Talents Unlimited SUMMARY 
The goal of this project (1 July 2019 – 20 June 2022) is to get 3,000 of the most vulnerable Syrian and Jordanian girls and boys between 12 and 24 years back to school. This allows them to obtain a diploma in two years, with which they can continue studying, find a job or start their own business. The project is being implemented in three densely refugee populated districts in Jordan, namely Marka, Mafraq and Hashmi. By bringing the expertise of Plan International Jordan, Johud (local implementing partner) and technical partner Aflatoun, the project offers a concrete future perspective for Syrian and Jordanian girls and boys who have not gone to school because of the crisis. The crisis in Syria has been going on for seven years and poverty among Syrian refugees in Jordan is huge. They live in crowded neighborhoods with very limited facilities. Many parents find it unsafe in Jordan and want to protect their daughters against sexual violence. Additionally, they are looking for ways to feed their children. Resulting in marrying off their daughters. A third of the girls are married before the age of fifteen. This is disastrous for girls as 96% of married girls do not return to school or work. This also applies to unmarried girls who are kept at home. They are completely isolated from the outside world. The boys are mainly sent out to earn money for the family. Half of Syrian children work. Often it is poorly paid, irregular and unsafe work, without protection. In a quarter of the families, the child is even the family's breadwinner. Going to school is not an option for this group of young people. There are regular schools where the government has made room for Jordanian and Syrian children. However, the target group of this project cannot join as the government prohibits young people who have not been to school for more than three years to participate in regular education. They may take part in non-formal education in mainstream schools, but the quality of education is low due to overcrowded classrooms, insufficient teaching materials and poorly trained teachers.  An important reason that Syrian youths are not working is that they were unable to finish their school because of the crisis. They cannot find a regular job with a market-level salary without a degree from a (professional) study program. For girls, the situation is even worse: once married, they no longer work. Our experience is that it is therefore extremely important to talk to the parents and convince them on the need for education of girls, for their own development and to contribute to family income. Plan International, together with its partners, JOHUD and Aflatoun, is working on two result areas that start in parallel and lead to the main objective of bringing back to school the most vulnerable Syrian girls and boys between 12 and 24 years and their Jordanian peers, without training or decent work.
The Talents Unlimited project starts with the recruitment and selection of young people who will take part in route 1 or route 2. 
Adolescents aged between 13 and 17 are eligible for the alternative curriculum. All young people first take an assessment to determine their level in order to join the right level. The alternative education curriculum is fixed and made by the government. This allows young people to obtain a diploma in two years with which they can transfer to further education. Girls and boys aged 12 cannot start alternative education according to the law. In order to ensure that they do not end up on the streets or at home, they receive a one-year transition program. The transitional classes consist of various activities. After this they can move on from 13 years to alternative education.
The Talents Unlimited project also ensures that young people between the ages of 18 and 24 who have not attended education for more than three years get a chance to receive vocational training. This gives them the prospect of relevant work and obtaining an income. This is done by facilitating access to the right vocational training, as well as by giving good guidance and transition to the labor market or starting up your own company. In 2017 Plan International and JOHUD started a small pilot to offer training and employment to one hundred Syrian youngsters between 16-24 years. This project will end at the end of 2018. Talents Unlimited can build on the learning experiences of this project.This program contributes to the achievement of the government's objectives for 2018-2020 in the field of education and employment of young people between the ages of 12 and 24. Non-formal education is offered at the regular government schools. JOHUD is the only NGO that can also offer non-formal education in Jordan. JOHUD has so far provided non-formal education to a limited number of young people in three centers in Jordan. This program increases JOHUD's capacity to provide non-formal education by adding an extra shift in two centers, and by extending it to a third nearby center.
In addition to alternative education, the project also offers psychosocial support, recreational activities, digital skills and life skills, so that young people can process traumas, develop social and cognitive skills and develop themselves. This enriches the curriculum of the alternative education of the government and helps the most vulnerable groups to return to school and obtain a diploma. The awareness activities about the importance of education for all reinforce the Back to School campaign that JOHUD carries out in collaboration with the government. The educational trajectory is for 2,000 adolescent girls (60%) and boys (40%), who have not been to school for 3 years and therefore cannot return to regular education. Age: 12-17 years. 70% of these are Syrians and 30% are the remaining peers in Jordan.
The employment trajectory is for 1,000 young adult women (60%) and men (40%), who have no work, have not been to school for 3 years and therefore cannot return to mainstream education. Age: 18-24 years. 70% of these are Syrians and 30% are the remaining peers in Jordan. Through the project, adolescents (12-17) can follow alternative education and transitional classes in three centers of JOHUD. This allows young people to obtain a diploma in 2 years with which they can transfer to further education. In addition, adolescents are offered extra skills that regular education does not offer. This includes: Life skills; Psychosocial support and recreational activities; basic skills for reading, writing and arithmetic; and ICT skills. Girls and boys aged 12 cannot start alternative education according to the law. In order to ensure that they do not end up on the streets or at home, they receive a one-year transition program. After this they can move on to alternative education. After two years of alternative education, the girls and boys will do exams and if they pass, they obtain their diploma. After this they are supported with and encouraged to do a follow-up training. 
The project also ensures that young people (18-24) who have not attended education for more than 3 years get a chance to receive vocational training. This gives them the prospect of relevant work and an income.  A market analysis is done to see which vacancies there are and to determine the relevant markets for business start-up. Once selected, beneficiaries are prepared for the vocational training. They receive training in life skills, financial skills, ICT and entrepreneurship. Based on market analysis, level and interest, they are linked to the appropriate vocational training. After the completion of vocational education, a part of the graduates is guided to a job. The young people who want to start their own business are helped to make a business plan. If this plan is good enough, they will receive a start-up package.  There are always extra ambitious young boys and girls who want to learn more or want to specialize. The project offers the best-performing students a chance for a scholarship for a follow-up program. This project supports Syrian girls in their fight for equal treatment. This happens in particular because the parents, the girls and the environment are well informed about the importance of education and self-development thanks to the information and awareness sessions in the community and the life skills program. 
The market research and the assessments ensure that the vocational training courses better match the demand of the labor market. In addition, the extra life skills and digital skills increase the career opportunities on the labor market for young people. 
The project also contribute to social cohesion, one of the government's spearheads, because we not only offer Syrians with a training or a job, but also Jordanian peers. 
The graduate youth and their families will become financially independent. Since they are either supported in obtaining a job or start a business that gives them their own income. Once they have enough income they can also let their brothers, sisters and children go to school. This helps not only the young people themselves but also the next generation to build a better future. Because of our focus on girls and young women, we mainly ensure that this target group can break the spiral of poverty for themselves and for their children.