Youth Enrichment and Leadership Program
Empowering young people to make smart and healthy decisions for their futures.
Middle school and high school students will develop leadership skills throughout our Youth Enrichment and Leadership Program (YELP). Participants are trained alongside their peers in group facilitation, communication, problem solving, volunteering, and fundraising. Then, they put this learning into action: leading or co-leading our Volunteering Activities and designing service projects to benefit the community.
They stay on our service pathway and help inspire the next generation of volunteers and community leaders. Teens take on a leadership role in TOY, positioning them for lifelong community leadership.
Our Treasure Clubs include The GIRLS Project, Certificate to Manhood, Smart Choices, and Community's Choice Award. Treasure Clubs are individual groups that focuses on development for boys, development for girls, and welcoming the community to engage in our mission. The GIRLS Project and Certificate to Manhood programs are designed for ages 13 to 21. This unique program provides leadership development opportunities for youth to participate in activities, both in and out of the Club, in three focus areas: academic success, career preparation and community service. With the guidance of an adult advisor, Treasure Clubs aim to positively impact teens, their club area and local communities.
They stay on our service pathway and help inspire the next generation of volunteers and community leaders. Teens take on a leadership role in TOY, positioning them for lifelong community leadership.
Our Treasure Clubs include The GIRLS Project, Certificate to Manhood, Smart Choices, and Community's Choice Award. Treasure Clubs are individual groups that focuses on development for boys, development for girls, and welcoming the community to engage in our mission. The GIRLS Project and Certificate to Manhood programs are designed for ages 13 to 21. This unique program provides leadership development opportunities for youth to participate in activities, both in and out of the Club, in three focus areas: academic success, career preparation and community service. With the guidance of an adult advisor, Treasure Clubs aim to positively impact teens, their club area and local communities.
1. The GIRLS Project - Giving girls confidence
The GIRLS Project (GP) provides young girls ages 16 to 21 a safe space to share their experiences with each other, give advice about womanly things, and work together to create bonds and sisterhood. The girls will also take part in educational discussions and presentations that teaches them about substance prevention and rehabilitation, pregnancy and STD prevention, planned parenthood, recovering from a traumatic experiences like rape or abuse and seeking therapy. This club is designed to meet the developmental needs of young girls in Jamaica where premature and forced sex is an epidemic. Through dynamic sessions, participatory activities, field trips and mentoring opportunities with adult women, our GIRLS will explore their own attitudes, determine their values, and learn best practices for societal pressures. Our effort is to guide and teach young girls the importance of self-love, self-respect, and sisterhood. It also includes a service project where girls learn the importance of giving back to the community. 3. Smart Choices - Teaching Responsible Behavior
Smart Choices is a community awareness program designed to inform parents, teens and educators about the risks of teen premature sexual activity, gang involvement, drug and alcohol abuse and misuse, and to empower them to address these serious problems. The program offers free tools and resources to help empower schools and communities to begin a dialogue with elementary, middle and high school students and their parents. The program encourages parents to monitor their child behavior and to have open and honest conversations with their children. The more young people learn about the dangers of activities, the better prepared they can be to make good decisions and smart choices. SMART choice uses a team approach that involves directors, advisors, staff, peer leaders, parents and community representatives. Young people ages 6 to 16 engage in discussion and role-playing, practicing resilience and refusal skills, developing assertiveness, strengthening decision-making skills and analyzing media and peer influence. The ultimate goal is to promote abstinence from substance abuse and adolescent sexual involvement through the practice of responsible behavior. 
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2. Certificate to Manhood - Teaching Boys Responsibility
Certificate to Manhood teaches responsibility to boys ages 11 to 18 with sessions that focus on a specific aspects of character and manhood through highly interactive activities. This is a targeted effort to engage young boys in discussions and activities that reinforce character, leadership and positive behavior. It will also encourage young boys to refrain from gang affiliation, drug use or trafficking and violence. Each participant receives a “certificate” to underscore the notion that he is on a personal journey of maturation and growth. Each of the project's 14 sessions are interactive activities focused on a specific aspect of character and manhood. It also includes a service project where boys learn the importance of giving back to the community. 
4. Community's Choice Award - Premier Recognition Experience
Community's Choice Award will be TOY's premier recognition program, celebrating the extraordinary achievements of neighborhood teens. Community youth who earn the Community's Choice Award title embodies the values of leadership service, academic excellence, and healthy lifestyles. They exemplify the critical impact that TOY has on the lives of young people. Local neighborhoods nominate members ages 14 to 21 for the Community's Choice Award then select a winner, who then participates in community competitions. The Community's Choice Award winner receives a $500 scholarship award and being known as the community's first choice - the highest honor a youth can receive! As TOY's premier youth recognition program, the Community's Choice Award Dinner recognizes community youths with outstanding contributions to their family, school, and neighborhood, as well as overcoming personal challenges and obstacles. The Choice Award encourages youth to reach their full potential by achieving academic success, leading healthy lifestyles and contributing to their communities. Community's Choice Award is a comprehensive leadership development program to include:
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Events and Activities by both Treasure Clubs •Thanksgiving Food Drives •Christmas Toy Drive •Holiday service projects •Community Idol Competition •So You Think You Can Dance Competition •Easter Egg Hunts •Community Service Projects Events and Activities by The GIRLS Project •Local Hospital Toy Drive •Socks & Sandals Drive •College Tours •Peer Tutoring •Smart Choices •Money Matters •Community Service Projects •Personal Hygiene •First Aid Classes •Resume/Career/Skill Building •Soft Skills, Appropriate Etiquette and Speech |
Events and Activities by Certificate to Manhood •Serve as peer mediators and conflict resolution counselors •Provide outreach to surrounding middle and elementary schools •Anti-Violence Service Projects •College Tours •Resume/Career/Skill Building •Smart Choices •Money Matters •Field Trips to Correctional Facilities 
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