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Councils to map way forward for youth development
2/12/2010
By Regina Selman Moore
DIRECTOR of the Department of Constituency Empowerment, Kirk Humphrey, says a “one size fits all” approach will not be used to address the issues youth have across communities in Barbados. As such, Constituency Councils will be engaging in community mapping to determine the
challenges facing different communities on the island and to bring specific, scientific resolutions to these problems.
“The idea was never to have a prescriptive approach for all. If you were to map a number of constituencies, you may find that different ones have different needs,” he stated in response to a question posed by the Barbados Advocate concerning his department’s youth development plans.
“We know for sure that we need to do three things if we are really going to effect change in any of the communities” he stated.
“We have first of all to identify what the needs are and do so in a systematic, scientific way. At the same time the Constituency Councils are being launched, we are also running the CALC (the Country Assessment of Living Conditions) – the poverty assessment, which will also give us information and that information will help the Constituency Councils. But we have to identify what the needs of the community are and in so doing, identify what the needs of the young people in the various communities are,” Humphrey outlined.
He informed that to-date, research has shown that a lot of young people are interested in sports and have identified a need for proper sporting facilities and proper sporting equipment.
“The second thing that we have to do, is to manage the problems in the various communities. The Constituency Councils allow us, at present, to determine in a clear way what the needs are and to address the problems because we can offer, through the Councils, direct intervention. We can provide equipment and we can provide training,” he added.
One current need is for an after school programme to aid students gearing up for the 11 Plus Examination with homework and already the Councils are seeking to respond, Humphrey said.
“The reality is that in a lot of communities, unfortunately, when a lot of children go home, there is really nobody there to help them do their homework and that’s a fact. So we have to find a way through the Councils to provide that mechanism that would allow people to have assistance with homework. It is small, but it is a most significant thing and that in my mind will be one of the greatest contributions to positive change that we will make in Barbados,” he said.
“So having done these things, the third thing that we must do is to offer opportunities for people to advance. If we don’t create space for people to advance then we really haven’t been effective and I think through technology on one hand, we will be able to do so, but beyond that the Constituency Councils give persons the freedom to make decisions they would not normally make,” Humphrey explained.
This will be especially good news for those with limited resources, as the Councils can provide a framework to cushion those interested in making business investments so that they can see positive returns.
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