YES Leader: Mr. Darren Torrington
Email : gavin26_99@yahoo.com

Vision : To empower youth to design and implement youth employment and entrepreneurship programs.

Background : In 2002 the Guyana population was estimated at 698,209, out of which youth represents approx 27% of the overall population. The rate of unemployment is about 12%. The young entrepreneurs in this country have been involved in ventures that run through generations in the family.

About the Network : The YES Country Network in Guyana is a collaboration of youth organizations, NGOs, private sector, government as represented by Ministry of Labour and other groups facilitated by Volunteer Youth Corps. They are working to bring awareness to the issue of youth unemployment and to catalyse actions by all stakeholders towards reducing the high level of unemployment among young people in Guyana. Yes Guyana provides youth with opportunities to build leadership, management and entrepreneurial skills in the context of sustainable development. We work with youth as true partners in development and not treating them as beneficiaries.

Current Major Initiatives :

• YES Guyana has developed the program YES SPARK (http://www.youthspark.org/), an international business plan competition that has been offered in Guyana, South Africa, Turkey, the Netherlands, and the Philippines. The winning business plan entrepreneur receives a non-collateral loan for 5,000 Euro for which YES Guyana partnered with the Dutch National Youth Council in order to secure support from a local bank. Due to the huge success of Youth Spark, local businesses and NGOs worked together to sponsor SPARK Guyana. Due to the success of the program a similar business plan program is being planned for replication in the Caribbean Region.
• Enhancing Youth Employability Training (3 -4 weeks),resume writing ,interviewing techniques and office etiquette
• In-School Youth Enterprise Programme (Vi able career), students being prepare for the world of work by looking to the possibilities of self employment, rather than the conventional way.
• Lodge Community Skills Bank Agency (WIP),enlist the skill, unskilled and semi-skilled of all the residents (into a pool) so that resident can top into the skills of their community for employment opportunites).
• YES Guyana is organizing its process to YES 2010 coordinating with local organizations and going in a deeper process to understand the green concept.

Key Accomplishments :

• Establishment of revolving fund.
• Small business development Training Manual developed, and fifty-five (55) Persons have completed training.
• Five (5) persons established businesses from Revolving Fund ($2,150,000.00)
• Accreditation on Certificates with Adult Education Association
• M.O.U with GYBT and Lodge Community Council to run initatives in Guyana (accessing finance and youth friendly space).
• GO-INVEST Build Relationships (Government Investment Agency)
• Builds network among Financial institution, NGO, Donor, Government agency and youth.