Amid growing concern over youth violence and calls for greater involvement from churches and civic groups to help combat the problem, a new initiative has been launched to support and empower young people.
The Kingdom Academy programme was introduced on Sunday at Power in the Blood Assembly church on Kew Road, Bank Hall. The initiative aims to equip young adults aged 18 to 35 with knowledge, practical skills and faith-based principles to help them navigate the transition to adulthood and succeed in different areas of life.
The programme has already secured the backing of Senator Shane Archer, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for Youth and Culture and Minister of Educational Transformation Chad Blackman.
Speaking at the launch, Senator Archer underscored the importance of community involvement in positively influencing young people’s behaviour. He said mentorship was especially needed for young men.
“While we can say a lot about the youth, I also grew up in a Barbados, where volunteerism was at the forefront of community spirit, but it seems as though now everybody wants to know what’s in it for me?’ …If we can encourage more of our communities and our institutions to step forward and command the respect of our young people, then we would see a change in our youth,” he said.
The academy will operate through six modules, Faith, Faithfulness, Flourish, Family Life, Finance and Future, and will be divided into two cohorts: participants aged 18 to 25 who are transitioning into adulthood and those aged 26 to 35 who are focusing on stability and long-term goals.
Archer pledged his ministry’s support for the initiative, noting that collaboration could take place through the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme and the Pathways programme.
Minister of Educational Transformation Chad Blackman
Meantime, Minister Blackman expressed similar interest in partnering with the church to support youth development. He outlined several initiatives being pursued by his ministry.
“The ministry is ensuring that our infrastructure, which is between 50 and 200 years old, is now modern. We are training our teachers to be the best in class, and we have set the very bold ambition to be the number one educational system in the world within the next six years. This is why this is so timely, because if you don’t have a values-based education, it is all for nought.
“There are a number of things you are going to start seeing this coming September in education in Barbados. For the first time in our history at the secondary school level, all students must, as part of their core curriculum, integrate fully into a uniform-based organisation, a civics-based organisation or be part of a team sport. We are making sure that they have the values even before they leave school but at the same time preparing them to lead the world with the values necessary for them to do so,” he said.
Blackman also encouraged the church to expand the programme to include children aged nine and older, noting that many of the challenges affecting society begin early.
“We have to go to the root causes to ensure that they are given the best chance. Truly, God has called you all for a time such as this,” the minister added.
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