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| Trainees doing different formations during squad drills. (C.Pitt/BGIS) |
Government is looking to decentralise the Barbados Youth Service (BYS).
Minister of Family, Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley, made this disclosure at the Barbados Youth Service’s Passing Out Parade of the October, 2012, in-take of trainees last Friday, at the Paragon Base, Christ Church.
Mr. Lashley said that one of the "innovations" to the service which was being looked at within his Ministry was the decentralization of the BYS programme which would include dance and drama at the community level.
The intent of the initiative, he explained, was to ensure that the delivery of the service’s programme was executed within the communities where participants were drawn. This, he added, would contribute to the building of social cohesion at the community level in keeping with Government’s mandate to build "strong communities".
He pointed out that some of the benefits of the proposed decentralisation would include: programmes located within the various communities; trainees having easy access to training; strategic partnering with communities, community groups and local businesses; and partnerships with Constituency Councils to provide opportunities and resources to help facilitate the programmes.
The Minister noted that once the pilot programme was evaluated, "a firm recommendation" would be made to Cabinet on the way forward.
Eighty trainees started the BYS’ programme in October, with 99 per cent completing training.
Julicia Jones received the award for Most Outstanding Trainee.