YUTE programme seeks more volunteers

Karen Sudu, Gleaner Writer

THE YOUTH Upliftment Through Employment (YUTE) programme is seeking additional volunteers to mentor youth in eight troubled communities throughout Kingston.

Some 345 persons have signed up to help mentor young people in the $847-million programme. However, the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica's initiative needs 800 volunteers to work with 2,200 participants.

A critical input to ensure that the objectives of YUTE are met is the mentorship programme, which aims to help to provide support for them, as they re-engage in the wider society both socially and economically.

The programme focuses primarily on improving participants' employability through mentorship and skills upgrading, as well as providing opportunities for work experience and gainful employment.

Chief executive officer, development options, and head of the project management team for YUTE, Maureen Webber, told The Gleaner that while only less than half the targeted number of volunteers has been registered, she remains optimistic.

increase in demand

"An additional 70 persons have indicated an interest to volunteer. We are not concerned, we actually have an increase in demand from large corporations to come in and make presentations to their staff, National Housing Trust, ExIm Bank, CitiGroup, Lay Magistrates are among those. We believe this will give us a push in our numbers during the month of May," she said.

Webber outlined some of the benefits to be derived from being a volunteer. "Volunteering to be a mentor for the YUTE programme gives you an opportunity to be part of the transformation of young persons who have ... had a sense that 'those people up there were not interested in us'. An opportunity to help them fulfil their dreams, show a young person the range of opportunities and options which are open to them if they stay the course as participants of the YUTE programme," she outlined.

Persons wishing to volunteer to support the YUTE programme should call 920-6254 or register online at www.yute.org.

Volunteers who sign up to be mentors are required to attend a one-day training session conducted by professional coaches.

"They are exposed to the fundamentals of mentorship ... they have an opportunity to meet with potential mentees and then we seek to do an initial matching. However, while this is a one-day event, the entire training is ongoing as we will offer support, and be available if mentors have questions," Webber explained.