The Ministry of Youth Development and National Service has secured approval to upgrade and refurbish three ‘Youth Camps.’ This announcement was made by the Honourable Foster Cummings – Minister of Youth Development and National Service in a radio interview on Monday 24th May, 2021.
Minister Cummings, speaking about his Ministry’s programmes and services articulated, “The Ministry presently has responsibility for two Youth Development and Apprenticeship Centres or ‘Youth Camps’ as they are popularly known. There is one in Persto Praesto and another in Chatham. In former years, there was also the El Dorado Girls Youth Camp.”
“Cabinet has recently approved the upgrade and refurbishment of these facilities,” Minister Cummings revealed.
This approval now grants permission for the upgrade of the existing Freeport and Chatham Youth Development and Apprenticeship Centres (YDACs) to meet modern standards and the refurbishment of the former El Dorado Youth Camp to become a modern YDAC facility for girls and young women.
These Centres will provide technical/vocational skills in a residential two-year programme and a holistic approach to personal development and empowerment of young people.
The Minster ended the interview saying, “I’d like to thank all the persons at the Ministry who are working through the pandemic. I really appreciate your efforts.”
The Ministry of Youth Development and National Service’s commitment is to bring all stakeholders together to promote youth development and encourage civic-minded citizens to contribute to National Service across Trinidad and Tobago. The Ministry has responsibility for a number of Youth Development Programmes and Services, the Friendly Societies Division, the Cooperative Development Division, the National Entrepreneurship Development Company (NEDCO) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the Military-Led Academic Training Programme (MiLAT) and Military-Led Programme of Apprenticeship and Reorientation Training (MYPART).
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