PARIS, March 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- World Education, Inc. a nonprofit organization based in the United States, and Alcatel-Lucent , through its Alcatel-Lucent Foundation, today announced that they have forged a partnership to implement ConnectED, a US$6 million global initiative to provide educational and digital skills training opportunities for children and adolescents in disadvantaged communities.

This three-year initiative will serve 13,500 young people from disadvantaged communities in Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Egypt, France and India. Some 70 percent of these young people will be girls and young women.

A core component of this program will be a special focus on helping youth learn how to use communications technologies to gather information, access job information and develop awareness of the broader world around them. Another important element of this initiative will be the participation of Alcatel-Lucent employees in ConnectEd activities, using their expertise in communications technology to help with implementation and serving as role-models, mentors and advisors to the young people.

"Today in too many countries around the world, too many young people reach adulthood lacking the skills needed to prosper in our changing world," said Joel H. Lamstein, World Education CEO. "Thanks to this grant we will be able to work with remote and underserved schools and communities to improve educational services, skills training and their connection to the digital world -- whether it be computer labs or mobile phones and Internet. Together, these will ensure youth gain the knowledge, skills, behaviors and support networks to find productive work, keep themselves safe and be more engaged with the world around them."

"ConnectEd will be about using technology to transform the learning, work and life outcomes for disadvantaged youth," said Beatrice Tassot, executive director of the Alcatel-Lucent Foundation. "At Alcatel-Lucent we believe that possessing basic communications technology skills are essential to fostering inclusion and giving disadvantaged youth a better chance to leap across the opportunities gap and gain access to more and better employment options."