AS PART of its ongoing efforts to provide better prospects for future generations, the Jamaican Government has moved to update its 1994 youth policy to effectively tackle problems facing the nation's youth.
The revamped policy, which has already been submitted to Cabinet, addresses a number of issues including employment and entrepreneurship, youth health, education, training, care and protection, participation and empowerment.
It explores ways to provide young Jamaicans with opportunities to develop their full mental, social, spiritual and physical potential through the provision of training programmes.
An accompanying strategic plan document, which is being prepared, will specify the plans for the implementation of the policy and will also focus on the priority areas for youth development, the cost of the activities and the source of funding.
IMPLEMENTATION PLANS
A National Youth Council and a National Research Council will form a central part of the policy, and implementation plans are well advanced for the former.
Dr. Donald Rhodd, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture, said recently that plans for the Youth Research Council were still at an initial stage.
"With regards to the research institute we need to build more capacity within the National Centre for Youth Development (NCYD) and when that is done we will be better able and capable of proceeding to establish the Youth Research Council, but we have already began the work to establish the National Youth Council," he said.
One of the main objectives of the National Youth Council is to monitor the implementation of the policy and to ensure that the identified goals are being achieved.
'OPERATION PHOENIX'
Dr. Rhodd said preliminary steps to establish the Youth Council consist of the re-launch of the National Secondary Student Council and the Jamaica Union of Tertiary Students, as well as the implementation of 'Operation Phoenix', a programme which involves the setting up of youth information centres in Portmore, St. Catherine and Port Maria, St. Mary. He said another information facility at the Caenwood Centre in Kingston is being refurbished and is to be opened this month to serve Kingston and St. Andrew.
Operation Phoenix is a project designed to support the formation and development of youth organisations.
In addition, there are plans to establish a similar centre in Montego Bay, St. James.
The policy was developed by the NCYD in collaboration with the education Ministry. The NCYD was established in September 2000 as the youth division of the then Ministry of Local Government, Youth and Community Development
and transferred to the Ministry of Education in May 2001. It is the agency responsible for bringing together programmes, services and activities geared toward youth development as well as recommending and designing programmes to enhance and propel youth development in the country.
