by Kevon Browne
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): The Department of Youth Empowerment (DYE) launched a program to support ‘higher-risk youth’ called ‘SHINE’ with a three-day workshop that began on Oct. 25.
The workshop will be held for three days, October 25 – 27, daily from 9:00 a.m. to 2-30 p.m.
The SHINE Programme is designed to build protective factors and reduce the risk factors for some 30 high school students between the ages of 11-16. Teachers and the ministry collaborated to identify students, requiring extra support and mentoring.
“The idea is to expose young [people] to positive programming and positive influences to help develop their potential and guide them in positive directions. So, the results of this would be seen medium to long-term, but the initial observation is that it’s going well,” said Director of Youth Empowerment Pierre Liburd.
According to Director Liburd, apart from the three-day workshop, the programme will also include a mentoring initiative in 2022.
According to the department’s Facebook page, the students will be exposed to soft skills, creative careers and financial advice, visual art projects, and motivational and empowering sessions, including Desi Brown of The Brown Pen, who gave a presentation on ‘Who Am I’ encouraging students to look within, identifying their strengths, talents and also their goals.
Other presentations included Conflict Management and creative, tactile work which could generate a career or at least some form of income.
