Youth to have more input in decision making

KINGSTON — The Youth Mainstreaming Strategy, being developed by the Government, will ensure the full inclusion of young people throughout all levels of policy decision-making, said Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sports and Culture, Senator Warren Newby.

He was addressing a JIS Think Tank held recently at the agency’s headquarters on Half-Way-Tree Road, St. Andrew.

“What the strategy will do is to have all ministries and agencies look at the programmes that they are developing and the programmes that they are currently offering to ensure that there is an active component that looks at how the youth are being engaged and how they are being involved in the decision making process,” he stated.

He said all government agencies, non-governmental organisations, and the private sector are being asked to engage the youth in decisions and to incorporate their input in strategies that will reduce their vulnerability.

The strategy, which is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), seeks to increase the involvement of young people in governance and social development and empower the youth by engaging them in meaningful activities that affect their livelihood.

The University of the West Indies (UWI) has been engaged to design the mechanism through which youth mainstreaming can be delivered to the Jamaican youth and the general public.  The university has produced a draft strategy, which was presented at a two-day workshop held late June at the Faculty of Law.

Senator Newby said young people will be sensistised about the strategy, noting that the process got underway at last month’s workshop at UWI.

Additionally, there will be a mass media component to get underway in September, which will include radio, television and print advertisements, and the use of social media such as Facebook.

“It will be rolled out over a number of years as we seek to ensure that all programmes coming out of Government have a component that looks at youth and include their input,” he stated.

By E. HARTMAN RECKORD, JIS Information Officer