Zambian youth body seeks ethics standards for professional workers

Youth development workers in Zambia have formed a new professional body to raise the standard of youth development work in the country, promote youth workers' well-being and nurture a working environment that is conducive to attaining their goals.

The Zambia Youth Workers Association was established on 19 September 2006 at a workshop hosted by the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) Africa Centre in Lusaka, Zambia. The two-day workshop, attended by some 40 Zambian youth workers, saw the finalising of the new association's constitution and the election of its executive committee.

One of the goals of the association is to enhance compliance with existing professional standards and to establish new standards where required. It aims to uphold ethics standards and conduct for youth workers.

Matthew Mulwanda, president of the new Zambian group, said after the close of the workshop: "It is a great feeling to have achieved something that we have been working on for more than a year. I also feel very honoured and grateful to those who have put me in the position of President."

The CYP has been a key stakeholder in the whole process and along with Mr Mulwanda has pioneered the idea of a Zambian youth workers' association from inception to fulfilment. Its efforts have included the sharing of best practice in line with other Commonwealth countries in the region, of which five have already established youth workers' associations.

The new association will be supported by a secretariat based in the offices of the National Youth Development Council in Lusaka. The CYP will continue to provide technical guidance through the provision of experts, training materials and other support for the Zambian association's operations, as part of its ongoing efforts to promote the professionalisation of youth development work as a career.

The Africa Centre, along with the CYP's other regional centres in India, Guyana and Solomon Islands, has for some 30 years provided training for youth development workers. In recent years, this has taken the form of a Diploma and Certificate programme delivered through distance learning in collaboration with 15 educational institutions, including 12 universities in Africa. The CYP Africa Centre is located on the campus of the University of Zambia in Lusaka.

Key Links:

• CYP Africa
• Country Profile: Zambia