With the "Young Women Building Their Future" Project, More Than 800 Women Joined the Workforce

Working in collaboration with the Ministry of Family and Social Services and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, and with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Sabancı Foundation, the Young Women Building Their Future Project continues to work towards the economic and social participation of young women in Turkey who are neither in education nor in employment (NEET).

The project, which began in 2022 with its first phase now completed, has reached 6,000 NEET young women to date, with more than 800 entering the workforce. According to a social return on investment (SROI) analysis conducted to measure the project's impact, TRY 45 million in social value was created annually.

The first phase of the Young Women Building Their Future Project, conducted in collaboration between the Ministry of Family and Social Services and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Sabancı Foundation, has been completed. Through the project aimed at strengthening young women who are neither in education nor in employment (NEET) in our country, 6,000 NEET young women have been reached to date and more than 800 have entered the workforce. Initiated by identifying the problems and needs of NEET young women through comprehensive field research, the project has implemented numerous activities including vocational training and rights-based empowerment training, mentoring and grant programs, and an Opportunities Map providing easy access to job, internship, education and entrepreneurship support opportunities. Every TRY 1 invested in the Young Women Building Their Future Project provided TRY 4 in social return, while creating TRY 45 million in annual social value. The Mentoring Program in particular provided greater benefits to participants. In this program, every TRY 1 invested created TRY 6 in social return. As women's job-finding rates increased, their psychological resilience was also strengthened. The confidence gained during the mentoring process contributed to their success in working life.

Güler Sabancı, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Sabancı Foundation, said: "We have continued our activities for 50 years to contribute to the social development of our country. In particular, ensuring that women and girls have equal opportunities in all fields is at the center of our foundation's work. As our research has shown, the issue of young women neither in education nor in employment is one of the growing problems in our country. For this reason, in 2022 we launched the Young Women Building Their Future Project to increase the economic and social participation of young women. Drawing attention to the problems of NEET young women, making these problems visible and strengthening efforts to find solutions formed the foundation of this project. Our project makes important contributions both to individual empowerment of women and to their inclusion in economic life. At our foundation, which has more than 50 years of accumulated knowledge, through this project, of the 6,000 NEET young women we have reached at the end of 3 years, more than 800 have joined the workforce. Fortunately, this project creating TRY 45 million in annual social value shows us that we have touched the right point in terms of women's empowerment. As it has been for the past 3 years, we will continue our work in the coming period together with our impact partners to help young women discover their own potential and participate in life in a stronger way," he said.

Young Women Building Their Future Project Became a Source of Hope for Thousands of Young Women in 3 Years
Since the project began in February 2022, numerous activities such as training, mentoring and grant programs, and the Opportunities Map have been carried out together to support young women in building their futures. As a result of these activities, significant increases were identified in young women's confidence, empowerment, awareness, emotional resilience, supportive relationships and employability.

The figures reached through activities are as follows:
•    6,000 young women were reached in 3 years, and more than 800 women entered the workforce.
•    Through the Opportunities Map, as a result of collaboration with nearly 1,300 institutions, more than 2,000 education, job and internship opportunities met young women.
•    300,000 young women gained access to the Opportunities Map.
•    Through awareness-raising activities conducted, 3 million young women were reached.
•    Nearly 100 training programs totaling 10,000 hours were organized in many fields such as software, industry and service sectors.
•    Through the Mentoring Program conducted in two phases, 1,000 mentors and 1,100 mentees were reached, while 4,000 mentoring sessions were held.