NCYD Stages Youth Forum on August 12

The National Centre for Youth Development (NCYD) will be staging a Youth Forum at the Law Faculty Theatre, at the University of the West Indies, on Monday, August 12, beginning at 2:00 p.m.

This is being held to observe International Youth Day, which has been designated by the United Nations (UN). On this day the UN promotes the development of youth by focusing on a particular issue that affects them.  The theme for this year is: ‘Youth Migration: Moving Development Forward’.

Dean for the CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme, Dwayne Gutzmer, told JIS News that the forum will be dissecting the theme to get a deep understanding of how this issue affects young people in the Jamaican society.

“We will be breaking it down to get perspectives from a number of our partners, such as the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) and others,” he added.

Mr. Gutzmer noted that youth migration has had a huge impact on children in the Caribbean, in both positive and negative ways.

“It’s a two-edged sword. A number of young people benefit from migration, as some parents migrate and send back money, but the children are at a disadvantage as they do not have their parents at home, to ensure their development. I think it’s very important that we look at both sides of it and ensure that we highlight some of the current trends that are happening within the Caribbean,” he said.

Youth Ambassador for the UN in Jamaica, Ruth-Ann Lawrence, told JIS News that many young people need motivation and part of the NCYD’s role is to provide that motivation for them.

“(Our job) is to ensure that young people achieve their goals, and also ensure that they understand that serving their country is paramount,” Miss Lawrence said.

The main objective of the NCYD is to inform youth in Jamaica about some of the issues that may pose challenges in their lives, and provide them with solutions as to how to deal with these challenges.