RBTT Young Leaders 2008 Project Launched

The RBTT Young Leaders project was launched on Wednesday February 6, 2008.
Under the theme, “Bridging the Gap-Building Relationships for a Better Tomorrow,” young leaders will be afforded the opportunity to creatively explore, discover and thoroughly document the elements necessary to bridge the ever widening gaps in society.
RBTT Young Leaders started in 1981 in Trinidad& Tobago. It began as an Innovative Youth Savings Drive that taught young people how to save and invest. The Program evolved and changed with the times and by 1991 it became the Award- Winning RBTT Young Leaders Program. Thousands of students throughout the region take part every year.
In 1998 RBTT initiated its Young Leaders program in St Lucia.
The program is sanctioned by the Ministry of Education and is placed on the school curriculum. It runs for a nine-month period, September through May of the following year and participating schools have benefited tremendously. The bank employs a full-time coordinator to manage the program. A workshop is held for teachers and facilitators each year, and coaching in the form of video presentations, lectures and tours help the teachers and the facilitators provide proper support and guidance to the Young Leaders
The objective of RBTT Young Leaders is to help young people develop leadership skills, learn the value of working as a team towards a common goal and contribute constructively to their communities, and to promote thrift toward strengthening the social, moral and economic well-being of the community.
The benefits of being a Young Leader are many:
• The gaining of new knowledge and experience
• Establishing new friendships at home and throughout the region and learning the value of working as a team.
• Learning the importance of saving, budgeting and about the practical side of finance, which will be important when young people become working members of society

• In addition to marketability, employers and academic institutions value community work and therefore special Certificates augur well as part of the resume
• Young Leaders learn more about their country
Each Year an overall theme is established which serves as a guide for the selection of projects to be implemented by the students. Past themes have included:
• My School-The Foundation of a better Society
• Creativity-Create a Better Society
• The Environment-21st Century-A Vision for a Better Caribbean
• Caribbean Lifestyles- bringing communities together through caring and sharing
• Nurturing a Culture of Peace: Our heritage, Our Youth, Our Future
• Volunteerism: Treasuring the Environment
• HIV/AIDS &Me – Ethics, Morals and Values: Towards a New Attitude
• The Challenge for a New Society….
• Leadership Universal Education - A Culture of Peace
• Strengthening Caribbean Society-Our Vision, Our People, Our Culture
The theme for 2007 was, “Shaping the Future…Cherishing Life, Embracing Family Values, Respecting One Another.”
Participating Schools for 2007 were : St Joseph’s Convent, St Mary’s College, CARE, Ciceron Secondary, George Charles Secondary, Bocage Secondary, Babonneau Secondary, Castries Comprehensive, Sir Ira Simmons Secondary, Gros islet Secondary, Seventh Day Adventist Academy, Soufriere Comprehensive, Micoud Comprehensive, Choiseul Secondary, Vieux Fort Comprehensive, Vide Boutielle Secondary.
According to Darren Hosier, coordinator of RBTT Young Leaders, The theme for Young Leaders 2007/2008 “Bridging the Gap-Building relationships for a Better Tomorrow,” has the potential of awakening a generation to the world view that collaborating with other generations is critical to their future survival. He has therefore sought to sensitize and motivate all secondary schools on the island to bridging the gap.