EMPOWERING YOUNG MEN THROUGH MENTORSHIP

IGT’s Mentorship Morning team of volunteers led a successful morning of activities in honour of International Men’s Day at Rainbow Rescue Home for Boys on 4 November, 2023

WEDNESDAY 15 NOV 2023  – Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago:  The boys at Rainbow Rescue are thinking seriously about their future. One confident young man is sure he wants to be a chef, but most of the boys, who range from ages 11 to 17, are still exploring their career options. To help them on this journey, all 14 of the boys resident at Rainbow Rescue were given an opportunity to learn first-hand about a career in technology from employees of International Game Technology (IGT), a large global technology company.

One of IGT’s volunteer mentors, Varun Bhageraty, is close on hand to assist with the gardening session of IGT’s mentorship morning at Rainbow Rescue Home of Boys. 

On Saturday 4 November, IGT hosted Mentorship Morning at Rainbow Rescue, a special event in recognition of International Men’s Day this month. For over two decades, Rainbow Rescue has provided a safe home for socially displaced boys, nurturing these youth in a caring environment with professional guidance. The home is a recipient of one of IGT’s After School Advantage (ASA) centres in Trinidad and Tobago, therefore benefiting from the company’s flagship community initiative that provides youth with access to technology and STEM education opportunities.

This young man from Rainbow Rescue put great care into helping build the home’s vegetable garden with encouragement from mentor Desmond Sydney, IGT Retail Manager (on the right).

“International Men’s Day provided a great opportunity for us to highlight the importance of mentorship in the lives of young men, especially for those who may not already have strong male role models,” said Dexter Thomas, IGT General Manager in Trinidad and Tobago. “After today, we hope that the boys at Rainbow Rescue will be inspired to explore careers in technology, but the mentorship activities are also broadly geared towards reaching our young men on a deeper level, nurturing critical life skills and instilling confidence in their future.”

Desmond Sydney, IGT Retail Manager, talks to the young men at Rainbow Rescue Home about their future career paths during IGT’s Mentorship Morning on Saturday 4 November, 2023.

The morning included motivational career talks and skills-building activities. Working in small groups under the close guidance of IGT mentors, the boys were taught how to assemble and disassemble the components of a computer. The mentors and mentees also worked together to create a kitchen garden for the home, a practical activity tied into the ‘Zero Hunger’ United Nations Sustainable Development Goal introduced to youth participants of IGT’s Coding and Robotics Rock! Camp 2023.

The boys from Rainbow Rescue gave IGT computer operators Shammah Quinton and Antonio Bradshaw their undivided attention while learning about computer components during IGT’s Mentorship Morning on Saturday 4 November, 2023. 

"Our mission at Rainbow Rescue is to help our boys reach their fullest potential, creating new opportunities to overcome the challenges of the past,” said Kirwin Samuel, Rainbow Rescue Operations Manager. “Other than me, most of the support in their lives comes from women, and often their past experiences with men were not the best. Through IGT’s mentorship, we have positive male role models visiting and saying, ‘We are here for you.’ This is the kind of support our young men need to set them on the right path.”

Antonio Bradshaw, IGT Computer Operator, had a captive audience for the motivational talk he delivered to the boys at Rainbow Rescue on Saturday 4 November, 2023.

IGT’s volunteers are enthusiastic about continuing to mentor the boys from Rainbow Rescue, and the next session will offer more advanced training in computer operations. IGT also intends to extend mentorship opportunities to more of the boys in its ASA programme. There are currently 18 non-profit organisations, including several children’s homes, supported by IGT’s ASA programme in Trinidad and Tobago.

This first session of IGT’s Mentorship Morning ended with a powerful parting message from Antonio Bradshaw, IGT computer operator, who delivered an inspirational talk on the importance of self-care and grooming. He urged the boys to “strive towards being the best versions of you, each and every single day, blazing your own pathway while inspiring and leading others by looking and feeling like the best versions of yourselves!”

These IGT employees were happy to volunteer for the company’s International Men’s Day mentorship programme at Rainbow Rescue Home for Boys on Saturday 4 November, 2023.

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About IGT’s After School Advantage Programme:

After School Advantage (ASA) is the company’s flagship community initiative, devoted to

providing youth with access to technology at digital learning centers in communities where IGT operates. The program ensures students have access to participate in science, technology,

engineering and math (STEM) educational opportunities while developing the knowledge and

skills for the jobs of tomorrow. Since 2011, IGT and its subsidiaries have opened 40 ASA

computer labs across the English-speaking Caribbean. As part of the Company’s ongoing

commitment to supporting its global communities, IGT aims to continually enhance the technological awareness of students and prepare them to contribute to the social and infrastructural development of the Caribbean.

About IGT Trinidad and Tobago:

As the full-service lottery provider to the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB), IGT

manages the distribution, accounting and validation of the Lottery’s instant ticket business. In addition to lottery and instant ticket services, through VIA, a commercial services company, IGT provides prepaid mobile phone top-up and bill payment services over lottery terminals in Trinidad and Tobago.

About IGT:

IGT (NYSE:IGT) is the global leader in gaming. We deliver entertaining and responsible gaming experiences for players across all channels and regulated segments, from Lotteries and Gaming Machines to Sports Betting and Digital. Leveraging a wealth of compelling content, substantial investment in innovation, player insights, operational expertise, and leading-edge technology, our solutions deliver unrivalled gaming experiences that engage players and drive growth. We have a well-established local presence and relationships with governments and regulators in more than 100 jurisdictions around the world and create value by adhering to the highest standards of service, integrity, and responsibility. IGT has approximately 10,500 employees. For more information, please visit www.igt.com.