National Youth Corps Training Center

Right Choice in my life....

In the year 2002, the NYC ushered a different orientation to the National Youth Service Council (NYSC), one of the largest government youth training institutions of that era, by focusing on training in discipline, personality development and jobs oriented vocational training. Established by Parliament Act No.21 of 2002, the National Youth Corps, under the purview of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Skills Development, today is the main training institution of the state, for Personality Development and Vocational Training of Youth. Today, NYC functions under the purview of the Prime Minister Hon. Ranil Wickramasinghe and the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs Hon. Niroshan Perera. Earlier the NYC was enriched by the services of former Directors Col. H.C.P. Goonetileke, Col. W.M.R. Wijesundera, Commodore. R.S. Jayatilaka, Commodore S.K.P.Kularatne and Col. S.R.P.Ratnayake, Mr. Nalinda Illangakoon and Brigadier B.V.D.P Abeynayaka (USP). Today, Brigadier N.I. De Silva (RSP) heads the NYC as its Director with Its headquarters at No.420, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7. With the aim of boosting discipline, leadership and personality of the youth spread out throughout the country, the annual training of the National Youth Corps comprises 02 six month sessions, and is effectively implemented with the annual education plan well linked with the relevant syllabuses. Subjects such as Squad Drill & Physical Education, Vocational Guidance & Management of Life Skills, Personal Leadership & Enhancement of Psycho-Social skills, English and Tamil Languages, Information Technology and especially Aesthetic Appreciation, have been profitably and experimentally included in the syllabus. With an island wide network of 48 centres and a Training Centre established especially for Outbound Activities, the annual training target supports 15,000 youth. Further, there are 540 Graduate Counselors and Squad Drill Instructors actively supporting the programme. Those between ages 18 -28, who although having completed school education and have no possibility for higher education, but yet in need of productively shaping their young lives for the benefit of the country, and have been selected as trainees to follow the basic course designed for them at the National Youth Corps Centres, are recipients of a Rs 3000 allowance from the government. Further, while they are also eligible to receive the Personality Development Training Certificate at the completion of the Basic Course, in parallel the NVQ 1 Certificate is also available. In addition, as per their vocational aptitudes, they are directed towards state and private enterprises for requisite vocational training. Moreover, the youth who undergo such vocation training are paid an allowance of no more than Rs 10,000 by the government during such training. Furthermore, while the responsibility of finding employment for them fall on the shoulders of those institutions that provided the training, at least 70 % of those thus trained are invariably found employment by those institutions. There are 25 areas where the youth consequently have been provided with employment. The National Youth Corps, throughout the year conducts Individual Achievement & Leadership Training for staff of external institutions as well as for school leaders. In addition, the National Youth Corps Training boasts of an excellent performance record of consistent Community Development programmes as well as projects engaged in strengthening peaceful co-existence between communities throughout the year. Further, bringing together trainees with aesthetic talents, the National Youth Corps is currently successfully assembling a unique National Youth Choir.