Summer programmes should be meaningful, says Violence Prevention Alliance

The Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) is urging organisers of summer programmes in underserved communities to ensure that the programmes are therapeutic and provide an avenue for children to ventilate issues affecting them.

Dr Elizabeth Ward, chair of the VPA, made the suggestion during the VPA's monthly meeting held at the Institute of Sustainable Development Conference Room, University of the West Indies, recently.

"We need therapeutic summer camps, and the components, as I see it, should include counselling, which can be done in circle time. It should be green-blue therapy, which is being out of their environment, exposed to nature and taking care of nature," she said.

Ward also advised that the programmes should have a literacy component and varied activities that should include music, sports, and games.

"All of this is to build different life skills, including conflict management, setting goals, building self-esteem, and being able to handle differences," she said.

The VPA chair said that while the country is noted to have good summer camps, especially in these underserved communities, sometimes they are lacking in meaningful activities.

Zeroing in on the literacy needs, Ward said that the literacy component was critical as many of these children who have been negatively affected by violence cannot read, according to research findings, which show a correlation with poor literacy level and children who have been in fights or have had some kind of violent episode.