Tower of Power hosts development workshop for 50 Tobago youngsters

FIFTY youngsters have benefited from a career and character development training programme hosted by the Tower of Power Movement (TOPM) at the Bethesda Multi-purpose Facility in Tobago on Tuesday.

Speaking with Newsday, TOPM’s Founder Khadija Ali-Samhoul Harris said the workshop, titled the T&T What’s Next National Youth Empowerment Programme (TTWNNYEP), was an interactive high-tech, high-touch experience.

She said a gamification application – that used elements of game-play as a teaching tool – was used to deliver an in-depth presentation about customer service for the island. It was meant to encourage a positive youth development approach which recognises that empowered young people need support, guidance, and opportunities during adolescence.

Ali-Samhoul Harris said, “Using Positive Youth Development strategies, TOPM programmes give young people the chance to build skills; choose healthy values and lifestyles; (improve) leadership; and participate in their communities.

"The participants are engaged in learning customer service skills, along with building their character in terms of positively raising the altitude of their attitude, whilst dealing with people.”

Ali-Samhoul Harris said, at the workshop, assessment tools were used to help students identify their personality styles.

“Two participants were D-styled for dominant, two were I-Style for Influencer, two were S-styled for Steady and 16 were C-styled for compliant and consistency.

"Knowing your personality style enables you to identify your strengths and your weaknesses and prove better communication skills with others in your workplace or family life.

Participants then wrote positive affirmations that were posted on a "Dream Disc Big" wall.

Ali-Samhoul Harris said the workshop targeted 14 to 19-year-olds.

“This age group was targeted because they are at an impressionable age – dealing with peer pressure and transitioning out of adolescence. They are the ones going out into the world of work very soon, and can change the work dynamics of customer services if they are taught the right way through values and character development.”

The workshop featured a motivational speech from Suzanne Baynes of the Division of Education, Research & Technology, who spoke on failing forward to success.

Nicholai Peterkin, a 20-year-old entrepreneur and owner of Imports Performance House also spoke on his experiences in school life, working at a tender age for free to perfect skills in auto mechanics. He told participants they should never lose focus on their dreams.

Communications consultant Ricia Ali-Lindow later reinforced Nicholai’s message while inspiring the youths to never give up.

The 50 participants also got a chance to engage in mock interviews for employment. They were evaluated and given positive feedback meant to help them discover their strengths and areas for improvement.

The interview panel comprised of business leaders Keiron McDougal, Marcus Daniel, Ricia Ali-Lindow and Gillian Lewis.

Ali-Samhoul Harris said the workshop would not be a "one-off."

“Conversations have been had with the Secretary of Education, Miss Hackett, to possibly deliver this workshop more often.

“TOPM usually hosts two youth events per year. One in April & the other in October!

"During the year, we also do virtual iLead youth programmes to continuously build character based upon good old values. We are considering more consistency and regularity of more of these leadership programmes and courses to be more available through another resourceful tool that my husband and I operate out of Atlanta, USA called JKASH Leadership & Learning Academy.”

Ali-Samhoul Harris said the workshops were necessary for Tobago, which depends heavily on tourism.

“We constantly hear on the news of people who degrade customer service and do not live good values. We want better for our young people in Tobago, and TOPM has been so successful and resourceful in delivering leadership programmes based on value since April 2019.”

She said continuous leadership and improvement workshops, seminars and conferences offered to professional teams and individual development remain high on TOPM's agenda.

“We have plans to do youth summits on Saturdays on a more consistent basis. We would like to host our second Women of Worth Conference in May 2023 for Mother’s Day and then, Adam, Where Are You? Men’s Conference in June 2023.”