Youth Month launched

THE ACHIEVEMENTS of Jamaica's youth will be celebrated this month, as the National Centre for Youth Development (NCYD) launched National Youth Month.

The month will be celebrated under the theme 'Young and creative, bold and innovative'.

"NCYD is very pleased to be celebrating the achievements and excellence of our young people during this month, which is recognised as Youth Month," said Roberta Brown-Ellis, director of youth policy and programme development, during the launch which was held at Courtleigh Hotel in New Kingston on Tuesday.

"It's a time when we pause as a nation and give greater focus and attention to youth development, youth advocacy and issues affecting our young people. And as we confront the many challenges affecting our youth, let us commit ourselves, first, to working together in unity to build partnerships and our networks, so we can effectively and efficiently serve the young people of our country," she added.

Brown-Ellis also announced the launch of the NCYD/Youth Information Centre (YIC) website, which coincided with start of Youth Month 2011.

"The website will serve as a virtual YIC, where we will have information on career and academic advancement, youth employment, entrepreneurship, scholarship and access to youth empowerment sessions that have been done at the YIC," she told the gathering.

"Our website will seek to give greater information and access to our people all across the island and, of course, young persons all across the globe, because we're now online and as our youth policy states: 'Jamaican youth, shaping the world'."

Olivia Grange, minister of youth, sports and culture, said now is the time for the youth.

"You are the reason why we are here," she exclaimed. "It is your dreams, your thoughts, your ideas, your energy and it is your participation that will change Jamaica and the world. Today's event and all the activities for Youth Month is about you, the young people," Grange said.

She added: "As you know, we are revising the national youth policy and to guide the revision we commissioned, for the first time in our nation's history, a national youth survey. This survey has proven to be of tremendous value - the results have given us a clear picture of the state of the nation's youth."

Information about the activities planned for Youth Month 2011 can be found at www.youthjamaica.com.