The month of May focused on our children and was guided by the theme 'AFFIRM Me' (Acknowledge Me, (Be) Friend Me, Favour Me, Influence Me positively, Respect Me, and Motivate Me). The National Child Month committee appealed for persons to help to create and sustain a positive and supportive environment for our young people.
The Jamaica Productivity Centre (JPC) was happy to be able to play our part and reiterate the importance of empowering youth by helping them to understand what their responsibilities are to themselves as well as to society.
Through the invitation of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency, Kingston office, the JPC, along with our campaign partners, spoke to 30 teenagers about their expectations of adult and how they should relate to them. The teenagers expressed the view that as children who are in the transitional phase to adulthood, there were certain expectations they had of their parents and other adults that they came in contact with. They wanted to be rewarded, praised, trusted, respected and allowed freer reign. During the discussions, it became evident that they believed that the majority of the rules instituted by parents were punishment and not out of love or with reason.
This realisation led us to focus on 'act the way you wish to be treated'. If you wish to be given more responsibility, then act responsibly. If you want to be shown more respect, then show respect. Regardless of age, there are certain mutual expectations of society that, if adhered to, will benefit us as a society, while also benefiting us individually. Rules are not to be viewed as punishment but as a way to regulate, standardise and govern operations for the benefit of the majority. For a society to be productive, this requires persons to understand each other, which is the first step in working harmoniously.
We operate in a wider society different from our own little world that we have created for ourselves. The best bet that we have to succeed in our societies, and achieve our own personal goals, is to have an economy and country that is flourishing. We must, therefore, in some way, as part of our personal plans, commit to play our part to building our economy. Regardless of age, we are not exempt from this responsibility.
- Sashelle Gooden is a senior communications specialist at the Jamaica Productivity Centre.