Bridging hope - EU-funded project transforms lives of at-risk youth

What began as a bold vision to steer at-risk youth away from cycles of violence and despair has blossomed into one of Jamaica's most inspiring success stories.

Over nearly three years, The BRIDGE Project, funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the MultiCare Youth Foundation (MYF), has transformed lives and strengthened communities across Kingston and St Andrew, Clarendon, Westmoreland, and St James, proving that with the right support, every young person can rise above their circumstances.

The initiative, formally titled Building through Reintegration, Intervention, Development, Growth, and Education, was designed to curb youth crime and violence by offering layered, evidence-based interventions that helped young people develop the skills, confidence, and support systems needed to thrive.

At the programme's heart was the Passport to Success curriculum, which provided over 300 young people with vital life and employability skills. Many participants have already begun to translate those lessons into tangible outcomes -- 85 have secured internships, while 50 have been successfully guided through the application process to enter vocational programmes with the HEART/NSTA Trust.

Recognising that empowerment also comes through creativity, the project reached more than 50 youth through the arts, offering training in videography and cinematography. These participants used their newfound talents to tell stories that uplift, advocate, and inspire -- proof that creative expression can drive meaningful community change.

The spirit of achievement was on full display last Thursday when 60 graduates gathered at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston for a closing-out ceremony.

Joseph Matalon, MYF chairman, lauded the graduates for their determination and growth, noting that their success stood as a beacon of hope for young Jamaicans facing difficult realities.

"Across Jamaica, in too many underserved schools and communities, our young people are striving to succeed in circumstances that most of us can scarcely imagine; where opportunity is limited, resources are scarce, and hope can too easily fade," he said.

Matalon praised the project for surpassing its goals by addressing the multidimensional challenges confronting at-risk youth.

"When we combine literacy instruction, life and employability skills, mentorship, and cognitive behavioural therapy, we create a foundation that transforms not just individual lives but families, schools, and entire communities. That is precisely what the EU BRIDGE Project set out to do, and it has delivered beyond expectations," he said.

As he addressed the young men and women who benefited directly from the programme, Matalon urged them to hold fast to the lessons learned and to continue shaping positive change in their own communities.

"You are the heart of this story. Your courage to learn, to change, and to lead is what gives this project its meaning. You have shown that the trajectory of a life, and indeed of a nation, can be changed through the power of opportunity and belief," he said.