ÐÓ°ÉÐÔ°É

When he was 28, Neville Charlton started his Youth Inspiring Positive Change Organisation in 2012, it wasn't just out of a desire to bring forth change among Jamaica's youth, but also out of necessity.

"It all started after I left high school, and was seeking a job, and wasn't getting one. I was wondering, what can I do? And then it came to me to start an organisation that was really looking towards volunteerism," he said

Seven years later and the organisation has grown to 250 members and more than 1,500 volunteers islandwide.

And Charlton takes great pride in the work it has been doing.

"We are a non-profit organisation that focus on advocacy, volunteerism, peace building. We engage young people in development through mentorship, capacity building, as well as connecting them with persons in the private and public sector, where they can also get a job," he said

"It is now also an organisation that offers social enterprise services such as communication consultancy, social media management and coordination to various other organisations as well," he said.

Guidance to youth

The Meadowbrook High School alumnus told THE STAR that he grew with his aunt in Portmore, St Catherine, and didn't have a supportive father; so it's important that his NGO offers guidance to youth.

He said they recently partnered with the National Integrity Action to tour high schools in Jamaica, teaching them about conflict resolution.

"Our most recent project is our youth for peace national campaign, where we basically engage young people in the peace building process: We help them to understand how they can be a critical voice, in cultivating a culture of peace, and how can policy makers take young people seriously," he said

They asked schools what issues they faced and Charlton noted that among them was bullying, prompting the organisation to host anti-bullying training sessions.

Charlton said the NGO is funded through the consultancy and social media management services it offers. But a huge bulk of it also comes through his connections.

"I'm a 'serial begger'," he quipped. "The connections that I've made and persons that I've worked with, they believe in it. And I'm very passionate about it. I see the need to ensure that my time is dedicated to giving back to the young people of Jamaica."