By: Carol Phillip- Tudor

Partnership for Opportunities in Employment through Technology in the Americas (POETA) is a Youth arm operating in Latin America and the Caribbean that provides the marginalized populations with job-ready information and communication technologies (ICT) skills to facilitate their social and economic inclusion.

Members of POETA convened at the Marriott Resort Hotel on the days June16 -17^th under the theme "Youth Voices in a Changing Economic Climate".

The six (6) regional members of POETA, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis sent delegates to the POETA gathering to participate and voice their views on issues facing youths.

Started in 2004 as The Trust for the Americas, the non-profit affiliate of the OAS (Organization for American states) developed a pilot project in Guatemala through the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Program to increase employment opportunities for persons with disabilities through IC T skills training more than 500 persons and more than 25 local businesses.  As a result of this success, Microsoft agreed to expand the programme. The General Secretariat of the OAS supported this initiative and the three way partnership of Microsoft, the Trust for the Americas and the OAS merged to form POETA.

POETA has established centers to train youth in civic education and technological skills to provide them with self-development and accomplishment and the feeling of inclusion in society.

Mr. Starrett Green, Director of the Organization for American States, spoke at the POETA gathering and he highlighted the importance of the voices of the youth.  He said, "I respectfully contend that the voices of the youth should be clear." Mr. Green went on to state that the voices of youth talking for the sake of talking should not be the objectives of POETA. Youth should, he suggest, articulate what it is that they seek and their voices should not be filled with anger because they feel that the right people are not listening.

He continues, the youth voices should command respect, their message should be current, topical and structured to win converts along the way and youth should bring a message that is consistent, "If you do these things, not only will you be heard within the four walls of these rooms, but wherever your voices resonate," he said.

Other Organizations that showed their support for POETA included: Microsoft Unlimited Potential, International Development Resources Center (IDRC), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), TRUST and CISCO.

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