TWENTY-ONE participants were officially certified under the Foundations Programme on Tuesday, an initiative by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Gender Affairs Bureau (GAB) aimed at addressing and reducing youth violence across Guyana.
The certificates were presented by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, during a ceremony at the Ministry’s Cornhill Street office.
The graduates have been designated as “trainers of trainers” and will play a key role in equipping staff across the Ministry, including Social Work Officers from the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Policy Unit (SO&DVPU) and the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA), with skills to prevent and respond to violence among youth.
In her remarks, Minister Persaud emphasised that the programme targets young people between the ages of 13 and 25, a demographic statistically more prone to involvement in violent acts. She explained that the initiative was successfully piloted in Region Six, engaging key stakeholders such as teachers, health professionals, and youth workers.
“Children are often observed harming one another, and what I find concerning is that so many bystanders simply record it instead of intervening,” Minister Persaud noted. “We need to build a more caring society, one where people step in, stop it, or seek help.”
The Minister highlighted that the Foundations Programme encourages young people to reflect on their actions, understand consequences, and adopt compassionate and responsible ways to handle conflict.
With the newly certified trainers now prepared to share their knowledge, the initiative is expected to be expanded across other Ministries and agencies, reinforcing a coordinated national approach to ending youth violence and fostering a culture of empathy, respect, and positive social behaviour.