Youth Forum: The Gambia National Youth Council (NYC) In Focus

The council in addition to its advocacy role also advise Government on matters affecting young people amongst others. The creation of the Council is aimed at mobilising and enhancing the participation of young people in national development efforts. Young people constitute over 63% of the population and have innate potentials, which need to be tapped for rapid socio economic transformation.

Since its inception, in 2000 the NYC has embarked on numerous projects and programmes geared towards building the capacity of the youths and improving their general welfare and wellbeing. NYC has embarked on various programmes to fulfil its mandate and functions ranging from supporting the youth centres, staff training and capacity building programmes in the area of policy development, life skills and HIV/AIDS awareness creation among the youth; socio cultural development, economic development and employment programmes, education and awareness raising campaign, support youths with disabilities, networking, supporting youths in agriculture and advocacy against illegal migration were also carried out by NYC.

Vision

A vibrant and empowered council that enhances youth empowerment for self actualization and serve as centre of excellence for effective participation in sustainable national development.

Our Mission

To mobilize and organize youths, through comprehensive and systemic programmes for their empowerment and transformation in to productive citizens, with skills to discover their worth for greater participation in sustainable national development.

Objectives

•Facilitate youth employment for active participation in nation development;

•Support and encourage active youth participation in the process of development of policies and programmes;

•Facilitate the socio-economic and cultural development of youths in the country and;

•Facilitate youth networking and exchange at national and international levels

Functions

•Organize and coordinate youth programmes, policies and provide guideline for the orientation of youth organizations with the viewto harmonizing various youth operations in The Gambia;

•Conduct research on youth development;

•Monitor the implementation of the National Youth Policy of Government and decisions of the National Youth Conference;

•Mobilize resources foryouth development;

•Work closely with charitable organizations involved in youth organizations involved in youth related workactivities;

•Organize youth conferences and festival;

•Promote networking with other national youth bodies and youth organizations abroad;

•Plan and implement national youth programmes;

•Maintain a data bank on youth organizations and activities in the country;

•Register national youth organizations;

•Determine the fees for the registration of youth organization; and

•Carry out such other functions that may be desired in furtherance of the objective of the council

Supervise the operations of the Regional Youth Committees;

Organizational Structure

1. The council consist of a chairman who is appointed by the Minister,youth chairpersons from all the seven adminstrative regions, Parmanent Secretary - Ministry of Youth & Sports, Executive Director of youth council who also served as the secretary of the council, and a female representative.

2. There are seven regional/municipal youth committees whose chairpersons are elected at a congress, the regional youth committees also consit of the district youth chairpersons, the youth coordinator who also serves as the secretary to the committee and a female representative.

3. The district youth committee members are elected at a congress of villages youth representatives in all the district.

Source : NYC