N.C.B. ICON Lab Empowers 315 Jamaican Youth
The N.C.B ICON Lab, part of the DIA Program, bids farewell to 2021, celebrating a successful implementation and announcing its in-person re-opening in 2022.
Kingston, Jamaica – April 5th. After two years of mostly virtual facilitation, the N.C.B. ICON Lab held a hybrid event to announce the reopening of its facilities. This event recognized the successful implementation and achievements of 2021 and took the opportunity to celebrate the graduation of a group of 92 innovative Jamaican young minds, who recently completed the Lab’s 40-hour training program.
The hybrid event was hosted by Emprezz Golding, Director - N.C.B. Foundation. Leaders and representatives from the various institutions that made the Lab possible attended the event, including; Nadeen Matthews Blair, CEO of the N.C.B. Foundation, Thalia Lyn, Chair of the NCB Foundation, Donnovan Reid, Branch Manager of the N.C.B. Foundation, Linda Eddelman, CEO of The Trust for the Americas, Rodrigo Iriani, Senior Program Manager of the DIA Program, Quimey del Rio, Senior Project Officer of the DIA Program, Asburn Pinnock, President of the Mico University College, Mr. Franklyn Bennett, Director of the School of Continuing Studies at Mico University College, Mr. Kemal Brown C.E.O. of Digita Global Marketing, and the Lab´s beneficiaries and graduates.
N.C.B. ICON Lab stands for “Innovative, Creative, Outstanding, and Nationalistic.” The project offers youth (16 to 30 years old) access to technology and curricula in digital, entrepreneurship, and life skills. The Lab was developed by The Trust for the Americas through its DIA Program, with the financial support of the N.C.B. Foundation. It was implemented by The Mico University College, an organization focused on driving innovation in teaching to propel awareness about the skills of tomorrow and the future of work.
During the hybrid event, Linda Eddelman, CEO of The Trust for the Americas, commented: “It is with partners like The NCB Foundation and The Mico University College that we can provide education and opportunities to people in Jamaica. Hard work and effort do pay off; therefore, I am confident that all the skills that the participants acquired at the NCB Icon Lab will help them turn their ideas into reality. I recommend using the acquired knowledge with passion and creativity to shape the type of society in which we all want to live in.”
Nadeen Matthews Blair, CEO of N.C.B. Foundation, shared: “I would like to thank our team for working hard to support initiatives such as this Innovation Lab. These efforts help push N.C.B Foundation forward so that we can continue to really keep ourselves accountable for doing good in Jamaica; for playing a part in making our society a better place for us to live, play and work.”
With every cohort of graduates, the N.C.B. ICON Lab advances goal number 4 of The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: Quality Education. It does this by promoting a collaborative environment for the development of innovative, low-cost, and sustainable projects that would not only tackle local issues improving communities but also transform them into livelihood opportunities.
Through access to technology, training, and competitive seed funds, the N.C.B. ICON Lab benefited the lives of 315 participants in 2021, advancing the DIA Innovation Lab network across Latin America and the Caribbean.
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About The Trust for the Americas:
The Trust for the Americas is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS). It was established in 1997 to promote public and private sector participation in social and economic development projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our initiatives, implemented through local partner organizations, seek to improve access to economic opportunities as well as to foster innovation in vulnerable communities in the hemisphere. To this end, The Trust also promotes social inclusion and good governance. The Trust has offices in Washington, D.C., Colombia, and Canada.
More information: www.thetrustfortheamericas.org
Facebook: The Trust for the Americas Twitter: @Trust4Americas
About Democratizing Innovation in the Americas (DIA):
DIA is a regional initiative launched to foster innovation and empower new generations through access to technology training, specialized curricula, collaboration spaces, mentorship, and financial resources for social and economic ventures.
Since 2016, DIA has positively impacted the lives of 8,143 young people and representatives from diverse sectors of society, of which 1,228 have developed innovative projects that benefit their communities. Furthermore, 196 participants have received funding to start and strengthen their ventures.
About the N.C.B. ICON Lab:
In 2019, The Trust for the Americas partnered with N.C.B. Foundation and the MICO University to promote digital skills among Jamaican Youth. The N.C.B. ICON Lab offers youth between 16 and 30-years-old access to technology and coaching to promote digital, entrepreneurship, and life skills.
N.C.B. ICON LAB promotes an entrepreneurial and learning mindset, for Jamaican youth to become referents and change agents in their communities. ICON is an acronym for Innovative, Creative, Outstanding, and Nationalistic. This lab is the first to provide skills for tomorrow to vulnerable youth in Jamaica and facilitates leadership and job readiness combined with innovation and entrepreneurship.
