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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2022 - 4:51:11 PM |
RELAUNCHING FRESH START – Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Mario Bowleg was the keynote speaker during the relaunch of the Fresh Start Program in Grand Bahama on Friday, February 11, 2022 at the Foster Pestaina Hall.
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FREEPORT, Grand Bahama - “We can always build the future for our youth, but our youth must prepare themselves for the future,” said Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Mario Bowleg, during relaunch of the Fresh Start Program in Grand Bahama on Friday, February 11, 2022 at the Foster Pestaina Hall, Christ the King Church.
Minister Bowleg, who was the guest speaker during the relaunch, told the 50 young participants of the program that success is not something that comes easily or lightly, pointing out that it comes with hard work and determination. He encouraged them that sometimes starting from the bottom of the ladder doesn’t mean that they could never get to the top.
“It is those who try to start from the middle of the ladder who never get to the top,” said Minister Bowleg. “Because when you don’t understand how hard it is to start from the bottom step to get to the top step then you wouldn’t appreciate when you start from the middle and try to get to the top and they push you back.
“Young people of Grand Bahama, wake up and recognize that your future is in your hands.”
Minister Bowleg used his own personal experience to communicate to the prospective students and future employees the importance of having direction in life, while trusting God to lead them along the path that is right for them. He revealed that when he had graduated high school, he had a partial scholarship to a college in Alabama, but because his parents could not afford to pay for their portion of the scholarship, he never went.
Instead, Minister Bowleg said he took a job as a security officer at a bank in order to pay his own school fee to attend college in The Bahamas. While working as a security officer in the bank, he said he was able to complete his first degree. He said although he started at the bottom, he had his eyes fixed on improving himself, while advancing on the job. Minister Bowleg said he was promoted from security guard to a messenger, then to delinquency supervisor and eventually to a manager in the bank.
“Now I stand before you as the Minister for Youth, Sports and culture,” said Minister Bowleg.
“What I am saying to you is when jobs are offered to you and you say you can’t work for five dollars an hour or for eight dollars an hour because you deserve more; yes, you deserve more, but always remember, a man plans his way, but the Lord directs his path. So whichever path you think you want to go, if that’s not the path he has for you, he will put a block there and you will never get that.”
To prove his point, Minister Bowleg said before landing the job as a security guard, he had tried to join the Royal Bahamas Police Force, fresh out of high school and then he tried to join the Prison as an officer, but something always happened that prevented him from getting either jobs. He is convinced that neither of those paths was what the Lord had purposed for him.
He said that’s when he got a job as security guard in a bank and ended up spending a number of years in the banking industry, while also finding a passion in mentoring young people when he became a high school basketball coach.
“Always remember, as you enter Fresh Start and you look in that mirror in front of you, work hard and let the Lord lead you and guide you and your success will come,” said Minister Bowleg. “My entire desire is to have a strong, positive impact on the young people of The Bahamas, to encourage each and every one of you and to empower you so that you can all become what it is you’re called to be. I would like to see the young people of the Bahamas feel the positive impact of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.
“But at this point in time, let me encourage you to take advantage of this training package and embrace this opportunity to tool yourself for the workplace. The Fresh Start Program, was designed to respond to the issue of long-term unemployment, lack of job search skills and lack of workplace experience among our youth.
“My government is committed to ensuring that the access and opportunities are made available to youth across the length and breadth of The Bahamas. I want to take this time to thank all of the stakeholders, especially BTVI, who continue to play a vital role in the facilitation of the Fresh Start Program.
“To you, our young participants in this program, take this opportunity to begin anew. Start your life of success.”
The Fresh Start Program is one of the signature programs of the Ministry of Youth and has been in existence since 1993 and has evolved to its current format. The target population for the program is youth between the ages of 17-25, who have been unsuccessful in securing employment since leaving high school. This includes those laid off as a result of Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program has consistently been over-subscribed, with over 100 people applying each session. Fifty young people from Grand Bahama have been selected to take part in 16 weeks of skills training, job readiness courses and personal development, and four weeks of workplace internship.
The Fresh Start program has partnered with BTVI to conduct a hybrid model this session, in combination with in-person skills classes and virtual Bahama Host, Osha and NCCER certifications.
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