About
The impact of JA’s real-world training extends beyond individual students. For over 100 years, JA has operated all over the world—including in refugee camps, countries wracked by war and violence, and areas of extreme poverty. By helping youth develop the employment and entrepreneurial tools to find meaningful work and start sustainable companies, JA serves as a conduit for peace and prosperity. Through JA, young people are equipped with the skillset and mindset to build thriving communities.
Founding year: 1919
Region: Global
Themes: Future of Work; Skills and Education; Entrepreneurship
Key Highlights
A global organization with a local network structure: As local teams in each country execute program delivery, six regional operating centers and the JA Worldwide team provide capacity-building and technical assistance in partnerships and sustainability; program design and management; financial management and compliance; curricula; platforms, systems, and technology; diversity, equity, and inclusion mainstreaming; visibility and thought leadership; monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning; and more.
Empower the Underserved: JA defines the underserved as youth with low access to education and/or poor outcomes in education and livelihoods. Underserved communities in every region and country are home to a greater share of the global youth population. To successfully reach more youth and optimize impact, JA increasingly dedicates resources to supporting youth in these communities, while continuing to drive impact where present.
Free, Flexible, and Freestyle (FFF) programmatic approach: JA collaborates on significant global initiatives while enjoying regional and local independence. The FFF approach empowers each JA location to ensure high program quality while tailoring its strategy to meet the unique needs of its location or region.
