THE ROLE OF SMALL CITIES IN SHAPING YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES IN INDIA AND INDONESIA

This research project explored the role of small cities in positively shaping the employment outcomes of migrant youth. Hypothesizing that the small city could be serving as a ‘way station’ along the migration pathways of the young, the project investigated the role of governance and policy frameworks using case cities in India and Indonesia. Exploring the experiences of young migrants in small city labour markets, the project examined skill development, employment outcomes, economic mobility and the impacts of these factors on migration pathways. The labour market experiences of women migrants in small cities, given their invisibility in macro-level data, was a significant contribution of the project. Along with with collaborator JustJobs Network – a global jobs think tank, the project team has put out several reports, articles and a documentary film. Details can be accessed at https://smallcitydreaming.org/