Western Union Foundation Supports Career & Leadership Pathways for Migrant and Refugee Youth
The Western Union Foundation has pledged support for the Aspen Institute's Global Opportunity Youth Network (GOYN) and the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) to build leadership and digital skills for migrant youth to thrive in the global economy.
The Western Union Foundation has pledged support for the Aspen Institute's Global Opportunity Youth Network (GOYN) and the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) to build leadership and digital skills for migrant youth to thrive in the global economy. The total investment with these organizations is USD500,000. It advances the Western Union Foundation's USD 15M commitment to Opportunity Beyond Borders, a 3-year initiative to overcome the obstacles faced by the world's approximately 40M migrant and refugee youth, a growing population more adversely impacted by COVID-19.1
The Western Union Foundation's partnership with GOYN was shaped by a previously announced Opportunity Beyond Borders research collaboration with the Center for Global Development. The research examined barriers refugees face in accessing formal labor markets and recommended policy changes to facilitate their own economic inclusion. This contributed to Colombia's important milestone this month to grant temporary legal status to 1.7M Venezuelan migrants over the next decade.
Aligned with this commitment to build more inclusive economies, GOYN will launch a new initiative in Colombia to create digital skilling pathways for migrant and Colombian female youth to thrive in tech careers, leveraging the current growth in Colombia's digital sector.
In the U.S., the Western Union Foundation and NPNA will build on local efforts to empower migrant and refugee youth by developing leadership skills critical for integration and economic success. The investment will create a youth immigrant and refugee leadership curriculum and launch the New American Youth Leadership Council, connecting young adults to career opportunities while training the next generation of leaders.
"Empowering youth with skills to succeed is vital to our future economy. Our collaborations with GOYN and NPNA enable young migrants to overcome significant obstacles hindering their progress," said Elizabeth Roscoe, Western Union Foundation Executive Director. "Enabling these opportunities is needed more now than ever, as young migrants and refugees are a good asset in rebuilding our global economy. We are focused on taking action today to build leaders empowered to forge a more resilient and sustainable future that benefits our communities."
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About the Western Union Foundation
The Western Union Foundation believes that education is the surest pathway to economic opportunity. After 20 years of impact, we continue to deliver on our mission with Opportunity Beyond Borders, focused on empowering forcibly displaced and marginalized youth with the training and education needed to succeed in today's technology-driven global economy. The Foundation also provides funding for humanitarian efforts for communities in crisis and disaster, one key reason for forced migration. To date, we have funded more than $131 million for projects and scholarships. The Western Union Foundation is a separate, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable corporation and receives support from The Western Union Company, its employees, agents, and business partners. Contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible for U.S. income tax purposes. To learn more, visit wu.com/foundation or follow us on Twitter @TheWUFoundation.
About Global Opportunity Youth Network (GOYN)
The Aspen Institute's Global Opportunity Youth Network (GOYN) catalyzes systems shifts for youth opportunity in communities around the world through the creation of sustainable training, employment, and income-earning pathways. Working with Anchor Partners situated in communities around the world, we work to create economic mobility and improve the quality of life for "Opportunity Youth" — young people aged 15-29 who are out of school, unemployed, or working in informal jobs. Our approach focuses on multi-sector collaboration and participatory solution design with an emphasis on equity, systems-level change, and amplifying the voices of youth. To learn more, visit GOYN.org or follow us on Twitter @GlobalOYNetwork.
About NPNA
The National Partnership for New Americans is a national multiethnic, multiracial organization that represents 41 of the largest regional immigrant and refugee rights organizations in 35 states. Its members provide large-scale services for the communities to leverage their collective power and expertise for a national strategy.
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