Tynwald has supported a call for government to report how it can improve what the island offers its youth.

Members last week backed a motion seeking a Council of Ministers report to investigate the ’need to have support and local facilities in place that are greater than the existing culture, education and sporting programmes’ and report back to Tynwald.

The motion was brought by Jason Moorhouse (Arbory, Castletown and Malew), who said it ’aims to open up a new dialogue about what is arguably the island’s greatest resource - its people’.

He told members he hoped that the report would lead to a ’government policy which includes incentives and support mechanisms to enable young people to achieve more’.

’It aims to provide support and encouragement and a safety net to enable all the island’s young people to jump even higher.’

He welcomed government initiatives to encourage young people to return to the island after studying away.

He said it was the ’opportune’ moment to examine the challenges faced and create opportunities for the island’s young people, including an expansion of mentoring services.

Too many individuals who end up without a job are allowed to ’drift’, he said.

’This is about giving them a positive nudge.’

A co-ordinated approach would have a huge impact on personal, social and economic benefits in the island.

The report will be due in July next year, meaning it will end up being a matter for the next administration.

The investigation and report could create a ’positive wish list’ on what the island could do for its young people, said Mr Moorhouse.

Education Minister Dr Alex Allinson said he hoped any wish list would be generated from young people themselves.

He said: ’That voice is incredibly important and we need to hear it.’

Earlier in the sitting, Speaker Juan Watterson had asked Dr Allinson what the department has done to promote youth issues and advocacy.

The minister said his department had worked with the Cabinet Office to develop ’a suite of information, courses and material aimed at encouraging youth advocacy for local issues and issues which are pertinent to the island’s young people’.

This was targeted at 16- to 21-year olds.

The government’s youth service ran 24 youth clubs in the community, which would sometimes work with local authorities on projects of interest to young people.

’I am really quite committed to opening up communications with young people directly themselves,’ said Dr Allinson.