Youstart GJSP Ghana Application

Youstart GJSP Ghana Application

The World Bank is providing financing and technical support to the Government of Ghana (GoG) for the implementation of the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project. The Project is considered as one of the main forms of support for the government’s top-priority agenda of upgrading skills among the country’s population, creating more and better-quality jobs, and improving job outcomes for youth. It connects success in these areas to state stability, social cohesion, and economic inclusion.

All advanced training participants will receive mentoring and coaching support, which encompasses guidance to prepare business plans, meet business registration and licensing requirements, and connect with input and output markets. Short duration internship, mentoring and guidance sessions would be arranged for some selected beneficiaries

5,000 selected youth who successfully undergo training up to the intermediate level would be eligible for Business Startup Grants. These grants will be available to individuals and self-formed groups, majority-owned by Ghanaians, with high potential to succeed in business, and operating in any of the non-resource-based sectors

Who qualifies to Apply

What to expect from the Project
The Ghana Jobs and Skills Project will follow 5 simple steps

Application/Registration
Registration and application for the project is targeted at Ghanaians from the ages of 18 to 40 with at least Basic Education Certificate Examination qualification and willing to start a business. School dropouts already in a business would be considered for this project as well. Special attention would be given to women and Persons with Disabilities (PWD)

Readiness And Needs Assessment
Shortlisted applicants would be invited by GEA Officers in their respective locations for a readiness screening/needs assessment exercise for verification of data provided by applicants and identification of needs for Entrepreneurship Development.

Entrepreneurship Training
A district based and non-residential Entrepreneurship Training would be conducted at 3 levels: basic, intermediate, and advanced using an experiential participatory approach conducive for adult learning

Coaching and Mentoring
The Coaching and Mentoring support would be provided to beneficiaries who progress to the advance level to finalize their business plans, meeting of licensing and registration requirements, testing of products on the market. Short duration internship, mentoring and guidance sessions would be arranged for some selected beneficiaries

Competitive Start-up Grants
5,000 selected youth (individual or self-formed groups) who successfully undergo training up to the intermediate and advance levels would be eligible for Business Startup Grants. They must demonstrate high potential to succeed in business, and operating in any sector aside from the extraction of natural resources.

ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Who can apply for the entrepreneurship training under the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project?

Any Ghanaian youth between the ages of 18 – 40 years with a minimum of BECE Certification and a valid Ghanaian Identification Card (ID) who wants to start a business can register for entrepreneurship training.

Can I apply if I have no educational certification or did not complete BECE?

Yes, you can only apply if you have already started a business in Ghana but do not have any educational certification.

Can I apply if I have additional skills training after completing BECE?

Yes, youth with skills training but yet to start a business are encouraged to apply for the training.

What do I need to apply for the training?

You will need a valid Ghanaian Identity (ID) Card, preferably the Ghana Card to apply for training under the Project.

Do I need to provide a proof of my educational level?

Yes, you would need to upload a picture of your certificate or results slip as evidence of your educational attainment.

Do I need to provide a proof of my educational level?

Yes, you would need to upload a picture of your certificate or results slip as evidence of your educational attainment.

Do I require a Business Plan to apply for the training?

No, you do not require a Business Plan to apply. If you have an existing one, it will be refined during the program.

Will all applicants be selected for the training?

No, only shortlisted applicants would be contacted to participate in the training.

How can I register for the Project?

To register, please visit https://gea.gov.gh/yeep or any of GEA’s 206 Business Advisory Centers or 37 Business Resource Centers (BRC) across the country.

ABOUT THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING

Where will the trainings be held?

The trainings will be held at the district level. Successful applicants would be provided with information on the venues for the training.

How long will the training last?

The training will be implemented at 3 levels based on your graduation process as follows: Basic Training for 5 Days, Intermediate Training for 10 Days and Advanced Training for 15 Days.

Will I be given a certificate after completing each level?

Yes, each participant will be given a certificate of completion.

How will I progress from one level to another?

Progress will be based on a participant’s performance during the training.

When will I be eligible for Coaching and Mentoring Support?

Beneficiaries who reach the advanced level would be eligible for coaching and mentoring support to finetune their business ideas and receive needed support and advice.

ABOUT THE COMPETITIVE STARTUP GRANTS

Will I be eligible for grant support after the entrepreneurship training?

Not everyone is eligible for grant support.

Will I be automatically given the grant support when I apply?

No, beneficiaries would be assessed by the Grants Management Team before they would be provided with grants support.

What can the grant support be used for?

The start-up grants will be provided for the following:

– Purchase of machinery and equipment, or technology (software, process technology, etc.)

– Start-up business investments targeted at productivity and growth such as marketing and sales, innovation efforts, or operational efficiency

– Working capital, such as purchase of raw materials and consumables, and payment of salaries, rents, and other accounts payables

– Payment for technical advisory services, training, and subscriptions to platforms

– Payment for regulatory compliance, e.g., RGD, FDA registration and license, GSA certification, etc.

– Start-ups seeking to provide essential goods that helps to mitigate against the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or any other disease that may pose a threat to the nation.

Would applicants be made to repay the Grant at some future time?

Grants are non-repayable. Grant beneficiaries would therefore not be required to repay their grants.

Will the use of the Grant be monitored?

Yes. The Grants Manager and his team will review or check all expenditures related to the grants paid to each beneficiary to ensure conformity with the Grants Agreement.

Will the use of the Grant be monitored?

Yes. The Grants Manager and his team will review or check all expenditures related to the grants paid to each beneficiary to ensure conformity with the Grants Agreement.

How many selected youth would benefit from the Competitive Startup Grants?

Grant will be competitively awarded, meaning it will be given to the best applicants using a set of pre-determined assessment criteria jointly established by a local team of experts and a team from the World Bank Group. Beneficiaries of the Competitive Startup Grants will therefore be limited to 5,000 youth.

What are the assurances for transparency in the assessment of Grant applicants and subsequent award?

The GEA is committed to assessing grant applicants transparently and ensuring that only the best applicants receive the competitive startup grants. A key step to ensuring transparency is the limit of human interferences in both the grants application and assessment processes.