SHILLONG:
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, today unveiled a ground-breaking programme in the State called Youth Engagement through Empowered Youth Organizations. This project aims to empower these organisations to take meaningful action that will have a greater influence on youth development (YESS).
Speaking on the occasion at Pinewood hotel, Sangma said, “With the youth dominating our state demographic, it was imperative that the State Government took measures to create a positive impact on the community. The youth of Meghalaya played a pivotal role during the pandemic with on-ground management of affairs for contact tracing, planning and delivery of essential supplies, awareness campaigns etc. The program YESS is in line with the State Government’s vision of empowering the youth of Meghalaya. It is them who can lead the State towards further growth and prosperity. The key objective is to provide the proper opportunities for the abundant potential in our youngsters, as well as the freedom to seek excellence without financial or societal constraints.“
Adding that on August 12, the International Youth Day, there will be a distribution of the first round of checks to the different organizations, Sangma added, “So all the online registrations open today, you can enter and you can register and the process of selection will start. There may be some teething problems in the beginning because a lot of people may not give all the information,” he said.
The State Young Policy, which was announced in 2021 and defines the commitment of the Government of Meghalaya to youth participation, empowerment, and rejuvenation, served as the basis for the creation of the programme. The broad goals of this programme include empowering youth clubs and organisations to plan and carry out grassroots-level programmes and activities related to important issues affecting youth, directing youth energy in a positive direction through empowered youth organisations, and enhancing the ecosystem for youth development by encouraging effective collaboration with key state stakeholders working toward youth empowerment and development.
It is anticipated that the youth organizations taking part in this initiative will participate in activities like environmental protection and conservation programs and workshops, financial literacy workshops and campaigns, awareness dissemination workshops and seminars, career counselling and guidance workshops and clinics, mental wellbeing seminars and campaigns and more.
The State Government’s commitment to youth involvement, empowerment, and rejuvenation is a testament to its commitment to making Meghalaya one of the top 10 states in the country. Further information about the program will be available at http://www.yessmeghalaya.in/.