47 / 56
41
Young people in Jamaica are not a homogenous group; they
confront very diverse realities. Acknowledging that “youth” can
refer to a wide group of people with different values, aspirations,
family backgrounds and motivations, we commit to pursue
policies and programmes that will empower our youth, promote
and encourage the participation of young people in all aspects of
sustainable development.
A JLP government will:
•
Create a new and expanded National Apprenticeship
Programme and National Service Programme. Our aim
is to enable youth not enrolled in school or employed,
to be enrolled in a training, apprenticeship or service
programme. This will provide young people with job
skills, while allowing employers to develop a potential
employee trained specially for their company.
•
The Service programmes will combine training,
mentorship and voluntary service. We will encourage
youth to be involved in meaningful activity in building
their community, while developing necessary life and
work
skills.Wewill ensure that building on the existing
core, every student leaving the education system will be
certified at a functional level of education and competent
in a skill. We also commit to establishing a component
of the programme to focus on the rehabilitation of young
offenders, with proper support systems to assist in their
reintegration into society.
The JLP’s general push for job creation will embrace and require
the skills and energy of young people. That they have relevant
YOUTH
training, certification and where possible experience from these
programmes, will dove tail with our plans for economic growth and
job creation.
Make Young People a Part of Decision Making
Create Youth Advisory Councils starting with the Ministries
responsible for Youth and Education. These Councils will enable
youth perspectives to be represented at the highest decision-
making level of government. This will inject the innovation of
youth, as well as the very practical input needed from the persons
expected to be impacted by the policies developed.
Create a National Youth Foundation to provide finance and
technical support for the Youth Advisory Councils and entities
such as the:
•
National Secondary Students Council (NSSC)
•
Jamaica Union of Tertiary Students (JUTS)
•
Jamaica Youth Ambassador Programme (JYAP)
•
National Youth Council of Jamaica (NYCJ)
Revitalise the National Youth Parliament to give young Jamaicans
the opportunity to learn first-hand about our democracy and to
influence decision-making.
Ensure that all parishes have at least one Youth Information
Center and network all YICs, to offer a core set of services, giving
all youth access to an agreed set of services.
Promote and expand “Values Streaming through Sports”, as a
medium to transfer knowledge of wellness and healthy sexual
reproductive health choices.