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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

CHOGM Launches Youth for the Future Initiative

16 March 2002

"The Commonwealth future lies in the hands of its youth". This was the conclusion of the High Level Review Group, in its Report to Commonwealth's Heads of Government meeting in Coolum.

The report recommended the Youth for the Future Initiative as a magnet for the enthusiasm and the practical contribution that youth can make. Youth for the Future will also strengthen Commonwealth members' ability to address poverty reduction by tapping, promoting and better sharing the skills, knowledge and energy of a highly motivated younger generation.
The Youth for the Future Initiative is visualised as a decentralised programme, utilising IT to support four major components:

Youth volunteering with an emphasis upon transferring new technologies and supporting new approaches for achieving sustainable development;

Youth mentoring by linking experienced executives and skilled youth volunteers with young entrepreneurs to transfer business planning and practical skills and sports programmes that foster youth development;

Youth leadership awards such as scholarships offered to young Commonwealth citizens to prepare them for leadership;

Youth Enterprise to enhance the role of young people in economic development, enterprise and small business.

The Commonwealth appreciates the support of the Government of Australia who developed this initiative and who will provide technical support to a Commonwealth Youth for the Future website as well as providing support to youth in economic enterprise.
Welcoming the initiative, Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said today: "Many developing countries in the Commonwealth have populations that are largely made up of youth. The challenge for us in the modern Commonwealth is to create opportunities for young people to be the engine of growth. Our Commonwealth Youth Programme will facilitate the implementation of this initiative."

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