New After-school Project For Young People In The Caribbean

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The Guyana-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat says it is involved in an after-school project aimed at young people who will use creative techniques to reduce at-risk behaviours, increase health-related awareness and impact educational aspirations.

It said that the project has been developed through a partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) sub-regional Office in Barbados and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Sub-regional Cooperation Program.

The “After School Activity Program (ASAP)” responds to a goal of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework to enhance the quality of life and security of children, adolescents and youth through strengthened multi-sectoral and human rights based approaches in education, governance, health and social services.

The developers of the project say in response to the need to address youth violence, citizen security, underdevelopment of sport and child obesity, the program will equip young people “with life skills through sport participation by developing and expanding the understanding of parents, coaches and administrators of the educational value of sport”.

The CARICOM Secretariat said it will implement the ASAP with pilots projects in Anguilla, Grenada, and St. Lucia “involving the selection of two pilot schools, national consultations, a trainer-of-trainers workshop, community based ASAP trainings and the implementation of the program in participating schools”.

It said that an evaluation of the success of the pilots will precede a full scale implementation across the Community, which is expected to produce increased collaboration between national sports organizations and schools in the use of sports to promote positive values among young people.

“One of the significant grounds upon which the project is being implemented is the recommendation of the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development to invest more in after school activities and increase use of school facilities to provide organized extra-curricular, recreational and sports activities for youth in the Community.”

The CARICOM Secretariat said that this recommendation is among a slew of other proposals enclosed in the CCYD’s Report titled, “Eye on the Future, Investing in Youth now for Tomorrow’s Community,” and presented to CARICOM leaders following consultations on the challenges and opportunities for the young people within the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) that allows for the free movement of goods, skills, labour and services across the region.