Australian High Commission
Papua New Guinea

Youth representatives in North Fly District attend leadership workshop.

Youth representatives in North Fly District attend leadership workshop - 3 January 2024

Nineteen youth leaders from the North Fly District Youth Development Council (NFDYDC), Western Province, recently participated in a youth development workshop supported by the Australian Government and facilitated by the National Youth Development Authority (NYDA). NFDYDC represents youths from Olsobip, Star Mountain, Ningurum, Kiunga Urban and Kiunga Rural Local Level Governments (LLGs).

The workshop covered leadership, governance, and community engagement, including effective communication and decision-making, project management, conflict and dispute resolution, working in partnerships, and stakeholder collaboration.

The youth leaders were also supported at the workshop to develop and finalise the NFDYDC’s first Constitution which establishes the rules required for operation of a transparent and effective Youth Development Council.

The NFDYDCs president, Iso Mathias from Olsobip LLG is positive that the leadership training and the new Constitution will help members to be more organised and skilled in working with youths in their respective communities.

“The youth leaders have been working in isolation with limited support. Now that we have formed a group and with leadership training like this, it will help us to manage ourselves well to work with donors, development partners and the government to seek support to help youths in our communities,” Mr Mathias said.

The NFDYDC was formed last year in November 2022 with support from the NYDA, the North Fly District Development Authority (DDA) and the Australian Government through its law and justice program. The support is designed to help community youth leaders address the most pressing issues facing youth at the community level and has resulted in a NFDYDC representative being appointed to the North Fly DDA Board. This provides the opportunity for youths in North Fly to have a voice at the district level.

Promoting youth leadership and establishing formal youth structures will enable youths to meaningfully participate in more productive activities to be better citizens.

Members of the North Fly District Youth Development Council.

For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100