The program at a cost of 50 million rupees is aimed to develop skills and provide employment opportunities for more than 850 youth, including those released from rehabilitation centers, the Vocational Training Authority said in a statement.

The project will be launched to coincide with the 21st anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

The participants will benefit from vocational training courses and on-the-job training in their chosen field.

Career guidance and psychosocial support will also be provided as part of the project and special priority will be given to girls and women and those with disabilities, the statement said.
The Ministry says many children in the North and East missed their formal education due to the conflict, recruitment by armed groups, and displacement.

Contributions from UNICEF France and the Governments of the United Kingdom and Denmark have helped to launch the initiative which will help youth in Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, and Mannar.

The project was conceptualized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Commissioner General of Rehabilitation and the UNICEF.

According to the Vocational Training Authority, the project will establish multi-tech vocational training centers, nine vocational training courses, and fourteen short courses.

The program will also offer career guidance, on-the-job training and trade certificates, psychosocial support, study materials, monthly allowances, and transportation to the participants.