Youth Learning Pathways
Skills. Connections. Opportunities.
Unisfere’s Youth Learning Pathways program supports school-age students in Afghanistan to build practical skills, discover learning opportunities, and connect with people and pathways that can help them continue learning and prepare for their future.
Why This Program Matters
For many students in Afghanistan, access to quality learning and guidance is shaped by where they live, their family circumstances, access to technology, and wider barriers to education.
These challenges are particularly serious for girls, many of whom face limited access to education beyond primary school. Unisfere aims to help students keep learning, strengthen useful skills, and stay connected to future opportunities.
Who We Support
The program is designed for school-age students in Afghanistan.
It is open to students generally, with a particular focus on girls and young women facing barriers to continued education, learning resources, or access to guidance and opportunities.
What We Do
Unisfere provides flexible, age-appropriate learning activities that can grow with students’ needs and available funding.
Depending on the program and partnership, activities may include:
LEARN
Digital skills, English and communication, critical thinking, information and research basics, and other practical learning skills.
DISCOVER
Career awareness, higher-education pathways, scholarship awareness, remote-learning options, and guidance on finding credible opportunities.
PREPARE
Presentations, small projects, portfolios, learning plans, application readiness, and other age-appropriate preparation for future study and work.
CONNECT
Mentorship, professional role models, diaspora knowledge, learning networks, universities, organizations, and relevant opportunities.
Learning That Leads Somewhere
We focus on practical learning.
Students should leave an activity with something they can use:
- a new digital skill
- a learning plan
- a presentation
- a small project
- a portfolio item
- a clearer understanding of an education pathway
- a shortlist of relevant opportunities
From Learning to Opportunity
Students can move through a simple pathway:
- 1Learn
- 2Discover
- 3Plan
- 4Build
- 5Connect
- 6Progress
The exact activities will vary by age, needs, partners, and available funding, while the overall goal remains the same: helping students build skills and make informed next steps.
Long-Term Impact
Youth Learning Pathways aims to help students:
Strengthen digital, communication, critical-thinking, and independent-learning skills
Build confidence to learn, explore options, and take the next step
Understand education, scholarship, mentorship, and future career pathways
Connect with mentors, professionals, learning networks, and supportive organizations
Become better prepared for further education, training, projects, and other opportunities
A Flexible Program for Different Partnerships
Youth Learning Pathways is designed as one broad program with room for targeted projects.
A partner may support digital learning for girls.
Another may support English and communication.
Another may focus on education pathways, mentorship, or access to learning resources.
These projects can be different, but they all contribute to the same student journey:
building skills, expanding connections, and opening pathways.
Our Approach
Unisfere works through practical workshops, mentoring, knowledge sharing, partnerships, and opportunity navigation.
- Practical workshops
- Mentoring
- Knowledge sharing
- Partnerships
- Opportunity navigation
Activities are designed to be age-appropriate and sensitive to the realities students face in Afghanistan, including limited access to technology and safe learning opportunities. Where online or remote learning is used, accessibility and safe participation are important considerations.
What Donor Support Makes Possible
Donor and foundation support can help Unisfere reach more students, especially girls who face barriers to continued learning.
Support can contribute to:
- Learning programs and practical workshops
- Digital learning resources and access
- Mentorship and role-model connections
- Educational and scholarship guidance
- Communication and critical-thinking skills
- Connections to credible learning opportunities
- Continued support as students move toward their next educational pathway