YOUNG people in Guyana are still largely disenfranchised, according to Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Representative Branka Minic.Addressing representatives from more than 15 youth-oriented organisations during a ‘Knowledge Sharing Workshop’ at the Marriott Hotel yesterday, she bemoaned the negative effects from their inability to effectively tap into Guyana’s growing economy.

“Guyana has recorded positive economic growth over the last five years; however, it seems that these young people are not able to access the opportunity in their own country,” Minic said.

SEVERE SOCIAL PROBLEMS
She said that 40% of the youths in Guyana are unable to gain employment, although youths account for two-thirds of the country’s population. Many youths are affected by severe social problems such as suicide, teenage pregnancy and substance abuse, she posited, noting that the high rate of youth crime cannot go unnoticed.

The workshop, initiated by the Ministry of Public Security and the IDB, was designed to share knowledge on mapping of technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills training provided by various training providers. Minic said the knowledge sharing workshop will help organisations to better serve the at-risk population. Bridging research, policies and practices; promoting evidence-based decision-making; faster access to knowledge, experience, tools and best practices; and the dissemination of innovative solutions are among the benefits of such a workshop, the IDB facilitator posited.

IDB Modernisation of the State Senior Specialist Mariko Russell said it is disheartening to see youths being limited with respect to opportunities available to them, but expressed hope that the workshop would help the country better serve the vulnerable population.

“My hope is that you will get to the next level — to better support the youth and children of Guyana,” Russell told the governmental and non-governmental organisations present.

IDB FUNDING
The workshop formed part of a series of activities that commenced in November 2015 under the Government of Guyana/IDB Support for the Implementation of the Citizen Security Strategy aimed at helping youth-at-risk.
The project — Support for the Implementation of the Citizen Security Strategy — is a US$1.8M initiative funded by the IDB and the Government of Guyana, with the IDB providing US$1.67M.

The three-year agreement was signed in March 2014, although the Youth-At-Risk component of the project was started in November 2015. As such, the project, which has three components, will

wrap up in March 2017.

Project Coordinator Sattie Sasenarine; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security, Daneilla McCalmon; and Presidential Advisor on Youth Empowerment, Aubrey Norton, were among the officials present.

The Mahaicony Technical and Vocational Training Centre, the Linden Technical Institute, the Government Technical Institute, the Sophia Training Centre, SKYE (USAID), Roadside Baptist Skills Training Centre, Guyana School of Agriculture, the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED), the Child Care and Protection Agency, the Guyana Police Force, the Ministry of the Presidency and the Ministry of Social Protection were among the organisations represented at the forum.

The Citizen Security Programme, which closed in June 2014, saw 1,377 youths being trained in technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills in Regions 4 and 6. The end-of-project evaluation report indicated that 75% of the youths trained have been employed. Under the current technical co-operation project, 700 youths enrolled in the Youth-At-Risk programme are expected to be trained. Additionally, the recently launched Citizen Security Strengthening Programme (CSSP) targets about 8,400.