Youth 4 Jobs Foundation

27/07/2025

In the interview with TheCSRUniverse, our founder Meera Shenoy shares how purpose-driven innovation is unlocking new frontiers of opportunity for persons with disabilities.

🔗 Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gjsmDaKG

19/06/2025

Climbing the stairs to employment shouldn’t be this hard.
SwarajAbility is India’s first AI-powered livelihood portal designed exclusively for persons with disabilities.

🛠️ Skill.
🎯 Apply.
💼 Get hired.

✨ Take the first step toward your career.
👉 Register now at www.SwarajAbility.org – because inclusive jobs belong to everyone

27/05/2025

A Proud Moment for Youth4Jobs Foundation

Today, our Founder Meera Shenoy signed an MoU with the Hon’ble Minister for Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihoods and Medical Education, Government of Karnataka, Shri Sharanaprakash Rudrappa Patil.
Also present were Dr. Ekroop Caur, IAS, Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, Biotechnology & Skill Development, and Ms. P. Sreevidya, IAS, Mission Director, National Rural Livelihoods Mission, Government of Karnataka.

The large hall was filled with companies, Youth4Jobs alumni, and potential partners.

Through this MoU, we will:
- Sensitise all Self Help Groups (SHGs) to disability inclusion
- Link women with disabilities to SHGs
- Provide training for jobs and entrepreneurship

This collaboration aligns with our mission to work with co-vulnerabilities. Women with disabilities are often less educated and employed than their non-disabled peers. We aim to mainstream these vulnerable women into gender policies and livelihood programs.

We invite partners to join us on this journey.
📩 Write to us at wedo@youth4jobs.org

28/03/2025

Meera Shenoy Joins Michigan State University’s AOFOW Podcast to Discuss Disability Inclusion & Innovation!

In the latest episode of Abilities, Opportunities & the Future of Work (AOFOW), Meera Shenoy, Founder & CEO of Youth4Jobs Foundation, was invited as a guest to share her insights on how businesses can unlock the power of disability inclusion to drive innovation and growth.

Presented by Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business in collaboration with Michigan Rehabilitation Services, the episode is hosted by Sriram Narayanan, Faculty Director at Michigan State University, alongside co-host Nacsha Ealy Green, Business Relations Consultant at Michigan Rehabilitation Services.

Why You Should Listen:
-Transformative Change: How inclusive employment is shaping the future of work.
- Innovative Solutions: The role of AI-driven platforms like SwarajAbility in bridging job opportunities for persons with disabilities.
- Global Impact: The power of partnerships in driving economic empowerment for women with disabilities.

Listen in as Meera Shenoy shares her experience, insights, and vision for a more inclusive world.

🔗 Tune in now: https://soundcloud.com/user-425986640-288441195/aofow-episode-meera-shenoy

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19/03/2025

Youth 4 Jobs Foundation Photographer stories go global! Our creative journey through NotJustArt is captured in the Washington-based National Public Radio NPR, through the inspirational stories of eight youth with disabilities whose photographs won NJA-UNESCO awards

https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/03/15/g-s1-51102/photo-contest-winners-people-with-disabilities

PMO India NSDC National Skill Development Corporation

Here are the winning entries in this year's Global Ability Photography Challenge.

12/03/2025

Youth4Jobs and Amazon India have joined hands to empower women with disabilities to become successful entrepreneurs in the digital economy.

Through the Amazon Saheli program, this collaboration will provide women with disabilities essential resources, tools, and training to grow their businesses online. The initiative includes hands-on support like workshops, onboarding, digital marketing training, product listing optimization, and access to data-driven insights to understand market trends.

Together, Youth4Jobs and Amazon India aim to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity — creating inclusive, sustainable livelihoods for women with disabilities and helping them thrive as part of India’s growing digital economy.

Read more about this partnership here 👉 https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/small-business/amazon-india-youth4jobs-partnership-for-women-with-disabilities

08/03/2025

Celebrating Our Founder, Meera Shenoy, on International Women’s Day!

We are proud to share that Meera Shenoy, Founder of Youth4Jobs, has been featured by Amar Chitra Katha as one of India’s Sheroes this Women’s Day! 🎉

A true pioneer in disability inclusion, Meera Shenoy has dedicated her life to empowering Persons with Disabilities, especially women, by creating sustainable livelihoods and breaking barriers to economic independence. Her vision has transformed thousands of lives, proving that inclusion is not charity—it is smart economics.

08/03/2025

At Youth4Jobs, we work closely with thousands of women with disabilities, empowering them to become entrepreneurs and achieve self-sustainability.
On this International Women’s Day, we celebrate the incredible women who break barriers, challenge stereotypes, and redefine possibilities. From entrepreneurs to corporate professionals, every story of resilience paves the way for a more inclusive world.

Yet, the journey is not without challenges. In India, approximately 27 million individuals live with disabilities, with around 12 million being women. Despite this, only 23% of women with disabilities are employed, highlighting significant barriers to economic participation. (source -(niti.gov.in))

To change this, Youth4Jobs leads WEDO (Women Entrepreneurs with Disabilities):
💡 A 3-Level Strategy for Change
✔ On-Ground Work: Addressing gaps in employment and labor force participation (LFPR) to enable economic independence.
✔ Advocacy: Shifting mindsets and building positive narratives about women with disabilities.
✔ A Global Network: Strengthening an inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystem, starting with India and expanding globally.

🔹 Our Approach:
Creating & scaling enterprises in rural and urban settings
Partnering with governments to drive systemic change
Booklets, workshops, roundtables & podcasts to foster learning and awareness

📖 Explore Our Stories on Women Entrepreneurs with Disabilities
📌 WEDO - Stories from India: https://lnkd.in/gzY-vPNp
📌 WEDO - Stories from South Asia: https://lnkd.in/g7yQEpKN

By supporting, uplifting, and creating opportunities, we ensure that every woman, regardless of ability, can thrive. Because when women rise, communities flourish!
💜 Happy Women’s Day!

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08/03/2025

📢 DEI is NOT Complete Without Accessibility!

Did you know?

Only 4% of companies consider disability inclusions in their Despite these gaps, accessibility is a business advantage! Companies that invest in disability inclusion report higher revenue, profit and performance.

So, what does an accessible workplace look like? It starts with:
- Providing reasonable accommodations
- Implementing inclusive hiring practices and policies

Fostering an open and welcoming culture

Through SwarajAbility (an initiative by Youth4Jobs), we help employers build truly inclusive workplaces where Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) can thrive. Let’s move beyond awareness and take action!

Visit www.swarajability.org to learn more.

05/03/2025

Building Inclusive Workforces with SwarajAbility, an initiative by Youth4Jobs

Through SwarajAbility, we’re on a mission to create a truly inclusive world of work. We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive—regardless of disability. That’s why we partner with businesses to unlock the untapped talent within the Persons with Disabilities (PwD’s) community while supporting PwDs to achieve meaningful careers. We are India’s first livelihood platform with AI for Persons with Disabilities.

With over 1200+ business partners and 2.3 lakh candidates supported, we’re making a real impact.

What we do:
🔹 Connecting Talent: Bridging the gap between skilled PwDs and companies looking for diverse perspectives with our AI powered job-matching tool.
🔹 Building Bridges: Offering training and support for PwDs and employers to ensure sustainable, inclusive employment.
🔹 Driving Change: Advocating for inclusive hiring practices and accessible workplaces to foster innovation and equity.

Inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s the smart thing to do. Companies that embrace diversity gain a competitive edge, boost innovation, and enhance their brand.

🔎 Ready to build a more inclusive workforce?
Visit www.swarajability.org to get started!

💬 What are your biggest priorities for diversity and inclusion in your workplace? Share your thoughts in the comment’s below!

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27/02/2025

Another recognition of Youth4Jobs Foundation transformational work! The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, announced that an MOU will be signed with us to work in Vidarbha and other challenging districts in Maharashtra.

CMOMaharashtra Maharashtra DGIPR PMO India Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India NSDC National Skill Development Corporation Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons With Disabilities MyGovIndia

14/02/2025

REPORT LAUNCH & PANEL DISCUSSION: RETHINKING WORKPLACE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Imagine a world where every workplace is designed to empower everyone. Youth4Jobs Foundation, in collaboration with The Quantum Hub and Zoom, has taken a bold step toward this vision with the launch of a report that redefines workplace accessibility and accommodations for persons with disabilities.

This isn’t just a report—it’s a call to action for organizations to embrace inclusive policies, leverage assistive technologies, and adopt flexible work models that create truly accessible environments.

Launched by Visionary Leaders
Shri.Rajesh Aggarwal– Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD)
Manmeet Kaur – Joint Secretary, DEPwD
Rohit Kumar – Head of Government Relations, Zoom India
Meera Shenoy – Founder, Youth4Jobs
Rohit Kumar - Founding Partner, The Quantum Hub
Nipun Malhotra – Director, Policy & Programs Lead, Disability Rights & Inclusion

Key Insights from the Panel Discussion
✔️ How workplace accessibility is evolving—and why it’s a business imperative
✔️ The game-changing role of assistive technologies and inclusive policies in unlocking potential.
✔️ Real-world strategies shared by industry leaders, accessibility champions, and policymakers.

Featuring Inspiring Panelists:
Madhu Bala Sharma – Senior Program Manager, Inclusive eXperiences & Technologies, Amazon
Amar Jain– Co-founder, Mission Accessibility
PVM Rao – Professor, IIT Delhi
Rahul Gambhir – Chief Manager & Digital Accessibility Specialist, Union Bank of India
Jaishankar Natarajan – CEO, Indian Autism Centre
Moderated by Nipun Malhotra - Director, Policy & Programs Lead, Disability Rights & Inclusion

What’s one step your organization can take to become more inclusive? Let’s brainstorm in the comments!

Together, we can create workplaces that are barrier-free, equitable, and empowering for all. Let’s make inclusion the norm, not the exception.

PMO India United Nations India NSDC National Skill Development Corporation Zero Project Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India India Business and Disability Network