Youths Inspiring Positive Change Jamaica
Commonwealth Point of Light 115. Neville Charlton
Neville Charlton, representing Jamaica, is the founder of ‘Youths Inspiring Positive Change’, which engages young people in personal development, volunteering, social change and peace-building.
Founded in 2012, Neville has grown an army of 1,500 volunteers islandwide who use their volunteering experience as a platform into work. Working with NGOs and youth groups across Jamaica, Neville mentors young people in gender equality, conflict resolution and developing a culture of peace in volatile urban centres. Neville is also an ambassador for ‘I Believe’, a youth empowerment initiative of the Governor General of Jamaica.
Neville was presented with his award by the British High Commissioner in Jamaica Asif Ahmad (pictured).
Neville said:
“I am so incredibly humbled and honoured to have been nominated for a Points of Light award, not just for myself but for my volunteers, ambassadors and the amazing youth across Jamaica that selflessly continue to go above and beyond for the uplifment, empowerment and positive development of their peers, communities and Jamaica, especially youth that work in volatile urban and rural centres to help create and maintain a culture of peace, respect and tolerance. This award is a perfect example that our youth are indeed positive agents of change. Agents that, if engaged properly and our voices taken into consideration at the highest level in decision making, can become a positive catalyst for change not just in Jamaica but across the Commonwealth.
“My organization “Youth Inspiring Positive Change JA. Ltd” is a registered NGO and social enterprise that seeks to engage bright young minds in development, peacebuilding, volunteerism, social change and adjunct fields. We organise and train youths around social issues, honing their unique skills to creating innovative approaches to tackling Jamaica’s social issues and creating spaces for growth and empowerment of the country’s most vulnerable.
“We must also be continuously reminded that the social relationships intrinsic to volunteer work are critical to individual and community wellbeing. The ethos of volunteerism is infused with values such as solidarity, reciprocity, mutual trust, belonging and empowerment, all of which contribute significantly to the quality of life.”