Drax Hall sees 17 young people begin 12-week development programme

Seventeen young people have joined the 57th cohort of The Barbados Police Service and King’s Trust International Team Programme, with organisers hoping the 12-week initiative will help prepare them for education, jobs and entrepreneurship.

The Drax Hall Pavilion and Resource Centre in St George (LE)

The participants, aged 16 to 24, met on Friday at the Drax Hall Pavilion and Resource Centre in St George for their orientation session.

Coordinator Sergeant Hallam Jemmott said the programme is for young people who are not in school or working, giving them a chance to grow and prepare for their next steps.

Coordinator for the programme Sergeant Hallam Jemmott (Contributed)

Jemmott said the programme aims to motivate participants to follow a productive path after the 12 weeks are over.

“The programme is designed to motivate them to either go back to school, go into entrepreneurship, or go into formal work,” he said.

He explained that Friday’s orientation was about establishing the teamwork that will be central to the programme.

Jemmott stressed the importance of supporting young people who may feel uncertain after leaving school.

He said the programme can also help steer young people away from crime.

“So it is important for us to work with that age group… form that bond and help them develop themselves rather than go down the line of crime.”

Jemmott said the programme was already showing positive results among those who had completed it.

“We are excited because many of these persons go on after the programme. Some go back to school when they had no intention of going back,” he said. “Some go into jobs and what we are finding is that a lot of them are now seeing themselves in a different light after the programme.”  

Jemmott said that even though participants showed uncertainty at first, their attitudes changed over time. 

“After the programme, they’re excited about finding something to do and to make a positive impact in Barbados. So, we are seeing impact. We are seeing success from the programme.” (LE)