Civil leadership training workshop enlightens youth on electoral process

Young people from around the country, of all backgrounds, gathered to share ideas during a civic leadership training workshop at Navoci village, Nadi yesterday.

The three-day workshop with the aim to prepare young leaders understand their proactive roles in the electoral process and develop competencies to become role models of integrity.

It was organised by Youths of Integrity and the Navoci Youth Council.

Workshop facilitator, Avikesh Kumar said they expected only 40 participants, but were overwhelmed with the turn out.

He added the youths needed to learn of their roles within society, especially at a time when new trends have started to take over lifestyles and most of all the roles they could play in the upcoming general elections.

The workshop also included presentations from police, parliament and government ministry officials. Mr Kumar said they have been holding similar workshops over the past few years.

He said out of all the participants only three were from Vanua Levu and the rest from Viti Levu.

The training will lead to the setting up of peer youth leaders networks to inculcate civic leadership skills to other youths in their schools, neighborhoods and youth groups.

Navoci Youth Council co-ordinator, Asinate Dawai said the workshop would help their youths in raising the way in which they viewed the world around them. “We really need to develop our youths and this is a good platform of boosting their mindset, especially the way in which they share their views,” she added. Ministry of Youth and Sports Western Divisional co-ordinator, Karunagaran Nair encouraged youths to participate in community work and to register their youth clubs.

He urged unemployed youths to take up training at various technical colleges around Fiji so that they could get some qualifications to find a job.