Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin has proclaimed January as Supporting Our Youth Month in the Cayman Islands. He signed a proclamation Friday, 16 August, evening before a crowd of young people in the Cabinet boardroom.

Also signing the proclamation was Sylvia Wilks, CEO and director of the Cayman Islands Youth Development Consortium.

The proclamation states that the well-being of Cayman’s young people is of paramount importance to the future of these Islands and that the people here have clearly shown that they value partnerships and opportunities for youth that generate programmes that provide safe, challenging, engaging and fun learning experiences for our youth.

Residents have also shown they support working families by ensuring children are safe and productive after the regular school day ends and by engaging families, schools, churches, business leaders and adult volunteers in the lives of families and adults to build stronger communities, the proclamation reads.

The consortium has done significant work in the area of the development and well-being of the youths, grounded in the principle that supporting youths in asset building is key to helping them become successful adults, the proclamation states.

The Supporting Cayman’s Youth Campaign, started in August, will be a national celebration of partnership and opportunities to promote the success of young people.

“I enthusiastically endorse the Supporting Cayman’s Youth Campaign and encourage everyone in our Islands to engage in, or support innovative youth programmes and asset-building activities that ensure the holistic development and well-being of our youth,” reads the proclamation.