Youth Empowerement
Taking Charge of Your Future (TCYF)
A full-year turnaround for Trench Town’s most at-risk youth.
Taking Charge of Your Future (TCYF) is a year-long diversion programme for youth ages 7–15, referred from schools in Trench Town and other inner-city communities. Many students are struggling with literacy and behaviour in classrooms where teachers are stretched thin—and without timely support, children can fall further behind and disengage from learning altogether. TCYF provides values-led, faith-informed care. We teach children about the love of God, and in that spirit we offer unconditional acceptance—so they can settle, trust, and engage. Because they are accepted rather than rejected, the children become teachable, opening the door to real change. Through professional assessments, remedial education, life skills, and steady mentoring, students rebuild confidence, strengthen learning, and return to school—or another learning pathway—ready to move forward. When children get the support they need, Jamaica’s future becomes more secure.
“She graduated as valedictorian from the Joy Town Programme—now she’s in Grade 10 and already earning strong grades.” — Tracian Murray, mother of a TCYF student
What we’re doing
- Provide values-led, faith-informed care rooted in the love of God—offering unconditional acceptance so students can settle, trust, and engage
- Meet challenging behaviour with patience and clear structure—keeping children teachable and making positive change possible
- Use professional assessments to diagnose learning and behavioural needs early
- Provide remedial education (face-to-face and computer-aided) to close learning gaps
- Strengthen confidence and character through life skills, mentoring, counselling, and structured activities
- Equip parents/guardians through workshops so progress continues at home
- Re-integrate students into appropriate schools or learning institutions after one year
Why it matters
- When children fall behind early in reading and behaviour, catching up becomes harder over time
- Schools in inner-city communities can be under-resourced, and without timely intervention, struggling students can be pushed further behind and out of learning altogether
- Many children act out before they can put their struggles into words; consistent care and calm boundaries make learning possible again
- Helping a child stabilise learning and behaviour improves family life, school culture, and community safety
- When youth are restored to learning, Trench Town and other inner-city communities are strengthened—and Jamaica benefits through safer communities and stronger futures
Strategies / Programme Components
- Remedial Education
- Assessments / professional diagnosis
- Case Management
- Life Skills
- Mentoring
- Specialised Counselling
- Sports
- Clubs
- Parenting Training / Parent Workshops
- Service Learning / Community Service placements
- Outward Bound Adventure Training
Impact
- Schools report “tremendous academic and behavioural improvements” in students referred to TCYF, including breakthroughs schools couldn’t achieve alone
- Students learn to regulate emotions and behaviour over time when they’re met with consistent support, acceptance, and accountability
- Students who struggled to read begin to read independently—one parent shared she saw her child reading for the first time and was overwhelmed with joy
- Case outcomes show real learning gains: one 14-year-old improved reading from below Grade 1 to Grade 1 level, and advanced math readiness to Grade 3 level
- Youth report better anger management, healthier choices, improved teamwork, and greater appreciation for education—leaving more confident, more disciplined, and better prepared for work and life
