CARICOM Secretariat’s skills training targets youth in Jamaica

As the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat continues to work with Member States, regional and international stakeholders on improving citizen security, it is moving apace with initiatives to address youth unemployment and recidivism.

Two workshops with this purpose are being conducted in Kingston, Jamaica from 7-11 October 2019, at the Medallion Hall. The workshops are a collaboration among CARICOM Secretariat; the Government of Jamaica, through the Ministry of National Security; the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information; and the European Union under the CARIFORUM–EU Crime and Security Programme.

Within the framework of the Creativity for Employment and Business Opportunity (CEBO) initiative, one of the workshops targets Involuntary Returned Migrants, and young people out of the juvenile justice system. It is anticipated that the transference and use of these skills among this target population, will redound to reduced youth unemployment, drug abuse, and crime and violence in society.

The other workshop will see Youth Empowerment Officers and other youth leaders participating in a Training of Trainers session. The skills they acquire in this session should build their capacity to share creativity and business information. All of the participants will receive practical guidance to create and implement business ideas.

Expert and experienced facilitators are guiding the sessions to ensure that the participants develop effective communication, decision-making and conflict resolution skills; develop short-to-medium-term self-improvement plans; and understand how to structure a simulated company with assigned personnel and a business plan.

According to the Programme Manager for Culture and Community Development within the CARICOM Secretariat, Dr. Hilary Brown, focus will be on “high energy engagements among young people.”

“They form themselves into companies, they come to the CEBO Bank to apply for a loan which they receive,” after a successful pitch of their business ideas, she said, .

This practical approach to youth entrepreneurial skills training also involves the participants going out into field to market and sell an excellent product or service. It will see them coming back to the workshops’ facilitators with their profit and loss statements. At the end of the exercises, they are allowed to keep the loan as well as the profits, which they can choose to use as start-up funds.

In an interview with the CARICOM Secretariat’s Communication Unit, Dr. Brown noted that several success stories have emanated from the CEBO training programme. She said Member States, including The Bahamas and St. Kitts and Nevis, have integrated the model into their youth programmes with the requisite budgetary allocations.

The CEBO Programme was developed in 2011 and started in 2012 to engage, inspire and create entrepreneurial interest and action among young CARICOM nationals in and out of school.

Describing the programme as a “regional public good” for youth training from which all Member States can benefit, Dr. Brown said two comprehensive manuals for facilitators and participants, have been significant outputs.

She said a partners meeting will anchor the week’s activities against the recognition that young entrepreneurs need support from various actors including government and the private sector.

Since its inception, the CEBO Programme has been implemented in 13 countries.

Source: CARICOM TODAY