Good afternoon, Bermuda.
I am delighted to share the remarkable success of the iView National 18+ Youth Conference, engagement with our young adults for this event expanded between July 15th to 21st. This event has been a significant milestone in our efforts to engage with and empower our young adults.
First, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Nadine Henry, our Senior Youth Services and Development Officer, and her exceptional team at the Office of Youth Affairs. Your dedication and hard work have brought this groundbreaking event to life, providing a platform where the voices and ideas of our young people can be heard and celebrated.
To everyone who contributed to the success of this conference, I offer my sincerest thanks. Your support and involvement have been invaluable, and this gathering would not have been possible without you. I was truly inspired by the young people who participated. Their willingness to engage, lead, and drive change was the heartbeat of this conference. To all the participants I say, that your voices are powerful, and your actions will shape the future of our community for years to come.
The National 18+ Youth Conference fulfilled National Youth Policy Goal #7, which aims to foster civic engagement among our youth.
Specifically, it satisfied Goal 7.1 by providing a platform for young people to contribute to public dialogue and voice their opinions on proposed Government policies. This mechanism of engagement is essential for nurturing informed and active citizens who are ready to influence and lead our society.
During the conference, we explored a range of critical topics through meaningful discussions. Our young people shared their insights on personal finance education, the timing and transparency of scholarship results, job exposure opportunities, and mental health support in schools. They also addressed issues such as systemic racism, bullying, and the need for community policing. The feedback was profound and eye-opening, providing valuable guidance for our future initiatives.
This event also served as a key component of our National Youth Policy, building on the insights gathered from our 2-day 'Big Up Yaself National Mini-Youth Conference'. The mini-conference, focused on primary, middle, and senior students, was carefully curated to extrapolate young people’s ideas on the future of Bermuda while also imparting knowledge to them that will help them along their journey.
We were proud to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our teens at the Teen Services Outstanding Teen Awards, highlighting the incredible talent and dedication of our youth.
As we move forward, I want us to carry the spirit of this conference with us. We must continue to work together, listen, and act, creating a community where every young person feels valued, supported, and empowered to make a difference on the issues that affect us daily.
To the wider Bermuda community, I urge you to recognize the vital role our young people play in our society. Their strengths in technology, their ability to connect and mobilize through digital platforms, and their collective voice are unmatched. We live in times where technology, knowledge, and creativity can transform our communities in ways we have never seen before.
The Ministry of Youth, Social Development, and Seniors is committed to the success of our young people. We look forward to more conferences and continued engagement with the National Youth Policy working group, providing more opportunities for our youth to express themselves and thrive in our island home.
To each young person in Bermuda, I have a call to action for you: Seize every opportunity to learn, grow, and lead with an open mind.
Use your skills, your strengths, vitality, and your collective voice to lead the charge for change. Let us not wait for change to happen; let us be the catalyst for positive change in Bermuda.
I would like to thank the panelists of the National Youth Conference who are here today and welcome the National Youth Policy Working Group Chair, Theo Wolffe, to share what is in the works for the next conference and the National Youth Policy Working Group.
Thank you.