The Stubbs and Diamond Police Youth Clubs hosted their first youth symposium on Saturday in Diamond under the theme “Investing in our Youths Today for a Safer Tomorrow”.
The main objectives were to provide a safe space where young people can openly share their experiences and build a network with their peers, provide an avenue where new learning can take place with the aim of contributing to individual positive engagement and ultimately positive behavioural change, and equip young people with tools and skills that will help them navigate challenging situations by making positive decisions.
The day’s activity commenced with an opening ceremony that heard remarks from the Area Representative Hon. Frederick Stevenson, Superintendent of Police Junior Simmons, Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Youth, Merissa Finch-Burke, National Coordination of Police Youth Clubs, Sergeant Mark Billy, Dean of the Technical College, Osborne Bowens and Yoland London, a coordinators of the Stubbs and Diamond Police Youth Clubs.
Fifty-three youth club members attending secondary and tertiary levels educational institutions participated in the activity.
Forty of them were from the Diamond and Stubbs Police Youth Clubs and the other 13 from the Calliaqua, Mesopotamia, Layou, Richland Park, and Georgetown youth clubs.
The participants were exposed to information on the following topics including teenage sexuality, savings and money management, the rights of a child, achieving excellence in academics and skill-based studies, and employment, young people’s role in preventing crime and violence and the creation of personal vision boards.
The symposium received financial sponsorship from the St. Vincent Building and Loan Association, National Properties Limited, and GECCU.
Other support came from the Government Printery, His Majesty’s Prison, the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, the St. Vincent Community College and the Ministry of National Mobilisation, Youth, etc.
Coordinators of the Diamond and Stubbs Police Youth Clubs, Camille Isaac and London expressed thanks on behalf of the clubs to all the individuals and organisations that sponsored and supported the initiative.
They extended special thanks to the sponsors for honouring their social corporate responsibility by joining them as they continue to invest in the Nation’s most valuable resource, the children. They also expressed thanks to their sister clubs that participated and are looking forward to future collaboration.
London said the symposium met its expectations and realized its objectives.
“It was a resounding success and could not have been possible without the support of our sponsors and supporters and for that again we say thank you,” a press release said.
The clubs will launch their female-to-female mentorship program on International Women’s Day, March 8.