-through Youth Challenge Guyana/ExxonMobil collaboration

YOUTH Challenge Guyana (YCG), with the support of ExxonMobil Guyana, has launched a training programme under the theme ‘Bring the best out of young men and boys’ that will target 35 young men in at-risk communities.
The six-week programme will see participants who were chosen from South Turkeyen and surrounding areas receiving training and certification in electronic repairs, entrepreneurship and personal finance.

Additionally, the young men will benefit from mentorship in conflict resolution, leadership and workplace behaviour.
Executive Director of YCG, Dmitri Nicolson, during an interview with this publication, said the project aims to improve the young men’s knowledge, skills, attitude and behaviour.
Nicolson explained that the programme targets at-risk youths, and was designed as a way to provide young men with resources that they could use to sustain themselves.

“The reason we’ve targeted young men is because the national data suggests that young men are more at risk of being on the wrong side of the law, of being in conflict with the law, and the national statistics shows that. Young men are achieving less educational output than young girls, and we thought of ways that we could deal with this issue and help the young men,” he said.
He further stated that the programme is set to ensure that at the end of the six-week period, the young men can use their new skills to become functioning members of society.
According to Nicolson, several participants of previously held programmes have found gainful employment.

“This is not just something that they come to and get the training and they go home. What we’re doing here is we’re ensuring that they can go and have a better chance at life, that they have the ability to provide for themselves and understand that they can do more than just lime and hang out. All of these young men in our programme can be a pivotal part in this country and that’s what we are trying to achieve,” said Nicolson.

The training programme is being supported by ExxonMobil Guyana.
That company’s Public and Government Affairs Advisor, Janelle Persaud, spoke of its commitment to promoting sustainable communities throughout the country by providing opportunities for sustainable growth.

“We at ExxonMobil Guyana have identified youth and community empowerment as one of our focus areas. We are pleased to support to ensure that young people are meaningfully engaged, job ready and empowered to make a positive impact on their communities. And this is all part of a wider commitment on our part as we seek to contribute to the country’s social and economic progress,” she noted.
Youth Challenge Guyana, since 2012, has been training young people to take on leadership roles in their communities and to inspire other youth to empower themselves.