Hope for Jamaica’s Youth!

Anisa Wilson Smith

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of
the darkness.” Desmond Tutu.
“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose
infinite hope.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
One of the most difficult situations to deal with as a Youth
Worker is to see so many young people journeying through
life without a sense of direction and without any hope for a
better life.
This truly saddens me: if only they could see that greatness is
endowed in each of them! If only they could see how special
and unique each one of them is! I do my best to tell them this
fact but how do I get young people to actually believe in
themselves and their abilities? How do I get young people to
think positively about themselves and their future? How do I
use their negative experiences and present situations as tools
to motivate and empower them? Marcus Garvey spoke a lot
about self-confidence. He says that without confidence we
are twice defeated in the race of life but with confidence we
have already succeeded even before we have started!
There are many young people who are soooo disempowered
that they have opportunities right at their doorsteps but
can’t seem to find the power within to make use of the

opportunities…………..some are just existing because they
have life. This is just sad………………….
Each of us has a role to play in motivating our youth.
Challenge yourself to say something positive to the next
young person you see. Point out something you admire,
inform him/her about a special ability you notice and share
something to motivate and inspire the next youth you talk to.
Let him/her know that you believe that he/she can and will
do well. It would be so awesome if each community had
mentors for a specific number of youth – just people who can
inspire and hold someone else’s hand and help that person
to grow. It doesn’t have to be big leaps and bounds but small
steps towards self-actualization. “No man is an island – no
man stands alone- we all need each other…. especially the
most vulnerable in our society – children and youth.
In my next article, on the NCT website, I’ll tell you just how
young people can get into an amazing programme — the
National Unattached Youth Programme.