The Executive Yuan is planning to recruit 19 to 25 people aged 18 to 35 to be members of its new “youth advisory group,” an official said yesterday.
Registration for the non-paid positions will be open from Saturday next week to June 17 and applicants can write a self-recommendation or can be recommended by others, Executive Yuan spokesperson Sun Lih-chyun (孫立群) said.
The group is set to meet on a quarterly basis, with the first meeting expected sometime between late next month and early July, Sun said.
The idea to form a “youth advisory group” was first unveiled by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on May 20 amid charges that the government is out of touch with the concerns of the nation’s younger generation, who face high unemployment, low wages and an uncertain future.
The generation gap came to attention when student-led protesters occupied the Legislative Yuan in Taipei from March 18 to April 10 to protest the cross-strait service trade agreement.
Protesters said that, among other things, the pact and other free-trade initiatives would suppress the pay levels of young workers in Taiwan and cause economic activity to remain in the hands of big conglomerates.
The new youth advisory group is to advise the government on issues relevant to young people, including education, housing, employment, marriage, parenthood, international exchanges and volunteer services, Ma said.
Sun said the group will serve as a platform for young people to participate in the government’s policy making process and voice their opinions.
The government can use the platform to broaden its reach to the public, especially the younger generation, which will help promote intergenerational dialogue to build a better future for Taiwan, he said.
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