A team from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) yesterday met with Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton and other officials of his ministry.
A release from the ministry said that the meeting focused on USAID’s current and planned efforts, particularly its USAID Youth Resilience Inclusion and Empowerment (Y-RIE) Programme, as well as an analysis of approaches to improve youth resilience, inclusion, and empowerment.
The release said that this involves discussions about forming a partnership between the two entities to promote empowerment among at-risk youngsters by providing them with technical skills for employment and apprenticeship programmes given by the Board of Industrial Training (BIT).
It also complements the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency’s (CRMA) services, such as its ‘job readiness’ programmes and counselling. With the goal of improving youth support and building their resilience to crime and violence, a Memorandum of Agreement will be signed to formalise this cooperation, the release said.
Y-RIE is a youth-centred, systems-strengthening activity rooted in a public health approach to violence prevention. It targets at-risk persons aged 10 to 29.