Caracas, Venezuela - Nokia and Fundación para la Infancia y la Juventud - (Opportúnitas) have launched a new three-year program to promote youth employment and personal development in Venezuela.

 

The program offers a combination of training in information technology and also in interpersonal skills like leadership, teamwork, and conflict resolution. It also provides training through internships, to ensure that the youth receive practical, hands-on experience. It is not merely a training program, but a way to help young people learn the importance of contribution to society.

 

One of the key elements of the program is to assist families with limited resources. Opportúnitas and Nokia hope to share this opportunity with young people that would otherwise lack the financial means to take the first step. The beneficiaries will be youth, aged 18 to 29, from the greater Caracas metropolitan area, Anzoátegui and Carabobo.

 

As part of the global Make a Connection initiative, the new program draws on the expertise of the International Youth Foundation (IYF), and its worldwide experience. Now active in more than 20 countries, Make a Connection began over 5 years ago, and has received more than $US 23 million in funding from Nokia to date.

 

The program is jointly funded by the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), highlighting the potential that the international community sees in Venezuelan youth and the importance of youth employment. Opportúnitas and Nokia also welcome additional donors to help expand the scale of the program.

 

Olivier Puech, Vice President LTA Export, Nokia Latin America, observed, "The desire to build an inclusive society is integral to the Venezuelan way of life. Through this program, Nokia believes it will help achieve this aim, extending opportunities to young people, and encouraging their contribution to contribute to the community."

 

Antonio Valbuena, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Opportunitas noted, "The strength of the program lies in the balance between personal and technical skills. The future and success of our young people depends not only on finding work, but on what they do once they find it."

 

 

Make a Connection, launched in 2000, is a global initiative of the International Youth Foundation and Nokia to promote positive youth development by giving young people an opportunity to make a connection to their communities, to their families and peers, and to themselves. The program improves young people's educational opportunities, teaches them life skills, and helps them make a positive contribution to their societies. Over the past five years, Make a Connection has equipped nearly 240,000 young people with essential skills for life and indirectly benefited more than 2 million people. Programs have already been implemented 22 countries, each tailored to country-specific needs. More information on Make a Connection can be found at www.makeaconnection.org.

 

ExE is a non-profit organization established in 2002, with a mission to improve the quality of basic education in Colombia and make it accessible to all Colombian youth, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation. With headquarters in Bogotá and 12 regional chapters, it bridges the worlds of business, government and education throughout the country.

 

The International Youth Foundation (IYF) is dedicated to supporting programs that improve the conditions and prospects for young people where they live, learn, work, and play. Since its founding in 1990, IYF has worked with hundreds of companies, foundations, and non-governmental organizations to scale up existing programs and build long-term strategic partnerships. Currently operating in close to 70 countries and territories, IYF and its partners have helped millions of young people gain the skills, training and opportunities critical to their success. More information on IYF can be found at www.iyfnet.org

 

Nokia has a positive impact on society that extends beyond the advanced technology, products and services the company creates. Through its cooperation with the International Youth Foundation and other regional philanthropic and social responsibility programs, the company prepares young people to embrace opportunities created by the global economy and new technological advancements. The company has been an active regional contributor to youth and education causes for many years, with Nokia employees making their own contributions as volunteers in a range of programs throughout the world.

 

 

 

Nokia, Latin America

Jorge Aguilera, Corporate Communications Manager

Tel: + 972 894 6416

E-mail: jorge.aguilera@nokia.com

 

Nokia

Communications

Tel: +358 7180 34900

E-mail: press.office@nokia.com

 

www.nokia.com