3-pronged approach for greater youth innovation by SLED

The Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) programme will apply a three-prong strategy to encourage youths to take up ground-breaking business initiatives.

This method is to inspire young people to come up with pioneering ideas. Thereafter, they will seek technical assistance from the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST), and the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA). Once these proposals are feasible, provisions will be made to implement and bring them to fruition.

SLED Coordinator Jason Fraser told the Government Information Agency (GINA

SLED Programme Coordinator Jason Fraser
SLED Programme Coordinator Jason Fraser

) that the programme range covers from agro-processing to youth developmental skills. He said it helped youths “to find a vocation what they like to do, and have them trained in that, including Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills, agriculture and livestock, bee-keeping and added value products among others”.

The SLED programme will enable young people to form cooperatives and establish business ventures and partnerships to become self-sufficient. Fraser said the groups must be registered and checks would be done to ensure that groups comply.

“As long as you have an organised group or association, we meet with the beneficiaries, and once we see they have enough information at hand, we establish a special account with both signatories, the Government of Guyana and the beneficiaries, and we work by deliverables,” Fraser explained.

The groups are then carefully monitored to ensure the money is spent accordingly, after which training and other services in market support will be provided. Fraser noted that the programme has seen many successes thus far. These include the Skills and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) project, which has seen about 90 youths being able to start their own business. The Swine Producers Association and several other projects, including the Women for Change, have also been fruitful.  “You’d be amazed at what money and mentorship could do,” Fraser said.

Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence, during her 2017 budget presentation, said that the SLED initiative, along with several others, were all designed to ensure that young people were better prepared to take their rightful places in society as they embark on the good life, and prepare a better life for the succeeding generation.

Minister Lawrence added that the Social Protection Ministry was considering entering into partnership with the Business Ministry to facilitate exportation of produce, fostering entrepreneurial activity, self-confidence and self-esteem.

The SLED programme, which now falls under the purview of the Social Protection Ministry, has been allocated $100 million for its continuation in 2017.