The National Council of The Gambia YMCAs is currently implementing a skills training and enterprise development project funded by the UK Big Lottery Fund and Y’ Care International with the sole aim of giving Gambian youth free skills training and enterprise development knowledge.
Also included in the package is an inbuilt micro-finance scheme, that is geared towards giving young people the opportunity to start-up their own business enterprises.
These activities are supported by an ongoing advocacy campaign on youth enterprise and economic justice challenges in The Gambia.
The main thrust of this nation-wide project is the free vocational skills training, and a micro credit setup support for all trained beneficiaries coupled with a holistic advocacy component on Youth Employment Rights and Economic Justice issues.
It has attracted young people from all the regions in The Gambia, and strategically serves as a window of economic empowerment and livelihood independence.
As part of this ongoing project, The Gambia YMCA is organizing a National Youth Employment Summit from 21st – 23rd September 2011 at the Paradise Suites Hotel on the theme ‘Creating Markets……..Unleashing Entrepreneurship’……YMCAs Committed in supporting the Actualization of Vision 2020 and the MDGs.
The aim of the three-day summit is to create a platform for young people to share ideas surrounding youth employment and economic justice issues, engage with policy makers and service providers on strategies to profile the many challenges facing young people with regards to their employment opportunities.
According to the YMCAs BLF Funded Project Coordinator, Joseph Taiwo Peacock, the summit will be attended by young people, Government representatives, NGOs, youth organisations, sister YMCAs in
The summit is aimed at showcasing how NGOs such as The Gambia YMCAs can be very effective in the following areas:
Youth Entrepreneurship Development
Micro finance Support Scheme for Youths
Implementing relevant and strategic Vocational Skills Training
Rights Based Approach to Youth
Consolidated Partnership with stakeholders in supporting Youth Enterprise initiatives
Mr Peacock reiterated the fact that there will be a lot of inspirational speakers, sharing by youth leaders, presentations on how to implement strategic youth employment programs and showcasing best practice by organisations and institutions.
The summit will also create a platform for networking and cooperation among youth workers and youth - to - youth dialogue. There will be selected thematic sessions that will form an avenue for extra learning on programmatic interventions, strategic youth issues, and sourcing of funds to implement youth employment programs.
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