YOUSTART Initiative: Turn your business idea into a reality

YOUSTART Initiative: How to turn your business idea into a reality.

Wondering how to tap into the benefits of the programme and how to turn your business idea into a reality? Learn About the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project and take action now

About the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project

The World Bank is providing financing and technical support to the Government of Ghana (GoG) for the implementation of the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project. The Project is considered as one of the main forms of support for the government’s top-priority agenda of upgrading skills among the country’s population, creating more and better-quality jobs, and improving job outcomes for youth. It connects success in these areas to state stability, social cohesion, and economic inclusion.

All advanced training participants will receive mentoring and coaching support, which encompasses guidance to prepare business plans, meet business registration and licensing requirements, and connect with input and output markets. Short duration internship, mentoring and guidance sessions would be arranged for some selected beneficiaries

5,000 selected youth who successfully undergo training up to the intermediate level would be eligible for Business Startup Grants. These grants will be available to individuals and self-formed groups, majority-owned by Ghanaians, with high potential to succeed in business, and operating in any of the non-resource-based sectors

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE PROJECT

The Ghana Jobs and Skills Project will follow 5 simple steps

APPLICATION/REGISTRATION
Registration and application for the project is targeted at Ghanaians from the ages of 18 to 40 with at least Basic Education Certificate Examination qualification and willing to start a business. School dropouts already in a business would be considered for this project as well. Special attention would be given to women and Persons with Disabilities (PWD)

READINESS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Shortlisted applicants would be invited by GEA Officers in their respective locations for a readiness screening/needs assessment exercise for verification of data provided by applicants and identification of needs for Entrepreneurship Development.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING
A district based and non-residential Entrepreneurship Training would be conducted at 3 levels: basic, intermediate, and advanced using an experiential participatory approach conducive for adult learning

COACHING AND MENTORING
The Coaching and Mentoring support would be provided to beneficiaries who progress to the advance level to finalize their business plans, meeting of licensing and registration requirements, testing of products on the market. Short duration internship, mentoring and guidance sessions would be arranged for some selected beneficiaries

COMPETITIVE START-UP GRANTS
5,000 selected youth (individual or self-formed groups) who successfully undergo training up to the intermediate and advanced levels would be eligible for Business Startup Grants. They must demonstrate high potential to succeed in business, and operating in any sector aside from the extraction of natural resources

WHO QUALIFIES TO APPLY?
The following category of youth will be targeted:

1. Persons from the age of 18 to 40 years old.

2. Minimum of Basic Education Certificate Examination

3. Willingness to start a business

4. School dropouts already in a business would be considered

5. Special attention would be given to women and Persons with Disabilities (PWD)

Are you Ready to take this step?

SPONSORS
The following organizations are sponsoring and implementing agencies of the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project

1. The Ghana Enterprises Agency

2.. The Government of Ghana

3. The World Bank

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