Young Persons from May Pen Take Part in Mentorship Workshop Hosted by MYF

Twelve young persons from May Pen, Clarendon, have taken a bold step towards personal development and long-term success, through a mentorship initiative led by the MultiCare Youth Foundation (MYF).

Held recently at St. Gabriel’s Anglican Church in the parish, the Mentorship Workshop brought together youth and volunteer professionals to foster meaningful, goal-oriented relationships.

Senior Project Officer at the MYF, Ganesh Nactie, told JIS News that the workshop was a component of a larger intervention under the European Union’s BRIDGE Project, which gives young people the tools they need to thrive in the face of adversity.

For the mentorship aspect, Mr. Nactie said, “These mentees would have already completed life skills training, and many are currently enrolled in internships so, naturally, the next step is mentorship, a critical intervention to help them set and achieve clear, attainable, and meaningful goals over the next year.”

Providing details on the process used to match mentees and mentors, he explained that “through a dynamic rotational meet-and-greet activity, mentees and mentors were able to interact and rank their preferred matches, creating the potential for perfect pairs based on mutual choice”.

The Senior Project Officer further pointed out that this approach is holistic, as “mentorship for us is not just about being a listening ear; it’s about building trust and guiding mentees to achieve specific goals, whether that’s getting a passport, applying to school, or opening a bank account”.

He recalled how mentorship shaped his own journey and noted that “sometimes all a young person needs is someone to say, ‘this is how you do it or this is the next step’, and that kind of support can change everything”.

The atmosphere at the workshop was described as open, positive and highly engaging, with many of the participants arriving early, something Mr. Nactie expressed as indicative of the youth’s desire for growth.

“There was no separation between mentors and mentees. The interactions were natural and genuine, and the trust-building started well before the formal mentorship matching even began,” he told JIS News.

Mr. Nactie pointed out also that the mentorship component is strategically aligned with other interventions, including internships and vocational referrals, as together these efforts work to strengthen youth resilience and reduce the risk of engagement in crime or violence.

“Youth who are consistently engaged in employment or positive guidance are less likely to turn to harmful alternatives, and we are happy to know that our mentorship and internship initiatives are designed to build protective factors that can transform lives,” he shared.

Of importance, he reiterated that several workshop participants are already benefiting from internships, and some have secured full-time positions as a result.

With the mentor-mentee agreement in place for one year, the MYF team will conduct regular check-ins with both parties to monitor progress and provide support.

The goal is for each mentee to achieve at least one of the three Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound (SMART) goals they set during the workshop.

“These goals might seem small to some, but for our youth they represent major steps forward and achieving even one goal shows that the mentorship is working,” Mr. Nactie said.

Looking ahead, the MYF, which currently operates in multiple communities islandwide, including Kingston and St. Andrew, Clarendon, St. James, and Westmoreland, aims to expand mentorship workshops to more parishes as part of its national youth empowerment strategy.

Even though the MYF continues to receive positive responses to the initiative, a continuous call is being made for more mentors to come on board.

“We urgently need more caring, committed adults to come forward. If you’re willing to guide a young person and help change the trajectory of their life, we want to hear from you,” Mr. Nactie urged.

For more information about the MultiCare Youth Foundation or to become a mentor, persons may visit their website at www.myfjamaica.org or call 876-922-6670.