YUTE making a difference
Published:Monday | May 16, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Keisha Hill, Gleaner Writer
Tamara McKoy's smile could ignite flames in the dullest of hearts. The 28-year-old, who hails from the Tivoli Gardens community in west Kingston, held a permanent toothy grin while she told the tale of how she became involved in the Youth Upliftment Through Employment (YUTE) programme.
McKoy lives in Tivoli Gardens with five members of her family, including her five-year-old daughter. She envisions a bright future for her. However, with her limited qualifications, she is unable to obtain sustainable employment to facilitate this process.
Now, she is finally seeing a silver lining behind the dark clouds. Since becoming involved in YUTE, McKoy is well on her way to making the dream for her daughter a reality.
"I am not really doing anything right now. So when I got a call recently to carry my qualifications by the HEART (Trust/NTA) head office, I was excited. I did it on Monday, they called me back yesterday to come pick up a letter and take it by Garmex, and I have an interview on Monday," McKoy beamed.
mentorship critical
Her story is just one of the many that YUTE has had since its inception in November last year. According to McKoy's mentor Deborah Newnham, following a mentorship and training session held at the St Andrew High School for Girls recently, mentorship is a critical step in the process of helping the nation's youth.
"The whole concept to give back is key to the progress of the country and can be used to level the playing field between communities. Proper guidance, proper nurturing, being a good friend or sister sometimes that is the only thing that is missing," Newnham said.
YUTE was established primarily in response to the persistent levels of violence and crime and antisocial behaviour within inner-city communities. In keeping with the national agenda to roll out an aggressive programme of inner-city renewal, a coalition of private-sector bodies, led by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), have committed themselves to improving the technical and social skills and increasing employment for some 2,200 young persons.
YUTE consultant Joan Jonas said the programme recognises the potential risks of young people between 16 and 29 years including the school dropout rate, the need for jobs and the overall funding of the programme.
"Like everybody else, they want a job. But what we are finding out that some of them do not have what is takes to get a sustainable job. We are encouraging them to get trained so they can hold a job or instead of seeking a job, they can even start their own business," Jonas said.
Data for 2008 indicates that 75 per cent of all crime in Jamaica are committed by persons under 30 years of age. Recent World Bank reports indicate that in Jamaica, youth crime and violence incurs public and private costs equivalent to 3.2 per cent of current gross domestic product.
target areas
"What we find is that even though there are similar programmes around the country and even those that target the inner city, there is so much to be done that it is not enough. So we are starting with eight communities, namely, those in lower St Andrew and Kingston. These include areas such as Rockfort, Mountain View, Tivoli Gardens, Denham Town, among others," Jonas said
Nineteen-year-old Raykirk Fisher is a labourer from Denham Town. He said his involvement in the YUTE programme has been a good experience for him.
"I hope to take myself out of the ghetto and teach the other youths how to do the same. Having a mentor I can look up to as a bigger brother is good. I have always wanted a role model and this will be good for me," Fisher said.
Fisher's mentor is 26-year-old Denson Riley who believes it is important to steer young people, especially men in the right direction.
"I have always wanted to make a difference in somebody's life. I love to see young people try and lift themselves, especially the guys. It really irks me to see them sitting down on the corner not doing anything," Riley said.
Melissa Johnson, a YUTE consultant, said the mentors and mentee's must submit a monthly report stating some of the activities they have undertaken. "We, of course, speak with both of them to find out if there is any additional support needed, and then we meet with our mentors on a quarterly basis. They share their ideas and their experiences and we ascertain if they need additional training," Johnson said.
Twenty-four mentors/mentees participated in the training session. The next training session is scheduled for Saturday, May 8 at the St Andrew High School for Girls and the Genesis Academy.