Young disability advocate Sarah Kekeli Akunor and Ghana Remote Online Work (GROW) programme administrator Diana Atakarachere Martin have called for stronger pathways linking youth skills training to employment, entrepreneurship and decision-making.

Speaking on the Asaase Café on Wednesday (12 August) to markInternational Youth Day, the two advocates said many young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and persons with disabilities, continue to face barriers including limited access to information, finance, markets and work experience.

Akunor, a person with visual impairment and vice president of the Campus Association of Students with Special Needs, said skills development programmes had helped her build a career in disability inclusion and digital advocacy.

She said she became a certified disability inclusion facilitator through the Mastercard Foundation’s We Can Work programme after completing university.

“Leadership is not just a title. It’s about finding the solutions to the gaps that exist in our societies and working together with people,” she said.

Akunor said the training had also equipped her with advocacy and communication skills and opened opportunities for her to work in internet governance and digital inclusion.

She said she had subsequently used the skills to train and advocate for more inclusive workplaces and programmes.

Martin, who works with MEST Africa and has been involved in programmes supporting women’s participation in digital and remote work, said skills training had helped her find a clearer career direction after national service.

She said she participated in a digital marketing programme that provided two months of training followed by an internship.

“The things I know now and the kind of work I do, I didn’t learn them from university,” she said, stressing the importance of practical skills alongside formal education.

Martin said she later trained more than 60 young women in digital marketing, including women who used the skills to promote their businesses.

She said the opportunity to train others demonstrated the importance of creating programmes that allow beneficiaries to “pay forward” the support they receive.

The two advocates said youth programmes should not end with certificates, arguing that young people need support to transition from training into sustainable employment and entrepreneurship.

Akunor said access to information remained a major challenge, particularly for young people in rural communities who may not have reliable access to online opportunities.

She also called for greater access to finance and markets for young entrepreneurs.

“NGOs should go beyond just training and the young person hanging. They should have, after training pathways, mentorship, what next for you, guidance, opportunities, access to market, access to finance,” she said.

She further urged organisations designing youth programmes to involve young people directly in decision-making.

“You have to make it young-person-centred in your designs,” she said.

Akunor said this was particularly important for persons with disabilities, whose needs could be overlooked when programmes were designed without consulting them.

She cited accessibility as an example, saying that simply providing a ramp does not necessarily make a building accessible if its slope, width or surface is unsuitable.

Martin called for stronger collaboration between government, businesses and civil society organisations to provide young people with opportunities to gain practical experience.

She said organisations sometimes faced difficulties working with government institutions because of bureaucratic processes and urged public institutions to be more open to innovative approaches to skills development.

She also called for greater investment in technical and vocational education and training, as well as internships that allow young people to gain workplace experience.

Akunor urged government and organisations to include young people, including those with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, in the design and implementation of programmes intended for them.

She said young people should be treated not merely as beneficiaries but as participants in decision-making.

The two advocates encouraged young people to actively seek information and opportunities rather than waiting for them to arrive.

Martin urged young people to “dream bigger” and make use of available digital tools to access opportunities.

Akunor encouraged young people with disabilities not to allow their circumstances to determine their future.

“Your visions, your dreams and aspirations are valid,” she said.

“We need to create a space for ourselves where we can thrive, where we can learn together, where we can come together and explore opportunities and make good use of it.”

She urged young people with disabilities to continue advocating for their rights, exploring opportunities and refusing to allow exclusion to limit their ambitions.