Legally formed in 1978, Partners; the Trinidad Chapter has made an indelible
contribution and impact as a nongovernmental organisation in Trinidad. The
Trinidad Chapter aims and strives to maintain and pursue the mission of the entire
Partners of the Americas network, which is to connect individuals, volunteers,
institutions, businesses, and communities to serve and to change lives through
lasting partnerships. The Trinidad Chapter, is remains abreast of all the work that Partners is undertaking
and partakes in as many initiatives as possible. The Youth Ambassador
Programmme (also referred to as YA), is a US State Department sponsored cultural
exchange programmme bringing together youth from diverse communities across
the Americas and is geared towards students ages 15-18. The aim is to build an
understanding among countries, increasing leadership skills, and preparing them to
be positive agents of change through volunteer service. As part of participation in this programme, thirteen Trinbagonian Youth visited
Washington D.C. and Maine on a three week exchange in 2012. During this
programme, participants were able to engage in several activities inclusive of visiting
several world renowned attractions. Key amongst these was The Capitol, which
looks over D.C., and several monuments including the Thomas Jefferson, Abraham
Lincoln and Martin Luther King memorials. Partners of The Americas also works closely and in cohesion with other local and
regional organisations and NGOs that are geared towards positively impacting and
changing lives. This is inclusive of the United Nations Development Programme’s
Youth-In Initiative, which is a Caribbean Network for Youth Development that
encompasses Project Initiatives for Youth including Volunteerism, Entrepreneurship,
Cultural and Artistic Development, Communications, Governance, Regional
Integration, Monitoring & Evaluation and Programme Management. Another organisation which Partners of the Americas; The Trinidad Chapter works
with closely, is the NGO Vision on Mission, which is also a part of the Partners of
The Americas Network. Vision on Mission is an organisation which is dedicated
to the successful reintegration and resettlement of ex-prisoners, deportees and
juveniles through the philosophy of Restorative Justice. In addition to promoting the
general principles on which Partners of the Americas stands, Vision on Mission’s
Founder, CEO and Executive President, Mr. Wayne Chance is the current President
of the Partners of the Americas Trinidad Chapter and the secretary of the Board
of Partners of the Americas. During his tenure as a member of the Trinidad –
Mississippi Partners, he has helped execute the US Department of State's Youth
Ambassadors program and has worked as the chapters' Director of Public Relations. Directly preceding Mr. Chance’s role as President of the Trinidad Chapter was Mr. William Latchman, who before his untimely death was also the President of the
Board of Directors of Vision on Mission.
