A total of twenty-one individuals on Tuesday graduated under the Foundations Programme, an initiative of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Gender Affairs Bureau (GAB) aimed at addressing and reducing violence among young people.

The certificates were presented by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, during a simple ceremony held at the Ministry’s Cornhill Street office.

These participants have been designated as “trainers of trainers” and will play a key role in equipping staff across the Ministry, including Social Work Officers from the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Policy Unit (SO&DVPU) and the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA), with the skills needed to better respond to and prevent violence among youth.

In her remarks, Minister Persaud highlighted that the programme specifically focuses on young people between the ages of 13 and 25, a group statistically more likely to be involved in acts of violence.

She underscored that stakeholder engagement plays a crucial role in shaping positive behaviours, particularly among youth who often record violent acts instead of intervening or seeking help.

“You see children beating each other, and what I really dislike is that so many people just record it. We need to build a more caring society, one where people intervene, stop it, or get help,” she expressed.

She further noted that the Foundations Programme encourages young people to reflect on their actions, understand the consequences, and choose more compassionate and responsible responses to conflict.

With the newly certified trainers now prepared to extend their expertise, the initiative will be expanded to other Ministries and agencies, reinforcing a unified national effort to end violence among young people and promote a culture of empathy and respect.