SNYC aims to better meet the needs of youths |16 November 2020
Viewing a presentation during the AGM (Photo: Thomas Meriton)
As it strives to positively impact the lives of youths in Seychelles, the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC) is reviewing its functions, programmes and activities, so as to better meet the needs of the youths of today, and attract yet more youths to the council.
Chief executive Penny Belmont highlighted during the annual general meeting (AGM) held on Saturday at the STC conference hall, that work is ongoing to review the structure and services offered by SNYC, to adapt to the ‘new normal’ and most importantly empower youths, while addressing their concerns and challenges they are faced with in contemporary society.
“We are proposing that from here on out, youths need to have a louder voice. Youths are scattered all over in Seychelles. Youths are involved with everything, in housing there are youths, in arts there are youths, in agriculture, so our new programme, our new vision for SNYC is ensure that we are consulted and youths have a voice in everything. For example, as the Youth Forum, we have discussed prior to designing houses for the youths or for parents, are the youths actually consulted? We want youths voices to be heard everywhere,” Ms Belmont added.
As such, it is to act as a mediator between the government and youths, with a more proactive role than in the past. Discussions are ongoing to incorporate more use of technology in SNYC activities and to make digital services more accessible to youths at all levels, whether at school or district-level, and for due consideration to be given to the specificities of youths in each district in designing programmes and activities.
“We want to go out in the community and to empower our youths and educate them. We want to bring out the volunteerism, networking, good moral values, values and principles. Nurture them to be better people and better citizens with a heart for their fellow citizens and country. We want SNYC to spread happiness as we strongly believe prevention matters more than the cure,” Ms Belmont asserted.
Youths are also calling for more support-based services including counselling, programmes related to mental health and mental and emotional wellbeing, and other general health programmes, all of which SNYC will strive to make available in the foreseeable future.
Ms Belmont launched a plea to other organisations and civil society organisations to come onboard and support SNYC in delivering mentorship programmes.
In addition to new services, SNYC will within the coming year establish a media department internally, to record activities, for further dissemination through local media, so as to increase the council’s visibility and engage youths to be more proactive.
Revamping and updating the website and social media platforms are also planned to offer youths more avenues to interact with each other and voice their views and opinions.
During Saturday’s AGM, numerous SNYC board members facilitated presentations on the activities, programmes and initiatives presently available under SNYC.
Over the past year, SNYC has made progress, introducing new programmes, including youth counselling and career guidance, and bringing youths across the three main islands for major national events, although many activities were scaled back this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Turnout for the meet was extremely positive, and also provided an opportunity for the youths present to seek clarifications and set out any concerns.
Questions were raised about the English River Youth Centre, reforms to the National Youth Policy and progress made on previously set objectives and goals.
It was clarified that the government has over the past week committed to returning the English River Youth Centre back to SNYC, after it was made available to the Agency for the Prevention of Drug Abuse and Rehabilitation (Apdar).
Among other business touched upon were training and development of SNYC employees, the functions and roles of youth workers and whether there are overlaps with other services offered by other ministries, departments and agencies, and the status of the Seychelles National Youth Assembly (SNYA), an educational programme offered by SNYC.
Laura Pillay