Red Thread’sYouth Empowerment Network

& Literacy Program

Who we Are The Youth Empowerment Network and the Red Thread Literacy Program are joint initiatives facilitated through Red Thread Guyana. The Literacy program has been in operation since February 2001, and in cooperation with the United Nations Development Project -Enhanced Public Trust Security and Inclusions Project (EPTSI), Red Thread developed the Youth Empowerment Network in January 2010 .

Literacy Classes and Youth Empowerment Workshops are hosted in the Red Thread Building and are facilitated by four core Red Thread members and six short term volunteers.

What we DoThe Youth Empowerment Network and the Red Thread

Literacy Program cater to vulnerable children and youth from communities within Georgetown and

greater Guyana to help them develop an awareness of themselves and their talents, increase literacy and

knowledge, while fostering a connection to their peers and the larger community.

The Literacy Program and the Youth Network work across gender and race and strive to encourage

youth to actively participate in bringing about the kind of world in which they would like to see

themselves.

Why Are We Important?Our initiatives with youth work as a catalyst

for greater social change.

We work on multiple levels to accomplish these goals :

A holistic approach: connecting the individual, the community, and national/regional influence

Conflict resolution: the prevalence of conflicts among young people who are forced to occupy the same space can be great. With the Youth Network, conflict management and resolution training has been implemented and achieved through a step by step process.

Youth empowerment: equipping the next generation with the information they need to challenge and think critically about their communities and society.

Literacy Program: Literacy and numeracy are an essential part of youth empowerment. Increasing literacy levels results in an increase in academic outcomes which are so essential in expanding the capacity of youth to make changes in their lives for the better.

Literacy ProgramThe Literacy Program has been running since January 2001,

and is intended for children aged 7-12 and for adolescents aged 13-19.

It involves:Computer classes Individual and group classes in reading, writing, and numeracyWorkshops on difference, especially gender and raceWorkshops using the arts as an aid to self-expression

Objectives include working with students with poor literacy skills to:

Learn to read, write and access information effectively as a basis for expressing themselves more freely

Think more critically and creativelyLearn to combat stereotypes, especially of race and gender

Youth Empowerment Network

The Youth Network has been operative since February 2010, and involves:

A variety of workshops, courses and activitiesBi-weekly seminarsSummer Camp

The Youth Network works with children aged 13-19, with several goals in mind:

To encourage creative and critical thinkingTo develop a sense of personal power and freedomTo initiate youth behavior which will positively impact

the young people’s own lives and the lives of their neighbours.

Workshops

Workshops are geared towards improving the self and the individual as a member of society.

They are designed around the principles of information sharing and organized group tasks.

CampThrough participation in activities such as team

sports, drama, and interactive games, the Youth Network Camp gives children the chance to

Engage in conflict resolutionDevelop positive group dynamics, & work on ‘people

skills’Build trustDevelop confidenceRecognize and reject

stereotypes

Fund Raising ActivityProceeds from our various fund raising initiatives will go toward much needed necessities for both the Literacy program and Youth Network:

Literacy students are in need of the most basic necessities for class facilitation including a printer on which to print assignments books, notebooks, pens, pencils Basic science equipment Volunteers to facilitate classes!

In order to provide a conducive environment for learning and to accommodate the growing number of students we need a long list of supplies!

Youth Network Summer Camp 2010

In 2010 the Literacy Program and Youth Empowerment Network came together to host the fist annual Youth Network Summer camp. Through the hard work and dedication of Red Thread’s core members and volunteers, last year’s Summer Camp was a great success.

Theme: Trust and Relationship Building

(Micro level behavioral changes)

Through various workshops, exercises and activities, the camp gave the Youth a sense of entitlement and ownership in their own space and in their own lives for the first time. It began the process of building previously unattainable trust between youths and the facilitators and the youths amongst themselves.

Summer Camp 2011Theme: Mobilization and Community building

Youth as catalysts for greater social change

(Macro behavioural changes)

While last year’s camp focused on the self, team building and conflict management, we would like to take the Youth to the next level this year and get them involved in the greater community. We would like to bring their awareness to their collective power as community members, and get them engaging in activities which will have a positive impact on society as a whole.

In addition to further personal improvement activities, we would like to provide training for the youth during the 2011 camp in order to help them facilitate local street clean ups, web based information sharing networks and the establishment of relationships with younger youths in reading buddy and tutoring sessions over a longer term period.

Summer Camp in Dire need of funds!!!

This year our task is even greater. In 2010 we received subsidized accommodation and received funding from Red Thread to pay for the camp which will not be possible going into this year. This means that we need to raise at least US$5000 before July 31st to make the Youth Network 2011 Summer Camp a reality, and it is entirely up to us, the volunteers.

The Summer Camp requires funding to:Effectively coordinate camp activitiesPay for camp rental fees, food and transportation, T

shirts for the children, as well as stationary and other necessary camping materials for 35-40 youths!

How you Can helpYour support can make a big difference in these children’s lives. If you are looking for a way to get your valuable donations directly to people who need it, you need look no further. Proceeds from our fundraiser will be covering the program costs, without a cent going toward the bureaucratic process or into pockets of camp facilitators (because we are all volunteers!!!). If you would like to assist with our initiatives, you can get involved in the following ways:

Carry a Youth Network and Literacy Plan Fund Raising Envelope to your workplace and see how much you can raise!

Make a cash or in kind donation.

Visit Guyana and volunteer to be a camp facilitator this August, or volunteer your time with the Literacy Program!

* For an e-list of in kind donations, please contact Hana Bobala. Members of the Guyanese diaspora in Canada can make sure your donations reach us in Guyana.

We greatly appreciate your generous support!