THE Government of Guyana continues to create opportunities for Guyanese youths despite demographic challenges or their individual circumstances. Scholarships and training at various levels are being offered not only to academic highfliers but also to those who, for various reasons, have not been so fortunate.

The Youth Apprenticeship and Entrepreneurial Programme (YAEP) is one such initiative rolled out by the government, through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. This initiative was first conceptualised in 2012 in keeping with the vision of ensuring a highly skilled workforce as outlined in the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).
The YAEP is a comprehensive initiative that aims to holistically address youth development and empowerment, and is designed to meet the objective of securing indigenous livelihoods by developing the capacity and capability of the youths.
Through this programme, youths are equipped with skills that will enable them to establish their own business ventures or provide them with the competence to match and support the development of enterprise initiatives needed or being embarked upon within their respective communities and regions.
This year, the national budget allocated a total of $200M for the implementation of this new initiative.
The YAEP was initially launched in Moruca, Region One (Barima/Waini) with 162 youths and is now being implemented in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine; benefiting close to 1000 young people between the ages of 18-40 years. These youths now have a choice and a real opportunity to make  meaningful contributions to the development of their respective communities and by extension, the country.
Training is offered in various competencies through skills based instruction in the areas of information technology and communication, governance and leadership, business and financial management, social and welfare, services and eco-tourism, monitoring and reporting, disaster management, agriculture, health-related jobs, and other technical skills.
During the launch of the programme in Region Nine, where 298 youths are enrolled, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai explained that even as the YAEP addresses youth development and empowerment, it also speaks to the focus of ensuring  secure indigenous livelihoods by developing the capacity and capability of the youths, to match and support the development of enterprise initiatives needed or being embarked upon within their communities and region.
The overarching goal is to equip the youths with skills that will support them setting up their own economic ventures, or to provide them with the competence to support the economic enterprises already in place in their communities, and in so doing, supporting Government’s agenda of the transformation of Amerindian communities.
The trainees are also expected to give support to the Village Council. Upon successful completion of this programme, the youths will then be given the title ‘community service officers’ which will entitle them to receive  monthly stipends of $30,000.
The YAEP programme is only one of several successful initiatives that were rolled out by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration with the aim of bringing improved living standards to the Amerindian people and bringing within their reach, opportunities that are equal to those extended to citizens on the coast.