More than 15,000 disengaged young people have registered on the National Youth Development Authority’s online platform, as Western Highlands becomes the 11th province to roll out the National Youth Engagement Strategy.

The announcement was made in Mount Hagen on October 5, with Dei District identified as the pilot district for implementing the strategy in the province.

NYDA Director General Joe Itaki said Papua New Guinea already has several policies supporting youth development, but the National Youth Engagement Strategy provides a single framework to coordinate these efforts at the local level.

The strategy aims to connect disengaged youth with opportunities in agriculture, livestock, fisheries, cocoa, small and medium enterprises, and technical and vocational education and training.

Western Highlands Deputy Provincial Administrator Esley Tikil said disengaged youth make up a significant part of the population but have often been left out of development opportunities.

Under the strategy, data collected through the online registration platform will be used to identify young people and refer them to suitable sectors, training and employment pathways.

The NYDA and Western Highlands Provincial Administration will now work together to mobilise and register disengaged youth through local-level governments in Dei District before processing and referring them to appropriate opportunities.

The province has also called for continued political support and counterpart funding, while asking the NYDA to help connect local youth with skills and labour mobility opportunities.