Youth Empowerment Forum (YEF) Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) Programme Overview
(YEF CCI)
The Youth Empowerment Forum (YEF) Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) Programme is an empowerment initiative aimed at unlocking the creative potential of young people while building sustainable livelihoods within the cultural and creative economy. The programme recognises arts, culture, and creativity as powerful drivers of identity, social cohesion, innovation, and economic growth.
The YEF CCI Programme supports youth participation across a range of creative sectors, including music, performing arts, visual arts, film and media, fashion, design, crafts, digital content creation, and cultural heritage. By combining creative skills development with entrepreneurship, digital tools, and advocacy, the programme enables young creatives to transform talent into viable careers.
Creative Skills Development
Participants receive practical training and mentorship in their chosen creative disciplines. The programme focuses on developing both artistic excellence and professional skills, ensuring that creatives are equipped to produce high-quality work that meets industry standards.
Training areas include:
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Music, dance, theatre, and performance arts
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Visual arts, design, photography, and illustration
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Film, video production, and digital media
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Fashion, crafts, and cultural products
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Writing, storytelling, and content creation
Creative Entrepreneurship and Business Skills
To address the economic sustainability challenges faced by creatives, the programme integrates entrepreneurship training tailored to the CCI sector. Participants are supported with skills in branding, marketing, intellectual property awareness, contract basics, pricing, and monetisation strategies.
The programme also introduces:
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Digital platforms for creative distribution and marketing
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Portfolio development and audience building
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Access to markets, showcases, and exhibitions
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Cooperative and collective creative business models
Digital Integration and Innovation
The YEF CCI Programme leverages digital tools and technology to expand creative opportunities. Participants learn how to use digital platforms, social media, streaming services, and emerging technologies to promote, distribute, and monetise creative work locally and globally.
Cultural Preservation and Social Impact
The programme promotes cultural expression and heritage preservation by supporting indigenous knowledge systems, local languages, and community-based cultural practices. Creative work is also used as a tool for social dialogue, advocacy, and community engagement on issues affecting youth and society.
Advocacy and Sector Development
YEF actively advocates for improved access to funding, infrastructure, and policy support for young creatives. The programme engages with stakeholders, institutions, and policymakers to strengthen the creative ecosystem and ensure that youth voices are represented in cultural and creative industry development.
