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Dept of Youth Affairs not quite meeting needs of youth- Brenda Lettsome-Tye
Speaking to fourth and fifth form girls at the Follow the Movement (FTM) Show Love seminar on October 15, 2015 at UPs Cineplex, Ms Lettsome-Tye disclosed that an analysis conducted from April to August 2015 discovered that the Department of Youth Affairs is not quite meeting the needs of its targeted group, youth ages 15 – 29. This has led to the restructuring of the department and its programmes and, according to Ms Lettsome-Tye, the department is on the verge of making a big announcement.
“Very shortly we will embark on a rebranding campaign to let the territory know that the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports has new management, has refocused and is ready to deliver the needs of you our youths.”
Ms Lettsome-Tye also said that it was out of the now established Youth Policy that the Virgin Islands Youth Parliament saw a young lady sat as the mock Leader of the Opposition and showed that females can pose a great challenge to males in representing what they believe.
“At the launch on the 2nd (October), the Leader of the Opposition was a female parliamentarian, Ms Rea Vanterpool, and she gave the Premier, her male counterpart, a run for his money. He was shaking in his boots by the time she was done with him,” said Ms Lettsome-Tye.
The Virgin Islands Youth Parliament was launched on October 2, 2015 and allows for youth between the ages 15 and 29 to address matters and concerns that affect them. The young women who attended the ‘Show Love’ seminar were invited to become a part of the youth parliament experience.
“Here is the opportunity for you to shape the future of the Virgin Islands. Sign up to join the Virgin Islands Youth Parliament. If speaking out or up front is not your thing young ladies, you can still be involved.”
National Youth Council
Ms Lettsome-Tye said that coming soon is the Virgin Islands National Youth Council, a body that is an organisation by, for and managed by young people. “Young people from every district are expected to be represented on the council. You as a member can be an advocate for your fellow youth.”
She also announced the creation of a space specifically for youth. “In 2016, the department will be creating a Youth Information Centre at the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports.”
The Acting Director added that it will be a space where especially young ladies can feel safe. “It’s a place where you can feel safe in getting information and there is a wide array of topics, including sexual and reproductive health and advocacy as well as simply socialising with each other.”
The Youth Information Centre will also serve as an avenue for assisting youth seeking employment by liaising with the Labour Department.
She said all the Department of Youth Affairs and Sport and the Ministry for Education are doing is to help the young women recognise, “You are enough, you are so enough that you do not know how enough you are.”
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16 Responses to “Dept of Youth Affairs not quite meeting needs of youth- Brenda Lettsome-Tye”
There are different definitions of youth. The Virgin Islands is using the Commonwealth definition of youth. It is 15-29. Myron Walwyn did not make it up. Other countries and territories define youth as 15-24. In my view, for the purpose of capturing the older teen to young adult age range in our communities, there is this designation to draw them in, address their specific needs and to maintain their involvement in the growth of the communities they are a part of. Often we see persons in this age range become disengaged with their communities.
Please please respect yourself enough to speak from an informed place. I don't know everything and you don't know everything but if either of us just speak without trying to improve our knowledge base we put ourselves and ultimately our territory at a disadvantage. I love the VI too much for that. Let's do better.
The only reason Moron got it going to age 29 is because he copied it almost verbatim from a neighboring island policy. The only thing he did was were it said the name he changed it to our country. He did it for political reasons but for me Moron has handcuffed the youth and sports department and they are powerless. He tried to make poor Patrick the scapegoat but us insiders know better. And poor P on the Ball don't have no better sense then to leave. He was used by Moron and stuck in dead end job. Moron don't care about the youths he ride the backs to victory then turn he back to them for 3 years. Ask any who really know where Moron stole this policy from he didn't even take time to read it fully.
Politicians ALL do things for political clout. It is up to us as citizens to take advantage of them, to gain the benefits of them regardless of the motives. Because if we analyzed the motives going back umpteen years, you would be hard pressed to find a completely benevolent politician.
You are displaying very little ability to process the complexities of making and implementing policy. It is not one man. It is not two. You also have no respect...calling an honorable member of the house out of his name constantly. But you hold on to your angst. It shows your teenaged side more than you know.
That Department will go absoutely NOWHERE. That w**** has no vision. hOW THESE PEOPLE DOES GET THESE JOBS I DO NOT KNOW.