Anguilla News covers Anguilla and the wider
Caribbean.
x
Ministry of
Social Development brings together stakeholders to develop
employment initiative for young people at risk.
Date Posted: April 24, 2008.
The Ministry of Social Development on Monday 21, April assembled a wide range of stakeholders at the Paradise Cove Resort for a planning and development workshop. The workshop was designed to establish among critical stakeholders the basis and the way forward for the proposed Job Education and Skill Development Initiative or Job Link-Up.
The Job Education and Skill Development Initiative/ Job Link-Up is an initiative being proposed by the Ministry of Social Development to target young people between the ages of 17-24 who are experiencing or will experience difficulty integrating into the job market because of particular factors such as: non-completion of high school, personal disability, single parenthood, current or past health and or substance abuse related problems, low skill or education base, regular contact with justice systems among others.
The initiative proposes to use a wide range of strategies that will assist participants in widening their education and skill base; developing positive attitudes about work and themselves; making informed job choices; providing quality work experience and ultimately in becoming gainfully employed.
At the workshop stakeholders conducted an analysis of the problem and objectives and were engaged in the development of a plan of activities for the initiative.
It is envisioned that Job Link-Up will be a 6-8 month individually tailored initiative that will engage the individual in a range of activities including career counselling, continuing education and training, mentoring, regular monitoring and evaluation, job placement, job shadowing among others that will facilitate their access into the workforce.
There were 23 participants in the workshop from a wide cross section of agencies including human resource managers from two of Anguilla’s leading companies, Cuisinart Resort and Spa and the Anguilla Electricity Company; representative from the Comprehensive learning centre a private sector pioneer in adult and continuing education and the Social Security Board. Other participants represented the Departments of Education, Social Development, Labour, Human Resource Management, Youth and Culture, Probations, Agriculture and the Community College Development Unit. Additionally, in attendance were probationers and representatives of the National Youth Ambassador corps.
Analyses and other information gathered at the workshop will be inputted into a revised proposal. It is expected that the pilot for the initiative will come on stream for 2008-2009.
