Youths to lead projects for sustainable development
THE UN Development Programme (UNDP) has announced that it will select young people to join a three-day training course on creative solutions toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with benefits for trainees including grants of $1,500 to $3,500 to continue their projects.
According to the December 7 press release, teenagers and young adults aged 15 to 30 may submit application forms to join the training programme. Participants will form teams of three to address a list of 18 topics related to sustainable development amid environmental challenges in Cambodia.
The UNDP said the training courses might be hosted online, depending on guidance from the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation. The objective of the course is to enable today’s youth to create a sustainable future for everybody and was initiated by the UNDP and the UN Population Fund (UNFDA).
UNDP resident representative Nick Beresford told The Post on December 9 that the training course will encourage and support Cambodia’s youth to ta ke action for innovative and sustainable development.
He said youths will play a
key role in creating solutions to the many urgent global challenges – from climate crisis to Covid-19. The programme will help youths to apply solutions that they have already started to develop, providing them with training and funding that are needed to scale up their projects.
“The programme will bring youths together to share their ideas, make connections and create more impactful solutions for their communities. The three-day bootcamp will
include practical workshops and training sessions on how to develop these solutions, build partnerships and successfully pitch ideas for funding,” he explained.
Beresford added that, at the end of the programme, three teams of innovators will be selected and awarded cash prizes as seed grants to continue to build and implement their ideas. The UNDP, UNFPA and other programme partners will continue to support these groups to develop methods
and networks needed to bring their projects to fruition.
“More youths will take action, inspiring their peers to act and, most importantly, contributing to progress towards the Cambodian Sustainable Development Goals (CSDGs),” he expected.
Applications to participate in the programme will be accepted until December 13 and selection of participants will be announced on December 15 on the CSDG website and Facebook page.