National Youth Policy implementation still in preparation stage

While the Department of Youth has been planning works since the passing of the National Youth Policy in Parliament in 2016, the implementation of the policy is still in its preparation stage.
This is according to Director of Youth, Melissa Carmichael, who at a recent Social Cohesion Ministry engagement said, “We’re still in the process of preparing the implementation plan for the policy.”
Carmichael noted that consultations will be held with various youth organisations, with the aim of putting the implementation plan together.
“The Department of Youth after the National Youth Policy was passed would have put together our programme for 2018 as well as 2017 based on directives from the youth policy. Whatever it contains, the various aspects of youth and youth development that it contains we would have taken that into consideration while planning our work plan for 2017 as well as 2018… so as it relates to implementing what is there, the Department of Youth has been doing that but we are still in the process of preparing the implementation plan,” the Director of Youth disclosed.
That plan, however is expected to be put together before the end of June or September.
“As a department, we would have discussed at various levels the fact that an implementation plan needs to be put into place and we are preparing sometime in this year to have consultations with various youth organisations with regards to putting that together… so sometime before the end of this quarter maybe next quarter we should start working on that crafting the plan” Carmichael said. The National Youth Policy is premised on improving the social, emotional and cultural skills of young people, producing a productive and enterprising youth workforce, developing quality education and market-oriented skills, encouraging leadership, participation and representation and promoting good health, security and safety.
The policy caters for development of a National Youth Empowerment Action Plan which will include comprehensive and strategic programmes and projects being implemented.