St Lucia

The Youth enterprise development programs in St. Lucia attempt to build a sense of self worth in youth, by training and placing them in gainful employment in both wage and self-employment sectors. These programs therefore, enhance the social and economic development of the island.

The programs in St. Lucia are I) the Youth Skills Training program; ii) the Small Business Assistance Program; and iii) the National Research and Development Foundation. Each of these programs have subdivisions which will be briefly highlighted.

The Youth Skills Training program has assisted in teaching over 50 modules in areas demanded by the island's economy. Each training module runs from 3 to 12 months and comprises three components: technical skills, business training and social skills. The program has a placement desk which ensures the effective placement of trainees in gainful employment. This is achieved by mechanisms such as one-day workshops, weekend camps and employment preparation/counseling programs. From April 1993 to March 1994, 198 trainees benefitted from the program. Of those, 142 benefitted and 96 were placed in gainful employment. Because of the growing demand for training, centers have been established in twelve of the seventeen districts of the island.

There are three other programs that fall under the category of the Youth Skills program. These are the Boys Training Center, the Upton Girls and CARE. The first two mentioned, are structured for young girls and boys between the ages of 9 and 20 who have committed some kind of misdemeanor. Each center takes from 20 - 30 persons per session and engages them in ventures such as poultry farming for the boys (sale of eggs and chicken to nearby markets) and restaurant service for girls. These activities help maintain the programs afloat. Job placement is done by the center with occasional assistance from Youth Skills.

The CARE center is primarily for kids ages 13 to 20 who are primary school drop-outs or are not academically inclined. There are currently 80 youngsters enrolled in the program and expanding the capacity has been difficult due to financial constraints. The program is divided into two sections that run for about four to five months. The sections are consecutive, the first helps develop the social, physical, emotional and spiritual faculties of the individual and the second section focuses on developing a income generating skill of the student's choice.

Another program in St. Lucia is the Small Business Assistance Program which was created by the St. Lucia Development Bank. This project seeks to invest its funds prudently in projects which have a high probability of success and also renders assistance to persons who appear to have credibility and commitment for the success of a business (the interest rate does not exceed 6% per annum). The bank encourages youths with little business skills to place monies from sales in special managed accounts that keep personal records (investment, net-profit, re-investment). This continues until the individual masters the process of money management process.

The final project mentioned was the NRDF School Based Entrepreneurial Training Program. This program is similar to the CARE program in that it trains children that are not academically inclined in vocational areas. In the late phases of training, the students become involved in small scale business on the school grounds and sell items such as sweets, nuts and pastries.