OSCE field office boosts job prospects for young people in southern Kyrgyzstan

OSH, 21 July 2005 - Twenty young unemployed people from the southern city of Osh in Kyrgyzstan today started a training workshop aimed at improving their job opportunities or prospects for further study.

"Young people in the south are often well qualified and experienced, but are poor at marketing themselves," said Kalys Asanova, Economic and Environmental Assistant at the Osh Field Office of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.

"This two-day event will be very useful in boosting their prospects of finding real employment and other opportunities for young people."

Interactive methods such as role-playing, case studies and group discussions will be used during the workshop to help participants acquire practical skills.

"This training course is crucial for young people, especially for the vulnerable groups," said Dina Asanova, Deputy Head of Osh Department for Employment.

"Our state department does not have enough resources to organize such seminars, which need to cover all groups of society -- particularly young people from the south of Kyrgyzstan."

The workshop is organized by the Osh Department for Employment under the Ministry for Labour and Social Protection, the Small Business Development Corporation, a public foundation, and the OSCE Osh Field Office.