YouthCan! Conference 2025: Empowering Tomorrow’s Workforce with Siegwerk Mentors

From September 26 to 28, SOS Children’s Villages Pilipinas, in partnership with Siegwerk, proudly launched the pilot session of Empowering Tomorrow’s Workforce with Siegwerk Mentors at SOS Children’s Village in Bataan, Philippines. This inaugural event brought together 25 youth participants from Bataan and Manila, marking the beginning of a transformative journey toward sustainable youth empowerment.

This pilot serves as the foundation for a nationwide rollout of the localized YouthCan! program. Running from September 2025 to January 2026, the initiative will be replicated across eight SOS locations throughout the Philippines, ensuring more young people are equipped with the essential skills, mentorship, and networks for employment or entrepreneurship. The program directly supports youth from both the area’s Alternative Care (AC) and Family Strengthening Programs (FSP), reinforcing SOS’s commitment to inclusive development.

Building on the success of the YouthCan! Summit 2024, this new phase introduces a customized module aligned with the five YouthCan! Pillars: Mentoring, Practice, Training, Employability, and Entrepreneurship. Developed through training needs assessments, the module ensures standardized, scalable, and sustainable delivery across all SOS program sites.

Themed Thrive: YouthCan! Learning Journey for Life, Work, and Purpose, the three-day pilot was a blend of discovery, learning, and inspiration. Participants engaged in ten interactive modules covering self-awareness, leadership, career readiness, and entrepreneurship. Topics such as Me, My Story, My Power, Strength from Within, Communicate to Connect, Ready for Work and Life, Tools to Get Hired, and Money Matters helped youth build resilience and define their personal and professional goals.

A highlight of the event was the hands-on mentorship provided by ten dedicated members of the Siegwerk Philippines team. These mentors played a pivotal role in delivering key modules that brought the YouthCan! pillars to life. They led Communicate to Connect, focusing on leadership and effective communication; Ready for Work and Life, which explored career awareness and workplace readiness; and Tools to Get Hired, offering practical guidance on resume writing, interview preparation, and job-hunting strategies. Through real-world insights, personal stories, and interactive activities, the mentors created a dynamic learning environment that inspired full participation and deep reflection among the youth.

Equally vital to the program’s success was Siegwerk’s generous funding support. The investment has been instrumental, not only in enabling the launch of the pilot session in Bataan but also in laying the groundwork for replicating the initiative across multiple SOS locations nationwide. By championing this cause, Siegwerk has become a key driver of sustainable impact, helping vulnerable youth build meaningful careers and lead lives of purpose.

In heartfelt recognition of Siegwerk’s unwavering commitment, SOS Children’s Villages Pilipinas presented a plaque of appreciation to Siegwerk. This gesture honored the company’s invaluable support, and celebrated the role as true partners in empowering the next generation.

The September launch stands as a milestone in the YouthCan! journey, reaffirming the mission of SOS Children’s Villages: to ensure every young person has access to meaningful connections, transformative opportunities, and the support needed to shape their future with confidence and pride.