United Youth Leaders of Barbados

Christa founded the United Youth Leaders of Barbados (UYLB) because young people can change their communities for the better, but often lack the necessary skills to implement their ideas. Barbados has struggled with the issue of youth unemployment, with the current figure standing at 29% in light of the pandemic. Christa started the project 15 years ago but has since established a structure to ensure that young adults continue to run the UYLB, with the older cohort including herself acting in a more supervisory role.
Attending the 2019 One Young World Summit in London helped Christa step out of her comfort zone. As a solution-driven person, being part of the One Young World Community has allowed Christa to see herself as part of a bigger change, and her work has expanded beyond the immediate circle of the UYLB. She sits on the board of an industrial school for young offenders, helping to implement institutional changes from a young person's perspective, and has collaborated with other One Young World Ambassadors. Many of the UYLB’s webinars focus on mental health, integrating Christa’s psychology background, while the initiative also focuses on providing young people with practical entrepreneurial skills.
The UYLB organises an annual retreat, with 202 participants attending since 2016. The retreat always includes a project which generates real impact, and many participants go on to start their own organisations and work in the community after leaving the UYLB. Christa’s goal has been to turn young people into engaged citizens and the UYLB has organised workshops on a range of topics related to this, including C.V. writing, volunteering, and civic engagement.
"After the One Young World Summit I stayed in contact with other Ambassadors from the region. But I also gained knowledge and heard the stories and found new ways of doing things. Before One Young World, I would have stayed in my lane, now I see myself as part of a bigger change"