Transitional home opened for children leaving state care

Youths leaving state care with nowhere to go and seeking to become upstanding citizens were given new hope recently following the opening of a first-of-its-kind residential complex in Mona, St Andrew. The facility was constructed at a cost of $35 million.

The project, called the Transitional Living Programme for Children in State Care , was funded by the United States Agency for International development (USAID) and was implemented through the collaborative efforts of the Caribbean Child Development Centre (CCDC), The University of the West Indies Open Campus and the Child Protection and Family Services Agency.

Ceceile Minott, head of the CCDC, said the idea to build a facility of this kind was borne out of concentrated talks and idea sharing among stakeholders.

“So we thought [about it] and said, how can we help you, how can we help those who really need that extra support? And so the project was born. The project was only born because we presented this idea to USAID, and USAID said, this is a fabulous idea and let’s see how we can help our young people, so you guys are the beginning”, Minott told a former ward, who sought to know how it all came together.

Former wards Golda-Mae Bullock and Cassia Lecky, who will reside at the location, told organisers and project managers they were grateful for the opportunity.

“Coming here and seeing this I am wowed. Anticipating it I was very anxious, I.., and seeing it all come together on this day, it’s overwhelming but most of it its gratitude and I just want to say thank you to everyone here for making this possible”, Bullock said.

Her housemate, Lecky, added similar sentiments and encouraged the group to consider themselves as ambassadors for youths leaving state care.

“My expectations are indeed wowed and I am beyond humbled and grateful for this grand opportunity, and based on the fact that we are the first to be given such an opportunity I am considering us as ambassadors and I want us to just, in the same realm that you wowed us, to just wow you in return to take care of the facility and be on par with everything,” sais Lecky.

The complex will host 12 students, all of who had to undergo an application process and selection exercise.

“So we created an application and each young person exiting state care applied and they went through a selection process. We have a number of criteria. Number one is nowhere else to go; and because of that risk of getting involved, and also you needed to reach a certain age and needed to be enrolled in university or have a job or at least have that potential”, Minott told The Gleaner.

STANDARD PROCEDURE

Our news team was told that the project has a standard operating procedure that the residents will have to abide by while being housed there for two-to-three year tenures.

“Whatever dreams or thoughts that you guys have, or somebody say you will never accomplish this or accomplish that – no. We know that investing in youth is investing in the future,” said John Barsa, assistant administrator, USAID Latin America and Caribbean Bureau. “I am in the presence of people who are going to change the world in a positive way. You don’t know that yet but we do that why we are eager to give you the opportunity to have safe lives and change the world and make a difference, and wish you all the best”

The University of the West Indies Open Campus also offered 39 scholarships to other wards leaving state care.