Supporting Job Placement and Self-Employment for Refugee Youth: Lessons and Insights from Jordan

Six years into the Syrian war, Jordan hosts over 650,000 Syrian refugees, and nearly 15% are youth between the ages of 18 and 25. Syrian refugee youth, especially those living outside of refugee camps, face many challenges in Jordan, including limited educational and economic opportunities, discrimination, and lack of access to basic services. To respond to these challenges facing young people, two humanitarian organizations, Norwegian Refugee Council and International Rescue Committee, with technical assistance from Making Cents International, have developed holistic youth employment and self-employment programs. These programs provide opportunities for youth to develop the technical and soft skills critical for long-term success and enable youth to be accompanied by a support network as they pursue employment or entrepreneurial endeavors.