Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme is a revolving 2-year volunteers scheme introduced on the 17th day of December, 2010 by Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola in less than 100 days as governor in fulfilment of a manifesto promise earlier made to the people. The OYES scheme empowers 20,000 volunteers across the state’s 31 Local Government Areas including Ife East Area Office. Ultimately, the scheme aims at empowering 80,000 or more volunteers in 8 years.
The OYES volunteers are divided into different specialised cadres such as: Public sanitation, Public Works Brigade, Green Gang, Osun Sheriff Corps, Traffic Marshalls, Osun Paramedics, Sanitation Czars and Teachers Corps and are thereafter deployed to productive services in these identified areas of our socio-economic life.
The empowerment scheme apart from being a deliberate programme designed to energize the State’s comatose economy; is also a radical and innovative approach to tackling unemployment, youth restiveness and potential criminal tendencies. The OYES remains the biggest Grassroots Youth Empowerment Initiative in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa. As such, the scheme has been commended by World Bank as an admirable model for incorporating the Work Component into Western Social Security System.