This Multi-stakeholder Partnership builds on the outcomes of the SIDS Pre-Conference T.A.L.A.V.O.U Forum where youth entrepreneurship is prioritised to address youth unemployment and contribute to sustainable development. It also builds on the S.A.M.O.A Pathway, in particular the reference on fostering entrepreneurship and innovation, building capacity and increasing the competitiveness and social entrepreneurship of micro, small and medium sized enterprises in small island developing states, as well as encouraging inclusive sustainable development with the participation of women, youth and persons with disabilities. The objective of the High Tech Youth Network is connecting, training and creating cyber learning pathways, higher learning and industry credentials and digital entrepreneurship for young people. The core modality is through an aggregation of small island developing states willing to participate in connecting youth to a digitally focused learning community that is directly linked to the high tech sector and global broadband economy.Our Partnership recognizes that young people are early adopters of technology and this is an asset we ought to build on, to nurture new innovative economic opportunities. This new initiative will take our work on youth entrepreneurship to another level, and will further assist our young people realise their potential, help reduce unemployment, and provide another avenue to allow our youth to lead sustainable development in Samoa, in the Pacific and across small island developing states. The main objectives of this partnership are to address youth unemployment by focusing on youth entrepreneurship, providing training, supporting mentoring and small business development for youth. This will be coordinated through the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development in partnership with our existing networks that is the Village representatives, government women representatives and youth networks through the National Youth Council and faith-based organisations. The following are key deliverables anticipate achieving during and at the end of this partnership:1) To conduct High Tech focused training for young entrepreneurs to further support their small business initiatives.2) To establish youth entrepreneurship focused mentoring programme through the use of High Tech to connect 100 entrepreneurs and potential mentors.3) To conduct work attachments and capacity building for Ministry staff.

The Pacific region, and in particular Pacific Island States are seen as remote and hard to reach. It is only recently that the capacity exists to connect young learners to the emergent global broadband economy. HTYN is strategically focussed on both up-skilling and then connecting youth directly to the high tech sector in situ of their own immediate communities. More over this creates an entirely new economic value proposition for vulnerable states whose traditional export earnings are agriculture and tourism, which is constantly at threat by environmental factors. HTYN is investing in a future digital work force that can remain online and productive, and providing new frontiers of economic development for Pacific people. HTYN affiliate with in-country host organisations, which includes Government, NGO's, faith based organisations, cultural groups, schools (public, private and charter); Each affiliation agreement is supported individual project initiation reports (PIR) that detail a plan of engagement, planning, resourcing, logistics and commitment to sharing digital learning with other regional affiliates (using a train the trainer model).This partnership aims to build on the success of the SAMOA SIDS announcement, the leadership of the Samoa Government and link this praxis to the wider deployments of HTYN Studio's in both the South and North Pacific.

HTYN situates all is learning, outcomes and active learning community (Youth, teachers and adult mentors) online through a purpose building learning portal - this is supported by technology donations and technical support by Microsoft Corporation, and Adobe Foundation (including the Adobe Youth Voices program).

the High Tech Youth Network (HTYN), a Non Government Organization with headquarters in New Zealand and the United States, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development of the Government of Samoa builds on over a decade of work achieved by the HTYN that has through the invitation of partnering communities signed co-operation agreements with indigenous communities in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and Hawaii (USA) to work together in establishing local High Tech Youth Studio's that in term are connected to a regional learning community (RGC) located in Manukau City New Zealand and Honolulu Hawaii - HTYN affiliates in country partners to the Network and the RGC meets both online regularly (video and audio conferencing), including through HTYN on-line learning portal and annually together in person. The RGC is also supported by a regional youth council, who collectively form a annual and three year strategic intent plan, and this is implemented and monitored collectively through this community.

High Tech Youth Network & the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development of the Government of Samoa