SDC to Host Youth Empowerment Fair in Seaview Gardens on Feb. 20

The Social Development Commission (SDC) is set to host a Youth Empowerment Fair in Seaview Gardens, St. Andrew, on Friday, February 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The event, slated for Seaview Gardens Primary School, is aimed at providing career recruitment services and personal development opportunities for the youth in the community.

Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations at the SDC, Mandel McKulsky, told JIS News that the initiative represents a strategic investment in the community’s young people and forms part of ongoing efforts to promote youth development and strengthen social stability across communities.

“This forum represents a critical investment in the community’s human capital. Seaview Gardens has a young, dynamic population that simply needs the right bridges to connect them to mainstream opportunities,” he said.

“With a considerable percentage of its population between the ages of 10 and 29, baseline studies and community priority planning led by the SDC have consistently highlighted a pressing need for structured platforms that provide youth with access to education, formal employment pathways, and essential civil services,” the Director added.

Mr. McKulsky informed that residents attending the event will have the opportunity to access on-the-spot services, and guidance related to skills training and certification, civil documentation, family support resources, and career recruitment.

Participating entities will include HEART/NSTA Trust, the Registrar General’s Department (RGD), the National Parenting Support Commission, Tax Administration Jamaica, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), and the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF).

Private sector partners, such as Lasco Manufacturing Limited and Hawkeye Jamaica Limited, will also participate, providing information on employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.

“By bringing all these public and private sector entities directly into the heart of the community, we are signalling that Seaview Gardens matters, its young people matter, and their future is a shared responsibility,” Mr. McKulsky informed.

He further indicated that the initiative also supports broader objectives, including strengthening the Seaview Gardens Community Development Committee, showcasing grassroots community businesses, promoting youth inclusion in community planning, and contributing to crime-prevention efforts by expanding access to positive opportunities.