They must know they are the hope for tomorrow.
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Introduction
On Friday, September 27, 2024, we celebrated National Youth Day in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Unfortunately, I did not see any activities on the island of Providenciales, where most youths reside. We must have events on every island to celebrate our young people, otherwise what is the point in having a holiday when there are no events. Now if there were activities, my apologies. I am just not aware of any.
Our young people must know that we care for them. They must know they are the future. I know many times we like to use that phrase “The young people are the future” but what are we doing to ensure that they are being prepared to be the leaders for today and tomorrow.
Guide the Youth
Everybody needs guidance, especially our young people given the fact they are inexperienced and can be impressionable. That is why it is important for parents, teachers and community leaders to guide the youth. One way to guide the youth is for us to lead and live by a good example. If you do not want young people to be drinking and smoking, then you should not be drinking and smoking. If you do not want young people to have multiple partners, then you should not be having multiple partners. If you want the young people to do what is right, then you should do what is right.
Another effective way to guide the youth is through mentorship and we must be consistent in mentoring the young people. The one-off mentorship or the once-a-year mentorship is inadequate. If your mentorship is infrequent, by the time the next mentorship comes, our young people may already be influenced by someone else or something else.
Another way our young people can be guided is through an internship program. Too many young people are returning home and unable to secure employment let alone employment in their field of study. In 2022, the Turks and Caicos Islands Government implemented a National Internship and Apprenticeship Programme. The internship program runs up to six weeks while the apprenticeship programs run up to 18 months. The good news about this program is that the Government is in collaboration with the Private Sector so some of our young people can also work in the Private Sector. I find this program is very successful and gives our young people a foot in the door.
Our young people must be encouraged to return home once they complete their tertiary level of education abroad. I know not all our young people will return for many different reasons. Some may get married and remain in the country of their spouse. Some may get better job offers. Some have dual citizenship and will stay in America or the UK. However, we must guide our young people into returning home and provide the necessary incentives and compensation as we need our people to return home. We must also encourage them to remain patient. They may not get the expected compensation immediately but over time, they will reap the benefits.
Save the Youth
We must do all we can to save our youths. Over the past couple of years, so many of our young men have been murdered and it appears to be gang or drug related. We cannot continue to lose our young men. I do not know what is attracting our young people to gangs. Some people argued that is the love and attention they get from the gangs. If that is the case, then we must show love to our young people. Fathers and mothers must be present in the lives of the young people. Young people want to feel love and if they are not getting at home, then more than likely they will find the attention elsewhere.
Now when it comes to drugs, too many people want fast money. We must let our young people know that drug money is not the way to live, and we need to provide examples of what happens to individuals that are involved in drug money. The best thing for our young people is to learn a skill and you can learn skills at the Community College or even online. Equip yourself and make money the right way without looking over your shoulders.
Enroll your child in a sporting activity. Check out the Felix Morley Center on the island of Providenciales where there are several extracurricular activities. We must ensure that sports are a big part of the school curriculum. We must also ensure that our youth are being taught technical subjects in secondary schools.
Some of our young people are being abused. We must not leave our children unattended. Be careful with these sleepover events and be careful who are watching your children. Make sure the young people are dressed properly. The way they dressed can attract the wrong attention and can lead to unforeseen circumstances.
Finally, we must find a way to get the young people to church. I admire the young people who are on fire for God. This is the only way our young people can be truly saved if they turn to God.
Conclusion
Despite what you may think or say, there is much potential for our young people. We would like to say there is not a lot for our young people to do. There is more for our young people to do now than when I was growing up. Our young people just need guidance. They need attention. They need to be loved. More importantly, they people need Jesus. We must save our young people otherwise we will be faced with a disaster. Mind you there are some young people that are doing well in this country. We need to find the ways and means to see what these young people can do to influence other young people.