A Japanese clothing brand launched a program designed to assist marginalized and vulnerable youth in skills development and employability.
Uniqlo Philippines, in partnership with Plan International Pilipinas, implemented the Youth Rise program to provide youth, particularly young women, with access to skills development, employability support and entrepreneurship opportunities.
The Youth RISE, which stands for Resilience, Innovation, Skills, Entrepreneurship, and Employability, is the local implementation of the brand’s global PEACE FOR ALL initiative, an ongoing global charity T-shirt project that donates all profits to international organizations providing humanitarian aid.
Geraldine Sia, the chief operating officer of Uniqlo Philippines, said the brand focuses on education as youth face barriers such as limited access to skills development and employment opportunities.
“We choose youth employability and skills development as the focus for our first local initiative here in the Philippines. We wanted the first local Peace for All initiative to respond to a meaningful community that can contribute to society,” Sia said.
“Education, learning, and opportunity can help unlock the youth’s potential and strengthen as well the communities that will translate to society at this time,” she added.
Meanwhile, Plan International Pilipinas Program Director Cathy Seco said they are targeting to support more than 3,000 individuals aged 18 to 24, prioritizing those from marginalized communities, over the next three years.
“Our bias is really to support the most marginalized, those who have no opportunities, and those who are not in school, so that they’re able to have the opportunity to go back and have that opportunity to learn skills and build their agency,” she explained.
The program director said that participants would undergo an assessment to match their interests with market demand.
“There’s going to be an assessment in terms of their inclination, their interest because we also need to match their interest with what’s available in the market,” she said.
As a starting point, the program will be initially implemented in Valenzuela and Manila.
Seco said the community in Valenzuela was chosen as a partner community due to the needs of youth in the area.
“Valenzuela is part of another area where there [are] a lot of vulnerable families, young people. At base rin sa pag-aaral natin, maraming mga members ng youth ang nangangailangan ng trabaho. They also have to pick up that kind of skill,” the program director said.
“Whenever we look at the community, we look at their acceptance. So we wanted it [to] become collaborative,” she added.
She stressed that they would expand the program if opportunities arise.
The brand is also working with other local government units and agencies, such as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and the Department of Trade and Industry.
Uniqlo has more than 2,500 stores worldwide and at least 75 branches across the country. Meanwhile, Plan International Pilipinas is a 65-year-old non-government organization that focuses on youth and girls’ education, economic empowerment, and community development.
