The Department of Youth Affairs (DYA) will be celebrating Youth Week from August 12 to 18.
The celebration commences on Saturday, International Youth Day, with the mural painting of Greenbay Primary School at 9:30 am. The DYA’s National Youth Volunteer Corps is collaborating with the group Youth Arise. The team has already prepared the venue ahead of August 12. Sketches and encouraging words were strategically placed on the school’s walls. With the assistance of other youth organisations, the painting will continue on August 13 at 1:30pm, and August 19 at 9:30am.
Day 2 of Youth Week starts with an 8am service commemorating International Youth Day at Spring Gardens Moravian Church in St John’s on August 13. Under the theme “Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World”, there will be remarks by Director of Youth Affairs Dr Jrucilla Samuel and other officials.
The appointment of National Youth Ambassadors is on the DYA agenda for day 3. That ceremony is scheduled for 10 am on August 14 at Government House. A number of young people are expected to gather at Fort Barrington on August 15 for a hike and clean-up. The day 4 event will begin at 9 am.
And August 16 is Literacy Day. A professional will discuss the significance of digital literacy on one segment of Antigua Barbuda Today, and a representative from the Ambassador and Volunteer Corps will give some sound advice on the programme. Youth Officer Betty-Ann Bloodman will also take the opportunity on day 5 to announce the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners of the DYA essay competition.
Members of the population will also benefit from a food and clothing drive on August 17. The National Youth Delegates, National Youth Volunteer Corps and DYA staff will distribute the items and also donate clothes to the Red Cross and Salvation Army on day 6.
August 18, the final day of Youth Week, will witness another drive, but this time bookbags with school supplies. The DYA is collaborating with Black Boyz Foundation. The Volunteer Corps and is hoping to target at least 50 families across the island on August 18. Youth Week wraps up with a Sports Day Bash at Runaway Beach. That event kicks off at 9:30 am.
The DYA extends special thanks to Digicel, ACT, educators Assata Roberts, Robyn Joseph-Nathaniel, Margaret Irish, as well as DYA interns: Zoe Hull, Makkedah Lawrence, Jamaal Kerr, Kezron Jackson, Tiffiny Ross, and Corzette Simon for their contributions to Youth Week 2023.
Persons who want to donate items and/or participate in any of the Youth Week activities can call the Department of Youth Affairs at 781-3078 or email at [email protected].
