Workshop on Developing a Public Relations and Communication Campaign Strategy

A workshop was held to develop a public relations and communication campaign strategy for the EARN Project, an initiative of the Department of Youth Development under the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The workshop, titled “Inception Report Workshop on the Preparation of the Communication Strategy Paper for the EARN Project,” was held on October 16, 2024, at the Department of Youth Development's office in Motijheel, Dhaka. The workshop was inaugurated by Dr. Gazi Md. Saifuzzaman, Director General (Grade 1) of the Department of Youth Development.

Under the EARN Project, 900,000 youth across the country who are not in education, employment, or training will be provided with training to help them become self-employed and economically productive.

Representatives from the Department of Youth Development, the World Bank, various government and private organizations, Spellbound Communications Limited, the communication strategy consultancy firm, Policy Exchange of Bangladesh, and various media organizations participated in the workshop.

In his speech as the Chief Guest, Dr. Gazi Md. Saifuzzaman, Director General (Grade 1) of the Department of Youth Development, said that collective efforts are essential in the greater national interest. He emphasized that the participants' expertise, ideas, and recommendations would be highly valuable in properly planning and implementing the EARN Project.

Ms. Lin Hu, PhD, Economist at the World Bank, attended the workshop as a Special Guest.

The workshop focused on the public relations and communication strategy of the EARN Project. Participants were divided into several groups to discuss and exchange experiences on youth policy support, media and communication, gender and cultural perspectives, and administrative issues. These discussions were subsequently consolidated, and participants collectively discussed and provided feedback to establish the framework for the project's public relations and communication strategy.

The workshop also provided guidance on necessary public awareness and promotional activities to reach youth who are not engaged in education, training, or employment, bring them under training programs, and positively engage other segments of society with the project.

It was highlighted at the workshop that approximately 10.6% of young people aged 15–29 in Bangladesh are not engaged in education, training, or economic activities. The EARN Project was initiated through a partnership between the Department of Youth Development and the World Bank to provide these young people, particularly young women, with training, employment, and entrepreneurship support.

Under the project, 900,000 NEET youth across 250 upazilas in all 64 districts of Bangladesh will receive training. The project's goal is to develop Bangladesh's youth into skilled, productive, and employment-oriented members of society, thereby accelerating both their individual economic advancement and the country's overall development.

The preparatory activities for the project, which is scheduled to begin field-level operations shortly, have been completed, and the process of implementing the training activities is currently underway.