Innadynamics Graduates 60 Youths Who Will Now Be Gainfully Employed
A group of at-risk young men involved in various programmes will join the employment pool having completed a training programme with mediator Nuri Muhammad through his organization, Innadynamics Consultancy. The intention is to integrate them into the tourism sector for gainful employment. Today, a first cohort graduated from the programme and News Five attended the ceremony held at the Bird’s Isle.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Joblessness is one of the biggest factors affecting the country. Some sixty young men from across Belize District successfully completed weeks of training with Innadynamics Consultancy. With support from private businesses, the organization put off a construction preparedness training to get the participants work-ready for employment in the cruise tourism industry. The graduating young men will be the first of what is projected to be hundreds of jobs at least for eighteen months in the first instance.
Nuri Muhammad
Nuri Muhammad, Coordinator/Trainer, Innadynamics Consultancy
“One of our major problems with our youth is unemployment and as a corporate citizen, he is reaching out and saying what can he do to relieve that pressure of unemployment which as you know is a basis for some of the social problems that we face. We covered a number of areas. We specifically tried to focus on self-awareness because this has been part of the missing element. It’s not only been our social issues around us, but it has been the way in which we have dealt with some of these issues. So we focus a lot on self-awareness, self-control, not biting into every little small thing. Noh di ketch feelings with every lee small thing; make sure yo keep yo eyes on the prize, focus on what you have to do, understand some of the things that is going on in your own head that is causing you to behave the way you behave.”
The programme also looked at habits that hinder employment and how to break the stigma that may be associated with these young men, who have not been afforded opportunities for gainful employment. Jourdain Taylor from Sand Hill says that he gained fifty-nine additional brothers from south side Belize City, who, in his opinion, are turning away from gang activity.
Jourdain Taylor
Jourdain Taylor, Participant
“When I first come, I never expect it would turn out to be this, because yes we came looking for a job, but we end up becoming a family, something beyond the job and that is exactly what Mister Nuri wanted. Some of us in the group, they always have some ah the mangos weh wah come rotten—some wah get ripe and some wah rotten. Well our job dah fi help dehn; seek out what is the problem and address it. So that we can look pass that gang thing, look pass the red and blood or the bloods and crip; look mass that and just go weh part we dah one human being.”
Elated about finally getting employment is Chrisdale Courtenay, a graduate of the Belize Youth Apprenticeship Programme. He recounts his experience and the struggles of getting a job as a black youth from the south side.
Chrisdale Courtenay, Participant
“Dah wah great opportunity fuh we cause as youth from the south side, people look down pan we and thing. Dah wah great opportunity fuh we so we could redeem fi w-self and show the society that we could do it too and we could live normal like everybody else.”
Chrisdale Courtenay
Duane Moody
“How hard is it to get that opportunity to get a job?”
Chrisdale Courtenay
“Hard. Fi me, I get the help of Miss Finnegan and dehn cause I mi ina di apprentice programme and thing. But for other youths, it hard too mien cause like weh I say, people paint we black cause we dah from di south side. And dah like we di roll with a black head on we. As they look on we, dehn noh want give we a job. They never give we wah try like fi say test out dehn youth yah see what dehn capable of.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
