It is my pleasure to bring greetings on the celebration of National Youth Day 2014. This year, National Youth Day is celebrated under the theme’ Serving Youth, Inspiring Bravery’. What a challenging theme! As we all know a multitude of factors affect and influence young people as they grow up in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Whether it is family, friends, television, school or the society in general, the development of a young person into a well-functioning adult is dependent on many factors.
What is also important to note is that young people are not only on the receiving end of influence. Young people – Yes, you my young people, you are also influencing society as well. The theme calls for all young people to recognize that they can change and make a difference. That their thoughts, ideas and actions can impact and change the world. Young people, you are not passive receptors, you are agents of change. The theme encourages you to be bold, be inspired and be brave and go out and be that change.
This theme is challenging for us too as a Government and a Ministry, it means that we must create the avenues and opportunities to allow for serving youth, to give our young people a voice and to allow them to build their capacity, to be able to serve and to serve in whatever area they may choose.
My Government is committed to strengthening these avenues for you, our young people, to succeed. The current work we are engaged in with expanding certification in technical and vocational subjects at High School and College Levels will ensure that more young people have the tools to serve at any level and not just via academics.
The additional funding which will now target the New Introduction of the Cadet Program and our support of programs such as Junior Achievement are steps that will again strengthen the potential for our youth to really ‘be the change our country needs’ and to give them the confidence to be bold and to inspire others. These programs help to develop leadership qualities and a passion for community involvement.
On this National Youth Day as you celebrate in various ways, please remember this often used quote, which may seem cliché ,but rings true – You are the future leaders! I want you to ask yourself, what does service mean to you, how can you inspire change in others and in your community, how can you be part of any community group or organization that has our people as its core. There are many avenues to serve and to impact our community- You can find them!
I encourage you to Be bold ! Be Brave – Serve!
