Three KPIs to empower youths
Published on: Sunday, May 15, 2022
By: Sherell Jeffrey
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Presentation ceremony for the appointment of Felo Sabah Maju Jaya (Pic: Sabah Youth and Sports Ministry)
Its Minister Datuk Ellron Angin said although the allocation this year is lower compared to last year’s RM91,595,810, it has not stopped the Ministry from realising the State Government’s Sabah Maju Jaya focus.
The first KPI focuses on preparation of the Ministry’s Strategic Plan 2022–2026, preparation of guidelines and working procedures for all major activities of the Ministry, increase human resource development programmes and increase the development of digital applications.
Ellron
The second KPI focuses on youth leadership programmes through the Felo Sabah Maju Jaya activities, Youth Legislative Assembly, Youth International Exchange, Sabah Youth Volunteer Community and Social Unity with local leaders, Entrepreneurship Programme through Sabah Job Opportunity training such as creative arts courses in sewing, construction, food preparation, hospitality and beauty, and associative youth promotion programme for youth empowerment.
The third KPI is aimed at creating competitive talents through the establishment of Sports Science Centre of Excelllence, enhance the capacity of District Training Centres and the development and implementation of the Specific Talent Development Procedure System, develop high potential athletes through the organisation of training activities and more prestigious sports tournaments such as over the top sports, sports Unity, e-sports and heritage sports with the aim of identifying high-performing talents, enhance a comprehensive infrastructure network and maintain green sustainability by maximising the use of existing facilities and infrastructure for training activities and sports tournaments, and creating programmes appropriate to locality by holding potential sports tournaments based on locality demographics.
Ellron said despite the pandemic last year, the Ministry has still managed to conduct several activities.
Among them includes developing an integrated digital system Youth Management System (YMS) – is one of Sabah’s youth data collection systems as well as a digital youth management centre in Sabah.
The system was launched in Nov 6, 2021 in conjunction with the Sabah Youth Day Celebration by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC).
The Ministry also implemented the Sabah State Youth Day Celebration officiated by Hajiji at the SICC on Nov 6, 2021. The celebration aims to give recognition to all the efforts and contributions of youths in State and National development. It also appreciates the potential of youths in leadership, volunteerism, and entrepreneurship.
The celebration was held in collaboration with the Sabah Youth and Sports Department (Federal), the Ministry’s Divisional Officers, Sabah Youth Council, Sabah Youth Council affiliated bodies, Sabah Youth Council Associated Bodies, and District Grassroots Clubs, virtually and face to face involving 100,000 youths throughout Sabah. The celebration featured e-Contest, e-Workshops, e-Talents, e-Sports, e-Commerce and e-Deen.
In addition, high-impact programmes were also held by the Ministry to promote sports cultivation, High Performance Sports, Sports Tourism, Meta e-Sports and Extreme Sports programmes. Among programmes that have been implemented are the Cycling Ethics and Safety Programme involving Tuaran (March 21), Kudat (March 24), Kuala Penyu (April 7), Papar April 9), Tawau (Oct 31), Telupid (Nov 16) and Sook sub–district (Nov 21). The program was attended by a total of 940 people including 30 participants of the Cycling Ethics Workshop and 100 cycling participants from each division. The programme was also aimed at supporting Covid-19 vaccination while promoting the new norm cultivation to the community, especially the youths.
The Ministry has collaborated with the Ministry of Health and the National Anti-Drug Agency to implement the Healthy Society in New Norms Programme which includes Vaccination Workshops and Anti -Drug Workshops aimed at raising public awareness on the importance of a healthy lifestyle. A total of 120 participants from Tuaran, Kudat, Kuala Penyu and Papar participated. The Ministry also helped promote healthy lifestyles throughout the pandemic period by disseminating information on controlled sporting methods through its official social media.
The Ministry has also implemented 17 basic entrepreneurship programmes aimed at improving the knowledge and skills of youths in the field of entrepreneurship, opening up space and opportunities for youths in business, producing youths who are able to generate their own income, implement Sabah Maju Jaya Policy namely in agriculture, industry, livestock and digitisation..
The Ministry implemented the Dapur Belia 4.0 Programme involving 37 districts, including sub-districts, aimed at providing assistance to the community, especially youths throughout Sabah who are affected by Covid–19. Through this programme, a total of 61,300 recipients of food basket assistance mobilised by the Ministry’s Divisional and district offices, Sabah Youth Council and also grassroots youth associations.
The Ministry also implemented the State-level Integrity Week on Nov 23 – 25 last year at the Ministry’s headquarters. The programme officiated by Ellron involved agencies under the Ministry such as the Sabah Sports Board, State Sports Council and Sabah Youth Council. The contents featured talks by the Malaysian Anti -Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs Department (Jheains) as well as an integrity quiz.
The Ministry also held the Mix and Match Sports Carnival. The programme featured physical sports competitions and e-Sports. Physical Sports Competitions include Cricket, 3x3 Futsal, 3x3 Basketball and Crossfit Throwdown. While the e-Sports competition includes the Mobile Legend Competition and the Console Game: Tekken7 sport.
Surfing Programme was held at Simpang Mengayau Kudat with the participation of 30 people. It featured Surfing Theory and Practical Workshop aimed at exposing North-West Coast youths to surfing.
Paragliding Workshop was organised by the Sports Association and held in Ranau with the participation of 30 selected people. It featured Paragliding Pilot Basic Theory and Practical Workshop aimed at exposing youths to basic skills as paragliding pilots.
The Ministry is also focused on achieving its long-term goal to develop a Youth and Sports Digitisation. Plan (Youth and Sports Database and Dashboard), namely to have a draft for youth and sports guidelines, to become a women’s football and speak takraw powerhouse, build KK Sports City, increase the number of youth entrepreneurs, to have a sport complex in every district, to build a Youth Arena, to organise international sports, to achieve the Sabah Maju Jaya 2021 – 2025 Initiative, to develop the Youth and Development Strategic Plan 2022 – 2026, to have a Sabah Sports Council Enactment and Sabah Youth Enactment.
The short-term plans are focused on collaborative programmes with the government and private departments/agencies for youth and sports development, provide skills, entrepreneurship and leadership programmes, training programmes/consolidated courses, expose coaches and trainers to the international level and to provide the community with sports facilities.
Ellron noted that they also face constraints in achieving its objectives particularly with the lack of encouragement from parents to children in engaging in sports.
He said there is lack of balance due to the tendency of youth to electronic sports, youths and the society are too dependent on assistance from the government, there is a lack of sports culture in the community, and less youth involvement in associations.
The latest data obtained through the Youth Development Research Institute (IYRESS) of the youth population aged 15-40 in Sabah is 2,112,400 people which is the second highest youth population in Malaysia.
Ellron said various programmes have been planned according to age categories.
Aged 15-25
• The programmes implemented are Fello Sabah Maju Jaya, Dewan Belia Sabah and Exchanges Program under the Sabah Youth Leadership Incubator (IKEBS)
Aged 26-35
• The programs implemented are the empowerment of youth associations (Empower), Sabah Youth Council, Social Unity Programme, and Youth Entrepreneurship Incubator (SYECC)
Aged 36-40
• Youth age transition programme has been implemented through the Ministry’s Signature programme which empowers youths who have served with youth development agencies as transition training to adulthood.
The Ministry has provided special funds to assist youth clubs/associations to establish youth cooperatives in selected communities to address the issue of youth employment in Sabah.
The latest data from the Malaysian Institute of Youth Research (IYRESS) shows that a total of 1, 388 youths aged 18-40 lost their jobs in 2020.
Data in 2019 showed that the statistics of youths aged 18-40 registered with Socso was 363, 137 people.
“My Ministry has allocated RM 1.4 million for the purpose of improving skills and entrepreneurship as well as employability through the Malaysian Skills Scheme and Short Term Skills Programme,” he said.
The Ministry implemented the Cooperation Networking programmes with agencies such as the Sabah State Education Department, Public and Private Universities and the Sabah Youth Council in the integrated digital Youth Management System (YMS) programme on Nov 6, last year.
So far, the number of youth registrations in the YMS is 2,173 people. The Ministry has held several sessions with other agencies to register Sabah youths, especially at the secondary school and university levels.
The Ministry introduced the Felo Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ Felo) as part of its Sabah Youth Leadership Incubator (IKEBS) to produce elite and highly skilled youth especially in leadership; and youth icons to the younger generation.
The application and selection of participants for the programme has been implemented starting Feb 7 this year and the training programme will end on August 2022 ( six months). A total of 24 SMJ Felo have been appointed and assigned under 12 State Government ministries. To date, trainees are required to submit weekly reports to the Ministry’s IKEBS secretariat and trainees are also required to organise engagement sessions with State leaders and industry players at least twice a month.
Dewan Belia Sabah is a programme that provides an opportunity for youths to voice their ideas and views in youth conference sessions, representing each of the 73 state constituencies in Sabah. It opened applications to youths aged 15-30 starting March 15, 2022 through social media.
So far, a total of 205 youths as candidates have been registered through a digital system that is promoted through social media. A total of 50 eligible candidates have been shortlisted. Sabah Youth Council is still in the process of opening applications due to the lack of participation
The Sabah Youth Volunteer Community programme will be launched in the second quarter of 2022 (June 2022).
Ellron said the element of volunteerism is an important element that needs to be educated at a young age.
He said making youths capable of leading organisations through humanitarian activities is necessary for every layer of young leaders to understand the meaning of leadership excellence.
He said Sabah Youth Volunteer Community (SYVOC) is a training programme to increase the professional volunteer profession in the field that will help in increasing the human capital capacity of the Sabah community.
Such a programme is not something new because it has been conducted at the national level through the Malaysian Youth Volunteering Program (MyCorps). Similar programmes have also been done in Singapore through the Youth Corps Singapore and Peace Corps programmes in the United States.
He said volunteer work is not just a Positive Youth Development agenda, but a field that can create employment opportunities if carried out professionally and full time in non-governmental oragnnisations/civil society organisations are quality youths who are able to carry out humanitarian work professionally.
“Therefore, able to empower youth volunteers to effectively manage the organisation’s finances to prevent leakage and misuse of funds. In addition, the Ministry hopes to produce a Specialist Programme in designing and implementing high-impact volunteer programmes,” he said.
The Ministry will launch its Exchange Program that provides opportunity for Sabah youths to participate in international youth exchange programmes with Japan, Turkey, the US, etc, come September 2022.
Ellron said the international youth exchange program branded as “XCHANGE” will pay attention to three main learning themes: Technology, Innovation and Skills, National Governance and Economy, Education and Cross -Cultural.
He said the selection of countries such as Japan, the United States and Turkey is based on the theme chosen by the Ministry and it is not limited.
There is also the possibility that other countries in Asean will also be one of the destinations for the XCHANGE International youth exchange programme, he added.
The selection criteria for XCHANGE participants are based on their performance in the bootcamp selection session which will be conducted after the screening of “Two Minutes Video Pitching” and “Resume” is made.
Participation is limited to Malaysian aged 18 - 30 only. Apart from discipline and good morals, participants must also be free from the blacklist of any Malaysian Government agencies.
The XCHANGE International youth exchange programme focuses on building the capacity of Sabah’s youth.
“With the new experience, network and knowledge, the participants are required to organise a Post Programme Activity (PPA) with other youths in Sabah upon completion of the programme abroad.
“In addition to the post -programme sharing sessions, XCHANGE participants are expected to challenge themselves to a higher level in whatever field they will be involved in in the future,” he said.
Interested Sabah youths can browse the IKEBS website for more information on the conditions for participation in the XCHANGE programme at the link: https://ikebs.my/xchange/maklumat-program
The applications for Empowerment Programme to boost opportunities and facilitate youth associations in obtaining funds to implement youth development projects opened on Jan 1, this year. A total of 38 grassroots youth associations have applied through the digital system. Of the total, a total of six youth associations that completed the application have obtained grants.
The Sabah Youth Entrepreneurship & Creativity Center (SYECC) was meant to be an incubator of youth entrepreneurs to improve their knowledge, skills and attitudes as an entrepreneur.
The SYECC is a Youth Entrepreneurship Incubator that aims to help new groups of youth entrepreneurs and grow their businesses. Among the programmes that are in the process of implementation are the Youth Association Cooperative Fund and the Jaya Usahawan Belia Scheme (Syabas).
Syabas has three categories - Start-Up Programme, Co-Youth Business and Youth Developing Creative Business - designed to help youths affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ellron said the programme is still in the research stage.
According to the plan, a total of 4,920 youth entrepreneurs will benefit by targeting youth entrepreneurs as follows: Start-Up Programme (2, 000 applicants), Co-Youth Programme (2, 500 applicants), and Youth Developing Creative Business (420 applicants). The programme will be implemented in May 2022.
The Sabah Youth Research Centre (SYRC) programme was formed to determine the ministry’s policies through academic studies and the strengthening of Sabah’s youth policies.
The programme involves the Sabah Youth Council, UMS and UPM.
He said the SYRC programme is one of the academic research programmes that focuses on three implementation cores, namely the Sabah Youth Development Program Effectiveness Study, Focused Youth Study and the implementation of the Sabah Youth Policy Strengthening Workshop and the Sabah Youth Strategic Development Plan.
He said the purpose of this study programme is mainly to help and ensure the superior effectiveness of youth programs as well as to conduct a study of Sabah youth fully under the Ministry.
From this programme, the Ministry will be able to ensure that the appropriate modules and types of programmes are implemented at a certain rate, time and area according to the results of the study later.
Next, this programme will also implement the programmes that are already contained in the Sabah Youth Policy book and the Sabah Youth Development Strategic Plan up to the grassroots level of youth.
Therefore, documenting the results of the study from the SYRC programme is very important to produce because it will help to understand, plan strategies, approach, be kind and help solve the problems of real Sabah youth programmes according to local issues that is their respective districts. throughout Sabah.
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