Overview

Employment, which can provide individuals with a sense of ‘purpose’, is critical to social inclusion and mental wellbeing. The Finance for Jobs (F4J) Development Impact Bond (DIB) aims to achieve sustained employment for Palestinian youth by providing tailored, demand-driven employment programs.

Partners in the DIB have agreed on a set of verifiable outcomes – in particular, the number of Palestinians aged 18 to 29 who gain new or better employment with a minimum of 30% female representation – and they will achieve these through various interventions such as in-class and hands-on skills training. Services include in-class and hands-on skills training, internships, coaching, mentoring, job placement support and matching, and in-work support. Case management and individualized services are key to youth employment and the success of the program.

Investors provide the working capital to deliver partners and if the pre-agreed results are independently verified, the World Bank and MoFP – the Outcomes Funders will repay the investors, with returns linked to the results achieved.

This DIB is the only results-based employment program in Palestine, with independently verified results. The first phase, which began in 2019, was valued at $1.8m and supported 1,500 Palestinian job seekers aged 18–29 years (of which at least 30% are women). Due to its success, the DIB has since been extended.

Richard Johnson, HBGI’s CEO, is Chair of this impact bond, meaning that he is responsible for ensuring that the program runs smoothly, achieves its objectives, and is successful, holding parties to account for their individual roles.

Team and Partners