The Insurance Association of Jamaica (IAJ) on Thursday, July 30, launched its youth mentorship programme in Kingston, an initiative said to be designed to build character strength and improve leadership skills among the young.

Starting in September, the IAJ will also extend the mentorship programme through the inclusion of its Vivien Rochester Mathematics Competition run in 150 schools islandwide.

According to Brigette McDonald-Levy, IAJ consultant and coordinator of the mentorship programme, both mentors and mentees will go through training in a leadership-building programme which is now costing the insurance group approximately $2 million annually.

She noted that the initiative included a partnership with the Jamaica Youth Coalition which works to foster "meaningful child participation in policies, programmes and initiatives that affect their lives."

Advocacy skills

To date, this group has trained over 300 children in leadership and advocacy skills, 50 younger children in character development and represented children at a number of national and regional conferences and consultations.

In 2009, the IAJ programme began with a summer programme in which 25 mentors were trained to work with young people in the workplace setting and another 60 were trained in leadership and life skills. The participants were summer interns with the insurance companies and others from national summer placement programmes.

According to Jacqueline Sharp, president of the IAJ, the mentorship programme was a dream of former IAJ president Andrew Levy who wanted to provide mentorship support to the young and exposure of the insurance industry and the career opportunities available in the field. The programme began in 2008.

The 2009 programme will add the features of individual counselling and career guidance.

avia.collinder@gleanerjm.com