More than 40 young ladies are attending the life skills workshop in the 6th District. Photo: Reuben Stoby/VINO

Hon. Andrew Fahie gives the participants a pep talk. Photo: VINO

Brewley-George motivates one of the groups during the break out session. Photo: VINO

Brewley-George says the participants have been responding well to the activities. Photo: VINO

The occasion was the opening of the Little Speaker's Touch life skills programme entitled "SHAPE UP", which is being held from today Monday April 2 through April 14, 2012 in the 6th District Community Centre and caters for participants' aged 10 to 18.

More than 40 young ladies from across the island of Tortola are attending the 2-week programme. Areas of focus would include Best Public Speaking Practices, Leadership and Development, Table Etiquette and Setting and Dressing for Success.

Founder of Little Speaker's Touch Stephanie Brewley-George said the participants have so far been very cooperative but she has noticed some different personalities in between that should not be too hard to iron out. "We have found a lot of lack of self-confidence so over the next two weeks we hope to exude confidence out of them. We want that to be established and it is not a hard task at all because they are very cooperative, they are breaking out....We want to build their social skills and over the two weeks we intend for them to be able to speak properly and demonstrate better communication skills."

The breakout sessions were particularly effective as even the shy ones were seen actively engaging in the activities. The young ladies were placed in various groups and were given six minutes to come up with something creative to present on stage. Some chose to do poems, while one group modelled and another danced and chanted.

Hon. Fahie, who is one of the sponsors of the programme, spoke to the children about the importance of learning various life skills that would give one the competitive edge, especially in the world of work.

"This is one of many programmes that I help sponsor so that young people could have an opportunity to see what to expect in life so when the actualities of life come they would know what they would accept because they would only accept what they are trained to expect....It is also going to help them to speak the "Queen's English," he later told Virgin Islands News Online.

One of the first things that the participants were taught this morning was table setting, which was conducted by experienced Scrub Island Resort employee Kimberly Kuntz. "We are going to be teaching the girls how to carry themselves when they go out to eat, the different utensils that you put on the table and let them know that you serve from the left and ladies first."

Kuntz also said the participants would be taken to Scrub Island tomorrow where they would have be able to demonstrate what they have learned today about table setting.

Other facilitators of the workshop would include Arlene T. Penn, Ayanna Hull-Braithwaite, Judith Vanterpool and Stephanie Brewley-George.

As Little Speaker's Touch make its mark in the Virgin Islands, the philanthropic efforts of the company extends its arms to the needs of the youths in the Territory and has committed to giving back to a non-profit organisation through fundraisers for each programme it hosts. It is currently proposed that the cohort of the 2o12 "SHAPE UP" programme will be hosting a fundraising event on April 20, 2012 at Governor House to "give back to their community in a big way". Proceeds would go towards the Save the Seed Foundation.

Among the other sponsors and partners for the workshop are; Nagico Insurances, Caribbean Insurers, Hon Alvera Maduro- Caines, Department of Culture, CBN Broadcasting Network, Eureka Medical Clinic, Jastier, Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mutual of Omaha, Rotary Club of Tortola, Smiths and Associates and Infinite Solutions.