Local governments play a critical role in advancing youth employment, helping young people develop their skills, realize their potential, and contribute meaningfully to their communities. Supporting youth employment has become a priority for cities and local authorities around the world.
According to the International Labour Organization, in 2023, 65 million young people were unemployed globally, while 20.4% were Not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET).
While no single approach can address the challenge, this article presents 11 illustrative cases demonstrating how local governments are taking action to bring more young people into the labour market. The map below provides an overview of these selected cases.
Skills training for labour market entry
A common approach to address the problem is to provide young people with practical, industry-relevant skills and on-the-job experience that meet the changing demands of the labor market.
Youth Employment Programme in the city of Rockingham, Australia
In the City of Rockingham, Australia, the Youth Employment Programme offers a three-year paid traineeship (ages 16–24) in partnership with the non-governmental organization, Nudge. Young people acquire skills and gain hands-on experience in civil maintenance, irrigation, and sports turf management within local government.
Launched in 2022, the program has already delivered on the following:
- 30+ trainees, representing more than 30 employment opportunities,
- 200+ applicants over 3 years,
- 78% retention rate.
Tripunithura Job Station in Tripunithura Municipality, India
The Tripunithura Municipality, in India, established the Tripunithura Job Station to address the unemployment of approximately 3,000 residents. The initiative provides skills training and job matching for young job seekers in collaboration with national employment missions.
The Tripunithura Job Station focuses on educated but unemployed youth and provides skills training, screening, and job matching. Participants undergo an assessment to evaluate qualifications and skills. The municipality offers interview preparation, portfolio development, and employability training aligned with academic backgrounds to boost their chance on securing a job.
Improving Access to Employment Opportunities
Beyond skills, many young people encounter obstacles in accessing information and opportunities. Local governments can serve as links between the youth and prospective employers.
Medellin Joven, Colombia
Medellín Joven (Youth Medellin) by the Medellín City Government, in Colombia, connects young people with employment opportunities, training, city clubs, and services through the youth employment platform.
Medellín Joven is a digital platform that serves as an employment ecosystem. On the website, job vacancies are posted regularly, while every week, opportunities are compiled into a newsletter that reaches over 245,000 users. Moreover, its WhatsApp broadcast channel has grown to 5,287 users, who receive direct, timely information without intermediaries. In addition to the digital presence, the project also reaches neighbourhoods with guidance, access routes, and training opportunities.
In 2025, 28,730 young people gained access to more than 3,100 opportunities through this program.
Targeted programs
Certain groups, particularly NEET youth or first-time job seekers, require tailored interventions.
Kul služba! In Ljublijana, Slovenia
- Kul služba! in the Municipality of Ljubljana, Slovenia, is a municipal program operated by their Youth Office, focused on young people who are less likely to be employed by training them for specific jobs. This program is part of the Municipality’s Strategy for Youth 2016–2025 and implements its key objective: increasing the employability of youth in Ljubljana.
Participants undergo two to three months of structured training followed by work placements in 15 public institutions and municipal companies. The program emphasizes:
- Mentoring mechanisms
- Intergenerational cooperation
- Employer awareness and social responsibility
The goal goes beyond short-term placement: it aims to shift employer perceptions and promote long-term hiring of young people under 30, ultimately offering permanent jobs for youth.
Youth Employment Plus in Rotorua, New Zealand
The Rotorua Lakes Council, New Zealand, implemented the Youth Employment Plus. It is a partnership between the city council and partner agencies to identify and recruit young people aged 15–24 who are NEET or at high risk of becoming NEET.
Participants receive:
- Individual mentoring and coaching
- Employability training (“Licence to Work” programme)
- Workshops on CV writing, interview skills, job searching, and confidence-building
- Access to volunteering and work experience opportunities
Programa Primer Paso (PPP) in Province of Córdoba, Argentina
The Province of Córdoba, Argentina, acknowledged that first-time job seekers may have additional difficulty in accessing jobs. The Programa Primer Paso (First Step Program) is a youth first-job program for young people between ages 16 and 25, where participants must be unemployed and have little or no prior work experience. It provides structured first-job opportunities that combine training and on-the-job experience, and connects participants to jobs.
The program is co-financed by private employers.
Linking youth employment to local development
Some municipalities incorporate youth employment into public service and community projects, adding extra social benefits to support young workers.
Andalucía activA in Morón de la Frontera, Spain
Through the regional grant scheme Andalucía Activa, from Junta Andalucía (Regional Government), the Morón de la Frontera City Council, Spain, created temporary jobs in municipal services, including gardening, maintenance, masonry, and cultural activities for young people aged 15 to 35.
With a total budget of $750,000 (including $240,000 from the municipality), the program created 48 six-month positions. While it does not guarantee permanent employment, it offers structured work experience to support career development.
The co-financing mechanism enables the municipality to promote youth employment and enhance municipal services simultaneously.
Teen Teamworks in Minneapolis, USA
Teen Teamworks is a youth work programme in the City of Minneapolis, USA, administered by the Parks and Recreation Board. It offers on-the-job training and employment in environmental projects for teenagers ages 14–18.
Teen Teamworks Employment Programs include:
- Urban environmental youthworker
- Recreation center individual placements
- Maintenance division individual placements
- Mississippi River green team
- Park pathways
- Garden crew
- Computer lab interns
- Youth sports
Job matching
Aligning youth employment with sectors focused on the future can help fix labor market mismatches.
Future Youth Jobs in Seoul, South Korea
The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Future Youth Jobs connects unemployed youth aged 19–39 with companies in three emerging sectors that will shape the future: AI/online content, zero waste, and social ventures. The platform tackles the disconnect between jobseekers and employers.
Participants undergo sector-specific training followed by three-month placements. Participating companies receive support for personnel costs.
In 2025, 166 young people were placed across 111 companies.
Creative and social pathways
Youth employment also covers creative industries and socially-oriented work.
Film Club Project in Amman, Jordan
The Film Club Project is co-led by the Greater Amman Municipality in Jordan and the Education Foundation Jordan to train young people and school dropouts aged 16 to 24. It offers skills training in the film industry, production, and photography, and provides opportunities to learn from others’ experiences.
The Film Club Project is implemented in cooperation with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Ministry of Social Development, and the International Youth Foundation. It provides young people with opportunities to participate in cultural activities at local and international levels, gain exposure to international networks, and express their perspectives.
Youth Development Project in Cape Town, South Africa
The City of Cape Town in South Africa launched the Youth Development Project, a municipal-led project which trains unemployed youth to mentor children aged 13 and older through sports. The program is offered at municipal facilities. It not only provides skills training but also offers youth a chance to connect with others in the community.
Conclusion
The cases show that local governments can drive youth employment through diverse roles serving as employers, intermediaries, trainers, regulators, conveners, and ecosystem builders. They are shaping local labour markets, designing responsive programmes, and positioning young people as active contributors to sustainable development rather than passive recipients of assistance.
