Youth Development and Empowerment

Introduction

The Sector of Youth Development was established in January 2007 with an aim of spearheading the general empowerment of the youths in order to reduce risk factors and promote positive factors. The sector coordinates and mainstream youth issues in all aspects of national development as stipulated in the National Youth Policy.

The sector of youth development visualizes an innovative, creative and vibrant youth building a better Kenya. It strives to promote holistic development of the youth, to make them self-reliant, fully integrated and productive to the society.

In addition, we outline the issues and challenges affecting the Kenyan youth, and the subsequent interventions by the Department under the identified strategic themes: Youth and Employment; Youth Empowerment and Participation; Youth and ICT; Youth and Health; Youth Crime and Drugs; Youth and Environment; Youth and Gender; Youth and special Needs; Youth Leisure, Recreation, Community Service; Guidance and Consultancy Services and Youth Exchange Programmes.

In this regard, the Department is focused in providing leadership, teamwork as well as a mobilization of resources to enhance implementation of youth development programmes. In summary, the Department is founded on national aspirations as contained in the Vision 2030, Millennium Development Goals, the Kenya National Youth Policy 2007 and the Ministry’s Strategic Plan. Successful implementation of the Department’s programmes and activities is expected to improve efficiency in resource allocation, improve quality of life of young people, create opportunities for youth development and consequently empower the youth economically, socially and politically.

Vision

“An innovative, creative and vibrant youth, building a better Kenya.”

Mission

“To facilitate the development of the Kenyan youth for active participation in National

Development”.

Mandate

  • Promote youth development by designing policies and programmes that build young peoples’ capacity to resist risk factors and enhance protective factors;
  • Facilitate the establishment of the National Youth Council (NYC), to coordinate, monitor, advocate and promote youth issues and youth led initiatives;
  • Coordination of youth organizations in the country to ensure youth development through structured organizations, collaboration and networking;
  • Develop Youth Empowerment Centres and revive Kenya Association of Youth Centres;
  • Oversee the operation of the Youth Enterprise Fund.
  • Develop and promote Youth owned SMEs.
  • Ensure mainstreaming of Youth issues and concerns in all policies and programmes
  • Ensure mainstreaming of Youth issues and concerns in all policies and programmes

Objectives

  • To promote Youth owned Small and Micro Enterprises (SME)
  • To coordinate and increase support for youth led initiatives.
  • To facilitate opportunities for youth to participate in all processes of national development.
  • To oversee the operations of the YEDF.
  • To promote an entrepreneurial culture among the youth.
  • To empower the youth to participate in economic, political and social affairs of the nation.
  • To facilitate effective youth participation in all decision making at all levels.
  • To promote networking and collaboration among the youth organizations.
  • To carry out research and disseminate information on Youth Programmes and activities.

Core Values

The core values guiding the conduct of the Department business include:

Integrity and patriotism – Department will endeavor to guarantee citizens the best quality products, fast and efficient services. Its staff shall give their best to nation building by exhibiting high standards of integrity.

Innovativeness and creativity– this is the basis of the future success of Department  Our commitment to service excellence will be demonstrated by our continuous improvement through creativity and innovations.

Professionalism, teamwork, and excellence – The Department  values effective teamwork, networking and collaboration when delivering services. The Ministry will support and facilitate teamwork by recognizing both team and individual effort, output, continuous learning, accepting change and serving citizens professionally. We strive to attain the highest standards in all that we do.

Inclusiveness – We strive to ensure effective youth participation and representation at all levels of decision making so that young people can gain sense of contributing something of value to the society, feeling connected to others and to society, believe that they have choices about their future and feeling of being positive and comfortable with their own destiny.

Equity and equality - We strive to ensure equity and equality and advocate for structures, systems and processes that facilitate achievement of youth parity.

Honesty and accountability - We will integrate good governance at all levels. We strive to serve Kenyan citizens in an honest, trustworthy and transparent manner.

 

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