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Students working in the ground.

Youth Farming, Leadership programme well-received

Chairman of The Sojourner Foundation, Aldair Sobers, reports that the Youth Farming and Leadership Programme has been well received by the youth involved.

Speaking with The Barbados Advocate recently, the Chairman noted that even though COVID-19 interrupted their plans, they were still able to engage with participants.

Leah Clarke, Director of Finance and Business Administration, explained that the programme contained trainees from the Barbados Youth ADVANCE Corps and began during March 2020. However, just before they were able to have Day Two of their Orientation, the country shut down and they were forced to re-organise, rearrange and regroup, moving to online classes instead.

Sobers noted that they were able to have classes online for four weeks, and following the lockdown, the remaining three weeks of instruction took place on the farm.

“The programme was rolled out with youth from the Barbados Youth ADVANCE Corps – 22 participants between the ages of  16-21: 19 males and 3 females,” he said.

“And although the programme was originally conceptualised to run as a hands on programme, we had to reframe that because of COVID and designed an online version of the curriculum, which was well received.

“Throughout the four weeks we had a record number of youth online, who were actively engaged in our discussions. Additionally, we were able to provide some grow boxes, soil and seedlings so they could do the farming at home.”

Clarke explained that even though the initiative was centered around the STEAM curriculum, they also focused on developing the participants’ soft skills,working on improving communication and helping them to look at their development holistically.

Sobers noted that the aim was really to help them see the best within themselves as they learnt to communicate a little better and work together.

He went on to note that because it was so well received, they were able to have a three month extended training programme with the same participants, from September to December.

He explained that this allowed the students to go more in depth as they focused more on permaculture, sustainability, planting, maintaining the crops (including mulching), dealing with animals and working on their soft skills.

Barbados Advocate

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