Youth and Economic Participation in the Commonwealth Caribbean

This paper is prepared for the Commonwealth Conference Investing in Youth: Exploring Strategies for Sustainable Employment. It provides a snapshot of the policy provisions and strategies for youth employment and employability that are contained in National Youth Policies of the Commonwealth Caribbean. Given the reported high incidences of youth unemployment, the gendered aspect of Caribbean youth unemployment, the explicit, cultural and / or implied biases to the employment of young people, the concerns of readiness for employment in relation to qualification, job market preparedness, skills and technological savvy, this Paper examines a sampling of Caribbean National to assess: 1. What salient provisions exist to facilitate Youth Employment and Employability? 2. What special provisions if any are made to promote self-employment and entrepreneurship? 3. Are programmes targeted specifically to youth who need support? 4. What could be general gaps to be managed in addressing youth employment and employability?