Your probably know about the National Youth Cadet Service Corp, and the many young men who've graduated from it.
This program was the Department of Youth Service's initiative to reach out to at-risk young men, engage them productively teach them the principles of military discipline practiced by the Belize Defense Force.
Well, that program is now being succeeded by a fledgling initiative that both the Ministry of Human Development and the Ministry of National Security are collaborating on. It's called the Belize Youth Challenge, which was introduced in October 2017. The ideas and designs are very similar to the Louisiana Youth Challenge, which is run by the Louisiana National Guard.
Young men between the ages of 15 to 17 are placed in a 10-month residential program, where they are engaged in academic lessons, physical training/drills, and learnt vocational skills such as agriculture, woodwork and hospitality.
The Belize iteration graduated its first cohort of 22 cadets last year, and this morning at the ITVET, 31 more participants graduated as full cadets. 7News stopped by, and we got a chance to speak with the Government representatives in charge of the program. Here's what they told us about these young men, whose lives they are trying to influence in a positive manner:
Starla Bradley - Director, Community Rehab Department, Ministry of Human Development
"The Belize Youth Challenge program is really a prevention program for at-risk youth. Right now, we're focusing primarily on males, but in the future, we do hope to engaged females as well. The challengers, as we call them, come from countrywide. So, these are young men between the ages of 15 to 17, who come from all across the country. And when we're recruiting, we're looking primarily for those who we call unattached youth. So, perhaps, they've been out of school for a while, they're not working, they're not really positively engaged in anything, and so, it's an opportunity to kind of divert them, give them focus, help them to establish goals for themselves. And then, at the time of the 10-month residential phase, they're integrated, either back into school, into a skills training, apprenticeship or entrepreneur. Or, some of them actually going into the BDF."
"Prior to having the Belize Youth challenge program, we had what was called the National Youth Cadet Service Corp., which was also built on some military elements of discipline. We started in 2017 to partner with the Ministry of National Security, to develop the Belize Youth Challenge Program, which is based on the Louisiana Youth Challenge program. They have a similar program for at-risk youth, and we've had several visits to see how that program works. And we decided, you know, we have a lot of the elements already, and so, we strengthened the military elements. It's a marriage between social work and military principles, because on one hand, you have the drills, the discipline, the structure, the regimented routines that the BDF bring. And on the other hand, you have the social work pieces, where you have the assessment, the case management, the developing goals, the working with the family, life skills, that sort of thing. So, in 2017, we started with the Belize Youth Challenge, and we graduated 22 Cadets."
Delrick Sankey - Cadet Graduate
"At first, I was incarcerated at the Belize Princess Royal Youth Hostel, and I saw young men like me doing great things. So, I said to myself, if they can do it, why can't I? I said to myself that I have to accept the challenge. When I was released, I went for an application. I filled it out, and by the Grace of God, my application was accepted. And here I am today, standing firm and strong in front of you."
Reporter
"You must feel accomplished taking on and succeeding at this challenge."
Delrick Sankey
"Yes, yes, yes, of course."
Reporter
"What are some of the memories you've made with your fellow cadet members?"
Delrick Sankey
"We share the same stories. So then, we give each other tips in life, so that when certain obstacles comes in front of us, we know how to deal with them, and many other things, too much to enumerate, sir."
Reporter
"After graduating, we know that there are a number of opportunities for graduates like yourself. Which one do you think you want to pursue?"
Rene Tillett Jr. - Cadet Graduate
"Sir, well, I will join the Force in volunteer, and go to high school."
Reporter
"BDF, you mean?"
Rene Tillett Jr. - Cadet Graduate
"Yes, sir."
Hon. Elodio Aragon Jr. - Minister of State, Police
"We hope that this program can continue to evolve, can continue to increase in numbers because this is the important thing, you know. The more youths at risk we can interact with, we can bring into the program, the less issues we'll have with them in the future."
Of the first 22 cadets who graduated last year, 21 of them have remained engaged in productive activities, and the last graduate is still receiving support and counseling from the program's facilitators.
The hope is that these new 31 graduates will have similar success, and there is already discussions about some of them applying to be come members of the Belize Defense Force.
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