By Gerald V. Paul

Dwight Drummond. Rings a bell, like excellent TV personality?
Well, his success is thanks in part to Lance Williams and his precious work in the community with our beloved young people, be it Jane and Finch or Malvern, who worked with the television reporter as a youth.

Williams, who has been working with youth for the last 30 years, is now running the Malvern Youth Employment Programme (MYCEP), whose maxim is “great victories are won when ordinary people execute their assigned tasks.”

MYCEP recently held a graduation program, but the next step is up to employers everywhere. The program is seeking to place graduates in jobs for 12-16 weeks.

MYCEP’s Administrator Jamaica-born Williams told The Camera at the graduation ceremony, “Our focus is on youth unemployment and how the business sector can play a role of mentorship as they provide job opportunities.”

First, with an intensive four-week training, the dedicated young people, as many as 75- 80 and this year with a 83 per cent success rate in life-skills, hands-on workshop training, counseling, and the foundational know-how can present themselves to employers as real assets in the business world. Other students will move on to higher level of studies.

A compassionate Williams stressed, “If we don’t help our beloved young people, who will? I am doing this as a work of faith and labour of love because I believe in it and it’s a joy to see our young people on the positive side of life.

“I pray and hope that when all is said and done I would have left an indelible imprint with all those I have poured my life into. I don’t look for glory,” Williams said.

Williams is calling on the employers to put themselves in the youths’ shoes. “What would you do?

“Let’s build a stronger and better community starting in our homes, places of worship, and schools,” Williams said.

Speaking to the young graduates at the MYCEP event were Federal NDP MP Rathika Sitsabaiesan and The Camera’s Anthony Joseph, who said the newspaper had hired a MYCEP graduate in the past and was pleased with the performance.

If you would like to employ one of the graduates, Williams can be contacted at 416-523-4698.