“Job for a day” program part of Youth Week

It’s Youth Week and among the activities this year is a new program which puts young people in the work force. Although the jobs are only temporary, the enthusiasm felt by the thirty teenaged participants will no doubt last much longer. News Five visited some of the job sites today.

The workathon, the first of its kind for the Youth Development Department, was designed to allow unemployed young people earn some kind of income… even if it is for just one day.

Shakira Terry, 18 Year Old Participant

“Well to me I think it is a great program cause the majority of the youths of Belize did not finish their high school education and so on. I think it is a very good idea of youth development to have this one-day program. I think they should have had this for more than one day so we could learn more and everything.”

Icilda Humes, the Youth Development Officer for Belize City South says it was not only government departments that supported the program.

Icilda Humes, Youth Development Officer, Belize City South

“We have gotten a lot of support from the private and business sectors. Members of the society have given up twenty-five dollars out of their wages for the day to supply young people with the opportunity to be a part of this workathon. Other business places like the Interamerican Development Bank, the Youth Department, the Youth Start Plan, Human Development Department, Vildo Marin and Sons, Belize Estate and Company. There are so many; so many people have been a part of this workathon and we really appreciate all the support that we have been getting.

We do realize that some people may look at this pilot project and think that it is a waste of time. What sense it would make for us to just employ people for one day? But we are just taking the first step in trying to develop programs we can place young people in the business places for either temporary positions or permanent posts but this is just the first step.”

The salary earned at the end of the day was twenty-five dollars. Youth Week, which ends on Saturday, is being observed under the theme, “Youth Power; Creatively Shaping Tomorrow”.