The tenure of CARICOM Youth Ambassador (CYA) from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Kishore Shallow has come to an end.

Mr. Shallow served as Vice Dean for Communications and was responsible for a number of initiatives that were undertaken by the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors including a Social Media Interaction with the CARICOM Secretary General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque in July 2015.

He said his desire to become a CARICOM Youth Ambassador (CYA.) was driven by a passion to serve the youth of  St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), and to learn more about CARICOM. His CYA journey began in August 2013, when he received his orientation in Suriname, during CARIFESTA XI.

As CARICOM Youth Ambassador, I embraced the opportunities to not only engage the young people of SVG, but also to represent their priorities with distinction. Fortunately, I was able to measure my representation and performance provided. One such example that hinted I was doing something right was my appointment as Vice Dean of Information and Communication at the end of my first year. In this role, I was charged with leading the Information and Communication component of the CYA Corps,” he said.

Shallow said there were many highlights throughout his tenure which included meeting and interacting with brilliant minds in the Region and establishing networks that cannot be disconnected.

A standout feature of my two years is my involvement in two CEBO workshops in SVG and Grenada. CEBO stands for Creativity for Employment and Business Opportunity, and was geared towards exposing youth, mainly the underprivileged, to skills of an entrepreneur.

He said another important milestone  was his appointment to the Regional Commission on Marijuana as a Director. According to him, the actualisation of having a youth’s perspective on such a project was a reflection of the confidence and commitment that CARICOM had for the young people of this Region.

The former CYA remarked that there were many opportunities for young people in the Region, including academic scholarships, projects, seminars, training, and sports.He advised that young people should try to maintain a positive mindset, and continue to search and explore the prospects despite the challenges that they may face in gaining access.

I have collaborated with many constructive individuals throughout my tenure as CYA. I trust that these engagements would have sparked positive impacts in SVG., and by extension the Caribbean Community. It was certainly an interesting, and fruitful journey. As Deputy Programme Manager Youth Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, Ms. Yldiz Pollack-Beighle puts it, “once a CYA, always a CYA.”

To get more information on the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors you may visit the CARICOM website at www.caricom.org. You may also check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CARICOMYouthAmbassadors