The Digital Shift: Youth Voices on Digital Inclusion and Skills

We are pleased to share our latest youth voices report:  The Digital Shift – Youth Voices on Digital Inclusion and Skills.

Youth, especially young women, face a multitude of challenges when it comes to securing opportunities in the digital economy. COVID-19 is just the latest, and a goal of this year’s Tanzania Youth Digital Summit (TYDS) was to explore the effects of the pandemic on youth-led enterprises, livelihoods and digital skills. 

The Digital Shift report amplifies youth voices, shares the barriers they face, the aspirations they hold dear and the ways in which DOT and other partners can better support them as they journey through the digital shift. 

This report also highlights key recommendations from youth participants at the Tanzania Youth Digital Summit (TYDS) that will help guide the creation of DOT’s programs and can be used by partners to inform next steps to ensure youth are at the centre of inclusive growth in the digital economy. 

Here are four recommendations shared by youth on how organizations can create more inclusive digital opportunities and enabling ecosystems:

1. Create more digital skills training programs that are youth-led, focused on practical skills development and established based on local context.
2. Consider ways to make online-training accessible to those who lack internet or technology access. This could mean offering more in-person training, translating content into local languages (i.e. Swahili), or creating audio-only sessions for radio broadcast. 
3. Awareness raising activities must be conducted to broaden public understanding of the uses of digital technology and the opportunities available in the digital economy. 
4. Create strong networks of women supporting women by highlighting women-led social enterprises, developing platforms that allow women to exchange experiences and encouragement and promoting programs that connect young women with mentors. This will help young women feel supported as they pursue digital opportunities.

For more information on the research, key findings and additional recommendations provided by youth participants at the TYDS, read the full report.