UTC partners with Heroes Foundation

The ceremony for the mentors known as “Bigs” and the mentees called “Littles”, took place recently at the UTC’s head office in Port-of-Spain and marked the culmination of the Corpora- tion’s second year of participation in the Heroes’ Corporate Workplace Mentoring Programme.

Heroes Foundation is a non-profit organization that was established in Trinidad and Tobago in 2002 with the aim of creating an avenue to meet the developmental needs of the youths by encouraging them to foster positive behaviors that would improve and build relationships in their homes and communities.

Philip Julien, Founder and Chairman of the TT Heroes Foundation spoke of the value of mentorship, stressing its importance to the development of our youth which should never be underestimated.

He noted that the continued corporate sector’s participation in the mentorship program was a positive response to meeting the needs of the students and urged more companies to get on board and realize the benefits of mentorship as it impacts both employees and students.

Ian Chinapoo, Executive Director of the UTC commended the UTC “Bigs” for their commitment as they gave of their time, which was not easy given their hectic schedules. Chinapoo said the mentorship programme offered an opportunity for both “Bigs” and “Littles” to share ideas, to engage and to see different perspectives “but the ability to learn from each other was crucial for the programme to work.” “It allowed us,” he told his audience comprising the Little’s parents and caregivers as well as members of the UTC executive leadership team, “to have a deeper appreciation of the challenges faced by our young people: drugs, peer pressures, the value of a sound education and what tools you need to survive as a young person in today’s world.” The Executive Director also reaffirmed the UTC’s commitment to the Big Brother, Big Sister program in 2018 with Woodbrook Secondary School, saying the UTC wanted to continue to make a positive contribution in lives of the students.

An emotional Bettina Harper, Case Officer at Heroes Foundation, stated how overwhelmed she was at the remarkable change she witnessed during the programme and commended the UTC for its participation.

Harper heaped praise on the mentees and gave an insight into the progress made by each one