KINGSTON, Jamaica — Close to 60 young people attended the graduation and close-out ceremony for the European Union (EU)-sponsored BRIDGE project on October 9, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

These graduates were a part of the more than 300 young people who participated in the MultiCare Youth Foundation (MYF) series of empowerment and development activities under the project. They each received certificates of participation and branded tokens in recognition of their achievements.

The BRIDGE Project, short for Building through Reintegration, Intervention, Development, Growth and Education, aimed to curb youth crime and violence.

Delivering remarks, MYF Chairman, Joseph Matalon, commended the participants for their resilience and transformation through the programme.

“Across Jamaica, in too many underserved schools and communities, our young people are striving to succeed in circumstances that most of us can scarcely imagine; where opportunity is limited, resources are scarce, and hope can too easily fade,” he said.

Matalon noted that the project had exceeded expectations by addressing the multidimensional challenges faced by at-risk youth.

“When we combine literacy instruction, life and employability skills, mentorship, and cognitive behavioural therapy, we create a foundation that transforms not just individual lives but families, schools, and entire communities. That is precisely what the EU BRIDGE Project set out to do, and it has delivered beyond expectations,” he said.

Matalon emphasised that each success story represented a life transformed.

“Each of these achievements represents not a statistic but a life redirected and a life reclaimed,” he said.

Continuing, the Chairman pointed out that the European Union’s support for this project forms part of a much wider and deeply appreciated partnership with Jamaica, one that has consistently sought to respond with compassion and purpose to the plight of the most vulnerable citizens.

He underscored the power of collaboration in achieving national transformation, acknowledging the contributions of the EU, Crime Stop Jamaica, Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB) Joan Duncan Foundation, the Department of Correctional Services, the Dispute Resolution Foundation, the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), and community-based organisations.

“This has been a true demonstration of what partnership can accomplish when united by purpose,” Matalon said.

“To the young men and women who participated, you are the heart of this story. Your courage to learn, to change, and to lead is what gives this project its meaning. You have shown that the trajectory of a life, and indeed of a nation, can be changed through the power of opportunity and belief,” he added.

Reflecting on the project’s broader impact, he reaffirmed MYF’s commitment to empowering Jamaica’s young people.

“When we invest in our youth, in their minds, their hearts, and their futures, we are investing in Jamaica’s peace, productivity, and prosperity. That is the true bridge we are building, from vulnerability to resilience, from despair to dignity, and from potential to purpose,” Matalon said.

Administrative Manager at MYF, Ann Astwood, expressed gratitude to the project’s donors and sponsors for their continued support.

“It is through your partnership, funding support, and commitment to the development of Jamaica’s youth that the BRIDGE Project and today’s celebration have been made possible,” she said, adding that “we are grateful for the confidence you have placed in the MYF to deliver on and execute this important initiative”.

Turning to the graduates, Astwood offered words of encouragement, noting that their success represented perseverance and determination.

The BRIDGE Project, funded by the EU and implemented by the MYF, was a 34-month initiative designed to provide layered, evidence-based interventions for at-risk youth in five communities across Kingston and St Andrew, Clarendon, Westmoreland, and St James.

More than 300 young people have been trained in life and employability skills through the Passport to Success curriculum; 85 have secured internships, and 50 have been aided with their application to enter vocational programmes through the HEART/NSTA Trust.

Over 50 were engaged through the arts, exposed to videography and cinematography training and inspired by promoting advocacy and positive storytelling.

Others have benefited from mentorship and cognitive behavioural therapy, with measurable improvements in self-control, pro-social behaviour and resilience. The capacities of youth serving workers and community members were also strengthened to provide continued support post the project.

More than 280 school administrators and teachers were led through the leadership and mindset change of the Joan Duncan Foundation Conversations for Greatness, which supported their school visioning efforts; more than 50 community members were trained in Dispute Resolution Techniques; 77 individuals (teachers and community leaders) were trained in the delivery of  the Life Skills and Employability Curriculum, allowing for programme sustainability.

–       JIS