NINE young persons have completed a six-month training programme as part of the Vocal Identity Series (VIS) which aims to develop the creative talent of youths while helping them to find their purpose in life.

As part of the programme, the young people were exposed to training in singing, poetry, spoken word, public-speaking, rapping, ventriloquism and worship.

The final set of nine youths was placed into three groups: the public speaking unit, the singing unit and the poetry and spoken word unit.

“Our participants were exposed to a series of workshops and sessions that focused on developing their individual talents and for the awakening of their purpose and identity,” VIS Founder and Executive Director, Cardel Hunte said.

During the programme, the participants met regularly and engaged in vocal training, team-building activities and focused on developing their own individual creative expressions.

VIS Assistant Director, Lushawnae Naughton, said the organisation was formed two years ago as a space where singers could learn about themselves and their purpose. In early 2018, however, she related that the group became a not-for-profit organisation aimed at cultivating certain skills in Guyanese youths.

In 2018, Hunte noted that the VIS worked with seven participants as part of its first full six-month training programme. All of these persons, he said, continued nurturing their creative talents and some even returned to help newcomers.

At the completion of the training for the second batch on Saturday, Cardel said, VIS will continue to serve the nation’s artistes.

Naughton also mentioned that in the not-too-distant future, the VIS will add a number of other units in an attempt to promote the growth of the VIS family.

Director-General, Joseph Harmon and Astell Collins attended the closing exercise on Saturday. According to Collins, this programme is one which the Director-General would definitely be interested in supporting, moreso since he lives in Region Three.

Importantly, however, he noted that at only 19 years, Cardel was doing a great job at motivating and training other young people. With this in mind, Collins, who is an avid youth worker, said persons like these make him believe that Guyana’s future is in good hands.