by Linda Straker
- Ministry of Youth is focal point for Youth Resilience, Inclusion, and Empowerment project
- Ministry of Social Development is focal point for Opportunities to Advance and Support Youth for Success
- Ministry of National Security will be the focal point for CariSECURE 2.0
Hundreds of young people in Grenada and several Caricom member states shall benefit from 3 USAID-funded projects that will, among other things, provide support for a safer and more resilient region for young people in partnership with various governments.
“These projects will work with youth, partners in government, the private sector, and many others to support a safer and more resilient Grenada. To ensure these programmes will be truly beneficial, we held working sessions with our partners across the government and the private sector — including with many of you here today,” said Linda S Taglialatela, the current US ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.
Speaking at a ceremony to launch the projects in Grenada on Thursday, 23 March 2023, she said the US understands that investing in youth is a priority, and these programmes respond to the needs of youth, the future of Grenada.
“The empowerment of Grenada’s young people is key to the continued development of this country and of the entire Caribbean. This focus on youth is what you will see reflected in these projects…We all need to do our part to ensure every child in Grenada is given a chance to contribute to their country’s continued development,” she said.
In Grenada, 3 Government ministries will be focal points for implementing each project. The Ministry of Youth will be the focal point for the Youth Resilience, Inclusion, and Empowerment project, Y-RIE, a youth-centred, systems-strengthening activity based on a public health approach to violence prevention and incorporates positive youth development approaches targeting youth at risk between ages 10–29.
In 2022, USAID implemented Y-RIE to address this critical issue and support youth to build safer, prosperous, and resilient societies.
Y-RIE will help strengthen coordination between social services and justice institutions, particularly around referral pathways, and promote partnerships to support community crime and violence prevention efforts. “The Government of Grenada supports this crucial partnership that mirrors our vision for youth development which seeks to transform and empower the Grenadian youth to reduce vulnerabilities and harness youth talent, energy, and innovation to move our country forward,” said Youth Minister Hon. Ron Redhead.
The other project is Opportunities to Advance and Support Youth for Success (OASYS), for which the Ministry of Social Development will be the focal point. It will focus on increasing the diversion of youth away from courts and custodial sentences, supporting rehabilitation centres and diversion programmes to use evidence-based diagnoses and treatment, and facilitating the reintegration of youth leaving rehabilitation facilities into their families and communities. “As a nation, it is important for us to raise strong resilient children who can make a difference in their own lives and that of their families and peers. Consequently, it is important for our young men and young women to understand and know their inherent worth and values,” said Social Development Minister Hon. Phillip Telesford.
The third project is CariSECURE 2.0, for which the Ministry of National Security will be the focal point. It will seek to reduce youth involvement in crime and violence and strengthen counter Trafficking in Person efforts in the Caribbean. It employs a multi-pronged, human rights-based approach designed to improve national capacities to use evidence-based methods to identify the root causes of youth crime and design policies, strategies, programmes, and interventions.
Besides Grenada, other Caricom member states to benefit from these regional projects include St Lucia, Trinidad, and Tobago, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, and Antigua and Barbuda. There will be individual launches in the various participating countries.