GoodHeart | Young musician dreams big, embraces a future of music, financial growth
Published:Saturday | March 1, 2025 | 12:07 AM
At just 18 years old, Timmy Francis is proving that transformation is possible with the right guidance and opportunities. A student at the Alpha Institute for Boys, Timmy is on a three-year journey honing his skills in music, mastering the bass guitar and the B-flat tenor trombone, with the ultimate goal of becoming a music instructor, and mentoring the next generation of musicians. Dreaming beyond Jamaica, he sets his sights on Dubai and Nigeria, drawn by their thriving music scenes.
However, Francis’ story hasn’t always been one of success. He candidly shares his past, having struggled with behavioural issues, admitting that he once had difficulty staying on the right path. But, as he matured, he found motivation in role models who inspired him to change. His music teacher now sees incredible potential in him, suggesting that if he continues to excel, he could transition to music college and become accredited to pursue his dreams. Committed to becoming better, he said, “I’m working on it.”
Beyond his musical aspirations, Francis recently experienced an eye-opening revelation that financial literacy is important. Initially sceptical of banking, his perspective took a turn after attending a financial workshop as part of YouthRISE, a collaborative effort between Scotiabank and SOS Children’s Village.
“I never took this banking stuff seriously before and I always had a negative view of it, but today was really informative. The Scotia reps presented well and introduced me to concepts, such as income, expenses, assets, liabilities, and cash flow and I am interested in learning more.”
As one of the programme’s first participants, Francis values the doors it’s opening for young people like himself. The YouthRISE Programme aims to support traditional education with digital skills in preparation for the modern workplace. The programme aims to assist Jamaica’s youths through career and academic counselling, digital literacy, financial literacy, vocational training, entrepreneurial support and mentorship. YouthRISE is being financed by Scotiabank through its ScotiaRISE programme, the bank’s 10-year community investment initiative aimed at helping individuals and communities thrive.
This newfound financial awareness has motivated Francis to further explore these concepts. Already holding a savings account, he was surprised to learn about investment opportunities remarking, “Bank do dem sumn deh?”
Investing, a foreign concept before, now piques his interest, particularly in agriculture. Inspired by his teacher’s words that “people can live without clothes, but not without food”, Timmy sees farming as a sustainable investment with real returns. His biggest takeaway from the financial session, and what he encourages others to is, “Just invest”. With a clear vision, he plans to use music not only as a hobby, but also as a means of securing financial stability. His dream is to retire comfortably and safeguard himself against life’s uncertainties through smart financial planning.