Male, 21 from Kingston, Jamaica
Chairman, Caribbean Youth Summit Association
Joined TIG: October 19, 2004
My name is Jaevion. I grew up in York Town, Jamaica. I have always been a very positive, determined person, and from a young age, I have been involved with working with other youth in my country. I am really passionate about youth empowerment and development because in my opinion, that is the main vehicle, especially in Jamaica, to eliminate social ails like crime, violence, and poverty. We need to minimize any negativity, cynicism or feelings of alienation among youth and to help them have a more positive outlook on life, so
they can better contribute and be more involved in their community.
I have seen first hand the benefits of youth empowerment. The Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network, with which I am involved, ran a pilot project called the “Youth Help Project” in three schools in Clarendon, Jamaica. This project focused on rechanneling the energies of school bullies into more positive actions, and the impact has been quite positive. Also, as the chairman of the Caribbean Youth Summit Association, which seeks to empower youth to get involved in their communities, I visited various boys’ homes in Jamaica to talk to the youth there. Most of these boys don’t have any family, and some don’t even have any friends. However, just by visiting them, I could feel their energy: “Wow, somebody really cares; they came all the way up here to visit me.” Just by spending a few hours with them, we were getting them to be more positive about life.
I joined TakingITGlobal in October 2004 after a friend whom I had met at the Cable & Wireless Childnet Academy in London referred me to the website. At that time, I was really looking for a greater opportunity to learn some new ideas on youth empowerment, to involve new media for youth advocacy, and to develop my own capacities. I wanted to meet new people, to launch my projects, and to learn about best practices and strategies from all over the world. TakingITGlobal provided the tools and resources that I was searching for, and that is why I joined and stayed as an active member of the online community.
Lately, I’ve been using my TIGblog quite a bit: I call it “In My Mind’s Eye” because it allows me to open myself up and to let others know what I am thinking, as I do a lot of introspection. My TIGblog allows me to express my thoughts, and I tell my friends: “If you really want to know what I am thinking, go on my blog at TakingITGlobal and you will know what I am thinking for this week.” I have also tried as much as possible to explore and to participate in all parts of the TIG online community, such as the discussion boards and panorama, as well as all the resources and information available on the site.
Even though I am a very self-motivated person, TakingITGlobal has provided me with a lot of inspiration and recognition for my work and initiatives. Through the online community, I have met lot of people from all over the world who are inspired and encouraged by my actions, and I am also inspired and encouraged by their actions. Reading the Member Stories and the profiles of some members who are doing incredible things in their country has opened my eyes even wider to realize that young people can and do affect meaningful positive change in their communities and must be recognized and involved in the decision-making process. Despite the red-tape and bureaucracies of governments and organizations, there is hope, and TakingITGlobal has shown that as long as we are serious, consistent, and positive about the work we do, young people can achieve amazing things.
I love that TakingITGlobal provides youth with the tools to showcase what they’re doing in their country, and in turn, inspire other youth to go out and do amazing things in their communities. In particular, I remember connecting with Ghazaleh on TIG a while ago; she added me as a friend and told me, “Wow, you have done so much! I am so inspired by you.” We talked a lot, and now Ghazaleh has launched herself so much into her community that she has hardly any time to talk to me anymore! I am really pleased and happy that TakingITGlobal allows youth to inspire and empower others to pursue their passions and goals.
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