About GOYN
The Global Opportunity Youth Network (GOYN) is a global initiative working to create sustainable pathways to education, skilling, employment and entrepreneurship for Opportunity Youth (young people aged 15-35 who are out of school, unemployed, or working in informal, often precarious jobs). It brings together local and global partners to address the systemic barriers that prevent young people from accessing economic opportunities.
GOYN follows a place-based approach, focusing on communities where the need and potential for change are greatest. Through local collaboratives comprising anchor partners, sector leaders and young people, it works to develop solutions rooted in local realities and drive lasting change across communities.
Since its launch in 2018, GOYN has built a global network of communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America, creating opportunities for cross-learning, collaboration and collective action. The initiative is hosted at the Aspen Institute and managed in partnership with the Global Development Incubator (GDI).
GOYN in India: LCF as the Anchor Partner
LCF is GOYN’s anchor partner in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad (PCMC) in Maharashtra, and Bhubaneswar in Odisha.
Since 2019, as an anchor partner, LCF brings together young people, government institutions, employers, skilling organizations, nonprofits, educational institutions and other stakeholders to strengthen the local opportunity ecosystem. Together, this opportunity ecosystem identifies the gaps in existing systems and creates coordinated pathways that enable them to access meaningful and sustained livelihoods
Impact Since 2019
Opportunity Youth Connected
Engaged through various programs
Opportunity Youth Improved
Enhanced agency, employability (workplace readiness & skills training), re-entering into education
Opportunity Youth Transformed
Entered/ Re-entered formal work & self-employment
* Impact as of September 2026
Our Approach: Four Pathways to Opportunity
GOYN works through four interconnected pathways to strengthen youth agency and create sustainable livelihood opportunities.
1. Aspire, Prepare and Achieve
Helping Opportunity Youth (OY) discover their aspirations, understand available opportunities and take informed steps towards education, skilling, employment and entrepreneurship.
- Workplace Readiness
- Entrepreneurship Development Program
- Re-entering into Education
- Nayi Soch Nayi Pehchaan (for aspiration building)
- Linkages to schemes/ sponsorship
2. Bridge Demand Supply Gap
Aligning OY’s skills, interests and aspirations with evolving industry needs through relevant skilling, career guidance and employer connections.
- Partner led Skill Training
- Sector Specific Skilling Programmes
- Sector Specific Curriculum Development
- Employer Engagement
- Placement Support for Youth
3. Enabling Connected Ecosystem
Bringing together government, employers, educational institutions, civil society and young people to coordinate efforts, address systemic barriers and expand access to opportunities.
- NGO Collaborative Forum
- Multistakeholder Advisory Group
- Skilling Associations
4. Nurture OY Leadership
This aims to strengthen the OY ecosystem by leveraging open-source assets, eliminating the no information divide via continuous communication with stakeholders, along with formalizing a Multi-Stakeholder Group for governance and oversight and facilitate co-creating a common vision and driving Policy Shifts supported by Research & Publication.
- Youth Advisory Group
- Youth Innovation Fund
Program Highlights
Youth Leadership
Initiatives to enable youth to build and exercise their agency, shape and lead programs through equal participation, and influence solutions that shape opportunities for their peers.
Key components include:
Youth Advisory Groups (YAGs):
Youth Innovation Fund (YIF):
Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP)
EDP supports young entrepreneurs to explore and develop the capabilities required to establish and manage enterprises –helping them move from ideas to action.
Through training, exposure, mentoring and practical guidance, participants learn about business planning, market opportunities, customer needs, financial literacy, pricing, marketing and business operations. They also build connections to relevant resources, markets and support systems.
Our Local, National and Global Partners
Publications
Khule Bol – the Youth Magazine It is a celebration of the countless young leaders who are creating impact in their communities and it spotlights their courage, creativity, and leadership.
The Future Series The Future books bring together the dreams, journeys and actions of young people and leaders shaping the futures they envision.
Building a Stronger Ecosystem for Youth
GOYN’s place-based approach recognizes that sustainable change requires more than individual programs. It requires an ecosystem that works together to create opportunities and address the barriers OY face.