Youth Minister, Stephen Lashley reaffirmed Government’s commitment to the youth of Barbados. (FP)
Government is committed to the development of young people in Barbados.
Minister with responsibility for Youth, Stephen Lashley, emphasised this point today during his address at the Youth Development Programme’s Galloping Ahead Jockey Training launch, held in the Incitatus Members’ Lounge at the Barbados Turf Club.
Mr. Lashley explained that through the project, Government was reaffirming its commitment to providing training and opportunities to alleviate one of the major issues affecting the country’s youth, unemployment.
According to him, youth unemployment in Barbados and the wider Caribbean was aggravated by a number of factors, including a lack of training among the youth.
“There is a need to enhance the training programmes, moving them from narrowly focusing on traditional academic disciplines, to include preparatory training for participating in the labour force…Many of these young people are entering the labour force without the skills that are being demanded in the marketplace,” he stated.
The Youth Minister also highlighted some of the projects being utilised by Government to develop the nation’s youth, specifically the Youth Development Programme, the Endless Possibilities Programme, and the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES).
The Galloping Ahead Project is a training project for young persons who are interested in the care of horses and/or becoming jockeys. The training will include components on care, grooming, saddling, removal of gear, nutrition and feeding, bandaging, riding, basic first aid and basic treatment.
The project will also target Health Education (including HIV), Conflict Resolution, Substance Abuse Prevention, Time Management and Personal Development.