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Posing with Minister of Youth, Stephen Lashley are (from left) Erin Corbin-Boyce of the BYDC; Cherisse Francis, President of the Council; Secretary of the NYF, Melissa Savoury-Gittens; and Christopher Morgan and Ashaa Cumberbatch of the Council.(A.Gaskin/BGIS)????????

Young people have been encouraged to play a part in determining their future.

This advice came yesterday from President of the Barbados Youth Development Council (BYDC), Cherisse Francis, as she addressed a handover ceremony, where her organisation and the National Youth Forum (NYF) were provided with office space at the Ministry of Family, Culture, Sports and Youth, Haggatt Hall, St. Michael.

Ms. Francis said: "We [the youth of Barbados] have been given a gift and it is our duty to ensure that we make the best of what we have been given. Therefore, this means that you must get involved in shaping your own future.

"Feel free to seek out the Council and to volunteer.?? The BYDC is here to serve youth and we can only serve them if there are youth who show up to be served. We will try our best to seek you out, but you must also play a part. This is your destiny to shape, so help us make a difference."

Secretary of the NYF, Melissa Savoury-Gittens concurred, saying: "This is not easy, we are knocking on their [young people’s] doors. But, we are asking them to come to us when they need help, not to just cry out and say, ???there is no one out there helping us’. We are here for you."

Ms. Savoury-Gittens and Ms. Francis thanked the officials of the Ministry of Family, Culture, Sports and Youth for their assistance and pledged to continue working with other youth groups to ensure young people’s needs were met.

sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb

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