There is help for Bermuda?s youth who find themselves faced with overwhelming challenges in today?s society thanks to Community Education and Development Programmes.

These programmes have become so successful in the last few years that thanks to word-of-mouth they?re almost always fully-booked.

The executive officer of the Community Education and Development Programme, Patricia Chapman, highlighted the three programmes offered by her department at the Hamilton Rotary Club this week.

The three programmes include the Hands-on Youth Programme, the 21st Century Life Skills Programme and the Motivational Leadership Development programme.

Ms Chapman said the three programmes, which were free of charge, required full parental support, attendance and a positive attitude, time and commitment.

?Parents sometimes have to drag their children to the programmes, but after a while they come willingly and even bring their friends,? she said.

She said they currently had some 35 youngsters enrolled in the programmes which lasted anywhere up to six months.

?We have to turn a lot of kids away because a lot of them decide to repeat the programme or bring their friends to join,? she said.

?We provide opportunities and exposure for young adults to participate to empower and express themselves in a variety of ways and for others, a second chance to explore and be exposed to new people, places and things that they would not otherwise had the opportunity to do so,? she said.

But most of all she said, they simply listened while the youngsters talked.

Ms Chapman said special emphasis was placed on opportunities for further education, personal growth and development, identifying their economic and social value within the community and society as a whole and the community involvement and participation.

?Young adults who take full advantage of any one of these three community outreach programmes are taught principles and values of money management, conflict and anger management, drug awareness, social etiquette, effective communication, sex education, time management, business operations, social and economic principles all of varied interest and ability levels to foster character building, citizenship, leadership and survivor skills,? she said.

Ms Chapman said the primary purpose of the programmes was to develop the whole person by providing stimulating and practical broad based activities, programmes, exposure and opportunities that offer meaningful, life long experiences based on a combination of traditional and modern day values.

?We want to enlighten, encourage and foster the development of young adults by providing a vehicle of delivery to enhance their well-being for the future as productive citizens,? she said.

She added that they provided support for young adults trying to adapt to today?s rapidly changing society and helped them develop a sense of internal self-efficacy, motivation, confidence, pride and citizenship.

?Today?s new and up coming generation of young Bermudians are labelled and referred to as being disenfranchised. They are definitely a new breed of a new era,? she said.

She said today?s young adults wanted to be seen and heard and she found that it was in everyone?s best interest to engage them in the decision making process as it directly impacts them in both the short and long term social and economic growth and development of Bermuda?s well being and stability.

?I urge all of us to think outside of the box and be more embracing and proactive towards the growth and development of our youth,? she said.