What is the Young Adult Circle Program?
The Young Adult Circle (YAC) is a six-month program established by Jamaica Land We Love (Jalawelo) to help disciplined and highly motivated young adults ages 18-29 take the next step forward in life. By the end of the program, YAC members should be equipped to find a job or to start a small business on their own or with peers. The program is founded on the principles of imago Dei, image of God.
Our Young Adult Circles are typically small groups of about 12 young people who participate in a variety of activities which include academic training, income generation, Bible discourse, and leadership development. YAC members will also take part in special social and volunteer activities with their peers.
Focus: Information Technology (IT)
In the IT field, there is a growing demand for well-qualified individuals at all levels to engage in a wide range of careers such as project management, UX design, software development, just to name a few. These opportunities can be accessed locally through traditional employment as well as globally through various freelancing online platforms. As a result, the YAC program focuses on entry-level IT careers or on developing IT skills to support the start-up or growth of a small business venture. The Future of Jobs Report 2020 recently published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) points to an increase in the demand for online training to reskill labor to meet labor needs in the future. Interestingly, in addition to the increase in demand for technical training, the report also points to an increase in demand for personal and professional development. Our youth must be certified and must also be trained to engage professionally and to understand the pressing need to become lifelong learners. Just having "subjects" is inadequate for effective engagement in today's world.
The following quote from WEF succinctly points to the urgency with which we must approach the opportunities that are clearly before us today:
"We find ourselves at a defining moment: the decisions and choices we make today will determine the course of entire generations’ lives and livelihoods. We have the tools at our disposal. The bounty of technological innovation which defines our current era can be leveraged to unleash human potential. " (WEF, 2020).
YAC Mission
We promote the development of Jamaican youth by providing a platform for their overall development through academic training, income-generation support, leadership & communication training, volunteerism, and opportunities for healthy social interactions, all within a faith-based context.