Spearheaded for Youth by Youth
. The target group are children who attend schools in communities that are classified by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) as being ?marginalized and at risk? or who live in communities that are considered to be? at risk? especially from crime and violence.. These children fall in the 11-15 age cohort and are in grades 6-9 in the All-Age schools in Jamaica. . The NGO depends upon a core team of volunteers to achieve its mandate. Types of interventions include but are not limited to, leadership training with student representative such as the class monitors, the student council body and prefects. Additionally, behaviour modification training is conducted with at risk children and with follow-up mentoring. YMCJ also provides development assistance to school teachers for example, in response to the low grades that are being achieved by students in Mathematics, training sessions have been provided for Mathematics teachers. YMCJ also allows the children and their schools access to their networks to solve problems some of their problems.. For example, they are currently organizing an cultural exchange programme for the students with an international partner by utilizing Skype technology.

YMCJ is now seeking to engender civic responsibility by strengthening strengthening the children?s knowledge about the environment and engaging them in hands-on sustainable development practices. Towards this end, the YMCJ conceptualized a climate change project project that focuses on renewable energy.


The use and reliance of fossil fuels results in copious green house gases (GHGs) emissions which result in climate change and rising sea levels. Jamaica has an obligation to reduce these emissions and report periodically on their emissions and removal of GHGs not controlled by the Montreal Protocol. In addition, the increasing costs to import fuels are significant. The project proposes that the Waste oil be disposed safely and converted to biodiesel in order to encourage alternative fuels. The Vision 2030 National Development Plan portrays youth to be the main victims of criminal acts leading to less enthusiasm to learn at school, lower use of creativity, and less employment opportunities. The project seeks to address these issues by ensuring awareness of the approach, thereby increasing student engagement and responsibility towards the environment.

Organisational Background
The Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica (YCWJ) is a registered non-governmental organization (NGO) with the Companies Office of Jamaica since February 2011, and in operation since 2004. The organization has been developing youth-led and targeted initiatives to address issues of healthy lifestyles, positive life choices, self-esteem development, civic responsibility, while generating employment and alternative livelihoods. This is encapsulated in the ideology of ?individual, community and nation?. The YCWJ also promotes positive environmental stewardship, and in this regard sees the conversion of waste oil to biofuel as part an important of this mandate. Importantly, this project will lead to the training and employment of community members in skilled and semi-skilled means of sustaining themselves.