Stakeholders Call for Increased Investment in Youth Mentorship

Stakeholders in education, youth development and community engagement have called for increased investment in mentorship programmes, emphasising the need to equip young people with the guidance, skills and opportunities required to contribute meaningfully to society.

They said structured mentorship initiatives could help address challenges facing young people, including unemployment, limited access to career guidance, inadequate professional networks and difficulties transitioning from education into the workplace.

The stakeholders stressed that mentorship should extend beyond motivational talks and occasional engagements to include sustained relationships between experienced professionals and young people seeking personal, academic and career development.

They also highlighted the importance of involving professionals, entrepreneurs, educators, policymakers and community leaders in programmes that expose young people to practical experiences and opportunities across different sectors.

According to them, effective mentorship can help young people identify their strengths, develop leadership abilities, build confidence and make informed decisions about their education and career paths.

They further called on governments, private sector organisations, civil society groups and development partners to allocate resources towards youth mentorship initiatives and establish platforms that connect young people with experienced mentors.

The stakeholders noted that mentorship programmes should also prioritise young people from underserved communities, particularly those with limited access to professional networks, quality education and employment opportunities.

They advocated partnerships between schools, universities, businesses and youth organisations to create structured programmes that combine career guidance, entrepreneurship training, leadership development and practical skills acquisition.

The stakeholders also urged organisations to establish monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess the impact of mentorship initiatives, track participants’ progress and ensure that programmes deliver measurable outcomes.

They maintained that investing in young people’s development was essential to building a skilled, innovative and productive workforce capable of addressing emerging economic and social challenges.

They called for a coordinated approach that recognises young people not merely as beneficiaries of development programmes but as active contributors to decision-making, innovation and national development.

The stakeholders said sustained investment in mentorship would help create opportunities for the next generation of leaders while strengthening communities and supporting long-term socioeconomic development.