Youths in Northern get help

Youth & Careers

The National Youth Development Authority has a partnership programme to help youths in Northern combat social issues such as drug abuse and crime.
This follows a first consultation training by the authority in partnership with the Justice Services and Stability for Development (JSS4D) programme and the Northern provincial youth development council establishment steering committee held in Popondetta recently.
Participants included youth representatives from Sohe and Ijivitari districts, young people living with disabilities and the nine local level government areas in the province.
During the four-day workshop from May 14-18, officers from the authority spoke on the National Youth Policy review and the authority’s functions, including the establishment of youth development councils.
The youth presented their activity plan to Northern Governor Gary Juffa and district development authorities and the LLG administrations.
Talks are being held with the JSS4D to compliment the initiative with transitional programme activities for criminal gangs, prison escapees, homebrew/marijuana producers and petty crime offenders who surrendered recently.
The transitional programme activities will include a sporting tournament to keep the youth who surrendered intake to bring in awareness and basic capacity building on personal development, conflict resolution and behaviour change.
Much of these activities will be integrated into their annual youth development activity plans when the councils are established.
The authority is currently liaising with national partner organisations to implement the transitional programme.
The Oro provincial youth development council establishment steering committee will now work with the JSS4D and the authority to coordinate activities till the Youth Council Networks is established in Northern by December.
The JSS4D is supported by Australia which deals with crime prevention, juvenile justice, community safety, community policing infrastructure and technical assistance in building the capacity of community-based law enforcing agencies and citizens.