Making a Positive Impact on Our Youth

Camille Angel is a young woman poised to make a difference with local youth. The 26 year old is the new Youth Empowerment Officer for the Youth Services Unit, who began working with the unit in early June 2016.

As Youth Empower Officer, Mrs. Angel will relaunch the Financial Awareness Now (FAN) programme at Clifton Hunter High School in September. This programme will teach students financial tips and other valuable life skills. Mrs. Angel notes it focuses not only on monetary wealth, but also on the kind of riches that arise when people give back to their community. In addition she will serve as the main liaison between community youth programmes and the Youth Services Unit, as well as oversea social media accounts.

Although new to the role, Mrs. Angel says “It’s very busy; a typical day is spent in and out of office.” Most recently she has been working with the unit, hosting its baking summer camp, in which students learned the fundamentals of the pastry arts. This week she assisted with hosting the Youth Summit. She has also spent time introducing herself to the various youth groups and organisations across the Island to better learn how the Youth Services Unit can assist them.

Her professional background is in marketing and communications, and includes charitable giving within a corporate environment. “I like that in this role [of Youth Empowerment Officer] I can give back” she comments.

She says what attracted her to the role is that being a young person herself, she wanted to see positive things happen in the community. “I feel like you have to get up and make them happen; our team does a lot of that,” she remarks.

Herself living proof of the benefits of youth programmes, Mrs Angel describes the one which most influenced her as Junior Achievement. During her time in the programme she won the Female Junior Achiever award. Later in her professional career she served as an advisor to other Junior Achievers.

“I think it benefited them immensely and I think it benefited me as well, not only to see the full circle of what I could do to help youth, but how it helped shape and mold me. That’s what I want to do. I want to see and be that change.”

Photo caption: Edlyn Ruiz (GIS)
Camille Angel, Youth Services Unit’s new Youth Empowerment Officer