Government approves Year of Youth roadmap
Dauren Abayev, Minister of Information and Social Development of Kazakhstan, informed that the document consists of 89 points and comprises five areas.
The first focus area is about providing working youth with housing. According to the minister, it is planned to build at least 1,000 rental apartments per annum in the cities of Nur-Sultan, Almaty, and Shymkent. This housing is intended for young professionals engaged in manufacturing, agriculture and those working at state-funded organizations, as well as scientists, and burgeoning entrepreneurs.
"I would like to highly stress that such factors as the number of children, the raising of a child with special needs, single-parent families, etc. will be taken into consideration," said Dauren Abayev.
The second line is youth employment. As the Minister informed, Zhas Kasіpker ("Young Entrepreneur") Program is being implemented in this regard. Within three years, over 60,000 young citizens will learn the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. It is planned to grant 15 thousand microloans to rural youth. Over 30,000 public grants will be provided to young people for the realization of new business ideas.
The third area is the development of education and volunteering. Currently, Zhas Maman ("Young Specialist") Project is being mapped out. The project provides for the training of specialists in the 100 most demanded industrial and service occupations.
"This will be carried out on the basis of 20 advanced universities and 180 colleges covering 200,000 young citizens in all regions of the country within three years. All universities and colleges will be connected to Open University project. Also, grant funding for fundamental and applied research will be increased by KZT 3 billion per year. For those students, who are actively involved in volunteering, the study bursary amount will rise by 30%," the minister said.
The fourth area is the development of youth's social activity. This line covers the implementation of "Green City - Green Village" nationwide project as part of Zhassyl Yel Movement.
"Construction companies will allocate quotas for student construction brigades. The elaboration of the 2025 Military Training and Patriotic Upbringing Program, etc., has started," he informed.
The fifth line, according to Dauren Abayev, is a raft of measures aimed at supporting young families, health, and social inclusion. For instance, it is planned to resume the practice of holding regional youth championships and student games countrywide.
"In general, the implementation of all areas set will make it possible to ensure the accomplishment of tasks to improve the social comfort of young families, enhance the quality of human capital, as well as the effective socialization of various groups of young people," the minister added.
It is to be recalled that in November 2018 the First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev decreed to declare 2019 the Year of Youth. In January of this year, Nursultan Nazarbayev launched the Year of Youth.