Amidst the noise and complaints, it can be easy to lose sight of the good things that our young people are doing because so much of the oxygen is being taken up by the minority who grab headlines for the wrong reasons.
In a week when there were multiple killings by the gun over a 72- hour period, the collective conscience of Barbadians has been startled into the need to address the multitude of issues facing young people.
There have been the usual calls to “lock them up” and “bring back the hangman”. One suspects that even if all those recommendations were carried out, Barbados’ issues with youth crime and delinquency would still be a concern.
Today, we were drawn to the fine example of empathy and giving when 12-year-old Erin Springer chose to give back to students of her alma mater, the Wilkie Cumberbatch Primary School.
Now a student of Harrison College, little Erin understood the importance of showing gratitude to those who assisted her along the path to success.
She acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic had created difficult conditions for students, their parents and teachers. Students lost much teaching time, and they were forced to shift to an online environment which was new and littered with challenges for them and for instructors.
Parents, on the other hand, struggled with unemployment and the pressure of ensuring children received adequate instruction during these unprecedented times. They also battled the stresses of unemployment and the increasing cost of living.
Erin’s mother explained the pre-teen felt school supplies such as bags, stationery, books and uniforms for some students of her former primary school would be a great gesture.
But we have also seen other examples of this island’s young people doing great things and believing that no goal is insurmountable.
In 2020, then 11-year-old Barbadian environmentalist Maria Marshall, wowed the world when she became the youngest award winning filmmaker and garnered the attention of British-born actor Orlando Bloom.
The famous Lord of the Rings actor and UNICEF goodwill ambassador was blown away by Maria’s knowledge of environmental issues and her passion for the subject.
Her motto “Reduce, reuse, recycle and repair” led her to win the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Small Island Future Fest 2019. She also won a National Independence Festival of Creative Arts award for her production Little Thoughts on Big Matters.
The now 13-year-old has her sights set on becoming a prosthetics doctor which further fuels her desire to help people.
This year, we have had other experiences of young Barbadians doing good things. We should not forget the honesty of 13-year-old Najari Chase, who did not hesitate to return a British visitor’s wallet which contained cash and all his bank cards. He had dropped it while walking along the busy street in Oistins, Christ Church.
The Deighton Griffith Secondary School student put it simply: “[My parents] taught me not to take things that are not mine and that honesty was the best policy.”
A few weeks later 12-year-old Emmanuel Cherubin of the St Leonard’s Boys’ School saved an elderly man from drowning on the Easter weekend.
These examples demonstrate that there are many young people who are not prone to subcultural or antisocial behaviour but doing good is a spontaneous action for them.
There is no doubt that our youngsters, especially our young men, are under tremendous peer pressure and other social influences that encourage them in the direction of disruptive and even criminal activity.
Many are in dysfunctional home settings, while many others are without educational certification and see their prospects of employment as very limited. The figures for youth unemployment in Barbados and across the Caribbean substantiate the impact this is having on crime and delinquency.
The drug and block culture too have become a destabilizing force, out of which has spawned the challenges of illegal guns.
The mood in the country is one of fear and a feeling of anxiety that we may be losing control. Citizens, understandably, want heads to roll. However, knee jerk reactions are usually short-lived and of little impact.
Solutions to the challenges facing the youth require a whole of country approach that is multi-faceted. We must identify those most at risk, who tend to be predominantly male and design approaches that give them hope that their lives can be improved and that we are truly dedicated to their success.
