Central Islands Youth Council Renews Leadership and Sets a Course for Action

Provincial annual meeting and elections bring ward representatives together to strengthen youth governance across Central Islands Province.

For three days earlier this month, young representatives from wards across Central Islands Province gathered with a shared purpose: to renew their leadership, agree on priorities and turn national youth policy into practical action in their communities.

The Provincial Annual General Meeting 2026 and elections were convened by the Central Islands Provincial Youth Council (CIPYC), with support from the Solomon Islands National Youth Congress (SINYC) and the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) Youth Division.

The Central Islands Provincial Government also worked closely with organisers to deliver the program.

A renewed mandate

By the close of the assembly, delegates had elected a new CIPYC Executive, aligned the council’s priorities with the National Youth Policy 2017–2030 and agreed to progress an actionable provincial work plan.

The meeting was the first provincial AGM held since the National AGM in May. Its successful completion sets an important precedent for reviving youth governance structures in provinces across Solomon Islands.

A well-governed provincial youth council provides a vital bridge between national policy and community impact. For young people in Central Islands Province, that bridge creates a pathway for ward-level priorities to be heard, coordinated and carried forward through accountable, youth-led action.

The milestone was made possible through support and funding from the Solomon Islands Government through MWYCFA, as well as the Civil Society Support Program under ASIPS, funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

SINYC congratulated the newly elected CIPYC Executive and thanked the ward delegates, partners and stakeholders who continue to champion young people across Central Islands Province.

SINYC plays a central role in strengthening youth participation across Solomon Islands by connecting provincial and community youth structures with national dialogue and decision-making.

Through leadership development, coordination and advocacy, the Congress supports youth councils to represent the priorities of young people, contribute to the implementation of the National Youth Policy 2017–2030 and turn their ideas into organised, accountable action for their communities and the country.

This role aligns closely with the GREAT Coalition Government’s policy commitment to strengthen youth leadership, volunteerism, national unity, skills development and community engagement so young Solomon Islanders can participate actively in national development.

SINYC can help connect young people to inclusive social protection and equal participation, free education and TVET pathways, employment and enterprise opportunities, and more meaningful involvement in community, provincial and national decision-making.