News Room

This week, ECFH provided the second instalment as part of its 3-year Covenant with the St. Lucia School of Music for the Young Mentors Scholarship Programme which was officially launched in 2012 with the aim of developing an avenue for the older School of Music students to become mentors for the younger, promising students.

Under the ECFH Young Mentors Programme, each year ten (10) senior students benefit from individual lessons on their principal instrument. The scholarship package includes ensemble fees, workshops, music theory, practical lessons and examinations. It provides an opportunity for the more mature students to impart the knowledge and skills acquired. The programme builds capacity and expands the community outreach initiatives by the School of Music. Among the success stories of the programme is the Manmay-La Di Wai community based after-school orchestral programme.

This partnership between ECFH and the School of Music has benefitted a number of musically talented youth from all walks of life across the island, and the Group is especially proud of its association with the Young Mentors program as it entails a rotating development aspect which ensures long-term sustainability of the School’s programmes. ECFH’s relationship with the School of Music dates back to 1989 when the former National Commercial Bank (now Bank of Saint Lucia, an ECFH subsidiary) provided a grant to facilitate the School’s opening.

According to Marketing and Corporate Communications Manager, Maria Fowell, “youth development through the arts is an integral component of ECFH’s corporate social responsibility policy and this scholarship fund initiative allows us to actively promote this cause.”