Charlotteville PYC collects fourth award for 2019

KINNESHA GEORGE-HARRY

The Charlotteville Police Youth Club has added another award to their growing collection as they have been presented with the Chief Secretary’s award for outstanding contribution and significant achievement in the sphere of community service.

Speaking with Newsday via telephone on Tuesday, leader of the youth club, WPC attached to the Crown Point Police Station, Rheanne Moore said: “The award brings jubilation to not just me but the team. There is a level of self-satisfaction as it's rewarding to be rewarded for rewarding work. We have really worked hard, and it is shown in our recent achievements.”

Moore added, “Volunteerism brings a sense of deep pride.

“As for the Charlotteville police youth club, I can say the award is more meaningful for the police youth club because when they look back at the noteworthy improvements and growth made in the club's operations, activities and programmes we can see the impact that has manifested in positive youth engagement.”

This is the club’s fourth award for 2019 – Most Improved by the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, Most Outstanding youth organisation by the THA Division of Sport and Youth Affairs and the Community Champions 2019 by the THA Division of Community Development, Enterprise Development and Labour. Moore was also an award recipient at Community Champions 2019.

The WPC said the youth club will continue hosting programmes and activities but its biggest goal is to have its own clubhouse, “so we have made that a priority.”

Moore, a former student of the Harmon’s Seventh Day Adventist School, said her involvement with the youth club began six years ago, with the revitalisation of the club, which had been dormant for 25 years.

“As a police officer and a person living in the community of Charlotteville, I saw the police youth club as a means of giving back to the young people, to prepare them for a positive role in the nation’s development.

"To bring this dysfunctional club from where there was no programmes or no activities taking place, bringing it to a level of succession, I feel exceptional,” she said while she attributed the club’s success to the teamwork of the parent body.

“The parents are the backbone of the police youth club, the support system, the anchor… you name it… the award is evident that teamwork is present.

“In addition, leadership style plays an integral part in the level of performance you will acquire from the organisation, when you allow others to lead and unlock their potential and skills there is motivation and the end result is unity.”

She said the aim of the club is to produce empowered, well-rounded and disciplined youths. Moore continues to be encouraged by the positive changes she is seeing in the members. In 2019, the club also won its second consecutive Tobago Carnival junior parade of bands title. It also successfully executed 25 community-based programmes.

"Every community and every district would have different issues... social issues that are faced by the young people. So based on the social issues, we see drugs as an issue, teenage pregnancy, so based on these social issues, we come up with programmes to assist the young people in that area."

However, even at this stage, Moore still believes youths in Tobago need much more assistance.

“I believe more can be done as it relates to jobs. Tobagonians are very educated people but there are little or no jobs after tertiary education. Tertiary education (access) should be considered as well, statistically young people leave the shores to seek education as there is a lack of universities on the island, some cannot even afford the expenses that come with it.

"More can also be done about mental health challenges and young people. In addition, innovation (sic) ways to reach the young people on the blocks, especially the at-risk youths – the males.”

She said more youths need to become active in their communities.

“Rise to the occasion. Be a trendsetter, if your community does not have an organisation representing youth, create one that’s a voice.”