LONDON, Nov 10 2016 – Manuela Lue (Belize), has been named Commonwealth Youth Worker of the Year for the Caribbean and Americas.
Lue is the director of the Energy for Life programme, which mentors and tutors under-privileged Belizean youth in handicraft production, connecting them with their culture and enabling them to earn a living.
“Youth workers do an extremely important job which is moulding the minds and shaping the hearts of all these young people,” Lue said.
“It is very important as there’s a lot of work that goes into making these young people productive and responsible citizens. I hope to go back with more ideas about how to grow the programme and how to make it bigger and better.”
The Commonwealth Youth Worker Awards were announced during Youth Work Week 2016, which runs from 7-13 November.
The theme of the week this year is ‘Empowering young people through sport and arts’, acknowledging the creative and innovative techniques employed by youth workers to deliver effective youth empowerment programmes.
