Olga Scott, who championed a charity for at-risk young women, was a “kind and compassionate woman” who “exemplified the very essence of public service”, according to David Burt, the Premier.

Mr Burt paid tribute at the weekend to Mrs Scott, the wife of former premier Alex Scott and mother of Robyn Eve and Lawrence Scott, the Minister of Transport.

Mrs Scott was made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2009 for her services to the health, education and development of Bermuda's youth.

Mr Burt hailed her as “the visionary behind Teen Services and the fulfilment of its mission to provide support and counselling to teens and young mothers”.

He called her “a social service pioneer”.

Mrs Scott originally came to the island as a social worker from Jamaica on a two-year contract in 1967.

She was tasked with getting the children’s welfare programme Youth Health Education Development up and running.

The job involved the sexual health of young people in a conservative country, where mistrust had been sowed in the Black community on the issue of birth control, as Mrs Scott told The Royal Gazette in 2016.

“It was a time of some discomfort and disquiet in the community on the issue of contraception,” Mrs Scott recalled. “They felt at the time that they were bringing in a Black person to try and curb the Black birthrate.”

But Mrs Scott won the trust of the community as well as the young people she served.

“With my background as a social worker, I worked to help develop young people, not just to deal with their sexuality,” she said.

Mrs Scott remained dedicated to Teen Services for more than 50 years.

She was a graduate of South Dakota State University with a bachelor of science degree in psychology. She also held a master’s degree in educational counselling and guidance from Indiana University.

She was recruited for her Bermuda role by Stewart Rawlins Mott, a US-born philanthropist, who addressed myriad social issues on the island.

Mrs Scott went on to serve as Teen Services’ executive director for 21 years and followed that tenure as an active board member, representing the entity on the Caribbean Family Planning Board.

One of her key achievements with the charity was working to ensure that pregnant teens and young mothers were able to continue their education.

The charity built a residential component and launched events such as the Outstanding Teens Awards.

Mrs Scott said she was driven by “helping young Bermudians to develop, take their place in society, and overcome hardships”.

She added: “As I reflect back on it, I have had faith in God’s will.”

Mrs Scott’s work with young people also included the Continental Society of Bermuda, another charity for the island’s young people.

She was chairwoman of the trust operating the Haven in Pembroke, for women and their children in need of shelter.

It closed in 2000 and was replaced with Teen Haven.

Other charitable work including managing the rent subsidy Housing Allowance Programme in the 1990s, and serving as Director of Financial Assistance.

Mr Burt said: “During her husband’s premiership, Olga Scott was a constant and reassuring presence, ably supporting him through the rigours of public service.

“Her strength and dignity was inspiring and with her characteristic charm and sense of humour she served as an equal partner for her husband during his time as Premier and in ministerial office.”

Mr Burt also thanked Mrs Scott for her kindness to his wife, Kristin.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Bermuda I extend sincerest condolences to her family,” he said.

“As we mourn her loss and extend comfort to her husband, children and grandchildren, we remember a woman who took Bermuda and her people into her heart and in her own words said simply: ‘This is my home. That’s it!”

· Olga May Scott, a former executive director of Teen Services, was born on November 10, 1938. She died in June 2022, aged 83.