By Jomo Paul
[www.inewsguyana.com] – USAID Skills and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) project has outlined its plans for the youth prisoners that were recently pardoned by President David Granger and released from prison.
President Granger pardoned the youths as part of a larger plan to do the same annually with 60 such persons; however only 49 of those youths successfully met the criteria to be pardoned this year.
USAID SKYE activities are integrated through the provision of a coach for all youths accessing project interventions. It is geared towards individual employability and livelihood plans.
Generally, the program supports re-integration of youth offenders into society, diversion and alternative sentencing for youth within the justice system and strengthens the environment for youth development in Guyana.
An official from USAID spoke to iNews recently about the organisation’s plans for the youths, indicating that it will not differ much from its usual offerings but will be specific to the needs of each individual.
The official stated that “the project is to support successful reintegration for the pardoned individuals so that they will be reintegrated into their communities to become productive, law-abiding citizens.”
The support they will be provided with includes mentoring, literacy training as needed, life skills training, job placement support and counselling.
So true bigmoot!!
At the end of the program the parents must be given the chance to give the final charge to those kids in public because about 50 % of the times they are the ones that encourage the kids to indulge in wrongdoings to satisfy there selfish needs.
Great initiative
SKYE has some excellent programmes which give a helping hand to youths who really need a helping hand. I’ve seen a Reading programme which was extremely successful. Best wishes to these youngsters who have been given a second chance. Let’s all hope and pray that they make the very best of it.
I want to thank the new admin. for the reintergration program for these youth. It is an excellent decision to give these young people a second chance. This would also give them a purpose to live a productive life. Thank you President Granger.