THE Government has initiated a youth-development programme to engage young people in the promotion of peace while building the capacity of youth clubs to steer community growth.

According to state minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information Floyd Green, under the youth club rebuilding initiative, dubbed ‘Youth Club Charge Up’, from which the groups are provided with grants, young people are encouraged to foster conflict solving through joint club and community projects.

“We are saying to young people that where conflicts exist, come together, use the youth club as the umbrella to discuss the issues and come up with a project that can build peace throughout the communities,” the junior minister told JIS News in an interview.

Following the launch of the programme recently in St Thomas, the youth clubs are now able to grasp opportunities for financial support, training, mentorship and strengthening from the Youth Division in the ministry, while also enabling young people to access programmes for their personal development.

It encourages youth to take charge and offer leadership in their communities, and to actively get involved in community-development projects.

The state minister said the programme forms part of Jamaica 55 initiatives.

“Let us set a new paradigm; let us come together and look at joint projects across communities and clubs,” he urged.

“We see the youth club movement not just as an association for young people in relation to fun-filled activities, but as a crime-fighting strategy for sustained peace in challenged communities,” the Minister said.