YouStart Application Portal Now Ready: APPLY HERE

November 16th, 2022 at 05:17 pm

YouStart Application Portal Now Ready: APPLY HERE

Do you wish to be an entrepreneur someday? If yes, then take the first steps to economic growth. YouStart has finally open the application portal for the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project.

The Project is considered as one of the main forms of support for the government’s top-priority agenda of upgrading skills among the country’s population, creating more and better-quality jobs, and improving job outcomes for youth. It connects success in these areas to state stability, social cohesion, and economic inclusion.

The World Bank is providing financing and technical support to the Government of Ghana (GoG) for the implementation of this Project.

Components and a Contingent Emergency Response

The Project supports the government’s prioritized skills development and job creation agenda, through four main components and a Contingent Emergency Response;

1. Provision of Apprenticeship Training for Jobs being implemented by the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET)
2. Operationalization of the Ghana Labor Market Information System, Upgradation of District Public Employment Centers and Services, and Independent Performance Reviews of Selected Government Youth Employment and Skills Development Programs being implemented by the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations (MELR)
3. Capacity Development, Technical Assistance, and Project Management Support to Coordinating, Implementing, and Partnering Agencies for Enhanced Skills and Jobs Impact being implemented by the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
4. Provision of Entrepreneurship and Small and Micro Enterprise Support for Jobs

• Provision of entrepreneurship training and competitive business start-up grants to individuals for jobs being implemented by the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA)
• Provision of competitive grants to private enterprises for expanded employment being implemented by the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET)

The Ghana Enterprises Agency

The Ghana Enterprises Agency – an Agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI), is implementing Subcomponent 2.1 of the Project. The Agency will provide entrepreneurship training to 50,000 youth who have the potential to start a business.

Moreover, Three levels of entrepreneurship training will be offered: basic, intermediate, and advanced. Therefore, The training will be based on standardized, quality-assured packages in different locations nationwide. Then, All training will be delivered using an experiential participatory approach conducive for adult learning and will also be district based and non-residential.

Also, All advanced training participants will receive mentoring and coaching support, which encompasses guidance to prepare business plans, meet business registration and licensing requirements, and connect with input and output markets. Short duration internship, mentoring and guidance sessions would be arranged for some selected beneficiaries.

In addition, 5,000 selected youth who successfully undergo training up to the intermediate and advance levels would be eligible for Business Startup Grants. Thus, These grants will be available to individuals and self-formed groups, with high potential to succeed in business, and operating in any sector aside from the extraction of natural resources.

The start-up grants will be provided for the following:

• Firstly, Purchase of machinery and equipment, or technology (software, process technology, etc.)
• Secondly, Start-up business investments targeted at productivity and growth such as marketing and sales, innovation efforts, or operational efficiency
• Thirdly, Working capital, such as purchase of raw materials and consumables, and payment of salaries, rents, and other accounts payables
• Moreover, Payment for technical advisory services, training, and subscriptions to platforms
• Additionally, Payment for regulatory compliance, e.g., RGD, FDA registration and license, GSA certification, etc.
• Finally, Start-ups seeking to provide essential goods that helps to mitigate against the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or any other disease that may pose a threat to the nation

Eligibility Criteria (Who Qualifies to Apply)

The following category of youth will be targeted:

• Persons from 18 to 40 years old
• Then, Minimum of Basic Education Certificate Examination
• Willingness to start a business
• School dropouts already in a business would be considered
• Lastly, Special attention would be given to women and Persons with Disabilities (PWD)

You will need the following documents to complete your application

• Digital Address
• Valid National ID Card preferably “Ghana Card”
• Certificate of the most recent education attained
• Lastly, Valid mobile number

Create Your Account  

You will need the following to complete your application: