As many have reminded me, it has been quite a while since my last post. I have finally settled into my work and have a decent social life (Yay, I can make friends!) so the blog has been a lower priority. However, I thought I would give a brief description of the work I am doing here in Guyana and the organization I’m working with as a Cuso volunteer.
Volunteer Youth Corps (see picture above) has existed for almost 17 years in Guyana and is a national NGO (non-governmental organization) that works towards to the development of vulnerable and at risk youth from economically depressed communities in southern Georgetown. They run all kinds of programs for youth, including after school tutoring, a hydroponics program, and Work Readiness training, among others.
Currently, I am developing a new program to guide youth in deciding on a career path and gaining the skills to succeed in the workforce. Basically, it’s a Career Guidance program that hopefully will be implemented in secondary schools as well as through nonprofits for out-of-school youth. I love what I’m doing and have had the opportunity to sit in on other training for youth – work preparation and otherwise – that is going on around Georgetown. The program that I am developing seems to fill a gap and I hope it will make some kind of difference.
The youth unemployment rate in Guyana is very high and lack of opportunity means that youth often turn to criminal activity to make money. Guyana has the highest rate of youth crime in the Caribbean. A young man in a class I attended today, when asked what were his strongest skills, listed convict, hustling, and robbery. Even when youth find jobs, it is difficult to keep them, as critical workplace skills are not taught in schools.
But Guyana has many people that are working to make a difference. Change, as always, is slow to come, but I believe it will happen.
Travelling for Travel's Sake 