–Minister urges new batch of HEYS facilitators

SEVENTY-four facilitators on Saturday completed training under the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs flagship youth initiative, the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) Programme.

According to a release from the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, the one-week training programme saw facilitators being drawn from 39 villages in the Mabaruma Sub-district of Region One (Barima-Waini).
Delivering the charge to the facilitators on Saturday at the Mabaruma Secondary School, Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, with responsibility for youth development, Ms. Valerie Garrido-Lowe, emphasised that facilitators must ensure the knowledge shared with indigenous youths is heard.

“Youth, as you know, their attention span is not so long so you as facilitators must have the patience, and come up with ways to hold their attention, how to make them understand and learn what you are imparting,” Minister Garrido-Lowe said, adding:
“This is why this training is so important; you are being trained to deliver the HEYS programme in a youth-friendly way.”
She urged that they not view their job as facilitators as simply a source of income. “No! I would like you to put more! Put your heart into it; put your soul into it!” she said. “Remember, you are molding somebody there, and you must be able to see a step forward and upward in the youth.”
Minister Garrido-Lowe also underscored the importance of having youths exposed to additional training.

And, in re-committing the Regional Democratic Council’s support to the HEYS programme, Regional Chairman, Mr. Brentnol Ashley in his address said, “The RDC remains committed in supporting any activity that will help foster development; bring the level of education to where it needs to be, and to give opportunities to our young people to become the kind of Guyanese brothers and sisters they ought to be”.
Facilitators were also challenged to break down the barriers by making them instead into bridges, so that the intended deliverables can be realised.
“Young people are our future, and we have to create that kind of atmosphere and build the type of foundation that will assist them when they transit into leadership capacities,” the Regional Chair said, adding: “In taking on leadership responsibilities, they will be able to do so in an efficient and effective manner.”

Each village will have 20 youths participating in the programme, with 645 of them from 39 villages in Region One alone, actively engaged in Phase Two, which is scheduled to begin at the conclusion of the facilitators training course.

According to the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, the 2017-2018 cohort will see 2000 youths from all 10 administrative regions actively involved in capacity building, concentrated language experience, entrepreneurship, agriculture, small engine repairs, eco-tourism, catering, garment construction, carpentry/joinery, craft and information technology among other areas of focus.

The first phase of the programme saw more than 1800 youths successfully completing it and venturing into establishing successful business enterprises of their own. Some, however, entered the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the health sector as health workers, among other areas.

The government has invested more than $900M in the first phase of the programme, and according to Minister Garrido-Lowe, the investment was well worth the while.