By Barbara Arrindell
The parents of 67 young people grasped the opportunity to enrol their children in the ACE Summer Camp, which was coordinated by High Commissioner Karen-Mae Hill.
Although the decision to host the camp was taken long before what we are now seeing as the spiralling problem of youth violence, it provides an example of the things needed to reduce the chances of the next generation falling through the cracks.
At an award ceremony held at Sandals Grande Resort & Spa, the young people were reminded by the High Commissioner that they, too, belonged in spaces like Sandals at gala events. She challenged them to live up to the camp’s motto: “How high I aim, How far I reach, How much I see, Depends on Me”.
During the two-week camp held at the Potters Primary School, assistant camp directors Chandy Hampson, Claudine Benjamin, Violet Lake and their ACE team coordinated numerous activities. The objective was to challenge and develop young people by providing a structured programme where youth would learn confidence building and empowering key life skills in a safe and friendly environment.
As with most camps, the children took part in things like art and craft; they were also exposed to a number of musical instruments and were challenged to learn to play a piece within the two-week period.
While some learned the fundamentals of cricket, basketball, football, or learned to sail, others took part in kick-boxing exercises with Kevinia Francis.
A parent later said that she was relieved to have been able to enrol her children in the camp. She said that, as a single mother, she has found it challenging to enrol them in meaningful activities beyond the school setting. She admitted that they spent most of their summer with little supervision during the day.
“With boys ya have to look at the friends dem have, and wonder if any of dem in a gang and if they will encourage him to join too. With daughters you worry if when you gone work somebody goin advantage them,” she said.
According to her, the idea of breakfast and lunch being provided at the camp meant that her children had a reason to get there early and allowed her not to worry about feeding them during the camp.
On the other hand, a father lamented the absence of such camps in his village. He said that he grew up going from one Vacation Bible School to the other and wondered why so few churches organised activities for children.
As we discussed the matter, he admitted that both of his parents were associated with a church, although to different degrees, but he wasn’t. This meant that his parents contributed in some way to at least one of the Vacation Bible Schools that he attended while he was seeking the benefits, but did not have a direct link to enable him to contribute his time or other resources to the success of a camp in his community.
Ace Summer Camp 2024 saw the pulling together of many resources, from guest speakers to field trips to meals and more. It met the needs of eight to 18-year-olds in the Potters and surrounding communities. The reality is that although there were many other camps, there is a dire need for more safe spaces for our children where they can explore their options and develop skills.
The nation has a real need for correctional institutions, but it also has a dire need for more community centres and more programmes, not just during the summer vacation, but also after school. Many children spend hours totally unsupervised with no adult aware of where they are, who they are with, or what they are doing. If we continue to raise our children in that way, we will continue to find ourselves facing young adults who we are scared to be around.
In addition to governmental organisations needing to step up to provide these services, each person with a skill or an idea can find a like-minded individual and create even a once per week opportunity for the children within their reach. Every drop in the bucket makes a difference as the nation tries to save itself by reaching one child at a time.
Our children continue to be a Big Issue in our nation.
