30 Students Graduate from CSJP Summer Camp

Thirty students from schools in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, have graduated from the Citizen Security and Justice Programme’s (CSJP) 2016 Summer Diversion Camp.

The grade nine and 11 students, who displayed behavioural issues during the last school year, were recommended by their institutions to participate in the day camp held from July 25 to August 19.

Liaison Officer, Necesia McNab, said the four-week camp was designed to equip participants with behaviour management and life skills in order for them to make informed decisions and take responsibility for their actions.

“Behaviour change is a journey; it will not be fully completed in four weeks but they have started the process and it is for us to steer them in the right direction,” she pointed out.

Ms. McNab was speaking at the graduation and awards ceremony held on Tuesday (August 30) at the Greendale Community Centre in Spanish Town.

The Diversion Camp was held under the theme: ‘Rewriting my Life: Charting my Success Path’.

Areas covered included: conflict resolution; anger management; the ability to form and maintain healthy relationships not just with peers but with persons in authority; understanding self; and the value of taking responsibility for your actions.

The participants  pledged to use the skills learnt to chart a new path and the CSJP case management officers will ensure that they honour these commitments by following up with the schools periodically.

University of the West Indies (UWI) lecturer, Dr. K’adamawe K’nife, who was the guest speaker at the function, told parents to help their children redirect their energies and focus into positive activities.

“The energy it takes to give trouble is the same energy it takes to do school work,” he pointed out.

The graduation and award ceremony provided principals, vice principals, deans of discipline, guidance counselors, guardians and parents with the opportunity to hear the success stories resulting from the camp and to support the students  as they chart a new path.

Jonathan Grant High School student, Andrew Mullings, who was among the participants, told JIS News that he benefited a lot from the camp, even though he was at first sceptical about attending.

“After being here, I would recommend this programme to fellow students. I did not expect to enjoy my time here; it was a great experience with helpful and encouraging staff. CSJP provides knowledge, confidence, encouragement and ways to help you understand yourself better so you can better deal with your peers and adults,” he noted.

Parent, Sherrol Harrison, said her son was referred to the camp because he was being distracted from his school work by friends and skipping classes.

She said that with the intervention provided by the CSJP, she is looking forward to improvements in his behaviour during the new school year.

“I keep encouraging him and teaching him right from wrong and he has promised to make a change for the coming school year. I think this is a great programme. It will do something wonderful for the students and over a matter of time they will display change,” she told JIS News.

The participants of the camp are students from Jonathan Grant High School, Innswood High School, St. Jago High School and Eltham High School.

The CSJP’s annual Summer Diversion Camp is in keeping with the entity’s mandate to prevent and reduce crime and violence in communities.