Mr. Speaker,
I rise in this house to share more great news about our young people. From June 30th through to July 6th the Office of Youth Affairs hosted its 2nd Annual National 18+ Youth Conference. Bermuda’s youth ages 16 up to 29 were invited to engage in dialogue on the serious issues in Bermuda of anti-social behaviour and mental health.

Mr. Speaker,
The conference was designed to address the National Youth Policy Goals 3, 6, and 7, supporting young people to be active and healthy, minimizing anti-social behaviour, and enabling civic participation. The event attracted over 60 attendees, and I am pleased to say that not only was the invitation to this conference accepted, but it was done so enthusiastically.

Mr. Speaker,
The concept of a conference for youth is not a new one in Bermuda. I am sure many in this House remember the youth conferences that were hosted by Teen Services in the 1990s - the brainchild of Mrs. Olga Scott, the late former first lady and Executive Director of Teen Services. During that time, the Youth Education Health Department brought young people from across the island to learn, have new experiences, showcase their talent and have fun together in an exciting mix of civic engagement and general interest activities. The guest speakers, workshops, awards ceremony, and activities were designed to elevate Bermuda’s youth while also ensuring they were prepared to face their future. This mix of events was a miss when they stopped hosting them. However, it is with that same desire to uplift and support our young people that the Office of Youth Affairs introduced the National 18+ Youth Conference in July of last year.

Mr. Speaker,
As the times have changed, so have the topics of importance to our youth. With the inaugural conference last year, topics were broad, reflecting all eight of the National Youth Policy goals. This year, however, the Office of Youth Affairs or TOYA, focused on two topics that surfaced in almost all conversations held with youth and which garnered some of the most compelling feedback. These two topics are antisocial behaviour and mental health.

Mr. Speaker,
These topics are not new ones. I acknowledge the work of my colleagues in both the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Health in forwarding agendas to address both. As the Minister for Youth, I also take heed to listen to young people when they speak on their lived experiences. It is my responsibility to act on their behalf. I promise you, they have a lot to say and a real desire to enact solutions almost immediately.

On Tuesday Mr. Speaker,
A round table discussion moderated by Mr. Trevor Lindsay was held with high school students to dig into conference topics and share their perspective.

Mr. Speaker,
Taking the position of meeting young people where they are, the TOYA team took the streets on Friday evening to connect with youth in an event called Happy Hour Invasion. Through light conversation, giveaways and brief trivia, young adults were made aware of TOYA as well as invited to the conference on the Sunday. It was a definite success as some youth resultantly signed up for the Sunday conference.

Mr. Speaker,
On the day before the conference, TOYA made their presence known to the public at the Western Counties Cricket game with a pop-up tent experience. In addition to games and giveaways, attendees visiting the TOYA tent engaged in meaningful dialogue on conference topics “County Couch Conversation” and all things TOYA, with hosts Kamau Leverock and Delray Rawlins.

Mr. Speaker,
Food for thought and food for the body were promised and delivered on the Sunday of the conference with brunch. Moderators Ajai Peets and Kellan Lewis led a great conversation with panel members, Darren Woods, Chardonnae Rawlins, Cadre Smith, and Ryan Robinson-Perinchief. The discussion, comments and questions from the audience ensured that not only were young people’s voices heard but their thoughts were given real consideration. What comes next will be a reflection of the information shared.
As the Office of Youth Affairs is on a growth journey, Mr. Speaker, so is their conference. This year, a mini-information fair was introduced during the conference where young people could learn about and engage with organisations that support or engage with young people. I am very appreciative of the organisations that came out to engage with our youth because far too often, we hear there is nothing to do, or they don’t know what options are out there for them. I am grateful to The Family Centre, Bermuda is Love, the Youth Mental Health Research Group, Bermuda Overseas Missions and the Department of Workforce Development for being a part of this event.

Mr. Speaker,
I want to make it clear that although violence and anti-social behaviour get a lot of attention, the vast majority of our youth are not involved in activities that are contrary to our community values. Nor does everyone involved in anti-social behaviour do so because they do not care about their community. We are living in increasingly complex and pressurized times. The pressure impacts both the old and the young, and our response to those pressures can make or break an individual and our community.

Mr. Speaker, although the two issues of anti-social behaviour and mental health can be seen as two separate topics, there is most certainly synergy and correlations to be found. Our youth are savvy enough to see the connections and advocate for a holistic approach in dealing with it. For that, and many other reasons, I commend them.

Mr. Speaker, the future of our island demands that we respond in a holistic, nurturing manner. This is what I heard from our youth when I attended the Conference, and, with this in mind, this is how I intend to respond. I want to thank the Youth Development Team in the Office of Youth Affairs for not only providing a space for Bermuda’s youth to engage with the Government but for doing so in a way that encourages meaningful action in the future.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.