Youth

KINGSTON, 28 August 2023 – An innovative partnership between Digicel and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is setting the stage for a new era in youth empowerment and development in Jamaica. Using the power of its high-speed LTE mobile network, Digicel will provide zero-rated SMS messaging access to UNICEF’s U-Report social messaging…

Hi, I'm Danielle Mullings, a passionate advocate for the role of technology in youth development. I wanted to share my journey about how I went full-circle from U-Report Youth Council member to Project Manager of our exciting new life skills project, FunDoo.  It started when UNICEF visited my high school, seeking student perspectives back in 2018…, Developing a new digital life coach with U-Report , Since graduating from the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona as class valedictorian , I have now embarked on a new chapter with UNICEF as the project manager for FunDoo, an innovative digital life skills coach more easily accessible through WhatsApp.   My twin background as a software engineering student and former guild president has helped…, Co-creating “FunDoo” with Jamaican youth , Over 500 U-Reporters responded to our poll, and in collaboration with Talk Up Yout, our series of focus groups have welcomed more than 200 youth coming from west, east and central Jamaica, including students from the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf.   We envision FunDoo to be a digital life coach available at your fingertips – that can…, WhatsApp-based ‘tasks’ teaching vital skills , For Jamaica, we’re dedicated to designing FunDoo to meet the unique needs of young people. FunDoo was originally launched in India, and now more than 700,000 youth worldwide are using it. As we roll out FunDoo in Jamaica, we have engaged Jamaican youth to select our offering of bite-size courses known as “tasks” – both developing new tasks and…, Accessible tech to bridge digital divide , As we prepare for FunDoo's launch, I'm filled with anticipation. This project has been an extraordinary journey, allowing me to contribute to empowering young minds worldwide. It has further fuelled my dream of one day serving as the United Nations Envoy on Technology, advocating for the integration of technology in sustainable solutions for…, What’s UNICEF doing? , Our 2021-22 Reimagine Education initiative consulted almost 600 high school students to gain their inputs for the national Education Transformation Commission. Among their recommendations were the need for more life skills and tech in the classroom. UNICEF Jamaica has also been supporting the Government to help more adolescents transition into…

Sihle Atkinson is the 25-year-old U-Reporter who suggested the name U-Matter,  voted by U-Reporters as the name for U-Report’s mental health chatline service , a collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Caribbean Child Development Centre at the UWI Open Campus. This is her story of overcoming and advice for others. Hi. My…, Depression can happen to anyone , It affected my relationships. My loved ones were really worried about me because I would sometimes just withdraw. They knew “that’s not Sihle”, and they were probably even offended. I sometimes would say things that seemed very critical or mean or unreasonable and it wasn’t because I didn’t care about the people I loved, but because I now had this…, Finding my own ways to cope with depression, I coped in three main ways: One was music, and just generally things I really liked to do. As I said, I kind of lost interest or passion for certain things but I enjoyed music and other activities in a different way than before. It used to be for entertainment but then it became a thing where I used it to occupy my mind so I wouldn’t get drowned…, Know that you are not alone, I want to tell you that you are not alone. There are so many people struggling like you are. When somebody has a cough or a really bad headache and it’s lasting for too long, other people will be like “yes, yes, gwaan. You nah go a doctor?” So why is it when we have pain in our minds which affects everything else, we’re like “hmm?” Mental well-…, Your mental health matters. U-Matter!, I would also say find your purpose, find your drive. For me, I have adopted an outlook that my life is a story. Every story has a protagonist, and every good story has conflict, with an issue to struggle through to reach a resolution. I believe that my purpose here is to serve others through telling my story, through relating to people, through…

Aged 16, Damoie Byfield is recalling the day he had to run for his life, jumping into a gully just as a gunman’s bullet grazed his chest. He’s telling it so vividly, and with such a knowing smile that his mother Shian Leslie is finding it hard to hold back not tears, but actually laughter – relief that her son survived. If that expression of…, Helping to keep children in school, “My head was there sometimes, and sometimes my head wasn’t there,” he shrugs, referring to himself as a ‘troublemaker’. That was until his school’s guidance counsellor contacted the UNICEF-supported Peace Management Initiative (PMI). Formed as an independent body to intervene between gangs, the PMI uses a public health approach to empower…, Opportunity outside his community, “I bawled and said I never wanted to on the camp (residential workshop), because I was saying they’re gonna lock me up way down in country. I thought it was a boot camp where they would make you do push ups, but it was nice – the best trip I ever took in my life. I got to meet Kerry-Ann from PMI and then Mr Booth.” Sitting beside him today is his…, Intervening in community dispute, But just as this relationship was being built, Donat received a phone call from Damoie’s mother who was in tears. Suddenly there was a new threat against him, and she was considering moving the family away. As in other communities in similar situations, PMI’s Executive Director Damian Hutchinson organised an intervention with persons of influence…, Boys and girls impacted by violence, “Based on where he is coming from it can be difficult, but he is intelligent. All the teachers and all the guidance counsellors will tell you that he can do his work well, but that the only things that are hindering him are the nature of his involvement with the community around him and the things that traumatised him,” says Donat. Close to 80 per…, Positive example for his peers, “I wanted an extra day down there (at the residential workshop),” says Damoie. “I felt release, to get to make new friends, and I didn’t feel like in the community where you feel like someone is behind you and you don’t have to look left, right.” “I found some people that changed me and sometimes now I’m in Mr Booth’s position because things come…

From being the kind of student who is always on point at school, in COVID-19 I was struggling even to remember words to form paragraphs. I found myself not knowing how to do this, not knowing how to do that. Then in online class I would be getting confused feeling like they’re calling my name a little bit too much… I was just really stressing…, Students helping other students cope, So I made a group, added the persons, got the links, information and notes for everyone who wasn’t in the class  or not admitted because they hadn’t paid the money. My friends didn’t know the same process he went through with me, so I took it upon myself to go through it with them, telling them about the modules, giving them links to their class…, Greater role in the education system, If the Education Transformation Commission engages us then students can contribute in a number of ways. For example, we can create tutorials for using the different learning platforms. We could even create videos for teaching life lessons and showing how to apply problem-solving skills in certain situations. That I think will really assist other…

What has made me feel better during this terrible time is learning to adjust to situations. I’m a very sensitive and emotional person and when I’m dealing with stress I usually get a loss of appetite, and I sleep more often. And this has been THE most stressful time. And right now I’m not feeling too well because I have caught dengue. Fortunately…, Being unable to help myself as a student, My lowest point was not being able to do as much as I could do to help myself as a student – in my exams and then applying for university. That was when I tried to convince myself that I don’t want a higher education, when I gave up on my dream and told myself that becoming a dentist is not for me. That’s the situation I found myself in, but of…, A stronger family, and a stronger future!, She’s a single mom and through this I’ve also gotten to understand her sacrifices, and I’ve had to take some of the load off her – I got to step up and try to be her second person. Actually, I don’t think our relationship would have been as strong as it is now if it wasn’t for the pandemic. Me and my sisters though, we are three completely…

As what I would call the ‘guinea pigs’ of an education system transformed by COVID-19, it stands to reason that the National Secondary Students’ Council (NSSC) can contribute a lot to the new Education Transformation Commission! As the only generation to have been on the receiving end of distance learning, I believe that this experience makes us…, Contributing to the future of education, I was surprised when the Commission announced that there were no youth members. We are a country that has emphasised the importance of youth’s voice, even going as far as stating in the Education Regulation Act that, “Every public educational institution shall have a student council…” in order to maximise student representation in school/…, Mental health impacts to be considered, I do believe that our generation is much more aware of the importance of mental health and I attribute that to social media. It is one of the methods that can be used to improve the conversation around mental health. This is because it is a medium that persons of all ages can utilise to become sensitised of the materials and methods that can be…

School closing made me realise that I am not as strong as I thought I was. I actually thought that it would have been easier because being at home I would have had fewer distractions. Instead, it’s sometimes like I’m just locked away in my thoughts in this dark space. I really found out that I struggled with anxiety during this pandemic because…, Students’ mental health challenges, Right now we are supposed to be in the back-to-school period, and many students have expressed that they really don’t even feel like they’re going back to school because at this time,  you’d be sorting out your book lists and all of that good stuff. And they’re not doing that. They have been having a very hard time with mental health and they’re…, A back-to-school like no other, School was my escape but it’s an even bigger deal for other students. Within their home lives they are experiencing abuse, they’re experiencing frustration from their parents and from the persons around them. It’s definitely not easy for most of these students who have spoken with me, and with the other struggles like internet access at home.…

I feel good in myself when I can sit down and listen to someone who has a similar experience to me being in state care. Because what I have been through I can literally say to them – “I am you!” Yet, when I was going through those experiences I could not even imagine that I would be alive today, because I did have a lot of suicidal thoughts and I…, Training to become a social worker, The pain never really goes away but when you reach a point where you can talk about it, that is when you feel like you have strength. What I have been through is the reason why I am studying social work at the Jamaica Theological Seminary (JTS) because I think I can really help other children who have been through worse.  I have the ability to…, Mentoring others in children’s home, There is this particular girl who reminds me of me and where I was. She started smoking and carrying a knife or a pair of scissors to school. Often before she left the house for school I would have to search her bag and take away the weapon and hide it from her. Being there for children like her and being relatable can save a life. I have met so…, Overcoming mental health challenges, I feel good in myself when I can sit down and listen to someone who has a similar experience to me being in state care. Because what I have been through I can literally say to them – “I am you!” Yet, when I was going through those experiences I could not even imagine that I would be alive today, because I did have a lot of suicidal thoughts and I…, Training to become a social worker, The pain never really goes away but when you reach a point where you can talk about it, that is when you feel like you have strength. What I have been through is the reason why I am studying social work at the Jamaica Theological Seminary (JTS) because I think I can really help other children who have been through worse.  I have the ability to…, Mentoring others in children’s home, There is this particular girl who reminds me of me and where I was. She started smoking and carrying a knife or a pair of scissors to school. Often before she left the house for school I would have to search her bag and take away the weapon and hide it from her. Being there for children like her and being relatable can save a life. I have met so…, What's UNICEF doing?, Shaneile Hall is a member of the Children’s Advisory Panel (CAP) of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) who are currently preparing for their biennial  National Children’s Summit, being supported this year by UNICEF. The Summit, to be held on August 15, will host 1,000+ children, most of them wards of the state.

I was raised in West Kingston. Growing up where I did, I soon realised as a child that you got more support being deviant than being good. Good people treated you badly, and friends who were doing bad things also treated you badly. For any child who’s trying to be good in the middle of all that, life is going to be lonely. Most of my life I had to…, Reaching a lifetime low at the age of 16, Realising that I only had myself made me want to commit to repeating at St. Andrew Technical. From there, I became top of the class, President of the Student Council and then a youth mayor. I learned that at the end of the day, the system doesn’t grade you on your circumstances, it grades you on your results. The transition from Tivoli Gardens…, Mentoring youth in correctional facilities, It has been a long journey from there to  becoming a student at the University of the West Indies (UWI) ! But now I am here, I view myself as really privileged compared to those in my community, so I wanted to give back. In all that I have done, including hosting a radio show on Roots FM for youth, working with those in correctional facilities is…, Give youth a chance, before it is too late, But we need so much more violence prevention work earlier on – in our schools at secondary and primary levels. When we see students misbehaving and  that goes unchecked, it grows into something else.  Many youth are struggling because of a lack of skills.  They also lack the confidence to improve themselves. What I want for all youth is guidance…, What's UNICEF doing?, Fulfilling children’s rights is at the heart of  what we do at UNICEF . This year, as we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, we feature a special  ‘30 under 30’ series , highlighting amazing Jamaican children and youth like Jerome who are using their voices and talents to help protect and realise the…

If someone had asked me six months ago about the fastest way to reach young people in Jamaica, I would probably have said Instagram. If you asked me today, I would likely say U-Report  (provided by UNICEF) , albeit with the caveat that it depends on your needs. As we pulled together our communication strategy and action plan for dengue at the…, U-Report poll and follow-up bot, message word mosquito A poll conducted with the U-Report  gave us that access. As a result, we were able to roll out a strategy and plan that made sense to an important audience we needed to reach, in the public health interest. U-Report subsequently created a messaging bot that allowed us to relay information on dengue, also via that platform, to…, Helped close communication gap, That helped us to close the communication loop. In short, we asked youth what they needed to know about dengue, they told us and then we gave it to them. I am grateful for the collaboration with U-Report and would encourage young people who are not yet a part of that community to join. As  for those interested in hearing from youth , you may want…, How to join U-Report, U-Report polls are sent via messaging to Jamaicans aged 13-29, who opt-in anonymously to become U-Reporters to share their views on issues that matter to them. Currently there are more than 6,800 U-Reporters in Jamaica. Messaging is conducted free of charge for partners, but must first be approved by the Youth Council who ensure that they are…

Being kicked out of school, sitting at home with nothing to do, showed me the importance of education. I was going through a rough patch. I had issues at home, self-esteem issues, and having no one to talk to about my stress made it worse. After I was expelled I spoke with the guidance counsellor and was hopeful about showing that I could redeem…, Adverse family life taught me to take self-responsibility , I’m not going to blame it entirely on my father, because many of the bad decisions I have made – they were mine. But the nature of our relationship has had an impact on me. Yet, I can see that blaming him would be me not taking responsibility for my own actions. Now, at seventeen, my life has become about taking responsibility. In my community…, Back in school and studying hard to build a career, I’m back in education at HEART College of Construction Services in Portmore and I’m doing well in exams – even getting as high as 91 per cent for Demolition. One day I want to be involved in big construction projects to help develop Jamaica and make my country beautiful. Right now I’m learning the basics but I plan to study for a good amount of…, What's UNICEF doing?, Cameron from Twickenham Park, St. Catherine represented the  Peace Management Initiative (PMI)  at the First Regional Dialogue of Latin America and the Caribbean ‘On the Road to Equality’: 30 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,  held in Santiago Chile, November 27-29, 2018 .