Civic leaders, business community plot route to youth devlopment

Keisha Hill, Gleaner Writer

MAY PEN, Clarendon:

CLARENDON civic and business leaders have suggested that education and training is an effective route to develop the parish's youth, while at the same time reduce crime.

According to DaCosta Bartley, chief executive officer at the Middlesex International College in May Pen, "Education is a positive vehicle and we can use education to assist in reducing crime; and with the possibilities of research in education, we can find meaningful ways to engage our youths."

Bartley, who was speaking at a recent Gleaner Parish Development Forum, in addition to educational and social intervention programmes, called for the renewal of family life and the provision of skill training for marginalised youth. He has developed a programme called College for Kids that focuses on marginalised and at-risk children with the aim of assisting these youngsters to develop a more formal approach to education.

The project is seasonal and runs from June 1 to August 31 each year.

"This year we will have over 20 qualified camp directors from overseas who will be coming to Jamaica to administer this programme for us," Bartley disclosed.

Students will also have access to their classes via cellphone and will be able to access the school's website on the go.

"We intend to introduce elementary English and mathematics to guide students through to the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate level as long as they have handsets or computers that can handle the data," Bartley explained.

Jamalco playing its part

Meanwhile, Ealane Livingston-Smith, communications specialist at Alcoa Minerals of Jamaica (Jamalco), said the organisation is doing it's part to assist persons through its community-development programmes.

She said with the high levels of unemployment and the lack of skilled workers in the parish, the organisation recognised the need for sustained community involvement.

"Through our community relations department, Jamalco has embarked on various development programmes to include capacity building, social renewal, alternative economic opportunities, volunteerism, civic partnerships and charity through donations and sponsorship," Livingston-Smith said.

 Police implement mentorship programmes

Making his contribution to the forum, head of the Clarendon police, Senior Superintendent Dathan Henry, said society has been deteriorating because of a lack of social infrastructure in communities and the fact that young people who graduate can't find jobs.

However, Henry said the police have implemented mentorship programmes, with the assistance of the private sector, for youths to participate in different areas that can help them.

"Some of these persons refuse to get involved or engaged in any activity involving the police but, since we started some of these initiatives, they have started to come around," Henry said. "We have been setting up homework centres and a number of other programmes that are on stream and creating stability for young entrepreneurs."

Jamalco's school assistance

Jamalco has assisted more than 1,500 students with books, grants and scholarships in 2010, while helping 180 community members in the mining communities to improve numeracy and literacy.

The Jamalco Career Enhancement Progamme was implemented in the 2010 school year to assist 60 school drop-outs with more than 45 mentees matched with Jamalco and community members.

"That mentorship programme has been doing very well. Last year the students did very well. Eight of them received scholarships from Jamalco to attend universities in Jamaica," revealed Ealane Livingston-Smith, Jamalco's communications officer.

"This programme has been extended to include some schools in Clarendon, including Lennon High School and Winston Jones High School," said added.

 Sharpening youth's skills

Meanwhile Tim Lankester of Jamaica Bags Limited, who is also a director of the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce, pointed to the Rural Family Support Programme which targets male adolescents.

"Young boys are taught skills, including woodwork and barbering. However, the programme suffers from a lack of funding and cannot operate on a commercial basis because of lack of sponsorship," Lankester said.

Aldo Brown, president of the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce, said it has offered sponsorship for students, especially those in socially depressed communities, to attend high schools and sporting programmes.

The Chamber of Commerce president said it was imperative that Clarendon, as a central hub in Jamaica, increase the educational level and skills of its residents.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com