The atmosphere at the Guyana Pegasus Hotel was a celebratory one, as high-level Guyanese and US Government officials and other partners met to formally close out and recognize the successes of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Skills and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) Project on Monday, November 28.

United States Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway, in delivering the feature address, lauded the SKYE program, which has become synonymous with affecting change in the lives of at-risk Guyanese youth, for its role in “creating opportunities for those who need it most.”

Noting that since its inception in 2011, SKYE had achieved important results and successfully supported other national youth development initiatives, Ambassador Holloway explained that through extensive collaboration with the private sector, government, and the NGO community, the program improved and expanded training and life skills education for over 2,200 youth.

“The delivery of appropriate curricula positively impacted youth and helped them to transition successfully to adulthood and lead more productive lives. More than 1,000 of these youth are now linked to full-time employment. Over 300 young men and women received entrepreneurship training, and 160 received grants and started micro-businesses. More than 230 youth received primary level literacy training, greatly expanding their employment opportunities,” he added.

Ambassador Holloway also recognized the outstanding work done in partnership with Guyana’s juvenile justice system which resulted in the expansion of alternative sentences and other diversionary tactics to support the rehabilitation of over 120 youth who committed minor offences, outside of penal institutions.

“This work provided valuable lessons on implementing alternative sentencing options. We are heartened by the Government’s desire to modernize the juvenile justice system in Guyana and I hope that while the new juvenile justice legislation is reviewed, finalized, and eventually operationalized, that the lessons learned are carefully considered to expand the use of alternatives to sentencing to build a less punitive juvenile justice system,” said Ambassador Holloway.

In addition to its support to the New Opportunity Corps (NOC), Guyana’s juvenile detention facility, Ambassador Holloway also singled out the program for its emphasis on partnerships and sustainability.

“The project also created effective partnerships to support the sustainability of the achievements. I would like to acknowledge and thank those partners in the government, the private sector, and the NGO community for providing your insight, creativity, and guidance throughout the project’s implementation. These partnerships will serve as the cornerstone of our development work as we initiate new programs going forward,” he said.

The Ambassador recognized the dedication of members of the SKYE Project team. “Thank you for your commitment to the project’s success and for changing the lives of numerous Guyanese youth. You created valuable examples for youth development work focused on underserved at-risk populations,” he said while pledging the US Government’s continued support.

“As we celebrate SKYE’s accomplishments, the United States Government remains committed to improving citizens’ security and supporting youth development in Guyana in creative and impactful ways,” the Ambassador underscored.