At the core of this framework, sit six pillars of youth empowerment. Entities should drive initiatives and behaviors across these six areas to create an environment for youth to thrive. All pillars are critical in unlocking the boundless value that can be generated by youth. They work hand in hand to collectively foster the desired environment and should therefore all be assessed and treated as priorities
Voice is the ability for youth to openly communicate thoughts, ideas and concerns, and actively participate by contributing to decisions and having influence within the entity. Promoting the voice of the youth will allow them to become more involved in daily work products and activities and enable them to be part of the decision-making process. This will support the entity by harnessing new solutions, perspectives and innovative ideas.
The ability of youth to openly share their thoughts, ideas, issues and concerns with peers, line managers, and leaders.
The meaningful involvement and representation of youth across the entity. This includes:
Recognition is the acknowledgement and meritocratic rewarding of youth for their achievements, performance and efforts. Actively recognizing youth is critical for youth empowerment and will result in improvements in youth satisfaction, motivation, productivity, and retention, improving an entity’s overall performance
The recognition of deserving youth for their achievements and performance through financial and non-financial rewards.
The acknowledgement of youth’s everyday efforts and performance through expressions of gratitude and recognition.
Purpose is about instilling in youth a sense of loyalty, belonging and commitment to their entities and satisfaction in the work they do. Youth who understand the vision, values, goals and strategies of their entity and how they contribute to achieving these will feel more connected to the entities they work in. They will also find more meaning in their work, remain engaged, and develop a sense of determination to achieve their career goals. Federal entities ultimately serve the objectives of the UAE as well; thus, it is important for youth to understand that their role and contributions are pivotal for the UAE to achieve its vision.
The loyalty and connection youth feel towards their entity and its mandate, as well as the broader vision of the UAE.
Youth’s sense of satisfaction in the work they do and its linkage to their personal goals and ambitions.
Guidance is a personalized process whereby youth are supported to grow on a professional and personal level. This guidance can be provided by both line managers and more senior individuals within the business. Guiding youth will allow them to feel confident in their abilities, guided when in need of help, and supported in their career.
The receiving of broader advice from senior and experienced individuals who have typically walked their path. Mentors are seen by youth as trusted advisors and role models. They support youth in navigating their careers and take steps to guide their overall career development.
The receiving of personalized advice and guidance from line managers to improve youth’s skills and performance. Line managers help youth learn on the job, provide constructive and periodic feedback, and coach youth to address their development areas. By doing so, they prepare them to succeed in their current and future roles.
Development is the continuous process whereby youth master new skills and improve their performance. It is critical for youth to incorporate new skills and knowledge into their behaviors and way of working. Developing youth’s skills, knowledge and competencies and helping them continuously improve their job performance are fundamental components of empowering youth. They ensure that youth are continuously growing and equipped to succeed in their careers.
The continuous process of learning and retaining new skills and knowledge, technical and non-technical. This can be delivered through formalized learning and development programs, platforms and resources.
The process of monitoring, evaluating and improving the performance of youth throughout the year, on an ongoing basis.
Opportunity is providing youth with the prospects for career progression and the ability to assume a variety of responsibilities. Youth should be given the opportunity to experience new tasks and projects to allow for balanced and well-rounded growth. Moreover, promoting deserving youth enhances their performance, ambition, motivation, and morale.
The ability of youth to own, manage and be accountable for their current work and projects, as well as to expand their current responsibilities and experience new assignments and projects. Entities should look to assign important responsibilities to youth early in their careers to ccelerate their growth. It is important that these opportunities are communicated to youth and made available for all.
The advancement of youth to higher grades within the entity through formal promotions. Aside from supporting promotion cases, youth should be made aware of their career paths and trajectory and be promoted in a fair and timely manner.
At the core of this framework, sit six pillars of youth empowerment. Entities should drive initiatives and behaviors across these six areas to create an environment for youth to thrive. All pillars are critical in unlocking the boundless value that can be generated by youth. They work hand in hand to collectively foster the desired environment and should therefore all be assessed and treated as priorities
