Global Child Forum and Next Generation Sweden launch new partnership for a better future for children and young people

Global Child Forum and Next Generation Sweden are entering into a partnership aimed at strengthening the future of children and youth and reducing social exclusion. The partnership combines Global Child Forum’s work to advance children’s rights in business with Next Generation Sweden’s focus on pathways into working life for young people through SAO jobs.

SAO jobs are a new work model that gives lower-secondary school students (grades 7–9) in socio-economically disadvantaged areas the opportunity to gain a foothold in the labor market. The model builds on Sweden’s traditional school work-experience program (“prao”), with students working two hours per week over an entire school year and receiving wages. SAO jobs take place within the school curriculum, with schools responsible for orientation, the application process, and matching students with companies.

“Business has the reach and resources to change children’s lives at scale. Through our collaboration with Next Generation Sweden and SAO jobs, we invite companies to open real doors—to bring young people’s perspectives into decision-making and to create paid, structured pathways into working life. When companies listen to young people and act for children’s rights, communities grow stronger and exclusion decreases,” says Ekin Ergün Björstedt, Secretary General, Global Child Forum.

“We are proud and delighted that Global Child Forum is partnering with Next Generation Sweden. Our goal is to establish SAO as a natural tool for breaking social exclusion among young people in vulnerable areas. To succeed, we need courageous companies willing to open the doors they control,” says Evin Cetin, founder of SAO jobs and Next Generation Sweden.

“All young people deserve a chance to enter working life. Together with Global Child Forum, we can open more doors to companies for these youths,” says Helene Barnekow, Chair of the non-profit association Next Generation Sweden.

The collaboration includes joint communications, activities and forums for dialogue with the corporate sector, as well as knowledge exchange between the organizations. The goal is to raise awareness and create long-term societal benefit for children and young people.