WEST New Britain Province has launched its Youth Online Registration platform, strengthening coordination between government agencies to better identify, support and connect disengaged youths, or out-of-school youths with development opportunities.
The Youth Online Registration platform will build an accurate provincial database of disengaged youths, or out of school youths, capturing information including where they live, their education, skills and interests. The information will help the West New Britain Provincial Government, the National Youth Development Authority (NYDA) and District Development Authorities connect disengaged youths, or out of school youths with existing opportunities in training, employment, business, sports and leadership.
Minister for Youth, Religion and Community Development Hon. Jason Peter said he understood the challenges faced by disengaged youths, or out of school youths, drawing from his own experience growing up in a single-parent home in Lae City. He said church programmes helped him turn his life around and pursue
education through second-chance institutions such as FODE.
“I know the challenges of youth because I was once a young person growing up in a single home in Lae City. Through church programmes, I was able to turn my life around and pursue my education through second-chance institutions like FODE,” Minister Peter said.
He encouraged disengaged youths, or out of school youths to reach out, take hold of the future they want and pursue opportunities available to them, saying that their future can become a reality when God remains at the centre of their lives.
Governor of West New Britain, Hon. Sasindran Muthuvel, said the initiative would help government understand who disengaged youths, or out of school youths are, where they are, what skills they have and what opportunities they need.
“Disengaged youths, or out of school youths are increasingly not only the leaders of tomorrow, but they are also an important part of the leadership today,” Governor Muthuvel said.
NYDA Director General Joe Itaki said the National Youth Engagement Strategy (NYES) was developed following a 2024 ministerial directive to create an intervention that
reaches provinces, districts and LLGs and connects disengaged and out-of-school youths to pathways available in their communities.
He said the NYES was endorsed by the National Executive Council in April 2025, with NYDA directed to work with provinces and DDAs to develop Joint Inception and Implementation Plans.
The registration system links from the LLG level to the provincial level, enabling government to better understand youth interests and connect them to existing pathways such as agriculture, fisheries, SME, TVET and tourism within the province.
Division of Community Development Executive Manager (Social Sector) Philbert Vitata said the platform was “a tool for inclusion”, giving disengaged youths, or out of school youths a name, a record and a pathway into mainstream development.
The launch also brought together national and provincial agencies, including two senior officials from the Department of National Planning and Monitoring.