The Willis St George Community Centre and Dover Government School will be the focal points for FLY 2020.
FLY, fostering level headed youth, is a one-year integrated community-based training programme targeting 25 at-risk youths, ages 18-30 years.
However given the global Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Youth Development has adjusted its operational guidelines, to ensure the programme continues and also that participants are kept safe throughout the training period.
According to Project Officer, within the Ministry of Youth with responsibility for Youth Diversion, Johnny Calliste, the project was officially launched in February, and the ministry is now ready to commence training
“Both projects were launched in February and because of the Covid-19 situation, we had to put it on hold, so we are looking to restart. We are restarting under different circumstances. We are operating in the new normal so social distancing is one of the things we have to look at in the centres. We already looked at both and we recognise that social distancing is possible based on the present seating arrangements; they would be expected to wear masks, sanitising solutions will be provided upon entry daily, so that’s the route we’re looking to take.”
The project entails 3 months of life-skills, the project officer added. “The participants will be trained in personal development in topics such as emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, career guidance, after this they move onto 6 months of skills training in a variety of areas which will include construction and agriculture will definitely be included. This will be followed by a 2-month internship which also includes small business training, then they will be certified.”
The project officer says the 2020 training is also of significance as it seeks to get the community involved in the journey. “We are hoping it would be different from the previous project FLY. We want the community involved, the parents of the participants more involved so we would be having a week of parenting sessions of the participants and there is also a community project that must be completed, so there will be something done within the community. We also have an ambitious plan to have the participants establish a youth organisation within the community.”
In 2019, two cohorts of Project FLY were introduced in the communities of Mama Cannes and Pearls, St Andrew. Previous cohorts of Project FLY were implemented in the communities of Rose Hill, St Patrick; Mont Tout, St George; Black Bay, St John; Carriacou, and Victoria, St Mark, and St David.
Ministry of Youth Development
