The centre was inaugurated in the presence of the United Arab Emirates Ambassador, His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Nasser Al Ameri, British Ambassador, His Excellency Mr. Peter Millett, UNICEF Jordan Representative, Ms. Rozanne Chorlton, and NRC Country Director, Mr. Robert Beer.
The programme, supported by the Department for International Development (DFID), is drawing considerable attention with more than 250 youth, aged between 16 and 32, already enrolled prior to the official opening date.
“Youth are too often marginalised and forgotten in emergencies. That’s why NRC has specialised programmes that directly engage youth and their communities to enhance both their skills and personal capacities”, NRC Jordan Country Director a.i., Robert Beer, said in a statement.
“Syrian youth and adolescents are desperately in need of things to do and safe places to do them in. Opportunities that offer vocational training and build their life skills can help them make the most of an extremely tough situation. These programmes are crucial in ensuring they can better deal with their experiences of conflict and displacement”, said Rozanne Chorlton, UNICEF Representative in Jordan (a.i.).
The programme includes several training disciplines, including Tailoring, Electrical Wiring, IT and Business skills, as well as supporting classes in Arabic, Mathematics and Lifeskills. Several entrepreneurial skills such as office management and marketing are also taught. The programme also offers classes in sports, arts, handcrafts and gardening, and has a library dedicated to its students.
“NRC is replicating many of its Zaatari informal education functions in the EJC refugee camp to cater to one of the most vulnerable groups within the refugee community”, Beer said.
More than 1,000 students have benefited from the NRC-UNICEF Youth Programme in Zaatari, since its inception in early 2013.
