The Barbados YouthAdvance Corps (BYAC) is an important programme for developing the youth in Barbados and those who have benefitted from it must use it to improve their lives.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, expressed this view as he delivered the feature address at the BYAC Cohort 4, CSEC and City and Guilds Awards Ceremony, held recently at the Barbados Hilton, Needham’s Point, St. Michael.
Mr. Griffith lauded the awardees for the efforts they had made in “building a foundation” for themselves to move forward towards their goals.
“I often talk about scaffolding, and you must do that in the construction process because you have your CXCs; you have the City and Guild, and you need to be hungry for success. You need to use this to go forward to the next level.
“This is only the first step. This is your foundation given to you by the staff of the BYAC. And if you understand that; if you engage in the process of construction; then the sky is the limit. Keep looking through the windshield and you will see that if you do it one step at a time and you keep going forward …, then at the end of the day, those persons from the BYAC, parents and peers, will be proud of you,” the Minister said.
He also praised the efforts of the tutors in guiding the trainees and encouraged them to continue providing that guidance. “I’m sure that anytime that you move on from the BYAC and you call anyone of the counselors or members of staff, you will have a sounding board that will ensure that you are still on the right path,” Mr. Griffith stated.
The Minister gave the assurance that Government would do everything in its power to continue to support the youth through its various youth programmes, and added that as long as he was sitting “in the chair as Minister of this Ministry, every single thing will be put in place to ensure that success is yours”.
Trainee Dontae Austin noted that the BYAC was for everyone, and shared how it changed him and his peers. “We were given a chance to grow without the constant fear of social media and influences of the outside world, and that made it easier for me to focus.… In my eyes, I found people that I really connected with; people who felt the same and helped me [to] get through those tough times,” he said.
The Barbados YouthAdvance Corps was established as a two-year programme on August 15, 2019.It is designed to expose participants to discipline and civic education, self-esteem building, etiquette, and a number of personal development courses.