‘Grandfathers’ enlisted to steer young men

A new mentorship initiative pairing senior men with young males across Barbados is expected to be rolled out in the coming weeks as part of efforts to address delinquency and violence among young men.

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Adrian Forde announced the Grandfather Programme during a media briefing on Friday at the Warrens Office Complex, saying older men would be recruited to provide guidance and positive role models for young males in their communities.

“We are targeting young men because we understand what is happening in society with our young men right now. We see it every day in the courtroom,” Forde said.

The programme, being spearheaded by the Division of Elder Affairs, will encourage older men to share their life experiences and knowledge with younger generations.

“The Grandfather project is one where the Division of Elder Affairs . . . is looking over the next couple of weeks to bring a project to bear significance on the lives of our young people,” Forde said.

“We are asking those men, those trojans living within neighbourhoods, to come and impart their knowledge [and] give young people those basic tenets that they can use to deal with life’s challenges as impressionable young men.”

Forde said the initiative would create intergenerational connections between elderly men and younger males at a time when mentorship and guidance were particularly important.

“We are asking those elderly men within communities to come and create the intergenerational linkages that will provide that guidance and mentorship that is desperately needed now more than ever,” he said.

According to the minister, volunteers will be encouraged to work within their own communities, allowing them to build relationships with young people in familiar surroundings.

“If a person is living in St Andrew and they have a group of youngsters that they want to mentor in St Andrew, that is something that we are going to accommodate,” he said.

Forde expressed confidence that the programme could have a meaningful impact if fully embraced.

“This is a project that will, once it is properly realised, bring about the changes in terms of the intergenerational changes that we need,” he said.

Several volunteers have already signed on through men’s organisations across the island, but Forde said more participants were needed.

He appealed to men who believe they could make a positive difference in the lives of young people to join the initiative and help strengthen their communities through mentorship and support. (SB)