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Minister of??Youth, Stephen Lashley. (FP)

Government will be expanding its Endless Possibilities – A Job Attachment and Mentorship Programme for unemployed young people, and a strategic plan outlining how it will be done will shortly be submitted to Cabinet.

Minister of Family, Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley, made the disclosure yesterday on Errol Barrow Day, while addressing those participating in the annual Family Fun Day of the Barbados Workers’ Union at Mangrove, St. Philip.

Mr. Lashley reported that most of the young people who joined the programme were now in full-time employment, mainly in the private sector.

"This programme has been so successful that we have embarked on another phase and based on initial reports more than 70 per cent of those currently in the programme will receive long-term employment," he further disclosed.

Endless PossibilitiesA Job Attachment and Mentorship Programme was piloted in 2011 for unattached and ???at risk’ young people between the ages of 16 and 24. It provides them with long term employment, while exposing them to pertinent life and work skills.

There are three phases in the programme – orientation, mentorship and job attachment and review and separation. Some of the topics the young people are exposed to include personal development, finding self, the workplace and coping and managing.

Mr. Lashley said the young people came particularly from homes with high unemployment and patterns of inter-generational poverty. He thanked the private and public sector partners for their confidence in the programme.

sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb

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