The Department of Youth and Culture, known for its overwhelming dedication and success in various programmes and activities aimed at the personal development of young people, has scored another achievement.
It is the third organisation and graduation of the Anguilla Service Corps Youth Exposure Programme from which many young people have benefitted. Fourteen youngsters participated in the 2017 programme which is now coming to an end following a period of six months of training and appropriate attachments to a number of Government departments for work experience.
They were welcomed at a reception hosted at Government House by Governor Christina Scott, on Thursday, July 27, where they were presented with certificates of completion by Dr. Bonnie Richardson-Lake, Permanent Secretary, Social Development and Ms. Jocelyne Mills, Programme Officer at the Department of Youth and Culture.
The event was attended by Governor Scott, Ministers of Government, Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Department, members of the Anguilla Service Corps Advisory Board as well as mentors, volunteers and family members and friends of the young people.
Ms. Avon Carty, Programme Officer at the Department of Youth and Culture, gave a comprehensive account of the Youth Exposure Programme and of those who participated in it over the past three years. Speaking about the placement of the youngsters at the various departments, Ms. Carty said: “Clients are placed at the Registry of Commercial Activity; Inland Revenue Department; the Anguilla Tourist Board; Customs Department; Physical Planning Department; and the Department of Infrastructure. We also have six of our clients placed at the Department of Education as Teaching Assistants at the various primary schools.”
Addressing the young people in particular, Ms Carty told them: “Based on the evaluation reports, given by the supervisors of the various departments to both the Management Advisory Board members and myself, Programme Officer, Youth, your performance can be wrapped up in three words: a job well-done. According to the supervisors you are performing extremely and impressively well.” She was pleased that, so far, one of the trainees had achieved full employment and she hoped that others would similarly obtain such employment both in the public and private sectors.
Governor Scott welcomed the Youth Exposure Programme participants and others at Government House. “It has been a pleasure over the last three years to see this programme, established by our ever energetic Department of Youth and Culture, providing fantastic opportunity to some of the young people in Anguilla,” she stated. “It is our opportunity as Government, and senior people in the public service, to thank you for your contribution and to wish you well in your future endeavours,” she added.
