Tevin Shepherd: A Proud Saint Lucian Youth Leader

Earlier this week it was announced that Tevin Shepherd is one of 60 young people from across the Commonwealth who are being recognized as exceptional leaders in their community. These 60 young people will receive the prestigious Queen’s Young Leaders Award which will be presented in London by Her Majesty the Queen in 2016, and is part of The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme. This programme celebrates the achievements of young people who are taking the lead to transform the lives of others and make a lasting difference in their communities.

Tevin is a youth development worker. He co-founded an organisation called ProjectCan, which engages young people in education, entrepreneurship and leadership. Since 2012 Tevin has been the second Vice President for Education of the St. Lucia National Youth Council. In 2013 he began working to revive student councils into all secondary schools. The council also implemented the Lucian Leaders Summit, which has trained over 300 students in leadership skills. Tevin’s commitment to access to education led him to create the Hon. Mario NYC Fund which provides scholarships to students.

This year’s award winners, aged between 18 and 29 and who come from all over the Commonwealth, are working to support others, raise awareness and inspire change on a variety of different issues including education, climate change, gender equality, mental health and disability equality.

As part of the award, winners will receive bespoke mentoring and online learning provided by the University of Cambridge. Award winners will attend a week-long residential programme in the UK in June, when they will receive their award at Buckingham Palace from Her Majesty The Queen.

Tevin Shepherd, aged 22, has been selected in recognition of his work highlighting life-changing opportunities for young people.

“ProjectCan aims to engage young people in education, entrepreneurship and leadership. Since 2013 we have introduced student councils into secondary schools, and numbers have risen from 10% to 80%. And now I am so excited to be a part of the Queen’s Young Leadership Programme but more importantly I am honoured to serve the young people of Saint Lucia,” Shepherd says.

The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme was established in 2014 by The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust in partnership with Comic Relief and the Royal Commonwealth Society in recognition of the Queen’s lifetime of service to the Commonwealth. Over the next three years the programme will support thousands of
young people to achieve their goals.

“Once again 60 incredible young people from around the Commonwealth have shown strength, leadership, empathy and drive. Some of our winners are just embarking on their leadership journey and others are more established. Either way, we recognise not only what these amazing young people have achieved, but also their potential in changing people’s lives for the better in the countries and communities in which they live,” Dr Astrid Bonfield, Chief Executive of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust said.