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Diploma in Youth Development Work and PAYE Launch

19 June 2008

Maldives Launches the Diploma in Youth Development Work and the Commonwealth Plan of Action on Youth Empowerment.

The idyllic Bandos Island Resort in the Maldives has long been a joyous retreat for tourists from across the world. However, from 2 – 5 June, 2008, it was an intellectual rendezvous for Vice Chancellors from Open Universities, Permanent Secretaries/Senior Officials from the Youth Ministries of Commonwealth Asian countries, CYP officials and experts from the field of distance learning. The occasion was the annual Diploma Review meeting for CYP Diploma in Youth Development Work.

The CYP Asia Centre has been regularly conducting such meetings in order to get feedback on the effectiveness of the Diploma implementation by Partner Institutions, achieve quality assurance, ensure an interface between the External Regional Moderators and the Partner Institutions and, above all, share experience of best practices in distance learning. The meeting was inaugurated by Dr. Aishath Shiham, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Government of Maldives. Recounting her country’s association with the Commonwealth since 1982 and its close involvement in all spheres of its activities, she hoped that the CYP’s Diploma in Youth Development Work will fulfill a long felt requirement of empowering those involved in the area of youth work with enhanced knowledge and skills for a better and more effective performance. The meeting concluded with a statement of conclusions and recommendations most of which were in sync with the mandate of the recently concluded Commonwealth Youth Ministers’ Meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The 4-day workshop also culminated in the formal launch of the Diploma in the Maldives as well as release of the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment (PAYE). Mr. Mohamed Waheed Deen, Minister of Youth and Sports, Government of Maldives was the Chief Guest on the occasion. He thanked the CYP for launching the Diploma in his country which he felt would enhance the capacity of a cadre of professionals engaged in delivering youth friendly services. Lauding the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment as an excellent guide and tool for governments, civil society organizations and others working towards youth empowerment, the Minister underscored the need for governments to listen to the voice of youth if they were really interested in national development. “We often tend to take our youth for granted and pay mere lip service to their needs.” This attitude needs to change, he asserted and went on to outline his government’s policies towards greater involvement and participation of young people in the affairs of the State. Mr. Waheed Deen also promised to present a copy of the PAYE document to His Excellency President.