On Thursday, September 10th the Mentorship, Coordinators Rayann Ramdin, and Carol Skinner welcomed the mentors, mentees, and their parents at the official launch of the Mentorship program.
Also present was Head of Community Development Martin Richardson and principal of the Saba Comprehensive School Anton Hermans, who opened the program. The common sentiment between both gentlemen was that they were happy to see an initiative like this finally started for Saba, and they thanked both coordinators for making it happen. The gentlemen also thanked all the mentors for volunteering and congratulated all for passing the training.
Eleven (11) persons signed up to join the program. The consensus amongst the volunteers was that they realize that mentors in the community are lacking, and the young generation can benefit from some guidance.
After registering, the mentors had to undergo training that touched upon the meaning of being a mentor, the do’s and don’ts of the mentor/mentee relationship, and the going through scenarios that they may encounter. All volunteers completed the training and are excited to start on this six-month journey with their mentees.
The mentorship is a joint initiative between the Department of Community Development and the Saba Comprehensive School. The idea of the program is to have persons from the community volunteer to mentor youth between the ages of 12 and 17, which is the period in a child’s development where they form their ideas on relationships, lifestyle, hobbies, and extracurricular activities, and are also more susceptible to the influences of peer pressure.
The coordinators anticipate that this program can be the driving force to promote community wellness by developing and strengthening sound values and positive attitudes among the youths- the future of Saba.
Saba is one of the first islands within the Dutch Caribbean to start with such a program.
