Thailand has committed to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4 (SDG 4), which seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable access to quality education and to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
However, the situation surrounding education and life skills development among Thai children and young people continues to face significant challenges, including:
- 2023: More than 1.2 million young people aged 15–24 were not in education, employment or training (NEET), representing 12.5 per centof this age group (UNICEF data).
- 2024: Over 1 million children and young people aged 3–18 dropped out of formal education (data from the Equitable Education Fund – EEF).
These figures highlight the urgent need for integrated and systematic collaboration to protect and develop children, youth, and families in a meaningful way.
Recognising this importance, World Vision Foundation of Thailand, in collaboration with the Omkoi Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, Chiang Mai Province, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation for the Protection and Development of Children and Youth, Livelihood Support, and Community Development. This partnership aims to advance education and life‑skills development in line with World Vision Foundation of Thailand’s 2026–2030 Strategic Framework.
The core objective of this collaboration is to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and readiness of children, youth, and families so they can live safely, enjoy a good quality of life, and realise their full potential. The approach encompasses social, educational, and community‑economic dimensions, with the following key focus areas:
- Promoting knowledge on child and youth protection, enabling parents, communities, and young people to understand risk monitoring, incident reporting, and safeguarding mechanisms
- Supporting livelihood development for parents and families to generate stable income, reduce economic pressure, and create safe environments for children’s growth and development
- Developing fundamental vocational skills among youth to prepare them for future employment and to expand opportunities within their communities
- Raising standards among community enterprises to increase economic opportunities that benefit families and communities
- Promoting local products (One Tambon, One Product: OTOP) as a key mechanism for income generation, particularly for households with children and youth
- Strengthening community knowledge and capacity to ensure both economic and social readiness for sustainable child and youth care
- Creating opportunities for community members to organise collectively for product development, job creation, and systematic income generation
Implementation under this partnership includes knowledge sharing, training activities, and close collaboration in community‑based development. These efforts aim to establish strong family support systems and create environments that foster the holistic development of children and youth.
World Vision Foundation of Thailand is committed to enhancing age‑appropriate skills and knowledge among children and youth, with a particular focus on vulnerable groups. This includes efforts to prevent and address school drop‑out, alongside strengthening life skills and vocational competencies. The work will be driven through close collaboration with children, youth, parents, caregivers, teachers, and community networks—raising awareness and encouraging all stakeholders to actively support the appropriate development of children and youth in both education and life skills.
