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Development of young people's entrepreneurial skills in Delhi

Strengthening of the Life Project Centers in New Delhi to improve living conditions and professional integration of excluded youth through entrepreneurship.

Life Project for Youth, created in 2009, fights for social and economic integration of most excluded youth in Asia by advocating for them, and offering them professional trainings. The Air Liquide Foundation supports the development of two Life Project Centers of the association in India, where youth are welcomed to follow a 12-months professional training.

Our support during the Covid-19 pandemic

All the usual activities of the training centres are suspended during containment but LP4Y has decided to continue supporting its beneficiaries and their families. The problems of lockdown are quite different in the slums, where social distancing is more difficult. LP4Y plays an intermediary role in raising awareness among people who do not have access to official information and who live in these more at-risk areas.  

An emergency follow-up: the aim is to ensure that supported young adults are able to obtain basic foodstuffs, hygiene products and medicines and to disseminate safety and hygiene guidelines in the communities to which they belong. LP4Y also wants to ensure support for STARS, young people who have followed a work integration program, most of whom have lost the jobs they had just obtained.

In addition, the mobilization of local LP4Y teams ensure regular follow-up of the association's beneficiaries in order to continue to support young people at a distance. The Air Liquide Foundation finances these support measures for 135 young people and their families. 

Lack of professional opportunities in India’s poor districts

India has the world’s largest Youth population: 369 million 10-24-year-old (United Nations Population Fund, 2019). According to t​h​e OECD, over 30% of youth aged 15-24 in India are not in employment, education or training (NEETs1). Young women in India are particularly facing social and professional integration challenges. To respond to this emergency, 8 Life Project Centers have been launched in India since 2015 in very poor districts.

1. NEET : acronym of Not in Education, Employment or Training

Life Project 4 Youth

Life Project 4 Youth has started creating a new "Life Project Center" in the Sangam Vihar district © Life Project 4 Youth 

Professional training for Entrepreneur

It is structured around 3 pillars:

  • WORK (50%): Young adults join a team of 17 and work together on the creation, development and management of a micro-business
  • LEARN (30%): Youth get trainings in English, computer literacy and professional communication in order to build an academic background corresponding to the needs of the job market
  • GUIDE (20%): Youth are coached to develop personal and life skills

In order to enable every Youth to follow the training on a full-time basis and not have to work to survive during this period, they receive the Life Project Money (LPM), a weekly allowance which covers their basic needs and allow them to learn how to manage a budget and organize their expenses.

Defining feature of the Life Project Center: young people create and manage their own business, which provides them with opportunities to grow as professionals.

LP4Y Video Presentation

Life Project centers programs

In Sangam Vihar, the 2 “Khazana” programs, which means “treasure” in hindi, produce decorative objects and furniture from recycled materials.

In Paharganj, the 2 “Yummy” programs, they are producing and catering healthy snacks to local companies and institutions.

Both programmes are predominantly made up of young yomen.

Both Sangam Vihar & Paharganj trainees benefit from the involvement of external professionals to inspire and empower them in their professional path. Monthly company visits, mock interview sessions, workshops in collaboration with the partner companies employees are organized by LP4Y. These experiments can lead to hiring proposals and in every case, empower the Youth with better understanding and skills’ empowerment.

163 Youth accompanied since the creation of the ce

80% hired

68 direct beneficiaries of this project

Involvement of the Air Liquide Foundation

The Air Liquide Foundation supports these training programs by funding the renovation of the centers and equipments, and allowances of the Youth (Life Project Money).