From campers to changemakers

When Regina Taylor walked on to the stage before her peers at the Project STAR Youth Summer Leadership Camp, she was doing more than competing for the title of Camp Queen.

For the 17-year-old from Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, it was a test of confidence she had been building throughout four days of challenges, conversations and new experiences.

She rose to the occasion.

“This camp was life-changing for me. One of my most memorable moments was standing on stage and representing myself with confidence in front of my peers. It showed me that I can positively influence the people around me, and that is something I am carrying home with me,” Regina said.

That newfound confidence is what Project STAR hoped to spark when it brought together 50 teenagers from five communities for its inaugural residential Youth Summer Leadership Camp.

Held from July 26 to 29 at Tapioca Village Retreat in the hills of St Mary, the camp was designed to move young people from being observers of change to becoming participants in it.

Under the theme ‘Arise. Change. Believe.’, the four-day, three-night camp brought together youth ages 15 to 18 from Rose Gardens and Parade Gardens in Kingston, Salt Spring in St James, Savanna-la-Mar in Westmoreland, and May Pen in Clarendon.

Marlon Moore, youth and sports coordinator at Project STAR, said that the participants were not chosen simply because they were promising students or active young people. They were selected because their communities saw leadership potential in them, young people capable of becoming advocates and agents of change for their families and communities.

“Our goal was never simply to give these young people a memorable camp experience. We wanted to create a space where they could discover their capacity to lead, speak up, and influence positive change,” he said.

“What makes this initiative particularly meaningful is that the communities identified youth development as a priority, and now their young people are beginning to build the skills, confidence and relationships needed to take that priority forward. We are seeing the first steps towards a network of young changemakers who can create lasting impact in their communities,” he pointed out.

The camp’s programme was designed to challenge the teenagers to think differently about themselves and their potential.

Some of the sessions focused on leadership and ethics, communication and youth advocacy, etiquette and social graces, innovation, mindset change and youth entrepreneurship and conflict avoidance and resolution, which was led by the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

BUSINESS PITCH SESSION

A business pitch session challenged the participants to turn entrepreneurial ideas into practical propositions, while the HEART/NSTA Trust helped them think about career development and the possibilities beyond secondary school.

But it was the conversations about who they are and who they could become that appeared to leave the deepest impression.

Moore said an exit survey showed strong responses to the youth advocacy session led by Dr Gavin Myers, with campers reporting greater confidence to speak up for themselves and their peers and a stronger desire to take action in their communities.

The ‘Unfiltered: Real Talk’ session, led by Donaree Muirhead, also struck a chord. The candid discussions allowed the boys and girls to speak openly about the realities they face.

For many, simply being heard was significant. The girls, in particular, highlighted the importance of independence, self-belief and working towards their goals.

Led by Miguel ‘Steppa’ Williams, the closing session challenged the teenagers not to let their circumstances dictate their future.

For Saquana Grant, the Camp King title was perhaps an unlikely ending to the week.

The Rose Gardens teenager almost did not attend. Personal and domestic circumstances threatened to derail his participation before the camp even began.

He overcame the obstacles, made it to St Mary and quickly distinguished himself as one of the camp’s most engaged participants. By the end of the week, he had emerged as Camp King.

“It was a great experience and extremely valuable to me. I learnt so much over the four days, and I am going to apply all of these lessons to improving my life,” Grant said.

The lessons are already beginning to translate into real opportunity. With assistance from Project STAR, Saquana has secured an employment opportunity at Honey Bun Bakery, an early indication of how the programme can connect leadership development with tangible pathways for young people.

The NCB Foundation, an ongoing Project STAR partner, donated school bags, which were distributed with exercise books and other supplies to help campers prepare for the new school year.

Fifteen of the campers have been selected for further leadership training, based on their performance during the camp. They will form the nucleus of an emerging Youth Advocacy Network, bringing together young leaders from across the five STAR communities.

Supported by the NCB Foundation, Market Fresh Produce Foundation, CMK Bakery, the Musson Foundation, Rainforest Caribbean and Restaurant Associates Limited, the camp brought together a network of partners committed to youth development.

editorial@gleanerjm.com