EIGHTY EIGHT young people applied for the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Young Influencers Programme, which is aimed at empowering youths nationwide, according to Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud.

Minister Persaud was at the time reflecting on the previous batches of participants and the progress made to date, while sharing her aspirations for the new participants on Friday.

“I believe learning from the first two, there are other areas that we want to see them participate in more, which they started in the second batch which is the youth debate and parliamentary debate. We want them to be more national in their visibility; we want them to be able to have more expression on an international platform or many international platforms, and we will be reviving the youth unfiltered television and social media series so you can look out for that from this new batch,” Dr Persaud stated while speaking with the Department of Public Information (DPI).

The youth initiative is geared towards encouraging and empowering young people to make a meaningful impact in their communities through their skillsets and talents, while reflecting the characteristics of a positive role model and ambassador for young people.

The ministry aims to foster community engagement among young influencers and extend their impact.

“We also want them to be more present in communities and galvanise more young people. We are striving for a grassroots community approach, where their projects involve not only their batch of young influencers but also a broader spectrum of youths. Additionally, we will be working harder to ensure that they mentor more young people in the future,” the minister added.

Currently, the ministry is reviewing the 88 applications received for 2023, carefully considering the potential of each candidate.

Minister Persaud assured that the announcement of the new batch of influencers will be made soon, eagerly awaiting the unveiling of the next wave of talented young voices.

As youths make up a significant proportion of the population, the ministry’s Youth Influencer Programme stands as a testament to the government’s commitment to inclusive decision-making and youth empowerment. Applicants will be chosen from each administrative region.