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Minister of Youth, Stephen Lashley, in conversation with??(from left) Regional Director of Italian Cooperation (Central America and Caribbean), Dr. Paola Viero;??Vice Consul of Italy, Paola Baldi; Television Journalist of RAI, Dr. Fabio Cortese; Permanent Secretary, Irvine Best; and Governance Manager of the UNDP, Paula Mohamed.????
Government’s recently launched survey to hear the views of 1000 unemployed young people should be completed soon.
That is the word from Minister of Family, Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley, who said the findings would then be forwarded to his Ministry.
"The initial report suggests the numbers are building and it looks as though there has been a good response … and we have been able to reach some of those young people who have been disengaged," Mr. Lashley stated.
He made the comments recently at his office, when he was paid a courtesy call by Regional Director of Italian Cooperation (Central America and Caribbean), Dr. Paola Viero; Vice Consul of Italy, Paola Baldi; Television Journalist of RAI, Dr. Fabio Cortese; and Governance Manager of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Paula Mohamed.
The survey is designed to reach a large number of unemployed young people across Barbados and it seeks to find out, among other things, what they wish to do.
Minister Lashley explained that on completion of the survey, "we want to guide the young people towards areas of training, whether there are also employment opportunities, or find out what their areas of interest are so we can better design programmes for them".
He noted that there was a concern that some young people were disconnected from society and he expressed the view that persons must reach out to them ones and ways must be found to encourage the youth to be involved and productive citizens.
The Italian team discussed various ways young people could be assisted and highlighted some of their projects.
Dr. Viero had earlier signed a three-year Youth Innovation (Youth-In) Project, which is being funded by the Government of Italy. It is a collaborative effort with that Government, the UNDP and the CARICOM Secretariat.????
Youth-In provides a platform to promote Caribbean youth participation in global dialogues, including engaging the creative energies of young people on critical development issues facing Small Island Developing States.??saustin@barbados.gov.bb