SOME 79 students graduated from the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Community, Family and Youth Resilience programme. The programme was a collaboration between the USAID and the Government Technical Institute (GTI).

The training session which ran from October 1, 2018 to July 19, 2019 focused on workforce development and saw the students being trained in the areas of data operations level one, electrical installation level one and motor vehicle repairs for cars and light trucks level one.
The programme, which was aimed towards 80 at-risk youths between the ages of 16-29 years old, was launched in an effort to reduce risk factors associated with crime and violence, by increasing employment opportunities.

The programme’s participants came mainly from the following areas: East Ruimveldt, East La Penitence, Sophia, Lodge and Corriverton.

Throughout the programme, along with the chosen course of study, the students received employability training, leadership and team-work building exercises and employment readiness assessments.

The best graduating students of the programme for the respective courses were Jafanata Trimm and Michael George in the course of data operations; Rihanna Smith in the course of electrical installation; and Roydon Johnson in the course motor vehicle repairs.

The Government Technical Institute hosted and facilitated the training of the students during the training period. The graduates excelled far beyond the expectation of the teaching curriculum as they successfully grasped a

nd completed an additional three units in each individual course.

Principal of the Government Technical Institute, Renita Duncan, expressed to the students the importance of skilled labour saying, “Skill is wealth.” Duncan reminded the students that everything in their immediate surroundings was made by someone who saw the importance of developing a skill.

She explained that during her time with the students, she saw the drive in them, the pride they had in their work and their ability to continuously use their initiative to ensure they completed every task and went above and beyond to ensure they were successful.

Chairman ActionINVEST Caribbean Inc., Dr. Vishnu Doerga, during the simple ceremony encouraged the students telling them that he had been a participant some 10 years ago in a similar programme by the USAID. He advised the students that if they focus on what they want in the future anything is achievable. He told them not to waste the opportunities they receive, but that they should always try to make the best of them.

“The grass is always greener where you water it,” was what he left with the graduates.
The United States Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Mark Cullinane, expressed that the United States Embassy has proudly worked hand-in-hand with Guyana in an effort to sustain youth development and support economic growth throughout the country. He spoke to the part the USAID plays in assisting to provide Guyana’s youths with multiple channels for growth, through its programs.

“I am happy to say that 385 youths were trained and 93 placed in employment, our hope is that graduates can now take advantage of the opportunity available under the CYFR programme and access sustainable and meaningful employment,” said Cullinane.

The country manager of CFRY, Courtney Brown, stated that the purpose of the programme is not to just simply teach the students or equip them with skills, but to also to link them with the necessary persons and organisations to ensure they could use the skills they have received to sustain themselves financially. He stated that there are life coaches attached to the CFRY to ensure the persons who have come through the programme are placed in jobs.

Brown stated that the CFRY provides grant support for programmes such as after-school programmes, which are also offered in all five of the target communities.

Goldie Smith, CEO of the Volunteer Youth Corp, expressed that the programme does not end with the graduation, but that matching students with the relevant jobs to the training they have received will be the second phase of the operation.

“Be courageous, imagine where you want your future to take you, then make baby steps to make it happen,” were the sentiments expressed by Smith.