Vulnerable youth ‘need mentors’

Mentorship – NOT JUST POLICING or tougher laws – remains the single biggest challenge confronting young people as Barbados grapples with rising levels of crime, says Karlos Cobham, founder and president of KWEST International Inc.

Cobham made the point during an interview with the DAILY NATION following a youth forum discussion held at the YMCA recently where community leaders, young people and social advocates gathered to confront the causes of violence and chart possible solutions. 

He said that too many national conversations about crime focused on the symptoms, while ignoring the deeper social void confronting vulnerable youth.

“We talk about crime all the time. We see young people in the news, but we are not really siding with
them,” he said. 

“Mentorship is the biggest challenge right now. We need people who will grab hold of these young people, walk with them, dig deep with them and get to the root of what they are dealing with.”

The forum, held under the theme Together We Can, was organised as a response to a spate of shootings and stabbings that has unsettled communities across the island and raised concerns about safety, particularly among families and those working in tourism.

Cobham said the issue was deeply personal for him.

“I have a young daughter, and I want to make sure the community is safe,” he said. “Tourism is important to Barbados but, beyond that, our people are important. Our hospitality, our culture, our cuisine – all of that depends on communities feeling secure.”

He added that while law enforcement had a role to play, long-term crime reduction would not be achieved unless young people were given meaningful alternatives, emotional support and consistent guidance.

“We need to hold our community accountable, including those pursuing crime, but we also need to ask why they are there in the first place,” he said.

A key feature of the YMCA discussion, he explained, was that it was not a “talk-down” session.

“This was a talk-with,” Cobham said. “We wanted to hear from young people directly, not just from experienced adults. We had youth leaders like Fabian Sargeant and others bringing young people into the room so the voices that matter most were present.”

Cobham described the forum as a starting point rather than a one-off event, noting that KWEST International intended to expand its outreach beyond discussion panels.

“This is not just talk shop,” he insisted. “This is the beginning of something bigger. We want to do movies, plays, and get young people involved in the arts and creative industries, not just as participants, but eventually as staff, as professionals.”

One such initiative is a planned film titled Transcend, which Cobham said would tackle themes that mirrored the lived realities of many young Barbadians.

The storyline follows a young man torn between competing influences – faith, money, relationships and pressure from criminal networks – ultimately confronting the consequences of his choices. (CLM)

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