Department of Youth Affairs, Representative attends UNICEF ECA Youth-Led Action Initiative Workshop

#TurksandCaicos, December 5, 2023 – The Department of Youth Affairs nominated representative Ms. Zara Ingham was provided with the opportunity through UNICEF to attend a Youth Led Action Initiative Workshop from 6-10 November 2023 in Barbados.  The training brought together child and youth advocates from around the Caribbean interested in advocacy around mental health, climate change, and/or student governance/leadership. The overall objective of the training was to inspire youth advocates to:

• Have confidence in their passion for change and understand how advocacy and action can be a part of their everyday life,
• Learn about key advocacy concepts and understand how they can expand the impact of their advocacy actions,
• Recognize how to maintain mental wellness and seek support in the long journey of advocacy,
• Identify clear next steps in an advocacy plan they can take next to learn or do more,
• Find inspiration in the examples of other youth advocates,
• Experience community with other young advocates.

Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, and Social Services, commented, “The Department of Youth Affairs has been actively promoting youth advocacy, inclusive and active participation for youth of TCI to acquire the vital knowledge on human rights and citizenship. In addition, they are providing the requisite tools and opportunities for youth to enhance youth awareness of democratic youth-led national youth networks and platforms to enhance their effectiveness”.

Ms. Zaria Ingham, representative for the Turks and Caicos Islands, is no stranger to youth advocacy as she is the immediate past CARICOM Youth Ambassador and Youth Parliamentarian. Her advocacy work is centered on bringing awareness to climate change and youth development.

The training also offered youth the opportunity to find inspiration in case studies and examples (including real-life stories from advocates around the world), learn from each other’s unique experiences with advocacy through discussions and small group activities that reflected profound respect for diversity, and grow their advocacy skills by applying them to their future advocacy goals and youth development work.