Mentorship programme to elevate underserved youth

After recognising that the potential of promising youth at times goes unrealised due to lack of guidance and resources, a group of dedicated persons has launched an initiative aimed at empowering students and transforming their lives.

The Elevate Mentorship Programme, which was the brainchild of justice of the peace Jerome Palmer, will support more than 100 high school students, including at-risk youth from volatile communities, by providing essential tools that will aid them in transitioning into the next chapter of their lives. The programme will be coordinated in conjunction with the Elletson Road Police Station.

"There are students who just don't know what to do after they leave high school. Some don't know how to apply for university, they don't know how to apply for student loan or the work and travel [programme]. Some don't even know how to do their resume so they can secure a job, and that needs to change. So every student can have a chance to be a productive member of society and achieve their goals," Palmer explained. He told THE STAR that through this programme, students in grades 11 to 13 from the Camperdown, Vauxhall, Donald Quarrie, Clan Carthy and Dunoon Park Technical high schools will have access to free extra Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) classes, workshops on resume building, learn interview skills, and internship opportunities. They will also receive guidance on applying to both local and international universities, securing scholarships and applying to the work and travel programme.

"My hope is that we will be able to expand beyond just these schools and reach every corner of this country and have mentors going into the schools to help students across the island so they are better equipped for the world of work or better equipped to transition from high school to university," Palmer explained.

For 16-year-old Johanna Hall, the head girl of Vauxhall High School, this mentorship will have a significant impact. At the moment, she's unsure of what her future career will be, but plans to work and then transition to university when she figures it out.

"I believe that by the end of this mentorship programme, I will learn a lot of new things and I'm looking forward to the free CXC classes because I know they will help me pass my exams," Hall said. She said that she is also looking forward to learning more about developing her resume and grasping interview skills.

Theo KnightTomlinson, assistant coordinator of the programme, also explained to THE STAR that so far, the programme has 30 mentors who were approved through applications as well as teachers from each school and officers from Elletson Road. He also explained that his involvement in the programme as a mentor stems from his passion for youth development, because as a past student council president of the Camperdown High School, he was exposed to many of the challenges the youth are experiencing.

"I've always had a keen interest in youth development, especially the development of marginalised youth. I saw it fit to join this programme to help them to know that no matter their background, the niceties that they have seen others have, they can still experience it even though some persons might scoff at, or look down at them, because of where they are from. Greater things are still achievable," said KnightTomlinson. Currently, the 21-year old is pursuing two degrees on a full scholarship at Dean College in the US, one a Bachelor of Arts in communications studies, and the other a Bachelor of Science in psychology. Prior to transferring to Dean College, KnightTomlinson acquired a recurring scholarship to Northern Caribbean University.