Strong support for Youth Development Programmes in budget

KINGSTON — The Youth Development Programme, which facilitates the transition of unattached youth to adulthood and the world of work, through training, on the job experience, information dissemination, labour intermediation services and sector management have been boosted by an allocation of $205 million in the 2011/12 Budget.

Up to February 2011, the programme had achieved procurement of consultants for three new Youth Information Centres (YICs); website design/ construction completed; national youth survey, 90 per cent completed; youth mainstreaming consultancy 60 per cent complete; and consultant selected to do programme inventory and GAP analysis.

Targets for 2011/12 include: commencement of construction of YICs in Kingston, Trelawny and Hanover; acquisition of electronic surveillance system; completion of the national youth survey; development of electronic youth programmatic inventory; and youth stakeholder consultations.

The programme, which falls under the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, is funded by the Government of Jamaica and the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) and is to be completed by April, 2013.

By LATONYA LINTON, JIS Reporter