Steve_Blackett_marilyn_sealy_FLOW

Minister of Social Care, Steve Blackett, accepting the cheque from FLOW’s Director of Corporate Communications and Stakeholder Engagement, Marilyn Sealy, at his office yesterday. (C.Pitt/BGIS)

For the seventh consecutive year, the Community Development Department has launched the ‘ITs for Teens’ summer programme, with the assistance of Cable and Wireless Communications through their consumer brand, FLOW.

Minister of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Community Development, Steve Blackett, accepted the cheque yesterday from Director of Corporate Communications and Stakeholder Engagement at FLOW, Marilyn Sealy, at his office on the fourth floor of the Warrens Office Complex.

During the presentation, Minister Blackett described FLOW as “wonderful corporate citizens” and expressed his gratitude for their continued support of the annual summer programme despite “financial constraints” impacting many corporate businesses in Barbados.

“This programme will benefit, in no short measure, our young people who are now enjoying this summer holiday, and this gives them another opportunity to be involved in wholesome activities at our resource centres,” he said.

Referring to FLOW’s partnership with the Community Development Department, Ms. Sealy reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the programme and said that they were happy to join forces to offer young people the opportunity to sharpen their IT skills.

“For us at FLOW, the ‘ITs for teens’ summer programme is one of the pillars of our education based initiatives and we are very pleased to know that since 2010, more than 2,000 teenagers drawn from every parish in Barbados have graduated from this course, better equipped to leverage their knowledge as it relates to the use of information technology,” she stated.

She explained that over the years the company has invested more than half a million dollars into the programme and they strongly believe “an investment in our young people is one of the most prudent we can make”.

The six week course, which targets teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18, covers graphic design, basic computer repairs, webpage design and introduction to Microsoft Office applications. It will be held at 13 resource centres across the island.

deirdre.gittens@barbados.gov.bb

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