On the ‘Nature Island’ of Dominica, advocating on behalf of persons with disabilities is a 24/7 responsibility – made more challenging by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Achievement Learning Centre answers this call tirelessly; working to ensure young people with disabilities have access to education, and their needs included in the design of the education system in Dominica. On this episode, Beverly Le Blanc, Director and Ivy Yorke, Disabilities Programme Officer, talk about this organization’s commitment to supporting youth with disabilities to become full participants in their communities, through access to opportunities that respond to their requirements. Despite difficult circumstances, the Achievement Learning Centre story is one of successfully using the uncertainty of pandemic reality to facilitate much-needed support and collaboration from their stakeholders – pushing the Centre closer to its vision of a more inclusive Dominica for persons with disabilities. About the #BuildBackBetterCaribbean podcast series Living with COVID-19 is about adopting behavioural changes, adapting to social disruption, and absorbing the economic impact of the pandemic. It’s our brave new normal of survival. Prevailing over the pandemic will mean applying its lessons to not only recover but to emerge stronger and more resilient. Caribbean civil society - already in the business of social transformation – is still leading the struggle to protect human rights, improve lives and fortify communities, but now in a changed, post-COVID context: one that demands urgent, direct action to overcome the impact of the pandemic but that also presents opportunities to rebuild better and move faster towards the #Caribbeanfuturewewant. The United Nations Information Centre for the Caribbean Area wanted to hear directly from civil society organisations (CSOs) about their own experiences supporting clients through the global pandemic emergency, and how they perceive their roles in the rebuilding that must follow. Also, how the Sustainable Development Goal framework is supporting this reconstruction of lives and livelihoods to achieve an inclusive, peaceful, sustainable development vision. The #BuildbackbetterCaribbean podcast series of conversations on the post-COVID Caribbean, captures CSO insights on their pandemic experience and their stories of recovery and rebuilding as they draw on the SDG toolbox to construct a brighter, more durable and resilient Caribbean future. 

This Tobago-birthed social enterprise uses the positive messaging and mechanisms of Carnival culture to encourage action around climate change and the environment.   Carnicycle CEO Danii Mccletchie talks to Lindy-Ann Edwards-Alleyne about the organisation’s ongoing initiatives, which continue during the 'pandemic pause', to infuse sustainability into the design approach and processes for Caribbean Carnival costumes, parties, and the festival itself.  This includes the use of recyclable and upcycled materials, and circular economic thinking emphasizing environmental sustainability.   This episode was recorded in June 2021 as the Caribbean continued its management of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which included the cancellation of several Caribbean Carnival celebrations throughout 2020.      For more information, check the following websites:   UNDP Green Innovation Challenge https://www.tt.undp.org/content/trini... Carnicycle   https://www.carnicycle.com/ About the #BuildBackBetterCaribbean podcast series Living with COVID-19 is about adopting behavioural changes, adapting to social disruption, and absorbing the economic impact of the pandemic. It’s our brave new normal of survival. Prevailing over the pandemic will mean applying its lessons to not only recover but to emerge stronger and more resilient.      Caribbean civil society - already in the business of social transformation – is still leading the struggle to protect human rights, improve lives and fortify communities, but now in a changed, post-COVID context: one that demands urgent, direct action to overcome the impact of the pandemic but that also presents opportunities to rebuild better and move faster towards the #Caribbeanfuturewewant.    The United Nations Information Centre for the Caribbean Area wanted to hear directly from civil society organisations (CSOs) about their own experiences supporting clients through the global pandemic emergency, and how they perceive their roles in the rebuilding that must follow. Also, how the Sustainable Development Goal framework is supporting this reconstruction of lives and livelihoods to achieve an inclusive, peaceful, sustainable development vision.      The #BuildbackbetterCaribbean podcast series of conversations on the post-COVID Caribbean, captures CSO insights on their pandemic experience and their stories of recovery and rebuilding as they draw on the SDG toolbox to construct a brighter, more durable and resilient Caribbean future.

The MindWise Project is a collective of health advocates increasing public accessibility to mental health resources in Trinidad and Tobago, while working to build a “digital eco-system of knowledge sharing,” driven by mental health professionals and supporting agencies.    During Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Maria O’Brien, MindWise’s Director of Digital Development, talked to Lindy-Ann Edwards-Alleyne about the organisation’s content curation model that has sustainability built into its design.   This interview was recorded in May 2021, during Mental Health Awareness Month. For more information check out these links: https://www.mindwisett.org/ https://www.findcarett.com/ About the #BuildBackBetterCaribbean podcast series Living with COVID-19 is about adopting behavioural changes, adapting to social disruption, and absorbing the economic impact of the pandemic. It’s our brave new normal of survival. Prevailing over the pandemic will mean applying its lessons to not only recover but to emerge stronger and more resilient.      Caribbean civil society - already in the business of social transformation – is still leading the struggle to protect human rights, improve lives and fortify communities, but now in a changed, post-COVID context: one that demands urgent, direct action to overcome the impact of the pandemic but that also presents opportunities to rebuild better and move faster towards the #Caribbeanfuturewewant.    The United Nations Information Centre for the Caribbean Area wanted to hear directly from civil society organisations (CSOs) about their own experiences supporting clients through the global pandemic emergency, and how they perceive their roles in the rebuilding that must follow. Also, how the Sustainable Development Goal framework is supporting this reconstruction of lives and livelihoods to achieve an inclusive, peaceful, sustainable development vision.      The #BuildbackbetterCaribbean podcast series of conversations on the post-COVID Caribbean, captures CSO insights on their pandemic experience and their stories of recovery and rebuilding as they draw on the SDG toolbox to construct a brighter, more durable and resilient Caribbean future.

On this episode of #BuildBackBetterCaribbean, we are in Tobago to chat with Aljoscha Wothke, Executive Director of Environmental Research Institute Charlotteville - one of the civil society organisations whose work has contributed to the recent designation of North-East Tobago as the largest UNESCO Man and the Biosphere site in the English-speaking #Caribbean. About the #BuildBackBetterCaribbean podcast series Living with COVID-19 is about adopting behavioural changes, adapting to social disruption, and absorbing the economic impact of the pandemic. It’s our brave new normal of survival. Prevailing over the pandemic will mean applying its lessons to not only recover but to emerge stronger and more resilient.      Caribbean civil society - already in the business of social transformation – is still leading the struggle to protect human rights, improve lives and fortify communities, but now in a changed, post-COVID context: one that demands urgent, direct action to overcome the impact of the pandemic but that also presents opportunities to rebuild better and move faster towards the #Caribbeanfuturewewant.    The United Nations Information Centre for the Caribbean Area wanted to hear directly from civil society organisations (CSOs) about their own experiences supporting clients through the global pandemic emergency, and how they perceive their roles in the rebuilding that must follow. Also, how the Sustainable Development Goal framework is supporting this reconstruction of lives and livelihoods to achieve an inclusive, peaceful, sustainable development vision.      The #BuildbackbetterCaribbean podcast series of conversations on the post-COVID Caribbean, captures CSO insights on their pandemic experience and their stories of recovery and rebuilding as they draw on the SDG toolbox to construct a brighter, more durable and resilient Caribbean future.

What would you do if the garbage truck stopped coming and you had to keep all your #garbage at home?   On this episode of #BuildBackBetterCaribbean, waste educator and social entrepreneur Sian Cuffy-Young, is talking about waste. Sian has been using her social enterprise platform – SIEL Environmental Limited - to transform the way we think and act toward waste. A fundamental aspect of her work has been encouraging deeper understanding of where #WasteManagement fits into the conversation, and the dire consequences that may occur if it is ignored. About the #BuildBackBetterCaribbean podcast series Living with COVID-19 is about adopting behavioural changes, adapting to social disruption, and absorbing the economic impact of the pandemic. It’s our brave new normal of survival. Prevailing over the pandemic will mean applying its lessons to not only recover but to emerge stronger and more resilient.      Caribbean civil society - already in the business of social transformation – is still leading the struggle to protect human rights, improve lives and fortify communities, but now in a changed, post-COVID context: one that demands urgent, direct action to overcome the impact of the pandemic but that also presents opportunities to rebuild better and move faster towards the #Caribbeanfuturewewant.    The United Nations Information Centre for the Caribbean Area wanted to hear directly from civil society organisations (CSOs) about their own experiences supporting clients through the global pandemic emergency, and how they perceive their roles in the rebuilding that must follow. Also, how the Sustainable Development Goal framework is supporting this reconstruction of lives and livelihoods to achieve an inclusive, peaceful, sustainable development vision.      The #BuildbackbetterCaribbean podcast series of conversations on the post-COVID Caribbean, captures CSO insights on their pandemic experience and their stories of recovery and rebuilding as they draw on the SDG toolbox to construct a brighter, more durable and resilient Caribbean future.

WHYFarm, which stands for “We Help Youth Farm” was created to encourage young people and children to get involved in sustainable agriculture and choose to grow food. Its vision is to produce a generation of agricultural entrepreneurs, who can lead Trinidad and Tobago’s contribution to achieving global food and nutrition security by the year 2050.    As countries and their leaders across the world grapple with a food security crisis sparked by #COVID-19 , WHYFarm’s Founder, Alpha Sennon, and its Communications and Community Coordinator, Audra Smith, explain that mobilising youth to feed their communities is critical for sustainable pandemic response.    WHYFarm offers a refreshingly creative take on promoting the importance of #agriculture; pioneering concepts like “agri-edutainment”, “agri-preneurship” and “agricoolture” to educate and build the capacity of young people to tackle the challenge of #food security. About the #BuildBackBetterCaribbean podcast series Living with COVID-19 is about adopting behavioural changes, adapting to social disruption, and absorbing the economic impact of the pandemic. It’s our brave new normal of survival. Prevailing over the pandemic will mean applying its lessons to not only recover but to emerge stronger and more resilient.     Caribbean civil society - already in the business of social transformation – is still leading the struggle to protect human rights, improve lives and fortify communities, but now in a changed, post-COVID context: one that demands urgent, direct action to overcome the impact of the pandemic but that also presents opportunities to rebuild better and move faster towards the #Caribbeanfuturewewant.    The United Nations Information Centre for the Caribbean Area wanted to hear directly from civil society organisations (CSOs) about their own experiences supporting clients through the global pandemic emergency, and how they perceive their roles in the rebuilding that must follow. Also, how the Sustainable Development Goal framework is supporting this reconstruction of lives and livelihoods to achieve an inclusive, peaceful, sustainable development vision.     The #BuildbackbetterCaribbean podcast series of conversations on the post-COVID Caribbean, captures CSO insights on their pandemic experience and their stories of recovery and rebuilding as they draw on the SDG toolbox to construct a brighter, more durable and resilient Caribbean future.

In this episode of #BuildBackBetterCaribbean, the podcast of the UN Information Centre, Lindy-Ann Edwards-Alleyne interviews Giselle Mende, Chief Volunteer and Founder of the Volunteer Centre of Trinidad and Tobago (VCTT) .    "Volunteering is about building the type of society we know is possible,” says Giselle.  VCTT connects people who want to change the world to other people, causes and organisations that need support through a global pandemic.     Giselle describes the “deepened need” for volunteers during a health emergency that has triggered an economic and social crisis. She describes how VCTT is responding with creativity and innovation as it adapts to the “new normal” of volunteering, and volunteerism’s role in building a “better tomorrow” for the #Caribbean. About the #BuildBackBetterCaribbean podcast series Living with COVID-19 is about adopting behavioural changes, adapting to social disruption, and absorbing the economic impact of the pandemic. It’s our brave new normal of survival. Prevailing over the pandemic will mean applying its lessons to not only recover but to emerge stronger and more resilient.    Caribbean civil society - already in the business of social transformation – is still leading the struggle to protect human rights, improve lives and fortify communities, but now in a changed, post-COVID context: one that demands urgent, direct action to overcome the impact of the pandemic but that also presents opportunities to rebuild better and move faster towards the #Caribbeanfuturewewant.    The United Nations Information Centre for the Caribbean Area wanted to hear directly from civil society organisations (CSOs) about their own experiences supporting clients through the global pandemic emergency, and how they perceive their roles in the rebuilding that must follow. Also, how the Sustainable Development Goal framework is supporting this reconstruction of lives and livelihoods to achieve an inclusive, peaceful, sustainable development vision.    The #BuildbackbetterCaribbean podcast series of conversations on the post-COVID Caribbean, captures CSO insights on their pandemic experience and their stories of recovery and rebuilding as they draw on the SDG toolbox to construct a brighter, more durable and resilient Caribbean future.