Corporate Barbados is answering the call to address the pressing issues of crime and youth mental health with Supreme Counselling’s launch of its “Reach One Save One” initiative. The campaign, spearheaded by Supreme Counselling’s founder, Entrepreneur, and Counselling Psychologist Shawn Clarke, was officially unveiled on March 18, 2025, at Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall, St. Michael, in the presence of media and key partners.
“I am standing before you today not just as the CEO of Supreme Counselling for Personal Development, but as a man who refuses to watch another generation be lost to violence, despair, and hopelessness,” stated Clarke at the launch. He emphasised the critical state of Barbadian youth, citing emotional pain, anxiety, depression, and the dangers of violence and self-destruction.
Clarke painted a stark picture, referencing the loss of young men to gun violence and the struggles of youth facing despair. “These are not stories; these are real children, our children, your children,” he stressed.
The “Reach One Save One” initiative aims to provide a lifeline to young people and ensure that financial hardship doesn’t prevent access to vital support. “Hope should never be out of reach because of financial hardship,” Clarke declared.
Supreme Counselling seeks to raise $250,000 to provide at least ten professional counselling sessions for 250 at-risk youth. Clarke highlighted the urgent need for intervention, stating, “The need has outgrown our resources. The calls for help are too many. The cries from parents are too loud.”
Clarke emphasised the importance of early counselling as a proactive solution to prevent minor struggles from escalating into major crises. He also stressed counselling’s crucial role in crime prevention by addressing the underlying emotional and psychological challenges that often lead young people to delinquent behaviour.
“Our young people, especially our young males, are in crisis,” Clarke asserted, citing high rates of school violence, bullying, depression, and disruptive behaviours. He urged parents, educators, and leaders to integrate counselling into schools, youth centers, and homes, advocating for accessible mental health services and reducing stigma.
“Urgent counselling intervention is not optional; it is essential. By supporting our youth today, we build a healthier, stronger, and safer future for all,” Clarke concluded.
