The DSWD Field Office Eight and the Technical Services Development Authority (TESDA) Regional Office are all set to launch the Cash-For-Training Project for Youth, as representatives of both agencies met this week to finalize agreements.

DSWD Field Office Eight Director Leticia Diokno and O.I.C.-Regional Director Cleta Omega led in the discussion, on behalf of their respective entities, in a meeting held at the TESDA Regional Office.

Said Director Diokno, her office has already communicated to all the six provinces of the region about the scholarship via training package for needy youth. She revealed that the 4,854 slots for the region have been distributed to the cities and provinces.

The DSWD Field Office Director, however, reported that there are only 1,500 applicants as of press time. She further revealed that the target beneficiaries are those youths who have been assessed as eligible under the Expanded Government Internship Program of the Department.

Diokno committed that the DSWD will help TESDA in the conduct of provincial orientations, scheduled to start by end of August. Application forms will then be available at the local social welfare and development offices, and at the field office located along Magsaysay Boulevard in Tacloban City.

This project, Diokno added, is intended to provide the youth with skills training opportunities, and job facilitation or entrepreneurship support, so these young people can earn and participate in community building. In other words, the program is to be implemented, either by way of training for wage employment (Trabaho) and training for self-employment (Hanapbuhay).

Under the program, cash will be in the form of training voucher, toolkits, assessment fee and allowance in the total amount of twenty thousand pesos. Training will be provided by TESDA and its authorize training providers.