Youth need hope, especially now

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Youth are one of the most treasured part of our country and, by extension, the economy. We are important because we help in realising the dream for a better Jamaica. Not just for Vision 2030, but beyond. We overcome, we become and exceed boundaries and even barriers that are placed before us. However, 2020 has brought many obstacles, and we have been resilient as we try to cope with the many different kinds of atrocities that have befallen us.

This year’s youth month theme or topic undergirding the numerous activities to commemorate the yearly celebration of youth month in November is “Youth: Resilient through Entrepreneurship, Training, Hope, Innovation, Networking, and Knowledge”.

With the uncertainty of COVID-19, many youth are plunged into a cycle of insecurity, numbness, trying to figure out the way forward. COVID-19 has not only been a global health crisis, it has crushed dreams and has placed youth on an almost permanent hiatus, trying to figure out what the plan will be after CXC or CAPE or how they are going to make plans for college, or find a job, or build a career. Even remote school/online school has been in shambles.

The reality is that the job market and access to jobs have been declining, and with the COVID-19 work-from-home protocols, it has pushed more and more youth into anxieties, depression and other mental-health problems.

While entrepreneurship has been one of the ways to realise dreams or somehow bridge the gap, with recent economic downturns and tight profit margins, small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) are still under the threat of COVID-19 as they have to either reduce stocks as the demand for goods and services has plummeted or simply ‘nutin naa gwaan’

We really hope this year’s youth month theme can sustainably provide some ways of restoring a sense of resilience, purpose, and that there can be serious discussions surrounding how we mobilise youth with relevant solutions and recommendations to assist with mental-health concerns like anxiety, jobs, and online school, especially as we approach Vision 2030.

Young people need to feel reassured in these times. We need a realisation of purpose, and for that, we can only hope.

EQUALITY YOUTH JAMAICA