Youth Empowerment Launches Shine Project

ZIZ News — The Department of Youth Empowerment has launched a project geared towards bringing out the leadership qualities in young people.

The department on Friday (April 11th) launched the SHINE Project which targeted participants of the annual Summer Residential Camp.

Senior Youth Officer at the Department of Youth Empowerment, Pierre Liburd said they have sought support from both the private and public sectors for the benefit of the youth.

“Part of that support is helping us identify young person’s within the camp that we could work together with and develop lasting, better and more meaningful engagements over the following year and that we could help develop a select group of young person’s into the type of leaders that we could count on, that we could depend on to set positive examples for their peers,” explained.

Director of Youth Empowerment, Geoffrey Hanley said once successful, the group of SHINE participants will be put in a position where they can positively reach out to other young persons.

“In four years time, some of you, once you remain in this program and in our summer camp activities, you will be filling out not a participation application but an application to become a dorm leader.”

And the Minister responsible for Youth Empowerment, Hon. Glenn Phillip spoke of the importance of investing in the federation’s young people.

He said, “The Ministry of Youth Empowerment believes that the development and empowerment of our young people is an integral part of nation building and planning. Our country needs an army of people rightly empowered to look beyond the unforeseen challenges that are before us, to a place where only vision, action and determination will take us.”

The participants of the SHINE Project were taken through sessions on sexuality and sexual health, making wise decisions and rising above and setting standards for themselves.