FOOD for the Poor (FFTP) Guyana, on Thursday, launched its Youth Enhancement Project, also called the YEN Project, which seeks to equip some 15 youths from South Georgetown with employment training.
The launch ceremony was held at the FFTP headquarters in Georgetown, and is the first initiative of its kind. It was conceptualised by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Food for the Poor, Andrea Benjamin, along with the FFTP Project team.
It was stated that YEN is a testament to FFTP Guyana’s firm belief that youths are the foundation of our nation’s future, offering a comprehensive and holistic approach to youth development locally.
The project not only seeks to upscale Guyana’s youth, but also to prepare them for the world of work, and provide them with a holistic approach that addresses each aspect of their development, including psychosocial support to ensure their general wellbeing and success.
Senior Project Officer at FFTP, Valini Leitch said: “While we are seeing, almost on a daily basis the rolling out of several outcomes, Food for the Poor Guyana and the Butterfly Project realised that we needed an essential component, and that is the psychosocial and wellness, because we need to have rounded, well-balanced youth heading into the world of work,”

Also speaking at the launch was the Chief Recruitment and Manpower Officer – Ministry of Labour, Yolanda Grant who stated that the initiative marked a significant step in youth empowerment, and addressed employment in South Georgetown.
“This Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency Ministry of Labour has a long standing commitment to improving employment opportunities and supporting the workforce development in Guyana. Our mission is to connect jobseekers with employers, facilitate training and development and ultimately reduce unemployment across the nation.

“Our efforts align seriously with the objectives of the Youth Enhancement Project by Food for the Poor. Aiming to build capacity of 15 youths in South Georgetown by providing them with the necessary skills and opportunities to secure employment,” she stated.
The CEO of the institution, in her brief remarks, highlighted that while there are job opportunities available, access to these opportunities prove to be barriers for our youth. Some of these barriers she said are things that many may take for granted. For example, she highlighted the search for jobs in the wrong places, access to information on how to register for a tax identification number (TIN Certificate) and other documents needed to secure employment.
“So with this project, what we want to do is take young people on that journey of learning everything that is needed to prepare them for the working environment. They’re going to be going there, and when they get there they’re equipped with everything that is needed and they’re also equipped with the soft skills to function,” she pointed out.

According to Benjamin, YEN is about sustaining the youths, providing them with career guidance and opportunities as they enter the world of work. This project she said is not only about employment, but is about fostering a generation that is resilient, skilled, and ready to contribute to the socioeconomic fabric of Guyana.

She highlighted, “Our youths are our future. They’re our future leaders, innovators and change makers, who will carry the mantel of our country forward,”
Over the next four months of YEN, FFTP will utilise several training modules entailing complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, people management, coordinating with others, emotional intelligence, judgement and decision making, service orientation, negotiation, and cognitive flexibility.

In addition, they will address all aspects of youth development, an individual approach tailored to suit all participants, skills development (focusing on training to enhance employability), work experience- hands on opportunities in real world settings, networking, and a learn-to-learn method which encourages continuous self-improvement and adaptability