Jerusalem Innovates
New Partnership: Enabel and Station J
24-08-2021, Jerusalem – Belgian development agency “Enabel” and Station J signed a grant agreement highlighting their new partnership taking effect on 1st of August 2021. This partnership comes in the framework of the program “Skilled Young Palestine: Improving Resilience and Job opportunities for Youth”
“Jerusalem Innovates” is the name of the project that station J will be implementing within the aforementioned program aimed at equipping Palestinian youth with 21st century skills. The main focus will be enhancing the resilience of these youths and increasing their employability chances by boosting some required skills in the job market. The plan and goals of this project come as a result of Station J’s work journey over the past year, working closely with youth in East Jerusalem tracing the passion among Jerusalemite youth to receive this kind of support. As part of the design phase of this project, Station J reviewed lessons learnt and projects evaluations resulted from previously implemented projects with similar support to the Palestinian youths.
In particular, “Jerusalem Innovates” main goal is to enhance the resilience of Jerusalemite youth, particularly those among vulnerable groups living in East Jerusalem in areas within the municipal boundaries but outside the segregation wall. People living in these areas are deprived of their basic human rights; the right to move, travel, and the ability to plan their future due to the imposed Israeli measures that violate their rights. The deterioration of the situation for youth in these areas, pushes them to immigrate to other countries, leaving behind the possibility of working in Palestine, maintaining the Palestinian identity and positively affecting the Palestinian economy.
The program will be executed through two tracks and is targeting 400 people aged between 16-29 years. and it will take place in different locations in Jerusalem partnering with local organizations in the targeted marginalized communities. A step that also aims at empowering these organizations and intensifying their role as a youth representative in their respective locations.
Additionally, the project is expected to last for 18 months starting August 2021 with first an outreach and recruitment stage in September. Then the trainings are planned to start beginning of October 2021 and will include essential 21th century skills such as; design thinking, basic digital skills, soft skills and other essential courses as a basic set. Later, participants will choose between two tracks to receive advanced trainings in coding and web/app development among other more specialized topics. The second recruitment will take place in April 2022, and will focus on boosting employability for youth through innovative trainings and advanced skills which will prepare them for local and international freelancing markets.
It is worth mentioning that Station J has managed to label itself as one of the leading entrepreneurial hubs and innovative business incubators in East Jerusalem; aiming to support building an innovative ecosystem that seeks to give Palestinian entrepreneurs and youths access to a dynamic, diverse and vibrant entrepreneurial community.