The Caricom Commission on Youth Development (CCYD) has embarked on an information and fact-finding mission across the region to conduct an analysis of the situation of Caribbean youth.
In a press release Caricom said the exercise aims at obtaining stakeholders’ views and recommendations on youth governance structures in member states and it represents one component of the CCYD’s mandate to conduct a comprehensive regional analysis of the situation of Caribbean youth aged 10-29. On Monday a team comprising commissioners Hally Haynes, of Barbados, Co-Chair Yldiz Beighle, St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Kyle DeFreitas and Suriname’s Melvin Bouva, made its first stop in Barbados where they engaged representatives of departments responsible for youth affairs, national youth councils and national youth organisations in discussion. Accompanied by Deputy Programme Manager Youth and Community Development, Dr Heather Johnson and Youth Consultant Sherwin Bridgewater, both from the Caricom Secretariat, the team focussed their discussions on the strengths, challenges and opportunities of the existing youth governance structures and in the departments responsible for youth affairs and national youth councils/organisations.
Similar discussions will be held in St Lucia, St Kitts, Belize, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Haiti and Jamaica and will contribute to a regional analysis of youth development and empowerment trends, issues and gaps. The information is expected to inform the development of a regional vision and model of a youth governance network. “The Commission will also harness the dreams, vision, aspirations, identity, concerns and CSME perspectives” of adolescents and attached and unattached youth; analyse risk, vulnerability, resilience and protective factors in youth who have made significant contributions to development as well as those living in urban, disadvantaged communities, the release said.
Caricom Heads of Government established the CCYD in March 2007 to advise them on sustainable forward-thinking policies and programmes to improve the well-being, development and empowerment of youth. The report is expected to be submitted in January.
