The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment has launched the educational phase of Project Dawn at the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology (SJPI), signifying the importance of empowering the island’s vulnerable youth.
The launch was held on Monday, April 22, 2024, at the Wildey, St. Michael institution, where Minister Charles Griffith encouraged the 190 persons enrolled in Project Dawn to participate in learning practical skills.
Griffith emphasised the importance of active participation and urged participants to become “sponges”, absorbing the wealth of knowledge and skills provided by the dedicated staff at the SJPI.
He also told them that good money management is important for running any business.
“One of the things that we’re looking to do is financial management. This will provide an opportunity that if you’re working, how do you treat the funds that you will make coming out of this programme? How do you manage the funds to save money to replace equipment? How do you save money to invest in something that will provide you with an opportunity to create wealth? We are not about just providing you with an opportunity to come here and train, but this is an opportunity for you to grow,” the Minister said.
Project Dawn, which is a flagship initiative of the Ministry, is part of a larger programme called the Block Initiative and is overseen by a committee.
Chairman of Project Dawn, Marcus Stephen, said it already has programmes at the Barbados Community College, the Barbados Vocational Training Board and now the SJPI. He noted that there are 26 ongoing programmes, and 441 students from across Barbados.
Some of the areas included in the programme are plumbing, Bob Cat operations, beauty therapy, tiling, electrical installation, and hair braiding.
Registration for Project Dawn can be done at the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment, at Haggatt Hall, St. Michael.
SOURCE: Barbados Government Information Service (GIS).
