Locations"Empowered Youth-Employed Future" Youth Camp Launched in Armenia
October 27, 2025
Youth Camp Graduates
UNDP in Armenia
Youth Camp titled "Empowered Youth-Employed Future" took place on October 20-21 in Kotayk region. This initiative is part of the UNDP "Youth Employment” project funded by the Russian Federation.
The Youth Camp, as a pilot program, is aimed to equip young individuals - vocational education students and graduates - with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate their career paths effectively.
The primary goal of the Youth Camp was the introduction of a Career Guidance Model through engagement of advanced and active youth – vocational education and training institutions (VETIs) students or graduates as Peer Career Advisors (PCAs) to supplement the work of the Career Counselors of the VET institutions voluntarily.
These PCAs should play a vital role in supporting their peers with career development needs, creating an informal network for guidance and mentorship. The model also emphasizes a commitment to empowering vulnerable youth by providing peer-to-peer support and practical career guidance tailored to their unique circumstances. This initiative not only aims to enhance employability but also fosters resilience and adaptability among youth facing labor market challenges.
The program brought together 48 participants, including 16 career guidance specialists of 16 VETIs located in the four target regions of the UNDP “Youth Employment” project: Kotayk, Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor, and Syunik, and 32 PCAs from the same VETIs.
“This initiative is well-aligned with the national employment strategy (2024–2030), recent legal frameworks on volunteerism and youth policy, and UNDP Armenia’s broader mission of localized, inclusive, and sustainable development. We are committed not only to delivering an effective 2-day Youth Camp and evaluation of its impact, but also to pilot a Model and evaluate its effectiveness for potential evidence-based scale-up,” noted Karine Simonyan, UNDP Project Coordinator, in her welcoming speech.
Throughout the two-day event, participants with the support of CRRC-Armenia team and specialists of the Prodeform - Professional Development Platform explored various themes, including understanding youth employment challenges, career pathways, and job market trends; the role of peer career advisors, youth-centered career guidance tools, and many more.
By the end of the Youth Camp, participants were equipped to identify employment challenges, map career pathways, and apply youth-centered career guidance tools effectively. The participants have also developed outreach action plans to support their communities, particularly focusing on vulnerable youth groups, including young women in precarious situations, young refugees, and youth with disabilities.
The Youth Camp “Empowered Youth-Employed Future” represents a new Model in career guidance and professional education toward bridging the gap between education and employment in Armenia. As per the opinion of the Camp participants it might be successfully replicated for the other regions of Armenia.
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