CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT AIMS TO INCREASE YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 29, 2021 (SKNIS): St. Kitts and Nevis Youth Ambassador Corps officially launched a new project on Wednesday (April 28, 2021) designed to increase the contributions of young people to the sustainable development of the twin-island Federation.

The initiative, dubbed the Youth Capacity Building Small Grants Project on Youth in Sustainable Development, will build the capacity and practical skills of young people to design, implement, and monitor interventions relevant to the social, economic, and sustainable development of youth and their communities. The project is geared towards members of youth groups specifically. It is spearheaded by the national youth ambassador corps in collaboration with the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), and the Departments of Youth in St. Kitts, and Nevis.

The Small Grants Project is funding the initiative to the tune of US$49,970.00. SGP Coordinator, Illis Watts, noted that her organization has a long and productive partnership with the Department of Youth Empowerment in St. Kitts that has resulted in several environmental-centric projects such as seabed and beach clean-ups, an art exhibition, and coral reef tours and education sessions.

Ms. Watts added that she is constantly seeking new opportunities to promote sustainable actions and this project fits the strategic objective of the organizations.

“The committee is very pleased with what this project is going to deliver and particularly that this project is going to be a national project,” she stated, adding that it will help to “set a standard for similar national projects in the Federation.

Minister of Youth, the Honourable Jonel Powell, said the creativity and resilience of young people are evident in this project.

“This initiative is indeed a testament to the ability of our young people to rise to the occasion, to identify a critical community need, to develop creative interventions, and to build and mobilise a network of partners for an effective response to that need,” he stated. “… It also unveils the inherent ability to lead in realizing the necessary community improvements and growth, ultimately shaping a stronger, more sustainable St. Kitts and Nevis.”

CARICOM Youth Ambassador, Dwane Hendrickson, encouraged members of youth groups to register for the interactive youth building project, noting that it will be a tremendous benefit to their organization.

Groups can register at the respective Departments of Youth in the Federation. The project begins on May 01. 2021 and concludes at the end of August 2022.   -30-