About/Terms of Reference

Overview

 The Youth Justice Councillor programme aims to facilitate and promote youth development and empowerment on a number of fronts. Firstly, it seeks to cater to those youth who may not have any connection or familiarity with those classes of persons normally entrusted with authentication of documents and making of recommendations (e.g.; Justices of the Peace, Notaries Public, Ministers of Religion, School Principals, Police Officers, Medical Doctors, Members of Parliament, Parish Councillors, etc.) so that more youth will have more ready access to bettering themselves. Secondly, the programme seeks to promulgate positive ways of settling disputes and conflicts and remedy maladjusted behaviour and other behavioural problems. Thirdly, the programme seeks to promote young engagement and attachment by connecting them with the Youth Innovation Centres and Parish Youth Councils, supporting youth clubs and recognizing youth who have done well. Fourthly, the programme seeks to involve Youth Justice Councillors, if they so desire, at the end of their tenure, in advocating for good governance and good policy development to create a better environment for youth and all Jamaicans to achieve their best selves.

Background and Rationale

In January 2022, the Commissioner of the Ranger Cadet Combined Corps (RCC), through the St. Mary Parish Youth Council (SMPYC), sought to initiate a Youth Justice of the Peace Programme project, and wrote a proposal to the Youth Empowerment Officer and Custos Rotulorum of St. Mary. Through this programme, young people aged 16-27 would be trained, partnered with 2-3 JPs in their communities, and appointed as Youth Justices for a period of two years to:

1)      recommend young people to Justices of the Peace so that the JPs could in turn recommend them for jobs, authenticate documents, etc.;

2)  facilitate and host Conflict Resolution workshops/sessions in youth clubs, schools and with groups of parents;  

3)  maintain a contact list of police officers, Ministers of Religion, JPs and respected community figures to assist in mediating in conflicts and settling disputes in communities to quell violence; and

4)      advise youth of the services of the Youth Innovation Centre and St. Mary Parish Youth Council, and in turn, inform the Youth Empowerment Officer (YEO) and SMPYC of issues facing youth clubs and youth that they have engaged.

In addition, Youth Justices could collaborate amongst each other and with the PYC to carry out projects on behalf of youth.

The thought behind all of this was that many young people were not able to access the services of JPs nor pastors for recommendations and referrals because many youth (and even many JPs) are not very much involved in community life. In addition, some youth are not involved in school life and so are not known very much by their Principals. By using young people who are more likely to know them, the programme was aimed at filling in this gap and allowing youth who are partnered with two or three JPs in their area to connect the youth with the JPs. In order to facilitate peace and dispute resolution, Youth Justices/Youth JPs were also given the function in the proposal to host regular conflict resolution workshops and to enlist assistance from respected offices in settling disputes. Another rationale for the programme was for youth to assist in helping to disseminate information about youth opportunities, especially the benefits with connecting with the YIC and PYC. The programme did not go off as planned, as some chief actors in the Ministry of Justice declined to discuss and promote the programme.

Seeing such a programme as being beneficial to the nation’s youth, and being concerned about the lag in the process, and being additionally concerned with seemingly punitive and petty denials of Justice of the Peace applications by some Custodes, the Commissioner of the RCC revamped the programme and with the consent of the RCC Corps Command and permission of the members of the RCC, adopted the programme, renamed the ‘Youth Justice Corps’ or ‘Youth Facilitation Corps’, under Article 19 (now Article 20) of the Constitution of the Ranger Cadet Combined Corps:

Article 19 – Youth Justice Corps/Youth Facilitators Corps

19.1  There shall be an independent arm of the RCC, the Youth Justice Corps, or alternatively the Youth Facilitators Corps, which shall be under the authority of an elected Chairman Custodian, who shall report to and be advised by the Commissioner or Commanding Officer of the RCC as the case may be.

19.2  Members of the Youth Justice Corps/Youth Facilitators Corps shall be elected by youth, that is to say, Jamaican citizens of age 13-29 or age 13-34 as the RCC Corps Command in consultation with the Youth Justice Corps/Youth Facilitators Corps shall decide. Elected youth shall then pass an approved course before appointment as Youth Justice Councillors/Youth Development Facilitators, such course to include Recruits and Star One basic training, Dispute and Conflict Resolution, and other training approved by RCC Corps Command and any other body with which it seeks to collaborate in a Selection and Training Committee.

19.3  Elected candidates who have passed the approved course and are appointed as Youth Justice Councillors on the signatures of two Justices of the Peace shall be entitled to the post-nominals ‘YJP Cllr (RCC)’, and shall be responsible to, among other things:

a)   authenticate documents and make recommendations for youth and other residents in their communities as far as Ministers of Religion are entitled to do.

b)   coach and counsel youth as far as they are capable and make recommendations to a parish YEO, and school counsellors as is necessary, for further referrals in cases that exceed their capabilities.

c)   liaise with and mobilize/organize Justices of the Peace and Ministers of Religion in settling conflicts and disputes in the community/area.

d)   visit youth clubs in their communities/areas and connect them to the SDC, Parish Youth Councils and Youth Empowerment Officer(s).

e)   maintain communication with schools, falling in students with behavioural problems in ‘boot camp’ paramilitary training supported by RCC, and pairing them with guidance counsellors and mentors, i.e., after obtaining permission from both school authorities and parents/guardians and alerting the police.

f) organize youth from communities in “posse councils” numbering 8 to 23 individuals to discuss, brainstorm and put forward recommendations to address youth issues and/or community or national development.

g)   carry out a youth-development or community-development project in collaboration with other Youth Justice Councillors/Youth Development Facilitators, liaising with Parish Development Committees, Members of Parliament, Councillors, and Custodes Rotulorum.

h)   collaborate with the other Youth Justice Corps/Youth Facilitators Corps members to host an annual/biennial national ceremony to award deserving youth who have excelled in notable areas, but have never received any awards, commemorations, nor recognition from any other entity or on any forum.

i) vote for one amongst themselves to become Chairman Custodian.

19.4  Youth Justice Councillors shall be appointed for a term of two years or three years at the pleasure of the Selection and Training Committee.

19.5  Corps Command shall reserve the right to, either by itself in its own name, or in collaboration with other approved entities, advertise for, interview, shortlist and train interested candidates as a Selection and Training Committee for the Youth Justice Corps/Facilitators Corps.

19.6  Except for the functions of the Commissioner or Commanding Officer of the Corps guiding, advising and receiving the reports of the Chairman Custodian of the Youth Justice Corps/Youth Facilitators Corps, or the functions of RCC Corps Command acting as a Selection and Training Committee for a new batch of applicants and candidates to the Youth Justice Corps, as well as supporting the body of Youth Justice Corps with organizing an annual youth awards, or the functions of the RCC supporting individual Youth Justices in paramilitary training for behavioural modification workshops/camps/courses, neither the RCC nor its Corps Command nor any of its Officers and members shall interfere with nor be liable for the operations, administration, discipline, or goings-on of the Youth Justice Corps.

19.7  The Youth Justice Corps/Youth Facilitators Corps shall be organized under its own rules subject to these rules.

Since statistics show that young men aged 15-25 are most likely to be involved in criminal and violent activities, it makes sense to address the issue of crime by addressing its main causes, which according to sociology, include: lack of connection and engagement with society, lack of emotional management and communication skills, and a sense of poverty and hopelessness. By promoting positive ways of setting differences and managing emotions (via conflict resolution skills, behavioural intervention, and mediation), positive ways of engaging with society and redirecting youthful energy (via youth clubs and entrepreneurship), and sustainable ways of becoming financially secure (via financial education), we seek to develop the capacity of our youth to be successful while reducing the likelihood of violent criminal behaviour. By recognizing the progress and achievements of unrecognized youth, we seek to facilitate the development of personal ambition.

Objectives

The programme seeks to empower youth to be agents of positive change and catalysts for both national and personal development.

More specifically, it aims to train and place a cohort of youth to volunteer in their communities/ divisions/areas to create more access for young people to enter the formal economy and to positively engage with society by carrying out the functions described under paragraph/item 6: Scope of Work.

Selection Criteria

In order to be considered for the programme, a youth candidate must:

a)      be between 16-29 years of age.

b)      be a member of a youth club/community-based youth organization/national youth-led organization.

c)      submit three (3) character references, with one being from a youth club executive, and the other two being from the following category of persons: Justice of the Peace, Minister of Religion, Deacon/Elder, School Principal, Attorney-at-Law, Police Officer at the rank of Corporal and above, Military Officer, Cadet Officer, Employer/Supervisor, Elected Representative (MP or Councillor), Form Teacher, Head Librarian of library of which candidate is a member, Parish Youth Council Executive, Student Council Executive, or President of another Youth Club of which the candidate is also a member.

d)     submit ten (10) nominations from youth aged 13-34 years of age with copies of the nominators’ birth certificates (at least 70% or 7/10 of the nominators must be from the 13-29 years age group).

e)      submit an application form and short bio.

After the Selection & Training Committee receives the above information, they will interview each candidate to determine suitability to run for the office of Youth Justice Councillor.

Those who are selected to go forward will be instructed to record a 1-2 minute introductory video, which will be posted along with the bio on social media pages. Social media users will be asked to vote electronically for the candidates of their choice.

The candidates who received the most votes in their communities/divisions and those who received at least 85% of the total number of votes as those who received the most votes in their communities/divisions will be the candidates who move forward to be trained as Youth Justice Councillors. (Candidates who received 70-84% votes of those who received the highest votes, though they will not be selected to move on to the training course, will be shortlisted for awards at the annual youth awards. The same will apply to those who were approved to move on to the training course, and received a course grade of 56-79%)

Successfully elected candidates must obtain a pass mark of at least 80% in the training courses (at least 60% in the paramilitary component) in order to be appointed as Youth Justice Councillors.

After appointment, the Youth Justice Councillors shall discuss and vote amongst themselves to elect a Chairman Custodian, who shall chair all meetings of the Youth Justice Councillors and report to the Commissioner of the RCC, and to all parish Youth Empowerment Officers (YEOs) as to the status and works of the Youth Justice Councillors.

Tenure of Office/Engagement

The tenure of office is normally 2 years.

However, the Commissioner of the RCC, after consultation with the Chairman Custodian of the Youth Justice Councillors, with the permission of the Selection & Training Committee, may extend the tenure by 1 year to allow the YJ Cllrs to complete and wrap up projects, thus making the tenure of office either 2 or 3 years. 

Scope of Work

Youth Justice Councillors will be responsible for:

a)      Verifying and attesting to documents and writing recommendations as far as Ministers of Religion are permitted/required to do.

b)      Assisting youth with life problems through life coaching or spiritual counselling, referring other cases of a counselling nature to YEOs and school counsellors for further referral.

c)      Planning and hosting at least two Conflict Resolution sessions per month with youth clubs, or in schools, or with groups of parents (or a minimum of one session monthly in limiting circumstances, such circumstance explained to the Chairman Custodian).

d)     Planning and executing a schedule of visiting youth clubs in the community/area, with the purpose of:

                                i.            supporting and being involved in their activities from time to time.

                              ii.            informing them about benefits they can get through the parish Youth Innovation Centre and Parish Youth Council.

                            iii.            conducting financial literacy and/or entrepreneurship sessions (at least once a quarter – every three months).

                            iv.            advising the Youth Empowerment Officer, Parish Youth Council and Social Development Commission of the needs of the youth club and community.

e)      Maintaining a contact list of Justices of Peace, Ministers of Religion, and other influential and respected members of the community, mobilizing them to form a mediation panel of at least two persons to help settle disputes as they arise.

f)       Liaising with the Guidance Counsellors, Deans of Discipline and Prefect bodies of schools to identify high school and upper-primary school (Grades 5-6) students with behavioural problems, especially those who stand the risk of being expelled, and with the permission of the school and parents, after consultation with the police, RCC and parish YEO, plan paramilitary behaviour modification camps or workshops, ensuring collaboration with the YEO, JCF Community Safety & Security Branch (CSSB) and HEART NSTA for mentors to assist the process.

g)      Collaborating with other Youth Justice Councillors, MPs, Parish Cllrs, Custodes, JPs, business persons, the PYC, and other stakeholders to identify, plan and execute annual parish or constituency development projects.

h)      Under the supervision of the Chairman Custodian and the Selection & Training Committee, working with all the other Youth Justice Councillors, plan and execute a national biennial youth awards for unrecognized youth who have excelled or achieved in their fields/endeavours.

i)      Selecting 8-23 youth in communities to form “posse councils” to solve problems.

j)      Reporting on their monthly activities to the Chairman Custodian elected amongst themselves.

Depending on the number of YJ Cllrs  who applied and were elected successfully and passed the training courses to be appointed, YJ Cllrs  may be placed to work in each community in Jamaica. However, if there are not sufficient so that there are at least one or two YJ Cllrs in each community, YJ Cllrs will be placed either in electoral divisions as they are divided for local government elections, or they may be placed in development areas, as in the SDC’s zoning of communities in Development Area Committees (DACs) which make up the Parish Development Committees.

Youth Justice Councillors, after passing their training course, will elect one of their peers as Chairman Custodian.

The Chairman Custodian will be responsible for:

a)      Chairing quarterly meetings of the Youth Justice Councillors.

b)      Chairing monthly meetings of the Parish Representatives.

c)      Receiving the reports of the Youth Justice Councillors via the Parish Representatives.

d)     Reporting to the RCC Commissioner/Corps Command and all YEOs for all parishes in which there are Youth Justice Councillors.

e)      Checking up on the progress of the parish/constituency development projects.

f)       Supervising the planning of the national youth awards.

Each year, Youth Justice Councillors from each parish shall also elect a Parish Representative.

The Parish Representatives will be responsible for:

a)      Chairing monthly meetings of the Youth Justice Councillors in the parish.

b)      Receiving the reports of the Youth Justice Councillors in the parish.

c)      Reporting to the Chairman Custodian.

d)     Supervising the planning and execution of parish/constituency development projects.

Training and Development Workshops

Initial training will be delivered via 9-10 online Zoom sessions and three residential face-to-face weekend camps:

Every summer thereafter, Youth Justice Councillors may be required to attend a four-to-six-day residential camp for recap of training and sharing of experiences.

Candidates who have been successfully elected, will be trained in Dispute and Conflict Resolution, Basic Life Coaching, Child Care and Protection Act (basic summary), National Youth Policy (basic summary), RCC Basic Training (Recruit and (parts of) Star One), and Minister of Religion – Temple of the Tao of Christ and Spiritual Humanism.

Ø  The Minister of Religion training is to equip Youth Justice Councillors with the ability to certify certain documents that a Minister of Religion can. The Temple of the Tao of Christ is a synthesis of Christianity, Taoism, Sikhism, Bahai Faith, Jediism and Theosophy. It does not require its members and Ministers to change their faith nor to believe all its tenets, but merely to consider them and respond to them logically.

Ø  Spiritual Humanism is a science-based and logic-based practice that will cater to those who have no faith.

Ø  Youth will be temporarily ordained in both, and practice whatever faith they want to, if any at all, after training and ordination, so long as they live a moral life.

Entitlements

Youth Justice Councillors shall be entitled to:

1)      Be introduced by the title “Youth Justice Councillor” before their name during their tenure.

2)      The post-nominals “YJP, Cllr (RCC)” during their tenure.

3)      The right to include the role on their résumés/curriculum vitaes.

4)      Minister of Religion stamp bearing their credentials as Ministers of Religion and Youth Justice Councillors.

5)      A CPD-accredited Diploma or Associate Degree in Youth Development from ZYRETH Academy University in collaboration with ALISON.

6)      Rank equivalence of a Civilian Staff Instructor (CSI 1st Class) and honorary Potential Officer of the RCC.

7)      The right to receive military compliments by ‘bracing’ to attention from members of the RCC.

8)  To wear a pin designating their role approximating the image below:

Biennial National Youth Awards

Youth Justice Councillors, coordinated by the Chairman Custodian, will plan biennial national youth awards to recognize youth who have contributed significantly to society or who have excelled or progressed greatly within their chosen pursuits, but have not yet been recognized by a major awarding body such as Heroes Day National Awards, Governor General’s Achievement Awards, Prime Minister’s National Youth Awards for Excellence, Parish Awards, international/national sports, music, art, culture, journalism, or science awards, etc.

Youth will be given the opportunity to apply or be nominated to be awarded for a number of categories, which will be established by the Selection & Training Committee and the Chairman Custodian.

At this award ceremony, to be held near the end of/in the middle of the Youth Justice Councillors’ second year of tenure, all Youth Justice Councillors,  including the Chairman Custodian, who have carried out their duties according to the terms of reference will be presented with Certificates of Participation and Appreciation by the Selection & Training Committee. After all Youth Justice Councillors are presented to, the nominated and shortlisted youth will be presented with their awards by, and under the patronage of, the Chairman Custodian of the Youth Justice Councillors.

This award ceremony shall serve as the concluding or penultimate act of service of a current/outgoing batch/cohort of Youth Justice Councillors … unless they have been granted one year extension of tenure for any important or extenuating circumstance.

Code of Conduct

All Youth Justice Facilitators will be guided by the following:

1)      Leadership: Each YJ Cllr shall conduct him/herself at all times in a manner that promotes youth interest with dignity to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the Youth Justice Councillors programme.

Each YJ Cllr, by personal example and by admonition to colleagues whose behaviour may threaten the nobility of the Youth Justice Councillors programme, shall watchfully guard the responsibility of his/her office and the responsibilities and duties placed on him/her by the Youth Justice Councillors programme.

2)      Stewardship: All YJ Cllrs are entrusted to perform their duties with integrity.

3)      Responsibility: Each YJ Cllr shall perform his/her duties with the utmost professionalism.

4)      Inclusivity: Each YJ Cllr shall respect all cultures, ethnicities, religions, political views, gender and people of any age. No YJ Cllr shall segregate another individual based on any of these criteria stated.

5)      Confidentiality: Information shared with Youth Justice Councillors that deals with private matters are to remain confidential.

6)      Participation: Each YJ Cllr is expected to participate where necessary in events or activities and adhere to stipulated schedule and related deadlines associated with the Youth Justice Councillors programme during his/her tenure.

7)      Decorum: All YJ Cllrs shall present themselves as model youth at all times, to preserve the integrity of the programme and its status.

8)      Misuse of Office: No YJ Cllr shall take advantage of the official capacity of his/her office for personal gain or advantage, including any act beneficial to any person in whose welfare he/she has interest.

9)      Malicious Act: No YJ Cllr shall participate in any malicious act that may cause injury to either the image or property of the Ranger Cadet Combined Corps, CHRISTINE Initiative, the Temple of the Tao of Christ Ministries, or any other stakeholders of the Youth Justice Councillors programme.

10)  Bribery: No YJ Cllr shall be involved in any agreement to accept any gift, donation or token that may be considered as a bribe, threatening the Youth Justice Councillors' programme’s and the RCC’s integrity.

11)  Press/Media: No YJ Cllr shall undertake any media, press, social or speaking engagements as a representative of this body without prior approval from first, the Chairman Custodian and then either the Commissioner or Adjutant of the Ranger Cadet Combined Corps (RCC).

The Chairman Custodian may receive a mandate to speak to the press or any other audience from a meeting of the YJ Cllrs, but must first consult with the Commissioner or Adjutant of the RCC before speaking on behalf of the YJ Cllrs to any media or audience.

12)  Accountability: Each YJ Cllr shall uphold and abide by the conditions set out in the Code of Conduct, and any other related documentation from the Selection & Training Committee. Failure to do so shall lead to immediate termination of appointment.

Termination

Appointment to the Youth Justice Councillors shall be terminated in the event of:

1)      End of tenure;

2)      Resignation;

3)      Death;

4)      Migration;

5)      Dismissal on the grounds of poor/non-performance and/or breach of the Code of Conduct, as determined by the Chairman Custodian and Selection & Training Committee;

6)      Any other reason brought to the attention of the Selection & Training Committee and determined as reasonable cause for termination.

7)      Absenteeism – being absent from four consecutive meetings without reasonable excuse.

Conclusion of Tenure

All Youth Justice Councillors, after completing their tenure, will be invited to serve for a minimum of one year to assist in promoting civic awareness and financial literacy and entrepreneurship, as well as engaging in the promotion of good governance and policy-making as an honorary member of RESCYouth (Regimental Entrepreneurship Society Corps of Youth).

This aspect of the programme is significant due to the fact that real change for youth and Jamaicans in general, real improvement can only come through positive and effective laws and policies that create the framework and environment for progress.