The Ministry of Women, in collaboration with the One UN Youth Employment Programme (YEP) and Samoa Culture Centre signed a MOU today, to launch the implementation of the “Developing Skills for the Employment of Youth in the Cultural Industries Project”
The rationale of the project intervention is in response to the market demand for a greater supply of youth with skills and knowledge in the cultural heritage of Samoa, and the ability to demonstrate these to different audiences.
This integrates well with the overall goal of the Youth Employment Program which is to promote and create more jobs for young men and women in Samoa. As an accredited training provider and a recognized expert in traditional skills and culture heritage, the Samoa Culture Centre is the ideal technical partner for this initiative under the Youth Employment Programme.
According to Tofa Maulolo Leaula Mulitalo Tavita Amosa (Managing Director, SCC), “This partnership will greatly help in assisting us to identify potential youth to participate in the intensive skills training programme.” And then added: “We are hoping to target the unemployed youth whom are vulnerable to becoming trapped in poverty. The project seeks to work with youth who are passionate and can demonstrate a genuine interest in learning and applying the skills and knowledge gained.”
The project has four main objectives, namely: deliver a high quality multi-skills training course for twenty youth through an intensive three-week programme, prepare the youth trainees to develop the ability to demonstrate their skills to public audience and secure paid employment for the youth following completion of the skills training course.
The selection of youth trainees will be inclusive of people with disabilities and will provide equal opportunities for participation by both male and female youth.
The hope is that this project will result skilled youth who can be linked to market opportunities.
The Youth Employment Programme is led by the Government of Samoa, through the Division for Youth at the Ministry of Women, Community & Social Development with financial and technical support from five UN agencies (UNDP, FAO, ILO, UNESCO, UNV), in a “Delivering as One” approach