The Youth Services Unit (YSU) successfully hosted its inaugural Youth Empowerment Symposium (YES) in Cayman Brac on Friday, 12 June 2026, bringing together students, young adults, government representatives, and community partners for a day of financial education, entrepreneurship and empowerment under the theme “Money Matters: Empowerment Through Financial Literacy.”
The symposium formed part of the Youth Services Unit’s on-going commitment to equipping young people with practical life skills and empowering them to make informed decisions for their future.
The symposium opened with a School Delegates Day for Layman Scott High School. Facilitated by the CICSA Co-Operative Credit Union, students participated in an interactive budgeting exercise that challenged them to manage salaries, expenses, and financial priorities in real-world scenarios.
Students also explored entrepreneurship through business startup simulation led by the Cayman Islands Centre for Business Development (CICBD), where teams made business decisions and observed the impact on sales, revenue, and profitability.
The symposium continued in the evening with a Young Adult Session for participants aged 16 to 30. The night featured networking opportunities, financial education, and meaningful panel discussions with young Caymanian professionals who shared practical advice on budgeting, investing, entrepreneurship career development.
Minister for Youth, Sports, Culture & Heritage, Hon. Isaac Rankine welcomed the initiative and underscored the importance of financial literacy in youth development. "Financial literacy is one of the most valuable tools for our young people. Bringing the Youth Empowerment Symposium to Cayman Brac ensures youth in the Sister Islands have access to the resources, information and connections needed to make sound financial decisions.” said Minister Rankine.
Year 9 student Che Scott reflected positively on the experience, noting: “The symposium really inspired me to think more seriously about my future in business and entrepreneurship. The CICBD lemonade stand simulation taught me how marketing, quality and pricing can help a business succeed. Learning about money management and hearing from other young people made it fun and beneficial.”
The Youth Services Unit intends for the symposium to become an annual initiative, creating ongoing opportunities for youth engagement, empowerment and leadership development in Cayman Brac.
The success of the inaugural Cayman Brac symposium was made possible through support of the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture & Heritage and the Ministry of District Administration & Home Affairs, the Ministry of Education & Training, the Ministry of Tourism & Trade Development, Kirkconnell Ltd., CG BritCay, Scott Development Cayman, Island Energy, Water Authority Cayman, Cayman First, Cayman National Bank, the Credit Union, the CICBD and other community partners and volunteers.