Opportunity 2.0

About the Project

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2023 and the increasing occurrence and severity of natural disasters present significant challenges for the youth of the Philippines. Recent data from the Philippine Statistics Authority suggests that the number of out-of-school youth (OSY) has significantly increased to as many as 10 million*. Some of the common reasons for the OSY numbers rising include (1) financial challenges led by the changing business environment amid the above-mentioned concerns, (2) family matters such as early pregnancy among female youth, and (3) lack of personal interest to study with a higher motivation to pursue a job. Aside from these commonly discussed reasons, this study also uncovered socio-emotional wellbeing as another common factor contributing to the numbers of OSY, exacerbated by the effects of the pandemic and other events. 

USAID Opportunity 2.0 (O2) is a five-year program designed to strengthen national and local capability in the Philippines to provide OSY with quality education and learning experiences, inspire life-long learning, and lead to improved education, livelihood, or employment opportunities. Through the establishment of partnerships and the strengthening of networks in 15 cities across the country, O2 seeks to reach 180,000 out-of-school youth, train over 2,000 teachers and engage 2,200 companies to support OSYs in various pathways by 2025

Opportunity 2.0, in partnership with various government agencies, companies, and organizations from different sectors through the Youth Development Alliance, facilitates job placements for OSYs who have completed  work based learning and entrepreneurship training  programs. PBEd, which is part of O2’s Private sector Team, helps empower private sector partners to take the lead in mentoring and training OSYs eventually integrating them into the workforce. Private sector partners also readily provide mentoring to youth who undergo entrepreneurship training to fulfill their aspirations of becoming successful business owners

For more insights and resources, visit the Opportunity 2.0 Facebook Page: Opportunity 2.0 Facebook Page