CARICOM Enhancing Youth Involvement in CSME Implementation

CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana - Friday, 6 September 2024:  Many Caribbean youth remain unaware of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and its benefits to their lives and future prosperity.

This is due to several issues, including the fact that the CSME is not adequately incorporated into educational curricula and limited engagement and interest from youth. These barriers hinder their potential for growth and advancement through regional integration.

The recently launched CARICOM Young Professionals Programme (CYPP) is a solution to these challenges as it will better position young people in the Region to benefit from the advances in regional integration.

 Programme Manager for Youth Development at the CARICOM Secretariat Ms Michele Small-Bartley, believes that the CYPP can bridge gaps and create renewed interest in CSME among youth.  She affirms that the CSME is a critical vehicle to drive economic growth and foster regional cooperation in the Caribbean.

“We must prioritise educational reform, targeted outreach, youth engagement, and skills development to bridge the gap in awareness and empower young people to actively participate in and benefit from the CSME’s opportunities,” stated Small-Bartley.

The CYPP is a four-month programme which aims to build the capacity of CARICOM nationals aged  24 to  35 years by providing them with the relevant knowledge and skills to promote the implementation of the CSME regime. It will also focus on helping young people better understand and navigate the complexities of the CSME through comprehensive training, workshops, and educational resources using an experiential approach to enhance their knowledge, skills, and competencies.

Through this process, young professionals will be empowered to advocate for their interests and priorities within the CSME framework, thus ensuring their voices are heard in policy discussions and decision-making processes at the national and regional levels.

The initiative will facilitate platforms, forums, and networking events where young professionals can connect, collaborate, and exchange ideas with peers, mentors, policymakers, and business leaders across the Caribbean region.  It also seeks to establish a CARICOM Young Professional Network, fostering a sense of community and advocating for greater youth involvement in the decision-making process related to the implementation of the CSME regime.

Ms Small-Bartley is also advocating for prioritising educational reform, targeted outreach, youth involvement, and skills development so stakeholders can bridge the gap in awareness and empower young people to actively participate in and benefit from the CSME’s opportunities. “The vision of a prosperous and integrated Caribbean region can only be realised through collective effort,” stated Small-Bartley.

Selection of the first cohort of programme participants is in progress.

-30-