth population will be divided into employed and unemployed youths and their perceptions on youth employment, the issues and challenges they face respectively. Provincial/rural youth are not included because faith-based organizations have a deeper connection with these youth and will work through these organizations to get the data needed.

Youth stakeholders include the government and will looking at the implementation progress of the National Youth Policy and the challenges and issues they face in the implementation process.

Will also ask the private sector, NGOs (e.g., Youth at Work Program), CSOs, and faith-based organizations on progress of project implementations that they have done and the challenges they have all faced.

National Youth Employment Strategy is in its initial stage, the idea is to work together and push the ministry to start implementing its components. A committee can be established to monitor the progress of this strategy.

CSO = civil society organization, NGO = nongovernment organizations, UNICEF = United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund. Source: Discussion results consolidated by the authors.

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Discussion Highlights

Research goals should refer to a major issue or problem that will be tackled.

Goals should focus on a select group in the population and location (context).

Use clear terms that are easily understood and keep the goal to one easily understandable sentence if possible.

A goal is to do something, for example: “To reduce unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion among young women experiencing gender-based violence in Community Z.”

If goals are too many, it may be difficult later to separate the logical flow of the overall research.

Participatory action research (PAR) is about the community, so with the information and what has been learned, the youth representative can go back and share this with the community again. These can also be used to inform local government, national government, international and regional organizations, development partners and other interested partners.

When working with dated information, preferably return after a maximum of 5 years if it is necessary to quote dated information. Otherwise reference can state that the available data is outdated.

This forum is useful in strengthening the foundations of the research proposals with the appropriate tools and skills being learnt to make sure that they do have a clear goal with trackable indicators.

The point of a literature review is to get ideas in terms of the subject that want to look at.

Once a big idea is nailed down, start thinking about how to achieve it, finalize the questions to ask, and have supporting literature to scan and aid the research. This way, the process gets clearer and becomes easier with each step.

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Day 3

Discussions

Discussion 3: Field Research Methods Facilitator: Vivian Koster, SPC, and Dr. Frances Vaka’uta, Associate Dean, University of the South Pacific

The first activity focused on understanding the different methods available when extracting information needed for research. These methods include surveys, interviews, focus groups, community mapping/canvassing, community visioning, mystery shopping, secondary data, media review, and literature reviews (Appendix 8 for presentation slides). Participants were divided into groups and allocated two methods each, and were asked to list the possible advantages and disadvantages of each methodology and present back to the larger group. The session also looked in depth at the types of questions to use and how to formulate them especially when preparing guiding questions. These discussions helped the youth to decide on the appropriate research methods they would include in their proposals depending on their country context and the groups they would be engaging with. Presentation on Pacific Methodologies Dr. Vaka’uta presented Pacific research methodologies which are primarily based on “decolonizing research” Concept. The vast majority of the Pacific region has a colonial past and with that came two types of violence: the physical violence, and, which is not commonly recognized, the silencing of indigenous people. Her work focuses largely on the latter, researching indigenous knowledge and how modern concepts are interpreted from an indigenous perspective. Pacific Islanders have always had their own ideas and ways of recognizing different concepts, but were forced through colonization to think alternatively and in the process, indigenous knowledge was silenced. Generations later, people were accustomed to believing what was indoctrinated to them by the colonial powers and Pacific Island knowledge systems were at a risk of fading out. She stressed the fact that Pacific Islanders have particular ways of knowing, of doing things, and of engaging in meaningful relationships to gauge and gather information. The experts in these conversations are the people in the villages on the ground, not those who earned their PhDs. Discussion Highlights

Pacific research is an approach. Research remains research, it is just conducted in a different way.

Research is to empower and to improve the quality of the lives of the people being researched.

Keep in mind what kind of awareness the research is going to generate so that once the researcher leaves, the community will be empowered.

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Recognize researcher’s personal “insider” and “outsider” position when working in Pacific communities, and personal limitations. Sometimes being from a particular country or being indigenous does not necessarily give the person access to the information that he/she wants.

Documentation should be the truth and not based on assumptions. Determine which truth is trying to uncover.

Make sure data is meaningful.

Does the person’s country have a research policy? What is the research process?

Who are the projected participants? Who knows or holds the knowledge or information? Does the person have the right to know?

Questions to consider when gathering accurate information: how to engage with the communities effectively? Cultural ethics—how to negotiate this? What are the traditional protocols? Is there a traditional approach that can make the focus group more successful?

Language is important and research documentation should include a definition of key terms. Be mindful of the language being used with the audience having conversations with.

When translating research questions into the local language, ensure that a good and trusting relationship has developed with a reliable translator that is also dedicated to the cause and goals of the overall research.

Focal Group Discussion Facilitator: Jecel Censoro, ADB

This session involved a mock focus group discussion to demonstrate to participants how this methodology of field research is used, demonstrating facilitation techniques and the types of questions to probe focus group members in order to extract the relevant information needed for research. The topic was based on the usability and access to internet in the Pacific. Chairs arranged in a circle with a few of the participants seated and the rest taking their place as observers outside the circle, Ms. Censoro described the process. First step was to get a signed consent from the each participant in the group. Next, she proceeded to describing the research and the information that she needed to understand and receive from the focus group discussion. After these, the group was asked a series of questions relating to the accessibility of internet within their country contexts to kick start discussions. Some of these questions included:

Does the participant have internet in his/her country? What is its status, i.e., connectivity, rates, and providers?

What is the coverage area?

What are the limitations and challenges?

What is the use of the internet to the participant?

If there is a better or improved internet connection, what opportunities will the participant see in this?

What are the disadvantages of the internet? How does the participant address issues of cyber bullying?

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Is there an appropriate information and communication technology (ICT) or cyber legislation in place in his/her country?

Youth representatives participate in a Focus Group Discussion activity on accessibility and usability of internet in the Pacific region.

At the conclusion of the mock focal group discussion, the observers were invited to sit in the circle to share their comments and observations of how they felt the process went. The group then switched again with the original focus group members sharing their thoughts. Some of their comments and suggestions were as follows:

Important to engage everyone in the group. Some may speak more than others, so it is important to not let a few dominate discussions. Possibly set a time for each person to talk.

Respect the different views and opinions that are shared.

Speak slowly.

Stick to the main topic and try not to deviate too much.

Need to have a confident facilitator to guide the conversation and ask good leading questions that allow the group members to elaborate more on.

Ensure that the focus group area is a safe space and make this clear in the beginning so that participants feel comfortable to share and discuss.

In the Pacific, it may be good to offer a token of appreciation to the community/ focus group in return for the information being gathered for the research.

This methodology allows the group and its members to take ownership of the information and knowledge that they have.

Be conscious of the language being used and also the methodology depending on different demographics within the focus group.

Facilitator should let the focus group know from the start what the information will be used for.

Profile participants in order to gauge appropriate questions to match research e.g., inclusive, homogeneous.

Ideally have around 6 to 10 participants per group and give them the option to either share their identity or keep anonymous.

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Youth representatives from the Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands during the Focus Group Discussions.

Jecel Censoro facilitates discussions from youth observers of the mock focus group

discussion activity.

Discussion Highlights

Focus group discussions are a qualitative data collection method effective in helping researchers learn the social norms and perspectives of a community.

Focus groups are useful in determining if a service or product is useful, is needed, or requires improvement within a community.

The youth had the opportunity to participate both as focal group participants and as observers.

While it was a mock activity, the group had a better understanding of the internet connectivity issues in their country which fuelled a lot of debate and discussion

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among them including common challenges, learning about restricted access and bans placed on some of the countries and areas for improvement such as introducing cyber laws to combat cyber bullying.

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Day 4

Presentations of Research Proposals All nine country groups presented their research proposals to a judging panel. Country group representatives shared their research themes, backgrounds, goals, questions, methodologies, and outputs. The judging panel, on the other, provided their comments and inputs on how to improve their proposals. Members of the panel were Mereia Carling (SPC), Tom Gilis (World Bank), Andrew Parker (ADB), and Peni Tawake (Pacific Leadership Program).

Closing Remarks: Synthesis and Next Steps Andrew Parker of ADB concluded the workshop by highlighting important points:

On research and data: Everyone had a much better sense of developing a strong evidence base and a more heightened understanding of the importance of research and its role in informing people on a given issue. Anything that will be acted on should be informed by updated and accurate data. However, improving this data can be an expensive and time consuming task in the Pacific, having the statistical capacity and the resources needed to conduct such an exercise while keeping up with the fast pace of the global environment.

On employment: He encouraged the youth to maximize positives rather than minimizing negatives. They have to talk about employment being the solution rather than unemployment being the problem.

On localizing research: When conducting research, he emphasized the importance of remembering to be relevant to the local context, to indigenize research. He said it was great to see an emphasis on local concepts and methodology in terms of the work and research proposed.

On ADB as a development partner: The Pacific is a special region for ADB who have commitments to initiatives in the region. There are many infrastructure and transport projects, renewable energy projects, education, health, and ICT. All of these projects are done in partnership with governments and many of them are implemented through private sector contractors. There is potential in finding ways in which ADB can assist to open opportunities for young people in finding employment and exposure on the many sector projects that ADB funds. In its recent annual meeting in Frankfurt in May, the ADB President highlighted three issues that he has committed ADB to do more around—quality jobs, private sector development, and climate change—and these are all at the center of the Pacific agenda.

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On fragile and conflict-affected situations and countries: During the workshop, the concept of fragility among countries in the Pacific was a source of great debate and reflection. ADB plans to do more to support this cause and one of the ways that this has been demonstrated in the past year is through the Asian Development Fun (ADF) which is the ADB’s concessional window. Lower income FCAS countries are able to access funds through this avenue. This year the allocation per grant under the ADF has been increased to a minimum of 6 million per year, which will allow greater access to the amount of resources available to these eligible countries.

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Acknowledgments For conducting the 4-day workshop and preparing this workshop proceedings report, the organizers acknowledge with thanks the following for their productive cooperation and hard work.

Partners Asian Development Bank, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, and Pacific Youth Council

Welcome and Guest Speakers Audrey Aumua, Robert Jauncey, and Howard Politini

Presenters Patrick Safran and Satoshi Sasaki

Panelists Edward Bernard, Allison Burchell, Mereia Carling, Tom Alley Gilis, Avnit Narayan, and Peni Tawake

Moderator Andrew Parker

Facilitators Jecel Censoro, Vivian Koster, Miriam Rees, and Dr. Frances Vaka’uta

Organizing Teams

Manila: Jecel Censoro, Jessy dela Cruz, Diane Kuizon, Andrew Parker, and Aldwin Sutarez Suva: Tarusila Bradburgh, Mereia Carling, and Vivian Koster

Editorial Team Jecel Censoro, Diane Kuizon, Andrew Parker, Miriam Rees, and Aldwin Sutarez

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Appendixes

Appendix 1: Final Program

Improving Employment Opportunities for Youth in the Pacific Fragile and/or Conflict-Affected Situations:

Workshop on Skills Development for Decent Work in the Pacific 10–13 May 2016 • Pacific Community Headquarters, Suva, Fiji

Time Activity Person/Group in-charge

10 May

08.00–08.30 Registration SPC/PYC

08.30–08.40 Preliminaries Pacific youth representative

08.40–09.00 Welcome Remarks

Robert Jauncey (Country Director, ADB) Audrey Aumua (Deputy Director General, SPC)

09.00–09.10 Opening Message Howard Politini (Vice-Chair, PIPSO)

09.10–09.30 Getting-to-Know Miriam Rees, Lead Research Team

09.30–10.00 Fragility in the Pacific—Challenge for Youth Q&A

Patrick Safran (ADB)

10.00–10.15 Coffee Break

10.15–10.45 Youth Employment in the Pacific Island Countries Q&A

Satoshi Sasaki (ILO)

10.45–12.00 Breakout: What is the Employment Situation for Youth in Your Country?

Lead Research Team

12.00–13.00 Lunch

13.00–14.30 Open Space Technology: Synthesis of Opportunities and Challenges for Youth Employment (Presentation per group)

Vivian Koster and Jecel Censoro, Lead Research Team

14.30–15.00 Coffee Break

15.00–16.15

Interactive Panel to react on the youth situation presentation and to discuss the experience of initiatives designed to improve access to skills development opportunities for young people in the Pacific

Tom Gillis (UYEP-WB) Mereia Carling (SPC) Edward Bernard (ILO) Alison Burchell (Permanent Secretary, MYS) Avnit Narayan (FCEF) Moderator: Andrew Parker (ADB)

16.15–16.30 Synthesis and Next Steps Lead Research Team

16.30–16.45 Picture Taking All

16.45–18.30 Socials Participants and guests

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Time Activity Person/Group in-charge

11 May: Participatory Action Research Training

08.30–09.00 Recap of Day 1 What Youth Can Do to Address Unemployment?

Tarusila Bradburgh (PYC)

09.00–09.15 Introduction to ADB Youth for Asia Program Jecel Censoro

09.15–10.15 Discussion 1: Introduction to Participatory Action Research

Vivian Koster

10.15–10.45 Coffee break

10.45–12.00 Discussion 2: Review of Literatures, Research Questions, and Conceptual Framework

Vivian Koster

12.00–12.30 Skills International: A New Zealand Perspective

12.30–13.30 Lunch

13.30–15.00 Discussion 3: Methods on Field Research Vivian Koster and Dr. Frances Vaka’uta (USP)

15.00–15.30 Coffee break

15.30–17.00 Workshop 1: Developing a Research Proposal Assignment: Draft Research Proposal

Vivian Koster

12 May: Participatory Action Research Training

08.30–10.15 Workshop 2: Focus Group Discussion Jecel Censoro

10.15–10.30 Coffee Break

10.30–12.00 Workshop 3: Survey Vivian Koster

12.00–13.00 Lunch

13.00–14.00 Discussion 4: Data Entry and Analysis Vivian Koster

14.00–16.00 Workshop 4: Data Encoding and Analysis Vivian Koster

16.00–16.15 Coffee Break

16.15–17.00 Workshop 5: Finalization of Draft Research Proposal

Youth Representatives

13 May: Participatory Action Research Training

08.30–10.00 Workshop 6: Prepare Research Proposal Presentation

Youth Representatives

10.00–10.15 Coffee Break

10.15–12.00 Presentation of Research Proposals

Panel to Judge: Patrick Safran, Andrew Parker, and Dr. Frances Vaka’uta

12.00–12.20 Synthesis and Next Steps

12.20–13.00 Commitment Signing / Distribution of Certificates / Photo-ops

Tarusila Bradburgh

13.00–14.00 Lunch

14.00–Onwards Free Time

ADB = Asian Development Bank, FCEF = Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation, ILO = International Labour Organization, MYS = Ministry of Youth and Sports (Fiji), PIPSO = Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation PYC = Pacific Youth Council, SPC = Secretariat of the Pacific Community, USP = University of the South Pacific, UYEP-WB = Urban Youth Employment Project – World Bank.

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Appendix 2: List of Participants

Improving Employment Opportunities for Youth in the Pacific Fragile and/or Conflict-Affected Situations:

Workshop on Skills Development for Decent Work in the Pacific 10–13 May 2016 • Pacific Community Headquarters, Suva, Fiji

I. YOUTH REPRESENTATIVES

A. Fiji

1. Ms. Faranisese Ratu, President, Youths Against Corruption—Fiji

2. Ms. Vilimaina Vonokula Tikomaisaineai Tamata, Personal Assistant to the

Director, Edge Management Group; and Member, Wesley City Mission and

Young Women Christian Association

B. Kiribati

3. Mr. Itinterunga Rae Bainteiti, Coordinator, Kiribati Children Campaigner’s

Network

4. Ms. Tekateteke Metai, Youth Advocate, Kiribati Children Campaigner’s Network

C. Marshall Islands, Republic of

5. Ms. Teeri Komwenga, Student, University of the South Pacific

6. Mr. Mashmet Langbel, Student, College of the Marshall Islands

D. Micronesia, Federated States of

7. Ms. Stephanie C. Edward, President, Pohnpei Youth Council

8. Mr. Mori-M Mori, President, Chuuk Youth Council

E. Nauru

9. Mrs. Nerida-Ann Hubert, Acting President, Nauru National Youth Council

10. Mr. Alpha Gwein Jose, National Youth Coordinator, Directorate of Youth Affairs

F. Palau

11. Ms. Tanalynn Tikei Alfonso, Meyuns Hamlet Youth Representative, Koror State

Youth Council

12. Ms. Souang Inez Benedict Tellei, Special Projects/Logistics, Melekeok State

Government and Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Tourism

G. Papua New Guinea

13. Mr. James Lunge, Member, Youth Against Corruption Association

14. Ms. Wendy Bai Magea, Research Assistant, Centre for Social and Creative

Media—University of Goroka

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H. Solomon Islands

15. Ms. Vanessa Talei Rodie, Parliamentary Committee Secretary, National

Parliament of Solomon Islands, and Member, Young Women’s Parliamentary

Group

16. Ms. Mary Tuhaika, Youth Development Officer, Honiara City Council—Youth,

Sports and Women Division

I. Tuvalu

17. Ms. Milikini Failautusi, Voluntary Coordinator, Tuvalu National Youth Council

18. Ms. Sagaga Charles Safega, Youth Officer, Ministry of Education, Youth, and

Sport

II. RESOURCE PERSONS AND PANELISTS

19. Mr. Satoshi Sasaki, Officer in Charge, Economic Development and Job Creation,

International Labour Organization (ILO Country Office for the Pacific Island Countries)

20. Mr. Edward Bernard, Senior Programme Assistant (ILO Country Office for the Pacific Island Countries)

21. Mr. Tom Alley Gilis, Project Officer, Urban Youth Employment Project, The World Bank

22. Ms. Alison Burchell, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports 23. Mr. Arnit Narayan, Fiji Commerce and Employers’ Federation 24. Dr. Cresantia “Frances” Koya Vaka’uta, Associate Dean of Research and

International at the Faculty of Arts, Law and Education, University of the South Pacific

25. Ms. Miriam Rhys, Lead Researcher 26. Ms. Vivian Koster, Lead Researcher 27. Ms. Jecel Censoro, Consultant, Asian Development Bank (ADB)

III. GUESTS

28. Mr. Robert Jauncey, Regional Director, Pacific Subregional Office, ADB

29. Ms. Audrey Aumea, Deputy Director General, Secretariat of the Pacific

Community (SPC)

30. Ms. Alanieta Vakatale, Pacific Regional Coordinator, Pacific Island Association of

Non Governmental Organisations (PIANGO)

31. Mr. Howard Politini, Vice Chair, Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation

(PIPSO)

32. Ms. Winifred Gauna, Programme Officer, PIPSO

33. Ms. Christina Munzal, Australian High Commission

34. Ms. Samantha McNaughton, Senior Consultant, Skills International

35. Ms. Jenny Gibbs, Legal Counsel, Skills International

36

IV. ORGANIZERS

36. Mr. Andrew Parker, Principal Social Sector Economist, ADB

37. Mr. Patrick Safran, Principal Operations Coordination Specialist (Fragile

Situations), ADB

38. Ms. Diane Kuizon, Operations Assistant, ADB

39. Ms. Mereia Carling, Youth Advisor, SPC

40. Ms. Tarusila Bradburgh, Coordinator, Pacific Youth Council

41. Ms. Kimberley Sachs, Communications Officer, Pacific Youth Council

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Appendix 3: Fragility in the Pacific—Challenge for Youth (Patrick Safran, Asian Development Bank)

Slide 3.1

Slide 3.2

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Slide 3.3

Slide 3.4

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Slide 3.5

Slide 3.6

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Slide 3.7

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Slide 3.9

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Slide 3.13

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Slide 3.15

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Slide 3.17

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Slide 3.19

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Slide 3.21

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Slide 3.23

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Appendix 4: Youth Employment in the Pacific Island Countries (Satoshi Sasaki, International Labour Organization)

Slide 4.1

Slide 4.2

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Slide 4.3

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Slide 4.5

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Slide 4.7

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Slide 4.11

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Appendix 5: Skills International—A New Zealand Perspective: Progress through Partnership (Samantha McNaughton and Jenny Gibbs, Skills International) Slide 5.1

Slide 5.2

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Slide 5.3

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Slide 5.5

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Appendix 6: Introduction to Participatory Action Research (Discussion 1)

Slide 6.1

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Slide 6.3

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Slide 6.5

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Slide 6.7

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Appendix 7: Review of Literatures, Research Goals and Questions, and Conceptual Framework (Discussion 2)

Slide 7.1

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Slide 7.3

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Slide 7.15

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Appendix 8: Field Research Methods (Discussion 3)

Slide 8.1

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Slide 8.15