Children from CPFSA Assigned Mentors

The Ministry of National Security observed National Children’s Day on Friday, May 17, by assigning children to mentors within the Ministry for the day.

The Ministry partnered with the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) to facilitate the ‘Children in Charge Day’, under the theme ‘Encourage, Enable, Include Me’.

“Children from the CPFSA were paired with Directors at the Ministry. After learning the child’s career interest, we then assigned them to someone in a similar capacity,” said Acting Policy Director in the Offender Management, Rehabilitation Policy and Parole Board Administration Branch, Ella Ghartey.

The Children in Charge Day initiative is aimed at enhancing the capabilities and skills of children for the working world by exposing them to business professionals.

Director of Policy and Planning at the CPFSA, Newton Douglas, said that more than 200 young persons between 14 and 18 years of age were placed in 69 organisations across the island in the fifth annual staging of the Children in Charge Day initiative.

“We really wanted to give the young people an opportunity to be placed in an environment that would facilitate career advancement and also give them first-hand professional experience,” he said.

During the mentorship debriefing session at the Ministry, the lone female mentee, Shantelle Lewis* expressed gratitude for the opportunity to engage someone in the field she wants to enter.

“I learnt a lot about the Ministry’s Legal Unit, and my mentor also encouraged me to do my best and never give up on my dream of becoming a lawyer,” she said.

Another mentee, Javon Harris* who was placed in the Project Management Office at the Ministry of National Security, noted that it was an insightful experience as he learnt about the Ministry from another perspective.

“I always thought the Ministry was just about police officers and soldiers; however, today I learnt that project management and technology are also important to the overall running of the Ministry and its departments and agencies. I also realised that there is more to crime-fighting than the use of the security forces,” said the 17-year-old aspiring soldier.

Meanwhile, Ms. Ghartey noted that the Ministry currently spearheads mentorship initiatives in Juvenile Correctional and Remand Centres and also in vulnerable communities islandwide.

“Based on the excellent feedback today, we will definitely explore options to roll out a mentorship programme within the Ministry, especially for at-risk youth,” she said.

*Names changed to protect identity.