The largest wave of young people in history will soon transition into adulthood. Youth make up 25 percent of the world’s working age population, and more than 89 percent of them live in developing countries. This disproportionately high number of young people, known as the "youth bulge", is expected to swell to 1.5 billion by 2035.
Over the next decade, one billion young people will enter the global labour market. An estimated 600 million new jobs must be created each year simply to keep pace with this growth, in addition to absorbing the 200 million existing unemployed – 75 million of whom are young people.
For young adults, entering the labour force is a critical life transition point, however in many communities where World Vision works, young people are severely disadvantaged by a lack of access to education and employment opportunities, few prospects to engage in meaningful activities, and a limited sense of community belonging.
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