The Department of Youth continues to ensure that opportunities to engage in regional and international conferences are seized as part of the process to positively develop young people.

On Wednesday (October 28) during the radio programme “Working for You” Deputy Prime Minister, Honourable Shawn Richards, noted that networking and strategic collaborations are key parts of the strategy for holistic development that will feed into nation building. Participation in local, regional and international conferences which encourages dialogue, sharing of best practices and partnership building helps to facilitate this transformation. He mentioned St. Kitts and Nevis’ participation in four engagements that are prime examples.

The first mentioned was the 3rd Annual Meeting of National AIDS Programme Managers and Key Partners which concludes on Friday (October 30) in Trinidad and Tobago. Dennis McCall Jr. is attending the meeting in his capacity as Dean of the CARICOM Youth Ambassador Corps. Expected outcomes include consensus positions on HIV prevention, zero discrimination, greater understanding of the regional and global response to HIV and increased understanding of the new strategic directions to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Additionally, a group of 19 young people will depart the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport on Sunday (November 01) for Trinidad and Tobago under the Students Engaging the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) through Field Promotions initiative. Students were drawn from the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College, Nevis 6th Form, Advanced Vocational Education Centre and the University of the West Indies Open Campus. The purpose of the week-long exchange is to allow the participants to assess operations in relation to the CSME. They will visit select institutions that are involved with the free movement of skills, goods, capital/right of establishment and services.

Also, two other meetings highlighted were a November 16 to 17 youth forum on “Youth Crime and Violence: Breaking the Cycle, Exploring New Platforms for Transformation” in Guyana and the Commonwealth Youth Forum scheduled for November 21 to 25 in Malta.

The knowledge shared and experiences gained at these types of meetings are used to help guide local interventions.