LIVLIHOOD PROGRAMS TO RECEIVE BOOST

Dec 17, 2016 News

Government officials are being educated on techniques for improving ongoing livelihood programmes.
The Ministry of Finance in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through Innovations for Poverty Action IPA opened a three-day conference at Cara Lodge. There was representation from Government Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Livelihood Programme Coordinators and Management and Evaluation Officers.
Among the Government Ministers was Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, and Permanent Secretary, Vibert Welch.
The objectives of the conference is improving knowledge based on approaches to improve income, employment, and other areas of well-being, designing a robust programme based on theory of change, emphasizing the importance of data collection at every stage and proposing improvements to existing livelihood programmes.
Speaking during the opening session the Finance Minister pointed out several initiatives Government has taken to accelerate and improve such programmes.
“I have stated in my speech to the parliament our Governments intention to ensure results based approaches increasingly, programmes are required to demonstrate the level of credibility of expenditure allocation on the basis of performance indicators.
“This morning we have gathered to demonstrate some of the global evidence available from graduating people from poverty and to ensure that we incorporate evidence-based ideas into our thinking as we design or re-design our intention to support sustainable livelihood and create jobs.”
In keeping with the employment objective Minister Jordan continued by pointing out that opportunities must be made available to gainfully and meaningfully engage the citizenry.
“Work must not only be seen as a source of income and a pathway out of poverty, but also as a means of self-fulfillment and social inclusion. As part of our strategy for sustainable green growth our Government is pursuing programs to support employment especially for small entrepreneurs whose idea and innovation will provide the basis for growth and economic diversification in years to come.”
To ensure opportunities are available to all, Minister Jordan said the current livelihood programmes target vulnerable and disadvantaged populations, including young people, women and residents of rural and hinterland regions.
The Finance Minister remains optimistic that guidelines to direct programme designs will be formulated to transform the several livelihood programmes currently being implemented.
One such programme undertaken by the Ministry is the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS). It hoped that information garnered during the conference will be used to bring about further success of the programme.
It also brings into focus projects that fall under the Amerindian Development Programme ADF’s Community Development Plans.
The final objective of the conference will be for each participating Ministry to develop a short proposal on improvements of its respective livelihood programmes by incorporating evidence from previous studies and by increasing the use of evaluation.
The Ministry of Finance is hopeful that presentations can be completed and made during next Monday’s afternoon session which is the final day of the conference.
The conference is being conducted by Ms. Kelsey Wright, the Programme Manager for IPA’s Social Protection Program. He currently manages a six-country randomized control trial of integrated social safety net programs in Francophone West Africa and Mr. Nathaniel Goldberg Programme Director IPA.

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