Give of your time! - by admin March 2, 2018

President of the Girls Guides Association of Barbados Lieutenant Colonel Atheline Branch is calling for more adults to take on leadership roles in youth organizations.

Speaking at the annual World Thinking Day church service held at St Mary’s Anglican Church on Sunday, she reported that the association was lacking adult role models.

“There are persons who cannot give two hours a week of their time to make an impact on a girl’s life, [but] without role models our girls will get no where,” she added.

The theme of this year’s World Thinking Day activities was Greater IMPACT For Her World.

In her address, Branch also urged parents to make time for their children and to enroll them in extra curricular activities.

“There is truth in the saying that ‘the devil finds work for idle hands’ and I find that at times there is too much choice given to young people,” she said.

“If a child is kept busy, then they have no time for deviant behaviour,” Branch added.

She also cautioned parents that having an impact on their child’s world “does not mean to give things or to give in to her wants”.

“It is more important to give of your time,” she said, adding that “a greater impact can happen through small innovative things”.

Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth Mark Cummins supported the call for more volunteerism in Barbados.

“Volunteerism is a key component in the building of character and maturity of our young people [and] more emphasis should be placed on volunteerism in our society, not only by the youth, but by our mature citizens,” he said.

“ I believe that this will augur well for our society as all of us will benefit from the collective effort, but this will entail breaking down the walls of individualism and creating more interaction among ourselves,” he stressed.