Youth Budget Talk Opens Civic Dialogue Between Young Seychellois and Policymakers
VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Seychelles cohort of the Parlement régional des jeunes de l’Indianocéanie, in partnership with the National Assembly, hosted the inaugural Youth Budget Talk at the Assembly precinct on Ile Du Port on Saturday, bringing together Vice-President Sebastien Pillay, Minister for Youth and Sports Kalsey Belle, National Assembly members, and young delegates from across the country to examine the R11.8 billion 2026 national budget through the lens of youth experience and everyday realities. The event provided a structured platform for young Seychellois to share their perspectives on how public spending affects their lives and to present concrete proposals to policymakers.
The initiative is significant because young people, who represent the future workforce, entrepreneurial class, and civic backbone of Seychelles, have historically had limited formal channels through which to engage directly with national budget processes. By creating a dedicated space where youth voices are heard alongside those of senior government officials, the event signals a commitment to more inclusive governance and a recognition that the priorities of young Seychellois must be reflected in how public resources are allocated.
The 2026 youth budget totals R11.8 billion and is distributed across several key initiatives, including R6.4 million for the Skills Development Programme Expansion, R2 million for Youth Hostel Dormitory Construction, R30 million for the Youth Hope Residential Centre, R162 million for Youth Governance and Policy Development, R27 million for the Seychelles National Youth Council, and R5 million for Youth Entrepreneurship Support. Camilla Cupidon, a member of the regional youth parliament, explained that by uniting youth from diverse sectors including environment, sports, and education, the dialogue facilitated meaningful exchanges between leaders and young people, with the aim of translating youth perspectives into concrete policy inputs.
A key concern raised at the event was the situation of young people from the inner islands, particularly Praslin and La Digue. Participant Xarah Hertel called for greater support for inner island youth conducting financial transactions on Mahé and assisting students travelling abroad for scholarships, describing these transactions as financially burdensome for low-income households and proposing that the government pay closer attention to their specific needs. Said Lesperance, representing Praslin, highlighted the difficulties faced by youth hostel residents when relocating to Mahé, expressing that the budget discussion gave him the chance to voice concerns on behalf of inner island youth.
Minister Belle praised the initiative as an opportunity for leaders to better understand how young people perceive the budget, emphasising the importance of providing youth with a platform to present proposals and solutions that can then be structured and implemented collaboratively. She noted that the budget is dynamic and that listening to youth perspectives will help develop processes that incorporate their ideas more systematically. Vice-President Pillay urged participants to present concrete solutions, reflecting the government’s stated commitment to evidence-based and participatory policymaking.
The Youth Budget Talk represents a significant step in bridging the gap between policymakers and young citizens, and participants expressed hope that the dialogue would lead to concrete follow-up action rather than remaining a symbolic exercise in civic engagement.
