Barbadian and American teenagers came together on Friday to explore the emotional challenges they share despite growing up in different countries in a teen mental health and cultural wellness workshop aimed at strengthening resilience through the arts.

Held at Skymall under the theme Finding My Voice, Embracing My Culture, Strengthening My Mind, the initiative of the Pinelands Creative Workshop (PCW) and the US-based Taratibu Youth Association (TYA) brought together 37 participants between the ages of 14 and 18 for a day of discussion, cultural exchange and creative expression designed to help young people navigate anxiety, family challenges, identity and other emotional struggles.

Chief executive officer of PCW, Sophia Greaves, said the programme formed part of the organisation’s ongoing commitment to using creative arts to help young people better understand themselves and build healthier futures.