The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is placing renewed emphasis on youth inclusion, mental health, and emotional well-being as critical pillars of national development, acknowledging that social stability and economic progress are closely tied to how young people are supported, heard, and protected.
The issue was brought into sharp focus during a recent discussion on youth empowerment, where senior youth development officials underscored the need for policies and programmes that respond not only to education and employment, but also to the psychological and social realities facing young people today.
Director of Youth Empowerment, Clive Saunders, said that meaningful inclusion requires more than participation in programmes. He advanced that it demands that young people feel seen, supported, and equipped to navigate increasingly complex pressures.
“Youth development cannot be reduced to activities and events,” Saunders said. “If we are serious about empowering young people, we must address mental health, self-worth, and belonging as part of the development equation. A young person who feels excluded or unheard is far more vulnerable to negative outcomes.”
Saunders noted that issues such as anxiety, depression, social isolation, and exposure to violence are increasingly affecting youth, making mental health support a national priority rather than a peripheral concern. He stressed that the government’s approach is shifting toward prevention, early intervention, and safe spaces where young people can speak openly without fear of stigma.
Youth Officer Sharon Richards echoed that sentiment, emphasising that inclusion must extend to young people who traditionally fall outside formal systems, including those not engaged in school, employment, or organised youth groups.
“We cannot focus only on the high achievers or the most visible young people,” Richards said. “True inclusion means reaching those who are struggling quietly – young people dealing with trauma, low confidence, or social marginalisation. Mental well-being is foundational to everything else we expect from them.”
Richards added that frontline youth officers are increasingly encountering young people grappling with emotional stress linked to family instability, economic uncertainty, and social pressures, highlighting the importance of coordinated support between schools, communities, health services, and youth organisations.
Both officials stressed that addressing youth mental health is also a crime prevention and social resilience strategy, noting that when young people feel supported and valued, they are more likely to engage positively with their communities and contribute productively to society.
As the government continues to refine its youth empowerment framework, officials say mental health and inclusion will remain central to programme design, policy development, and inter-agency collaboration, signalling a more holistic approach to shaping the nation’s future.
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