Youth in Focus History:
‘‘Empower To Impact" "Empower To Impact" this has fast become the catchphrase of the Youth in Focus ministry. Youth In Focus was birthed in 1997 out of a need articulated by Margaret Elcock to minister to the youth of Trinidad and Tobago,
The “original four” leaders consisted of Marisa Elcock, Avonelle Hector, Kirby Jackson and Collin Hills. Their first challenge was to construct a half hour youth magazine programme which would be aired on the then television channels [TTT 2 & 13]. When the programmes were broadcast, they were an instant hit.
In 2002, Youth in Focus entered the radio arena, launching a brand new series of the same name, but on a different medium. Heading this team was now Youth President Marisa Elcock Thongs, alongside yet another group of serious minded, committed, creative young people. Their names: Rhonda Smith, Rachael Rique [now Phillips], Andy & Alicia Raghunanan, Roxanne James, Curtis King, Nakesha Greenidge, Raymond Ockille and Madonna Guyadeen.
Their audience comprised not just youth, but parents, guardians, grandparents, teachers, friends and other community members, all of whom declared that there was a lot to learn from the Youth in Focus programmes.
Youth in Focus broke new ground and boldly went where no church dared to go. From vivid interviews with former homosexuals, victims of abortion and sexual abuse,fatherhood, mentoring and exposes on STIs [Sexually Transmitted Infections] and music; they presented the issues and gave solutions.
Three years later, Youth in Focus has pioneered a Performing Arts Team that further carries out the vision and mission of Youth in Focus through the arts. This group is twenty strong and ranges in age from fifteen to thirty.


