Youth Entrepreneurship Framework to be developed  

 

  • aims to reduce unemployment among target group

DPI, Guyana, Thursday, July 5, 2018

The Department of Youth is working towards developing a Youth Entrepreneurship Policy framework for Guyana’s youths.

This was disclosed by the Director of the Department of Youth, Melissa Carmichael-Haynes in an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI). The director was at the time speaking about the recent Caribbean Regional Technical Workshop on Development of National Youth Entrepreneurship Policies, and Directors of Youth Meeting she attended from June 19-24 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Director of the Department of Youth, Melissa Carmichael-Haynes.

Carmichael-Haynes stated, while other issues were discussed during the meeting, the main focus was to introduce the directors of youth from across the region to a policy guide on youth entrepreneurship.

She stated, “it was noted at this technical workshop that there is a great need for Guyana to develop a youth entrepreneurship framework or strategy so that young people can be placed in a much more comfortable business, entrepreneurial environment.”

The director disclosed that the difficulties that young people face in terms of accessing finances and resources were also noted at the meeting. She said that the Department of Youth is cognisant that unemployment is an issue that affects youth across the nation.

This, she said, highlighted the importance of reintroducing Technical and Vocational Education and Training in schools. “We think that will have a great role to play in terms of young people becoming entrepreneurs.”

According to the Youth Director, TVET should not be seen “as a second choice or a second option,” it should be there for persons who are desirous of wanting to enhance their skills after completing their secondary education but do not necessarily wish to attend the University of Guyana (UG).

Carmichael-Haynes pointed that while society has been programmed to accept that being academically gifted is the road to success, she firmly believes that ‘in creating the entrepreneurship framework and strategy, it will include the whole re-culture, re-socialization of our young people in various communities to have them understand the importance of TVET education.”

She said that a report on the meeting is currently being prepared to be submitted to the Ministry of Social Cohesion and from there, a roundtable discussion which will include various stakeholders would be organized to discuss the way forward on the National Youth Entrepreneurship framework.

By: Anara Khan.

Image: Anil Seelall.

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