OAS Country Office Organizes Consultation to Launch Youth-IN Entrepreneurship Assessment, Mapping and Assessment Exercise conducted by YABT and UNDP Barbados and the OECS
(OAS)–Working in partnership with the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Office for Barbados and the OECS, the OAS Country Office was instrumental in bringing together a group of stakeholders in the both St. Kitts and Nevis to formally launch a regional consultation and assessment exercise. The participants in the consultation were stakeholders who were from institutions and agencies, which worked closely with young people in administering and coordinating programs, projects and activities designed to develop their business acumen and entrepreneurial skills.
The primary purpose of the consultation was to identify, through a mapping and assessment exercise, current entrepreneurial programmes targeting young people in CARICOM Member States, with a view to recognize potential synergies that would give rise to promoting more effective cooperation and collaboration between institutions, agencies and young entrepreneurs. According to the primary partners involved in driving this initiative, the outcome of the exercise would help to build a comprehensive strategy to benefit both young entrepreneurs and institutions in the Caribbean region.
At the sessions held on November 14, 2013 at the OAS Country Office, and November 15, 2013 at the Ministry of Finance in Nevis, Ms. Anna Vichnevetskaia, a YABT staff member, made a presentation on how the mapping exercise would be executed and explained to representatives of the various institutions present the details of the questionnaire. It was noted that the information gathered would form the basis for conducting an analysis of the entrepreneurial programmes in the region that would be critical to deciding, among other things, where support may be warranted and what adjustments would be necessary to improve and perfect entrepreneurial activities across the region.
Other presenters were Ms. Janine Chase of the UNDP-Barbados who provided an overview of the Youth –In Entrepreneurship Programme to date and plans for the next steps and Mr. Luis Viguria, YABYT’s Chief Executive Officer, who spoke about the Caribbean Innovative Challenge 2013 and the Plans for 2014.
It should be noted that part of the objective for the consultations was to receive recommendations from local stakeholders on next steps for the Youth-IN Entrepreneurship programme, with special reference to the Caribbean Innovation Challenge (CIC). In this connection, participants became engaged in a spirited but substantive conversation that elaborated topics such as outreach, awareness creation, the involvement and coordination between the public, private and academic sectors, among others.
The Consultation was moderated by Starret D Greene, OAS Representative in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.