Clarendon junior mayor wants big brother programme for youth
Published:Friday | November 11, 2022 | 12:06 AMCecelia Campbell-Livingston/Gleaner Writer
Glenmuir High School sixth-former Stanford Nigel Lewinson, the youth mayor for Clarendon, has big plans to help positively shape the lives of youngsters in his parish.
Speaking after the monthly sitting of the Clarendon Municipal Corporation on Thursday, Lewinson said he envisions starting a big brother programme to help teach young boys and teens about masculinity and manhood.
The 19-year-old said he wants to make sure that they are on a better path, under the guidance of older male mentors.
“It’s important because I think it is one of the leading concerns in Jamaica – lack of father figures and positive male older figures. So if that was available, you would see many youth in Jamaica take more concern for their lives and heed to good practices,” he told The Gleaner.
Lewinson would also like to get the youth across the parish involved in community service and projects to help build their résumés should they desire to apply for college or even seek a job.
The youth mayor said that a lot of young people in the parish are not aware of the organisations at which they can volunteer their services, noting that he, too, could not find any in his home community of Denbigh. This is something he hopes to fix during his tenure by connecting youth to service clubs and charitable organisations where they can serve.
Commenting on his decision to vie for the post of youth mayor, the upper-sixth-form student said he was motivated by two things: he believed he had a good shot at coming out on top, and he believes he can craft plans to improve the lives of the youth in Clarendon.
With schoolwork to think about as well, Lewinson is not worried, telling The Gleaner that he knows just how to balance his time. In fact, he believes his role as youth mayor will even complement his schoolwork as he has many essays and research to do – something he will undertake in both capacities.
Lewinson is at a crossroads in his life as he has not yet made a decision about a career path.
“I am thinking about law or social behavioural sciences – social worker – at this moment. I am not sure as yet,” he said.
Later on, he plans on utilising the experience he will be gathering as a youth mayor as a stepping stone to enter the political arena, adding that he is confident that he can make a difference to the nation or even just his community.
Lewinson, who is the youth councillor for the Denbigh division, has high praises for the man he shadows, Councillor Joel Williams, describing him as his biggest political inspiration.
“He has risen far. He has a great future as [a potential] member of parliament for Clarendon, and he has some terrific workers for the Denbigh district. I would heavily support him. I put my entire trust and faith in him,” said the youngster.