The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition is empowering young people aged 13 to 15 to make informed decisions and encourage their peers to avoid alcohol and drug use through its Peer Vybz training programme.
The initiative, led by the Substance Abuse Advisory Council Secretariat (SAACS), equips young people with the knowledge and skills to make responsible choices, resist peer pressure and become advocates for healthier lifestyles in their schools and communities.
SAACS Programme Assistant Barry Modeste said the programme was developed in response to young people expressing a desire to help deliver substance-use prevention messages to their peers.
“As we went to the different secondary schools, especially, young people kept on saying they want to be the ones to bring out this message to young people like themselves. So, this is why we conceptualise this programme to empower them, to go out there and do that work to help their peers,” Modeste said.
He noted that young people often occupy social spaces that adults may not have access to, giving them opportunities to influence their peers’ decisions.
“They are going to be in rooms and places that we are not going to be in, so whether in formal or informal spaces, they could be that voice; they could be that person that encourages others to not engage in the use of alcohol and drugs,” Modeste said.
“As we go forward, it helps our communities in terms of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), in terms of our young people and talent not being
wasted, in terms of having them on the right track and having a better Saint Lucia, a better community as we go along.”
The training featured interactive sessions, activities and skills-building sessions with personalities such as Kiedel Sonny and Kendall Eugene, also known as Scady Dot P.
Modeste outlined three key areas of the programme, beginning with critical thinking and problem-solving, particularly when young people face pressure to use alcohol or drugs.
“The first session is critical thinking, problem solving under pressure, and it helps them to make decisions, especially when being accosted by different people who might want them to indulge in the use of alcohol and drugs,” he explained.
Another component focuses on education, including how the tobacco industry uses deceptive tactics to attract young people. The third component, known as “empower”, is designed to strengthen participants’ confidence and ability to influence their peers positively.
Participant Miandi Bailey welcomed the opportunity, saying the training had helped prepare her to encourage other young people to make better choices.
“The programme was nice so far; I liked it. I learnt a lot from it, and I think it will help me in the future to encourage my peers to do better and to be better people and leaders, and I can be a leader and learn from it, so in the future when things come my way like bad influences, I know how to
brush past it and do better,” Bailey said.
The ministry has held Peer Vybz training sessions in several communities, including Vieux-Fort, Dennery and Babonneau.
