About YouthAdvance Corps
The Barbados YouthADVANCE Corps (BYAC) is one of three main positive development youth services in the Division of Youth Affairs of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment. BYAC is a two-year developmental training programme for males and females ages 16 to 20 years old.
The Programme
First Year – Residential Training (10 weeks) and technical and vocational training.
Second Year – Job attachments, apprenticeships and internships as well as participation in community service and national projects.
The acronym ADVANCE in the Barbados YouthADVANCE Corps means:
- A – Adventure
- D – Discipline
- V – Values
- A – Acumen
- N – New Skills
- C – Charity
- E – Empowerment
Objectives
- Provision to be made for skills training and engendering of lifelong education in a disciplined and organised environment;
- Alignment to the 3-pronged national first-job initiative;
- Development of a national workforce that is futureproofed, well-trained and fit for purpose to thrive in the increasing ideas and digitally driven Barbadian and global economies;
- Continuance of the learning process, exposing individual participants to rigorous but exciting and rewarding experiences;
- Leverage the natural inclination of post-millennials to support matters of social good and social justice, reinforcing citizenship and responsibilities to put others and country above self;
- Establishment of a pool of persons on which Barbados can draw for national events and low-risk, post-emergency situations;
- Preparation of each participant so that she/he becomes a more employable and productive member of society.
Training Includes:
- Adventure Training and Team Building.
- Basic First Aid.
- Conflict Resolution.
- Communication Skills.
- Discipline which includes
- Basic foot drill;
- Leadership development;
- Dress and deportment;
- Disaster Preparedness and Response;
- Academic Training
- Navigation and outdoor survival
- Physical Training
- Personal Administration in Barracks
- National Emblems, Civics and Law of Barbados
- Personal Financial Management and Budgeting
- Care for the Environment
- Ethics and Morality
- Farming
- Sex Education
- Substance Abuse
- Creativity: Art and Craft, Performing Arts
- Culinary Arts
- Sports
- Vocational Counselling and Assessment
- Swimming
- Training Opportunities with the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology, Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity, Barbados Community College and the Barbados Vocational Training Board
To Enroll
Applicants must complete the prescribed Barbados YouthADVANCE Corps application form and return it with the requested additional documents e.g. reference forms, identification, and Health Assessment form.
Forms may be completed online or can be collected from:
✔ BarbadosYouthADVANCE Corps. Office at #33 Warrens Industrial Park, Warrens, St. Michael
✔ Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall, St. Michael
For more information email us at BYAC@barbados.gov.bb or Call +1246535-0180 / +1246535-0184