Joey Issa Celebrates Citizen Ambassadors, Says They Can Make a Difference

Normally, Joey Issa needs no excuse to celebrate, having done so continually throughout his life, from academic to entrepreneurial successes. So when a Jamaican excels in any field, he has one more reason to celebrate.

Such is the case, as Esther Pinnock returns to Jamaica after making significant strides through a professional and educational exchange in the United States under the Atlas Corps programme, having served as a fellow with primary responsibility for communications engagement. She represented Jamaica as a Citizen Ambassador, according to an article in the Observer. 

“This spells good news for Jamaica. We need more young people undergoing such exchanges and becoming citizen ambassadors, with strengthened ability to positively impact other young people. I welcome the initiative; it should make a difference in increasing awareness and promoting responsibility among the youth,” says Issa who, through his Global Education 2000 initiative has successfully arranged exchanges between Jamaican and US schools.

 

Pinnock, one of 22 participants from various countries, including Tunisia, Pakistan and El Salvador, is said to have “demonstrated Jamaica’s prowess in leadership and provided invaluable services to the Atlas Corps Team.”

The Atlas Corps Fellowship enables young leaders to strengthen their leadership skills through numerous training opportunities. It offers the young leaders an opportunity to represent their country as citizen ambassadors, to share information about their culture and promote their country. This would have given Pinnock the chance to correct some of the stereotypes about Jamaicans.

She now wants “to effect change in Jamaica through the planned, peaceful and knowledge-driven expression of discontent and use her sharpened skill sets to engage and encourage Jamaica’s youth to lift their voices in support of positive change within their community and more broadly across the island…She believes that citizens must become more involved in nation-building and be more aware of their government’s roles/responsibilities and their own rights,” the article quoted her as saying.

Following the training, Pinnock is now part of a strong, global network and the US State Department Exchange Alumni, which can be leveraged to further local and regional development. “I can now execute my vision of empowering more Jamaican youth to become active citizens to contribute to the strengthening of civil society in Jamaica,” Pinnock said.

The St Jago High and Carimac graduate served as executive director for three-and-a-half years at the Citizens Advice Bureau prior to participating in the Atlas Corps programme. “As the youngest individual to hold this position, she had primary responsibility for ensuring that Jamaicans had access to information and resources, which empowered and raised awareness on the citizenry’s rights and responsibilities,” the article said.

“Atlas Service Corps, which started in 2006, is an international network of non-profit leaders and organisations that promote innovation, co-operation, and solutions to address the world’s 21st-century challenges,” it said, stating that “the programme’s mission is to address critical social issues by developing leaders, strengthening organisations and promoting innovation through an overseas fellowship of skilled, non-profit professionals.”