Talented and shy urged to join youth exchange

(CNS): Young people from the Cayman Islands with a talent for writing, dancing, singing and art that or still a little reticent to show-off their talents  are being urged to sign up for the upcoming Africa Caribbean Development Foundation’s (ACDF) youth exchange which is being organised by the local Barbados consulate. Joining up with the ACDF and New Urban Collective (NUC) Holland the triangular exchange starts in October this year and a group of ten young adults aged 16-25 from each country will spend ten days together in the UK and Holland.

During the trips they will embark on a series of performing arts workshops aided by various professional artistes. At the end of their programme in both the UK and Holland the group will perform to a live audience in each country. The final leg of the exchange will take place in the Cayman Islands with a series of workshops and a final live showcase in and around March 2015.

To be considered for selection, applicants must be between the ages of 16-25 and have not performed professionally. They must write a letter to the Consulate of Barbados stating their talent and the reason they believe they should be selected. All applications will be reviewed by a panel and the shortlisted persons will be asked to a short audition. 

The project aims to bring a group of young people from the UK, Holland and the Cayman Islands with the sole objective to use arts and performing arts as a tool for building individual participants confidence whilst at the same establishing friendships and building bridges for young people across three countries within the context of our global village.

It is based largely on the success of the working methods of ACDF “Getfamilyar project” and the formula used in changing the lives of young people for better alternatives, to allow their talent to be the route to actively participate productively in their communities and in the contexts of the global village.

Getfamilyar is an artistic youth training and confidence building developmental program. It is an integral strategic approach by ACDF in engaging young people and facilitating their community involvement through the provision of training and performing arts opportunities for them to occupy their spare time productively and creatively. It brings together up and coming young artistes from several artistic disciplines and provides the platform for them to develop and gain confidence in performing to live audiences whilst perfecting their skills and establishing a local permanent avenue to showcase their talent.

Organisers said that Getfamilyar has an invaluable proven track record, which has won several awards and propelled many past participants to stardom in the UK.Aml Ameen who starred in the movie The Butler as Forest Whittaker’s character as a young Cecil Gaines, is an active member of the organising team for ACDF.