The United States Launches Three New Programs To Benefit Grenada’s Youth 

PR – On March 23, as part of its Caribbean  Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), the U.S. Government launched three new programs  in Grenada.  

The programs, funded through the U. S. Agency for International Development  (USAID) over the next five years, will advance citizen security in the region. The  programs – Youth Resilience, Inclusion, and Empowerment (Y-RIE); Strengthening  Evidence Based Decision Making for Citizen Security 2.0 (CariSECURE 2.0); and  Opportunities to Advance and Support Youth for Success (OASYS) – will support  national programs to create a safer, more prosperous, and resilient Caribbean  region. 

In a keynote address at the launch, delivered in the Prime Minister’s absence by  Permanent Secretary Carlyn McQuilkin, Hon. Dickon Mitchell, lauded the programs  which will provide a framework for youth to be their best selves.  

The Prime Minister thanked the U. S. Government for their support noting, “The  Government of Grenada, notwithstanding its limited resources, remains  committed to targeted efforts that empower and equip our young people to  achieve their full potential. To this end we are extremely grateful for the support  of development partners such as USAID, UNDP and the OECS Commission, who  continue to strengthen our efforts through collaborative initiatives that align with  national priorities.” 

Reaffirming the U.S. Government’s shared goals and strong partnership with the  government of Grenada, Ambassador Linda S. Taglialatela said, “The  empowerment of Grenada’s young people is key to the continued development of  this country and of the entire Caribbean. These USAID programs will focus on young  people who are most at risk, and meaningfully engage them at all stages of the program. This approach will empower young people to discover and uncover their  many abilities and assets.”  

In his remarks, Minister for Social and Community Development, Hon. Philip  Telesford, underscored his Ministry’s commitment “…to working alongside and  with everyone in our youth ecology, our education and judiciary systems, parents,  families, communities and our regional and international counterparts, to ensure  that our youth succeed and make successful transition into adulthood. As a  nation, it is important for us to raise strong, resilient children who can make a  difference in their own lives, and that of their families”.  

Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Ron Redhead championed the support  that USAID is providing, highlighting that “…interventions for our at-risk youth must  take a microscopic look at the problems, rather than just glossing over them. We  must be clinical and precise if we are to solve these problems. That is why we are  confident that if the Y-RIE Program succeeds it will enhance our ability to intervene,  investigate and identify the real issues of our at-risk youth and solve them. Minister  Redhead added “As the Honourable Prime Minister said ‘No-one is coming to save  us. We have to save ourselves’. Therefore, there is no better way to demonstrate  this thinking than through this strategic partnership…testing our capacity over the  next few years.” 

The new USAID programs were designed based on a key principle of positive youth  development, an approach that recognizes and leverages youth’s assets as a  foundation for creating safer communities. In a compelling testimonial, Adam  Williams, a prior beneficiary of the Juvenile Justice Reform Project, shared his views  on how he has benefitted from past USAID assistance. He urged all stakeholders to  build more programs that provide support to young people to help them make a  life and make a living. 

About the programs 

The Y-RIE Program, implemented by DAI Global, will partner with the Ministry of  Youth, Sports and Culture and other government partners to strengthen 

government-provided social services by addressing service accessibility and the  capability of service providers. Y-RIE will also improve the learning outcomes for  youth, prepare them for workforce opportunities, facilitate youth connection to  professional development opportunities, and will work in communities to  strengthen community and family systems that play a critical role in the lives of  vulnerable youth.  

CariSECURE 2.0, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme,  and working in partnership with the Ministry of Social and Community  Development, will provide resources and technical assistance to build the capacity  of youth-serving institutions to collect and analyze timely, reliable and standardized  data that can be disaggregated to support youth crime prevention and response.  

OASYS, implemented by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Commission,  and working in close partnership with the Ministry of National Security, will focus  on increasing diversion of youth away from custodial sentences where appropriate,  supporting the use of evidence-based diagnoses and treatment in rehabilitation  and diversion, and facilitating the reintegration of youth into society after leaving  rehabilitation facilities.