Australia provides support for youth employment in Timor-Leste
The press release focuses on The YEP Programme which will provide job opportunities for up to 70,000 in-school and out-of-school young women and men across all districts through career guidance, self-employment promotion, and short-term employment creation.
9 May 2008
Dili, Timor-Leste: The opportunity for Timorese youth to gain employment was given a boost today, with the launch of the Youth Employment Promotion Programme or YEP. Young people account for about 48 per cent of the country’s population. At least 15,000 young people leave school each year, but as there are not enough jobs for them the youth unemployment rate is a high 23 per cent. In urban areas youth unemployment is particularly bad, at an estimated 43 per cent.
The YEP Programme will provide job opportunities for up to 70,000 in-school and out-of-school young women and men across all districts through career guidance, self-employment promotion and short-term employment creation. In addition, the Programme will develop a National Youth Employment Action Plan and build a competency-based vocational training system. Australian Parliamentary Secretary for International Assistance, Mr Bob McMullan, who was involved in launching of the Youth Employment Promotion Programme, said “Giving unemployed youth a chance is vital to help resolve immediate unrest, and build a future for Timor-Leste”.
“Centres such as this will provide a great service to unemployed youth by giving them training and guidance on employment opportunities” said Mr McMullan, of the new youth career centre he helped to open in Balide. The Youth Employment Promotion Programme is implemented by the Secretariat of State for Vocational Training and Employment and the International Labour Organization, with A$ 7.3 million in funding from AusAID over four years. It represents the Government of Timor-Leste to put decent work for youth into action.
The YEP is part of an A$ 24 million programme of support for employment, education and skills development from the AusAID, which is the Australian Government Agency for International Development.
For more information please contact:
Jose Perreira
AusAID Program Officer
Tel: +670 7231828 or
Email
Joao Noronha
Programme Officer
ILO Programme Office in Timor-Leste
Tel: +670 723 1040
Email