Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture

Yute Vibez

Volume 1, Issue 2

Sept-Oct 2010

A Beacon of Hope opens in St. Ann

Youths in St. Ann were excited to see the opening of the Marcus Garvey Youth Information Centre. The Centre was opened on August 19 in honour of the late Marcus Garvey, son of St. Ann and National Hero. The Centre was hailed as a ‗beacon of hope‘ in St. Ann because of

the numerous opportunities it offers young people.

Speaking at the opening, Director of the NCYD, Roberta Brown-Ellis stated that the MGYIC‘s particular focus is on career development and she outlined a number of entrepreneurial pro-

grammes that will engage young people in the community.

Guest speaker, Senator Warren Newby, said that the

Centre was a positive alternative to crime and vio-

lence. This is especially so given that most of Ja-

maica‘s youth are the perpetrators and victims of crime.

Sen. Newby said that the MGYIC will be one of many of the NCYD‘s Youth Business Incubators which will enable youth to take advantage of the oppor-

tunities in tourism.

The MGYIC is the sixth YIC to be opened by the National Centre for Youth Development under the ‗Operation Phoenix‘ Project. The Centre boasts a cyber centre housing 15 computers, a counseling area and a Youth Empower-ment Desk, where young people can get information on how to actively par-

ticipate in individual and community development.

P a g e 2 Y u t e V i b e z

Yute Meds: Jamaican Youth becoming Endangered Species?

NSSC Executive Mem-

bers. At the fore is

outgoing President,

Andre Stephens.

Many high school students will

have, at one time or another,

heard about the title, ―Student

Council Representative‖ and some

would not know what this title

even means. A Student Council

Representative is someone who

does just that…represents his

fellow student peers. They speak

on behalf of their classmates on

student issues for the betterment

of their peers.

Those Student Council Representatives can seek to represent their peers at a higher level by serving on the National Student Council body.

This is the highest level of representation for the secondary school system.

The National Secondary Students‘ Council was established in 1975 through a policy that encouraged student involvement in the decision mak-

ing process of schools at all levels. The policy stated that ―students at the secondary and tertiary levels had the right to:

1.Democratically elect their representatives

2.Have representation on the board of the educational institution

3. Meet with the principal and staff, or both, on any matter affecting the students interest.‖

Currently, the NSSC represents 159 schools and a total of 300,000 students islandwide. The NSSC has engaged hundreds of students in a num-

ber of projects including the ―Smart Girls Wait‖, the ―Rights, Respect & Responsibility‖, ―Save Yuh Life‖ Campaigns, and the ―Donate to

Educate‖ project where school books are donated to be given to needy high school children.

The organization celebrates NSSC Week every February. This year‘s theme was ―Accepting the Challenges, Raising the Standards‖. The NSSC

continues its representation of Jamaica‘s students with the guiding philosophy, ―responsible students make the difference‖.

In a day and age where Youth are sometimes referred to as ‗the generation of vipers,‘ often times we are neglected

and left to fend for ourselves, without the necessary support and attention we so desperately need. The majority of

Youth in Jamaica are males, many of which have the

potential to excel. However, due to the different

stigma attached to persons based upon even the way

they are attired, street Youth have come under im-

mense scrutiny by law enforcers and citizens as a

whole.

Gone are the days when we embrace the spirit of

charity, sharing and caring. Street Youth have become

endangered specie, as they are constantly being tar-

geted by the police force, hence becoming regular

victims of brutality, exploitation and murder.

In addition , they are often negatively stigmatized by

individuals from all ‗walks of life.‘ The task is now

upon us, a nation, to preserve those that are left.

Let us mobilize and strengthen these

street Youth who are destitute and need

even an ounce of motivation. Where

there is life, there is hope.

Let us help our ‗endangered‘ youth to

come to the realization that they do have

the potential to become productive mem-

bers of society.

Let us also encourage and empower them

to see their glass as half full rather than

half empty and maintain that; ‘I can… We

can…Youth can... Achieve greatness.’

About the Author: Truddiann Ash-mead, 17 years. She is currently in

Upper 6th at the Morant Bay High

School.

Ms. Ashmead is a member of the Sea-

forth Police Youth Club & the Morant

Bay High School Debating Society.

She currently wears the crown of ‘Ms.

Teen St. Thomas 2010’.

P a g e 3 V o l u m e 1 , I s s u e 2

Yutes hru RTS

The National Youth Council of Jamaica (NYCJ) had its con-

stitution ratified on Saturday, July 24,2010. The ratifica-

tion comes after several drafts, as amendments were nec-

essary to finalize the official constitution. This Constitu-

tion establishes the fundamental principles of how both

the National & Parish Youth Councils operate.

‗Ratification‘ means that the Constitution has been ap-

proved by all represented youth clubs and has officially

become the guidelines governing all Youth Clubs that fall

under the NYCJ.

The NYCJ was formally established in 2004, following

which a draft constitution was prepared by the Council‘s

Executive body. Since January 2010, the NCYD has en-

gaged 300 youth clubs across the island in an effort to

amend the draft.

Takisha Barnes, Acting Director of Youth Programmes at

NCYD, expressed confidence in the Constitution‘s frame-

work because, ―when the Councils are elected, Jamaica

will witness a strong and committed cadre of leaders‖.

The Constitution addresses: membership to the NYCJ, rights & duties of

members and the National Assembly, to name a few. The objectives of the

NYCJ include strengthening and organizing of youth networks and improving

the sustainability of youth organisations, as well as promoting social togeth-

erness, volunteerism and patriotism among youths.

Elections for a new executive body are slated to be held later

this year.

Look out for more on

the NYCJ Elections!

―Youth, Sound, Powa!!!‖ – this is the essence of the Creative Arts Movement of

the NCYD. KCAM (Kingston Youth Infor-

mation Centre Creative Arts Movement)

and PCAM (Portmore Creative Advocacy Movement) were programmes developed

in 2007, but have had different focal

areas though they deal with a wide spec-trum of the Arts. The Arts Movement

covers: Drama, Poetry, Singing, DJing,

Dancing and Script Writing to name a

few.

For KCAM, youths were exposed to the creative arts in pockets. However, the

donation of band instruments and equip-

ment by UNICEF last year reenergized the young people and sparked a massive

growth towards a long term vision for

what has become a strong music pro-

gramme.

KCAM‘s Coordinator, Miguel ‗Steppa‘ Williams, explained that ―when equip-

ment came, we were one step closer to

reality. We found out that amidst our

users were budding musicians…we gath-

ered them and the rest is history‖.

The ―Youth Sound Powa‖ Band has mostly urban inner city youth from ages 16 to 21. He continued that the band‘s first

gig was at the launch of the National Youth Survey on March

19 of this year and since then, they have done separate solos

at other events.

PCAM has an active dramatic arts group and have performed several plays which have been aired on their local Portmore

cable station. They have also carried their plays to different

communities presenting tough issues such as HIV/AIDS in an

appealing and entertaining format.

The group has maximized on their talents by doing Public Service An-

nouncements and small Ad Cam-

paigns. PCAM also has their I-

Protected Band.

Over 60 youth are registered in KCAM and just about 30 are actively

involved in PCAM. The programmes

have left positive messages with the

participants, who have become highly motivated. Mrs. Powell stated

that since engaging the youths, two

young people have decided to pur-sue the Arts at Edna Manley College

of the Visual and Performing Arts.

Others have landed small parts in local television dramas such as ―Me

and Mi Kru‖. She continued that the

Arts Movement ―motivates them for

life and engages other young people through the positive messages that

they receive‖.

Story Contd on pg. 4

Members

of the

KYIC Band

Participants listening to

Speaker Kevon Campbell

at the Ratification of the

NYCJ Constitution.

YEO Style : AGENT 101

YEO Name: Kevon Campbell

YEO Parish/Portfolio: Student Governance—National Secondary Students‘ Council

(NSSC)

Major projects done: ―Donate to Educate‖ Initiative: Hosted last year in preparation

for the new academic year. Over 2,000 textbooks were donated to needy students

across the island.

Current Projects: NSSC Elections Workshops

Biggest accomplishment: Reduction of the expenditure for 2009 NSSC Elections by

$4 million through the development of an online voting system. This approach will be

applied to upcoming elections for the National Youth Council.

Biggest Inspiration: ―Working with young minds and knowing that you are able to

make a positive impact is enough inspiration‖.

NCYD UPDATES 1. As part of the International Year of the

Youth, a Global Interactive Youth Confer-

ence was held in Mexico from August 23 – 27.

The Conference was attended by Minister of

Youth, Sports & Culture, Hon. Olivia Grange and the Director of the NCYD, Mrs. Roberta

Brown-Ellis.

2. Two more YICs are slated to open later this

year in the parishes of Manchester and West-

moreland. These two additions will increase the number of YICs to 8 under the GOJ/IDB

‗Operation Phoenix‘ Project.

3. NSSC Elections are getting into full gear.

Nominations are already opened & elections

will be held in October.

MASHAV Builds Young Entrepreneurs

The Young American Business Trust (YABT) and the offices of the Organization of American States in Jamaica (OAS) in collaboration with Israel Agency for Interna-

tional Development Cooperation (MASHAV) held a one week entrepreneurship

Training of Trainers Workshop on August 23 – 27 this year. NCYD represented the

―youth‖ at the conference. Individuals learnt how to create Small Business Devel-opment Centres SBDC) and how to make their dreams a reality. It is worthwhile to

note that Israel‘s Gross Domestic Product is financed primarily by income from

successful small businesses operators. They also have an excellent track record of

developing and supporting successful micro, small and medium enterprises.

Israeli trainers Rina Yaffe and Sammy Bahat shared that SBDC should provide en-trepreneurs with financial support, training and technical expertise essential for

the successful creation and operation of their business. They said that government

support is needed with the formulation of policies that support and regulates busi-ness development. The provision of loans and grants critical to support micro,

small and medium business enterprises in their initial stages is also another very

important input needed from government and the private sector. After interview-ing over twenty small business operators, participants at the conference con-

cluded that there are some personal qualities, characteristics and attitudes that

all aspiring entrepreneurs must have in order to own and operate a successful

business. The twenty organizations present pledged their support to the establish-

ment easily accessible SDBC and the promotion of entreprenuership among youth.

The qualities are listed below, can unscramble and find them? 1. elfecputsr 2.

evnvoaniit 3.sneoth 4. odcntienf 5. tisvoipe 6. ebasloic 7. rrkwghdoian

Answers Below

Did You Know? 1. That over 300 primary and secondary stu-

dents benefitted from the NSSC‘s ―Donate

to Educate‖ Initiative? The programme

started in last year and reeled in over

1,500 textbooks and 20 computers, and

14 students received school uniforms.

For more information, contact us at: 968-6293/908-2010. Check us out on Facebook at ncydjamaica or Natl Centre for Youth Development and

follow us on Twitter. You can also email us at ncydjamaica@gmail.com.

A Youth Empowerment Officer (YEO) is NCYD‘s Youth Agent. Their scope of work covers 4 main areas: Information Dissemination, Coordinating

Youth Organizations & Programmes, Coordinating/Managing Youth Activities through Multi-Sectoral Collaboration & Management of YIC’s.

Yute Vibez P a g e 4

Reaching Yutes Thru the Arts cont’d

According to Mr. Williams, ―the impact is tremendous…it builds their leader-ship skills and exposes them to a possible career path‖. He further added that

the youth have heightened self esteem as they participate, share creativity

and ease stress. He added that parents also become interested as they see

their children improve.

Youths can become part of the Creative Arts Movement by simply becoming an

active user of either the Kingston or Portmore Youth Information Centres.

Answers: 1. respectful 2. innovative 3. honest 4. confident

5 positive 6. sociable 7. hardworking