Eleven female and nine male learned the traditional skills of siapo production , mat weaving , wood carving and canoe making . The skills training course was implemented as part of the Government of Samoa and One-UN Youth Employment Programme , with financial support being provided by the United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ) and the United Nations Development Programme ( UNDP ).

The training course was designed and delivered in response to market demand for an increased supply of skills and knowledge in the cultural heritage of Samoa , from the international tourism sector as well as from school programmes and general public , and for showcasing in national and regional cultural events .

The One-UN Youth Employment Programme will provide post-training support for the youth graduating from the Samoa Culture Centre , to ensure they can apply their skills and knowledge to access the employment opportunities which exist in the cultural industries and tourism sector .

The One-UN Youth Employment Programme is led by the Division for Youth of the Ministry of Women , Social Community and Developmen , with support from five United Nations agencies ( UNDP , ILO , FAO , UNESCO and UNV ) coordinated in a UN ‘ Delivering as One ’ approach .

Ms . Fuimapoao Naea Beth Onesemo Tuilaepa , CEO at MWCSD , was the keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony , held at the Samoa Culture Centre in Falelauniu . Her speech was preceded by some encouraging words to the youth from Mr . Alain Godonou , Director of UNESCO , acknowledging the efforts of the youth in preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of Samoa .

As Tofa Maulolo Tavita Amosa - Director of Samoa Culture Centre - said : “ This programs easily create an enabling environment that motivates the vulnerable youths to learn and apply the skills acquired from the trainings as an initial mean of earning some income for themselves .” And then he added : “ We thank the MWCSD and the UN Agencies for donating the money for the training . We are very happy with the outcome of this project and we look forward to scaling it up .”

Mr . Alain Godonou - Director of UNESCO - highlighted : “ We acknowledge the Samoa Culture Centre for its very important role in building the capacities of this group of youth . We now expect at least fifteen of them to secure paid employment as a result of their improved skills . This is a very positive result for our UN Joint programme , because it means that our efforts are resulting in better employment opportunities for the Samoan youth .”

Media enquiries should be directed to :

• Mrs . Francesca Mondello , UN Communication Specialist , United Nations Resident Coordinator Office - Phone : + 685 23670 ext . 29 - Email : francesca . mondello @ one . un . org

About the One-UN Youth Employment Programme

The Samoa One United Nations Youth Employment Programme ( One-UN YEP ) aims to address in a holistic manner , the challenges of youth unemployment . This three-year programme is the result of a partnership between the Government of Samoa , through the Ministry of Women , Community and Social Development ( MWCSD ), and five United Nations ( UN ) agencies namely : the United Nations Development Programme ( UNDP ), the International Labour Organization ( ILO ), the Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ), the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ) and the United Nations Volunteers ( UNV ).

The programme , signed in June 2015 , works across the following main areas : ( 1 ) Improving the employability of youth by closing the gap between labour market demand for skills and the supply from education and training providers ; ( 2 ) Strengthening the capacities of youth to make sure they have the skills required to access employment opportunities within the sectors of agriculture , intensive manufacturing , tourism and creative

industries ; ( 3 ) Fostering young entrepreneurship and micro-enterprise development by creating an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs through policies , strategies and partnerships with the public and private sector .

The programme activities are aligned with the National Youth Policy 2016 – 2020 and the National Action Plan for Youth Employment 2016 – 2020 .

More information on the One-UN YEP can be found here : http :// www . ws . undp . org / content / dam / samoa / docs / UNDP _ WS _ ONE _ UN _ YEP _ brochure _ Eng . pdf ? download

About the Ministry of Women , Community and Social Development ( MWCSD )

The Ministry of Women , Community and Social Development is committed to the achievement of the community and social development outcomes underscored in the Government ' s national and sectoral strategicpriorities . The mission of the MWCSD is ‘ to lead community development to enable social and economic wellbeing for all ’. Its core functions include policy advice , monitoring and evaluating social development and sustainable economic development initiatives in partnership with community stakeholders , and promoting the principles of good governance . http :// www . mwcsd . gov . ws /

About the United Nations Multi-Country Team in Samoa

The United Nations Multi-Country Office Team ( UNMCT ) based in Samoa coordinates the work of sixteen UN Agencies working in the Cook Islands , Niue , Samoa and Tokelau , under the leadership of the United Nations Resident Coordinator ( UNRC ). The Resident Coordinator ´ s key functions are to ensure the coordination , harmonization and simplification of the UN System ´ s support to countries in order to achieve national development goals and in support of response to emergencies and national security issues . The UNMCT collectively works with the governments and civil societies to ensure commitments made in International Declarations and Conventions become a reality for people in the Pacific , especially for the most vulnerable and marginalised . http :// www . ws . undp . org

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