Young Buxtonian helping school dropouts, unemployed in community – Guyana Chronicle
WITH the hope of changing the generalised narrative of his home village, Dwright Ward, a 22-year-old Buxtonian youth activist recently launched a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) workshop, targeting school dropouts and unemployed youths.
“I came up with this initiative by seeing persons like myself dropping out of school, walking the road, loitering, not doing anything with their life [sic],” Ward said in an Interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday.
With his background in youth activism, chairing a local youth group ‘Youth’s Arise,’ Ward decided to reach out to the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), where he began discussions for a workshop in his community.
“I wanted to find a solution to this, and I wanted to reach out to these persons, so what I did I thought of different ways I can get these people involved in training.”
The university graduate said after a long thought process and interacting with many of his peers in the community, vocational training was the best initiative he found and the workshop ‘Every Ghetto has a Star’ was officially launched last Friday at the Tipperary Hall in Buxton.
“Skill is wealth and with skill today, you are being able to earn as much as possible; when you have a skill no one can take that away from you, especially when you are certified in that skill.”
With the help of BIT’s Technical Officer, Stanislaus Willis, classes are offered in electrical installation, block-making and information technology, with just over 40 persons applying.
The turnout, he said, was overwhelming.
“It was amazing because persons who did not sign up came, because their friends told them about it and they came out as well and that shows persons are willing and want to have a change in society.”
CHANGING THE NARRATIVE
Ward noted that while the initiative aims to give the youths much-needed push and support, it also aims to change the narrative of communities that have been negatively generalised by society.
“Some of these villages along the East Coast, especially Buxton, is [sic] dubbed as ‘ghetto,’ places where people are still fearful of coming in, so I wanted to shed some light and show them that good things come out of Buxton.”
After interacting with several residents and young people, he said the name ‘Every Ghetto has [a] Star’ was birthed.
“It speaks volumes to the people in my community, to let them know that not because you are from Buxton and its deemed as ‘ghetto’ that you have to now strengthen that generalisation, so what I did I went out into the street, I spoke to some people and the name come to me ‘Every Ghetto has a Star’”.
Persons who are interested in attending the workshop can contact Ward for more information on 687 1240 or 693 8045.
