Big breaks for hospitality kids and human trafficking survivors

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Life changing opportunities for thousands of young people across the globe thanks to new and renewed hotel industry support for the Youth Career Initiative

Thousands of young people around the world will have their lives changed for the better thanks to the commitment of YCI’s hotel industry partners and foundations.

New funding totalling more than £200,000 (approximately $300,000 USD) was secured for the Youth Career Initiative (YCI) in 2015 to help young people with limited prospects receive life-changing training and mentoring to move onto employment or further education.

YCI is a transformative employability programme for young people, working with hotel partners in more than 15 countries around the world.

Thanks to new and renewed commitments from the Burba Hotel Network, Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Gold Passport®, Marriott International, the IHG® Foundation and The J. Willard and Alice. S Marriott Foundation, YCI can expand according to the five-year growth plan established in 2015.

Alberto Canovas, Head of YCI said,  "We’re honoured and delighted that so many foundations and hotel partners have committed to support our work with unemployed youth who have limited socio-economic opportunities. It is through the generous support of these and our current funders  that we are able to help many more young people receive opportunities they would otherwise struggle to access."

Anne Gunsteens, Executive Director at The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation said:

"The Foundation has been happy to support YCI for several years and in that time we’ve been proud witnesses to its growth and ability to impact so many lives for the better. We’re pleased to be able to continue our support of the programme and are excited to see YCI’s ambitious growth plans for the future."

Kate Gibson, a trustee of the recently launched IHG® Foundation commented:

 "Through collaborating with a number of beneficiaries including YCI, we’re bringing to life our purpose to help make communities around the world better places to be for all. The work of YCI in tackling youth unemployment and helping survivors of human trafficking to rebuild their lives is a vision that we share, and through supporting this continuing work we’re helping to build more sustainable communities across the globe."

 YCI works with non-profit organisations and hotel partners who mobilise their properties to offer a six-month training programme to local youth. The programme provides students with transferable life and work skills that improve their employment opportunities, as well as empowering them to make informed career choices and positive life decisions.

 YCI also works with survivors of human trafficking and other young people who are unlikely to have a viable route into legitimate employment or be able to improve their situation without external help. One of these young people is Eunice, a survivor of human trafficking and YCI graduate from Nairobi, Kenya who said:

 "To some extent I had lost hope in life, but YCI came at the right time. Now, I can see my dreams coming true."

 Valere Tjolle

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