Location: Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya

A. About Plan International

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. In Indonesia, Plan International operates since 1969, in 2017 has transformed into national entity as Yayasan Plan International Indonesia or Plan Indonesia. Currently, Plan Indonesia is implementing one of the country’s purposes is in line with the global Plan International’s Purpose “to directly support girls’ leadership and young people’s activism.” It means that we will act to facilitate to which young people trained have pursued wage employment by youth employment and entrepreneurship program. This goal will be achieved by implementing quality projects as well as influencing decision-makers and key stakeholders to make the required changes.

B. Background of Assessment

Plan Indonesia has been implementing the Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship (YEE) program since 2010, empowering marginalized youth—especially young women and persons with disabilities—with future-ready skills, digital literacy, financial literacy, green competencies, and entrepreneurship—while also linking them to employment and business opportunities. Currently, the Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Program of Plan Indonesia is in the process of preparing to implement You RISE—a new project that address critical gaps in youth employment in Indonesia. The initiative aims to prepare marginalised youth with technical skills, soft skills training such as job readiness, and leadership skills for marginalised young women. The programme also integrates financial and digital literacy training. Indonesia faces a significant youth unemployment challenge despite its demographic advantage. In 2023, 25.8% of youth aged 16-30 were NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training), with young women experiencing double the unemployment rate of men. Women led MSEs contribute only 9.1% to GDP, with exports below 5%. Youth with disabilities also face major employment barriers—55.5% of unemployed persons with disabilities are aged 15 34 (ILO, 2022). Limited government data further hampers effective support for this group. Structural and societal factors worsen the issue. The 2019 Youth Development Index highlights economic disparities, with women’s labour force participation at 53.1%, far lower than men’s 82.4%. Young urban women struggle with limited education access, job market competition, and societal pressures affecting career growth. The digital economy offers job opportunities but also presents challenges. Indonesia needs nine million digital talents by 2030, yet many youth lack necessary skills. Additionally, low digital literacy has led to financial risks, particularly from online lending platforms (“pinjol”). 60% of online loans are taken by 19-34-year-olds (OJK), trapping many in debt cycles that also affect their families’ financial stability. BPS 2024 data shows that Jakarta’s unemployment rate stands at 6.21% (around 354,000 people), higher than the national average of 4.91%, largely driven by rapid urbanization that fuels competition and limits opportunities for marginalized youth. In Medan, unemployment reaches 8.3%—almost double the national rate—with many young people from disadvantaged backgrounds struggling to secure decent jobs despite the city’s diverse economic activities.

Meanwhile, Surabaya records 4.91%, equal to the national average, yet still faces significant youth employment challenges, with the OECD (2020) emphasizing the need for long-term strategies and targeted interventions to improve youth employment outcomes.

Addressing this requires a multifaceted approach. Strengthening financial literacy among youth is crucial, focusing not only on individual knowledge but also on family-wide practices. This includes educating youth on responsible financial decision-making, managing debt and planning for long-term financial security.

You RISE aims to equip 100,000 youth (aged 18 – 29, with at least 60% young women and 3% youth with disabilities) in the targeted regions (Greater Jakarta, Greater Medan, and Greater Surabaya) with basic financial planning training, 70,000 of it with basic future readiness, 6,000 out of it will be equipped with in demand skills in IT, Retail and hospitality, leadership skills, and financial literacy training, and 400 young women through Girls Take Over (GTO) leadership development. Participants completing the training are supported with mentoring and job market linkages to enable them towards employment opportunities. By enhancing employability and financial literacy and financial planning, the initiative will equip youth participants for a more secure income and financially resilient amidst the threats of online loans and their position as sandwich generation.

This Terms of Reference (ToR) outlines the study that will assess labour market dynamics, youth & their family’s financial literacy, and technical skill gaps in the targeted sectors. The findings will inform the design and refinement of training modules, ensuring their relevance to both youth capacities and industry needs. By generating evidence-based insights, the study will strengthen the You RISE project’s ability to equip marginalized youth with market-relevant skills, improve their financial resilience, and support inclusive economic participation in Indonesia.

C.     Purpose of Research

The research aims to assess labour market dynamics, technical skill gaps, and youth & household financial literacy. It will also provide baseline data to support Girls Take Over leadership activities and the #BetterCareerRetireBetter campaign

The primary purposes of this research are:

1. To assess labour market dynamics and identify barriers faced by youth especially young women and youth with disabilities across different age groups (18-22, vocational high school graduates; 22-25, college graduates; 25-29, young adults or new workforce); in accessing inclusive opportunities in the targeted sectors (IT, Retail, Hospitality) in Greater Medan, to provide recommendations for the development or adjustment of relevant tailored training modules for each
2. To establish the baseline report for the You RISE project in line with the logical framework, including:
   1. Level of basic financial literacy among youth in Indonesia, disaggregated by age groups (18–22, 22–25, and 25–29), to provide recommendations for the development or adjustment of relevant tailored training modules for each group.
   2. Level financial knowledge, financial application, and financial health level in youth and household, as well as youth’s confidence level, leadership skills in the targeted areas (Greater Jakarta, Greater Medan, and Greater Surabaya).

D. Research Questions

1. What are the labour market needs and specific barriers faced by youth—especially young women and youth with disabilities—across the age groups 18–22, 22–25, and 25–29 in the IT, Retail, and Hospitality sectors in Greater Medan (through primary data collection)?
2. Based on existing raw data, what are the labour market dynamics and barriers faced by youth (18–22, 22–25, and 25–29), particularly young women and youth with disabilities, in Greater Jakarta and Greater Surabaya?
3. What levels of financial literacy, financial knowledge, application, and financial health exist among youth and their households across the three age groups, and how do these vary by location?
4. How should training modules—covering financial literacy, technical skills, job readiness, and leadership—be tailored to address both market demands and the distinct needs of different age groups?
5. What is the baseline status of You RISE target groups against the project’s logframe indicators (financial literacy, employability, leadership, job placement, and household- level financial resilience)?

E.     Methods and Sample

Given the research question, the consultant is expected to do a mixed-methods approach (qualitative and quantitative) to get a comprehensive understanding of the issues. Data triangulation through multiple sources (e.g., surveys, interviews, Focus Group Discussion and document analysis) will help ensure robust findings.

Location detail information please see on the attachment

All data will be analyzed with age cohort breakdowns and disaggregation by sex and disability status to ensure inclusivity and nuanced findings

The sample size in this study will be calculated and determined by the consultant with YPII’s approval, but the objects that will be included in the sample will at least involve the stakeholders listed below:

1. Business Associations
2. Head-hunters/recruitment networks
3. TVET institutions
4. Employers from industries with high demand for skilled

Research Ethics: The study will adhere to research ethics standards, including safeguarding principles, informed consent, and confidentiality of respondents, with particular attention to youth and vulnerable groups.

F.     Outcomes

1. Comprehensive baseline analysis of financial literacy, financial knowledge, and financial health among youth (18–22, 22–25, 25–29) and their households in Indonesia
2. Detailed analysis of labour market trends, opportunities, and barriers for youth for each age group (especially young women and youth with disabilities) in IT, Retail, and Hospitality as well as their confidence level and leadership skills:
   1. Based on primary data collection in Greater
   2. Based on secondary raw data analysis in Greater Jakarta and Greater Surabaya.
3. Recommendations for developing or adjusting training modules tailored to each age cohort and sector

Actionable insights to strengthen project implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, aligned with You RISE log frame indicators.

The findings from the report will guide the implementation of the project, ensuring they effectively address the needs of their respective target groups and contribute to the overall goal of enhancing youth employment opportunities.

G.     Consultant responsibilities

The selected evaluator will be responsible:

1. To develop research design including calculating sample and making instruments of the data collection and its
2. Collecting primary data
3. To input data collected and
4. To manage the administration related to data
5. To make a report in English and Indonesian (?) (as stated in the outcomes section) by format input and visual
6. Produce comparative analysis across three age groups and three
7. Ensure GESI and safeguarding integration in all
8. Facilitate validation workshop with YPII and key
9. For Greater Jakarta and Surabaya
10. Analyze and interpret existing raw datasets provided by
11. Conduct secondary desk review to triangulate

G.  Table Deliverables and Level of Effort

H. Timeline

I. Vendor Criteria

1. 1. Has skills and experience in conducting surveys related to position needs in specific sectors (IT, Retail, Hospitality) within
   2. Able to provide resources (team) aligned with the objectives of the survey
   3. Well-versed in field survey
   4. Has facilitation skills to conduct surveys both digitally (using digital forms) and non- digitally.
   5. Has experience in studies/research in the field of market/private sector
   6. Understands and adheres to YPII’s code of ethics
   7. Goal-oriented, collaborative, creative, dynamic, tech-savvy, and
   8. Preferred experience in working with Foundations, Non-Profit Organizations, Government, and the Private Sector focused on youth capacity building, particularly young women and youth with disabilities.

The application can be sent electronically through the email: yayasan.procurement@plan-international.org and CC to via.amalia@plan-international.org mentioning the code [IDN/IX/2025-263_Name_Consultant Baseline & Feasibility Assessment You Rise Project] in the email subject, before 5 PM of October 22nd, 2025.

Only applicants with complete documents including sample of the previous work will go through the selection process.

 “Women-owned businesses, companies and individual actively engaged or advancing gender equality and women empowerment in the workplace are especially encouraged to apply”.