Recommended Practices and Lessons Learned in Providing Financial and Non-Financial Services to Youth: Insights from the YouthStart Programme

YouthStart, an initiative established by the United Nations Capital Development Fund in partnership with The MasterCard Foundation, sought to support 10 financial service provider (FSP) partners in eight African countries to design, test and scale up sustainable financial and non-financial services tailored to the needs of young people between the ages of 12 and 24. 

This paper focuses the knowledge-sharing component of the program which aims to not only ensure knowledge is disseminated but to also provide insights and lessons learned to FSPs and other stakeholders keen to improve financial inclusion for youth. More specifically, it identifies recommended practices of FSP partners in the following areas:

• Financial services: Uptake and usage of savings accounts and loans, and inclusion of young women and girls; 
• Non-financial services (NFS): Delivery models and partnerships with youth serving organizations (YSOs).