A ceasefire announced on 29 April 2014 by rebel leaders in the southern Senegalese region of Casamance has renewed hopes for prosperity for its youth. The 32-year conflict has rendered thousands of young people unemployed, unskilled or displaced from their villages. Development experts working in the region say although peace – if it comes – will take time, with the right strategy organisations can help young people living in civil insecurity to generate incomes.

Little data is available about Casamance's young people, but a 2013 survey by charity Y Care International (YCI) found that only 38% of more than 150 15- to 24-year-olds have any work at all, be that full, part-time or self-employment. Only 2% said their households earned enough to meet basic needs and 79% said a lack of job opportunities was the greatest obstacle to raising income.

YCI has delivered livelihood programmes in the region with partner YMCA Senegal since 2006, from Casamance's main town Ziguinchor. In villages where it has been safe to intervene, the projects have provided more than 600 young people with vocational skills training, producing 109 start-up businesses.

YMCA Senegal's former Casamance regional secretary, and current national finance director, Alphonse Badiatte says young people in the region urgently need such support, because instability created by the conflict has obliterated livelihood opportunities at all levels. Not only are there few accessible youth training centres, but where provision is available the government has not provided grants to make courses affordable.

Badiatte says young people starting their own businesses cannot access microfinance loans because of inflated repayment rates in Casamance. "There is more risk associated with borrowing money here," he says. This is evident in the conflict's history, which is characterised by sudden flare-ups within periods of relative stability. "Casamance has fertile land, but young people don't have the opportunity or patience to invest in it," he says. "Instead they throw themselves into deforestation, cutting down trees, which is unsustainable."

Even trained young people have few subsequent employment options as the conflict has deterred companies from investing locally. "For example, lots of people fish but the industry has not developed," says Badiatte. Although dependent on the changing political situation, Casamance's tourism industry has on the whole endured the conflict. But Badiatte says even in stable years its seasonal nature makes tourism an unreliable source of income.

YCI Africa programme coordinator Rehana Merali says organisations providing livelihood training in conflict-affected areas must take a holistic approach. "It's not a conveyor belt of training" she says. "You have to provide ongoing support." YCI has shifted its focus over the years from urban trades, such as hairdressing and baking, to those with more relevance in Casamance, such as agriculture and fishing. YCI's study revealed 45% of those surveyed said agriculture was the most important employment sector. Yet many are barred from farming family fields because of remaining land mines.

Merali emphasises the importance of peace building and life-skills training as well as vocational and educational instruction in unstable regions. YCI's study revealed more than half of young people felt they were viewed as sources of violence and blamed for causing conflict in Casamance. Yet 70% also said they believed they had a role in maintaining peace. "It's important to empower young people to have a voice to be a positive influence for change in their communities," says Merali. In Casamance, YCI helped young people hold peace marches and public meetings to resolve tensions between villages.

These sorts of activities may become more important if the ceasefire holds and displaced young people return to their villages. In a book published this month, Displacement Economies in Africa, Casamance specialist and University of Chester lecturer in international development Martin Evans suggests intervillage football tournaments and dances help form links and mobility between youth groups. These can "lay foundations for future economic and political relationships".

Evans is cautious about suggesting the declaration by the rebel Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance will mark a final end to West Africa's longest-running civil conflict. But he says it could give Casamançais and aid agencies the confidence to invest in the region. "Often it's not the actual fact of insecurity that affects people, it's the perception of it," he says. "The landmine risk has probably been overstated. The risk of attacks by armed robbers in the border zone has certainly been there, but there's been a disparity between the numbers of those relative to the perceived risk. Anything that gives people a sense of hope and confidence can only be for the good."

Young people themselves say employment opportunities promote peace. One participant in the YCI study made a clear plea: "If young people are employed and earn money, they won't join the rebels in the bush anymore and wreak havoc." Badiatte says the young Casamançais YMCA supports are optimistic. "They've had hope for 30 years – this time it could get better," he says.

Read more stories like this:

• Going against the drain: migration and youth unemployment in Somaliland

• Youth in the Middle East: dying to escape from governments and parents

• Afghan job crisis: why the fight against terrorism is the wrong motivator

Join the community of global development professionals and experts. Become a GDPN member to get more stories like this direct to your inbox