Better opportunities for Guyanese youths in oil and gas
― Youth and Oil Association launched
― mission is to champion opportunities for youths in the oil sector through education, advocacy and support
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, November 7, 2019
The Youth and Oil Association (YOA), is an organisation, that aims to empower young entrepreneurs and professionals to take advantage of the opportunities in the oil and gas sector.
With its mission to champion opportunities for Guyanese youths from the oil sector through education, advocacy and support, the organisation was officially launched on Thursday, in the Boardroom of the Masterclass Institute, at Regent Street, Georgetown.
According to President of the YOA, Dennon Lewis, the association was established with two of Guyana’s rich resources in mind – youth and oil. He said the group firmly believes that by educating individuals about the oil industry, they will be more equipped to benefit from its “ripple effect” and will be further empowered to cash in on other opportunities available through indirect industries and sector.
Furthermore, the organisation plans to increase sustainable local businesses by directly assisting youths in becoming competitive in both local and international markets.
Lewis said the YOA will be lobbying for greater partnership with stakeholders, advocating for initiatives for youth-owned businesses and hosting series of workshops and seminars. “The Masterclass Institute has already pledged $3M worth in scholarships for group members who require training in the areas of entrepreneurship in technology, agriculture and leadership and management,” he disclosed.
The ‘Kaizan Consultancy’ is one of the major supporting company.
Legal Director of YOA, Ayodele Roache explained financial support is one of the challenges hindering young entrepreneurs. “There is the Small Business Bureau and the Department of Youth that offer these services. But most times, individuals are not aware that the information is there or they don’t know how to access it. So, we would not only provide the information, but we would be able to direct individuals through each process.”
The Legal Director added that the legal age is another impediment to youths who aspire to pursue their own business. In this regard, the organisation will also advocate for the legal age limit of becoming an entrepreneur from age 18 to 16, so that youths can follow their dreams at an early age. “We will do this through the different sector but mainly the oil and gas industry,” she noted.
Already, the YOA has 54 members who are from three administrative regions across Guyana. The executive members include; President, Dennon Lewis, Vice-President Shuwayne Issacs, Secretary Odel Bascom, Treasurer Dakarai Griffith, Public Relations (PR) Director Stephen Surujbally, and Legal Director Ayodele Roache. While Stephanie Jones and Lindon Isles will function as the Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary respectively.
Surujbally says to become a member of the association, persons must be between the ages of 16-35 and must have a business or business ideas (aspiring business owner), or a young professional.
Persons who are interested in joining the Youth and Oil Association can contact 223-6845 or the PR Director on 652-7373. Registration can also be done online by logging on to www.youthandoil.com or via their Facebook page.