TONGA YOUTH REAL TALK

Every young person is unique and has her or his own story to tell. 

'Epalahame

"Ko e ta'u motu'a ko eni 'oku ou ma'u 'oku 'ikai ke toe 'aonga ke fai e nofonofo pe 'i 'api 'o fakafalala ki he ongomatu'a mo e fanga tokoua moe tuofefine lalahi". [In this day and age that I am in, there is no need to just stay at home and do nothing, and totally depend on my parents and my older sisters and brothers for everything"]. 

Everyday, there is a need to get or have something - how do you get them...?? is the question I want to ask you.

'Epalahame is now a full-time  Finance Officer.

'Alamoni

"Being unemployed for seven months after returning to Tonga was tough. But what hurt more was when my little brother said to me, 'What's the use of getting a degree from a good university when you can't even get a job?!' I didn't want him to think that there was no use in going to school."  Read more

 Moni is now working full-time for the Government of Tonga

Mateo

Growing up I loved playing rugby but I never thought it would be a source of income for me and my family. Rugby has taken me overseas and I have played in countries like Britain, New Zealand and Romania.
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I came back to Tonga when my contract with the Romanian rugby club had ended. I continued playing rugby for the local Marist club. But in 2016 I injured both my knees severely which forced me to hang up my boots. Read more

Mateo is now a full-time Driver & Hardware Officer

Valini

I got tired of not making ends meet at home. I decided to come to TYEE to get some help to find a job.  My education is not that good but that did not stop me from trying.

After going through TYEE training program for youth like myself my whole mindset changed about going to work. I learned so much new skills which helped me to get ahead.

I want to work to help improve my family's life. I am more determined than ever to make my first job work for me.

Valini is now a full-time Inventory Officer.

about TYEE

TYEE was first established in 2014 as a registered non-governmental and not for profit youth support service organisation.
 
The need to establish the organisation arose from the high rate of youth unemployment in Tonga and the increasing number of school-leavers each year who were unable to secure a job.  We work with the aim to help young school-leavers age 18 to 29.
 
Today, our youth comprise a large proportion of the nation’s population. However, the simple fact is, there are not enough jobs in Tonga to cater for our growing population and not everyone who completes their education will get a job.

Despite this challenge, it has been our mission to assist our youth to find employment.  For young entrepreneurs who are interested in establishing their own businesses, our goal is to empower youth with relevant information and support to help them get started.   
 
No other organisation in Tonga has stepped-up to assist our youth and to bridge the gap like TYEE.  With the right support, Tongan youth can do so much and achieve even more.  To this end, we will do what we can to ensure that our youth are work ready to find meaningful employment and career opportunities, which will ultimately contribute to the livelihoods of their families and to the economic growth of Tonga as a whole.

our mission

To bridge the gap by building the capacity of the youth to embark on their journey, to make a life they aspire to live through appropriate and relevant connections to work-readiness and life-skills training opportunities, employment opportunities, creating employment opportunities through entrepreneurship (and information and communications technology (ICT), and mentorship support.

our vision

To become the leading youth employment and entrepreneurship support service organisation in Tonga.

our objectives

• build the confidence and capacity of youth by providing work readiness and life skills training opportunities, placement in employment, entrepreneurship and mentorship support;
  
• provide ongoing mentoring support for youth who are going through or have completed TYEE programmes;
  
• foster networks locally and internationally to leverage better support and opportunities for participating youth and for TYEE; and
  
• conduct or facilitate studies and research for further development of the objectives of TYEE and for lobbying decision-makers to make positive changes for the benefit of youth.

what we do

employment services

TYEE is working with young school-leavers aged 18-29 in Tonga.  Our approach is a demand and holistic approach with the emphasis on the process, and then the outcome to help tackle the root causes of youth unemployment.  We work to bridge the gap through connecting youth to skills development training opportunities, economic opportunities and mentorship support. 

​We partner with people and businesses to improve skills, teams and lives and help them achieve more and make an impact.

entrepreneurship & ICT

TYEE Entrepreneurship is our vehicle to creating economic opportunities for our young people in Tonga. Due to the domestic market being small and slow to grow to meet the needs and increased numbers of our young school leavers today.

We stand as a strategic partner with our young people by being innovative, while creating new initiatives, economic opportunities that are relevant, cost effective, enjoyable and can make a sustainable impact in our young people's lives, the lives of their families, and communities at large.

training & mentorship 

TYEE training program is designed for you.  Our program stands to serve a growing need by bridging the skills gap in our young people; both in the out-of-school youth and in-school-young people.  Our program are carefully implemented to help develop and improve the skills of our young people through education, training, employment, entrepreneurship and we back it up with mentorship support.

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Other initiatives for youth and communities

OUTREACH - RAISING AWARENESS "Connecting with the local communities to raise awareness about TYEE's cause and the support services we provide to contribute to the solution. Youth unemployment is a global issue, and we cannot do it alone without your participation, support and love.

The community outreach is an annual program which runs early in the year during the first quarter.  We are always seeking for volunteers to join our team in sharing our message and love to the communities at the community level.  Contact us today.

TYEE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM (ASP) "Connecting youth and students through after-school and school holidays tuition program".  An initiative to help students develop and improve their respective skills and confidence through private tuition classes and homework assistance.

The aim of this program is to assist students and parents in minimizing school drop outs due to lack of support with their studies on top of others. The center operates all year round, except for national Public Holidays and the end of school year holidays. 
​​Every rock they throw we use it as a Stepping Stone!
To register your child/children to this program please contact TYEE Office for details.

​LET'S TALK WORKSHOPS "Connecting youth and parents through monthly "Let's Talk Workshops" to raise the awareness about the challenges facing their young girls and boys in making their transition from out of school to work. How TYEE and the parents' support can be better utulised to form a solution and promote working together to offer the youth (their kids) a good start in their own career choice and journey ahead in life.
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