Twenty-five young people from the Indigenous communities of Orealla and Siparuta have completed a civic leadership training programme aimed at strengthening youth participation in community decision-making and democratic engagement.
The one-day programme, titled “Article 13 in Practice: Youth Participation in Action”, was organised by the Guyana Centre for Civic Engagement (GyCCE) with support from the McCain Institute and the McCain Global Leaders Programme.
The initiative focused on Article 13 of Guyana’s Constitution, which promotes inclusionary democracy by encouraging citizen participation in the management and decision-making processes of the State.
The training was led by GyCCE Director Dr Deodat Persaud, a member of the 2024 McCain Global Leaders Cohort. Through the programme, support was secured from the McCain Institute to expand civic engagement opportunities for youths in underserved communities.
Participants took part in interactive sessions on civic leadership, dialogue and participation skills, teamwork, consensus-building and community action planning. Activities included simulations and group exercises designed to help young people apply constitutional principles to real-life community issues.
One session, titled “You Are Supposed to Be Here”, encouraged participants to view themselves as active contributors to the development of their communities rather than passive beneficiaries.
An Article 13 simulation exercise allowed participants to identify community priorities, debate solutions and collectively make decisions while ensuring every participant had an opportunity to contribute.
During the programme, Dr Persaud reflected on the legacy of late U.S. Senator John McCain, describing him as a leader committed to service, integrity and democratic values.
“Senator McCain believed that democracy is strongest when ordinary citizens are empowered to participate. Today’s programme is about giving young people the confidence, skills and opportunity to become active contributors to their communities,” Dr Persaud said.
The programme concluded with participants identifying drug use and substance abuse among youths as major concerns in Orealla and Siparuta.
Participants committed to launching a youth-led awareness campaign that will include school visits, community outreach sessions, informational flyers, awareness posters and the installation of a billboard promoting drug prevention in the communities.
GyCCE thanked the Toshao, Village Councils, community leaders and residents of Orealla and Siparuta, along with the McCain Institute and the McCain Global Leaders Programme, for supporting the initiative.
