There has never been a more important time to prepare young people for the future of work.

The evidence is alarming. Almost a quarter of young people are not in work, education, or training.¹ Two thirds of the youth labour force currently lack the basic skills needed to participate effectively in work.² With almost a quarter of jobs projected to change by 2027,³ young people will need to develop new skills and capabilities – and soon.

The current state of play is failing our young people, with women and girls, and marginalised groups faring the worst.⁴ If we are going to empower young people to navigate and thrive in a rapidly changing context, we need to problem solve with – not just for – young people. And we need to work together differently across business, governments, and civil society.

It is in the context of the World YMCA’s first global strategy, Vision 2030, that Y Australia, World YMCA and Deloitte Australia, embark on a bold new collaboration.

“Imagine this: the largest and oldest youth organisation in the world, with a reach of 120 countries and 65+ million people – teaming up with the global expertise and dedication of Deloitte Australia, to deliver on our bold, shared ambition: To empower young people to navigate and thrive in the dynamic world of modern work.” – Tal Karp, CEO, Y Australia.

Y Australia (formerly YMCA Australia) has been tasked with global leadership of the World YMCA’s Meaningful Work strategic pillar – one of four pillars of action under Vision 2030.

To accelerate progress, Y Australia is delighted to announce its new collaboration with global professional services firm, Deloitte Australia. Deloitte’s expertise and reach, its deep understanding of the changing nature of work and its strong commitment to social impact, make this a powerful collaboration with the World YMCA movement.

“We warmly welcome this positive development”, said World YMCA Secretary General Carlos Sanvee. “We thank Y Australia for its leadership role, and we thank Deloitte for its willingness to provide not just its expertise, but its passion for our work.

“We dream of a world that is just and inclusive for all, where all young people have access to decent jobs and meaningful work. The YMCA has a unique contribution to make using our scale and trusted connections with community to drive real and tangible outcomes for young people – where and when they need us most. This powerful collaboration will help us unlock meaningful work opportunities for young people and a roadmap to get us there.” – Carlos Sanvee, Secretary General, World YMCA.

Over the next 12 months we will add to existing global research, including by listening to and learning from diverse young people around the world through a global survey, to understand their work aspirations and experiences.

“Deloitte is thrilled to be collaborating with a value-aligned organisation in Y Australia, who have such a rich history of empowering young people and share our vision of building a better world. We look forward to creating impact through this important and exciting collaboration, helping bridge the gap between education and employment to inspire and unlock new opportunities for young people to pursue their life aspirations.” – Nicole Scoble-Williams, Deloitte Leader for the Future of Work.

Our YMCA/Deloitte collaboration will deliver a series of focused reports on the state and opportunities for young people in Modern Work, to help drive evidence-based change. Working with young people and stakeholders across sectors, we will identify practical and sustainable actions, to help drive a more equitable and meaningful future of work by 2030.

“We are proud to collaborate with the Y on a bold initiative that will support the creation of a thriving and more prosperous future for young people around the world. Our Australian team is excited to lead this work, to further our world-class ambition of empowering 100 million people by 2030. It’s time to increase young people’s readiness for Modern Work.” – Pip Dexter, Deloitte Australia Chief People and Purpose Officer.

Access the full Media Release here.

MEDIA CONTACTS

¹ ILO World Employment and Social Outlook, 2023.
² ILO World Employment and Social Outlook, 2023.
³ WEF Future Jobs Report, 2023.
⁴ Deloitte Women @ Work Report, 2023.