St. Thomas Teen Hub Resonating Positively with Youngsters Across the Parish

Administrators at the St. Thomas Teen Hub are reporting that the facility is resonating positively with numerous children and adolescents across the parish.

The facility, which is adjacent to the Morant Bay Bus Park, was established by the Ministry of Health and Wellness in June 2023 to serve as a safe space that provides wide-ranging services tailored for the youngsters.

These include homework assistance, career guidance, counselling and health services.

Centre Manager and Counsellor, Chantal Williams, told JIS News that during the Hub’s first year of operations, youngsters across St. Thomas flocked to the facility to utilise its services, which also include internet access and empowerment sessions.

However, it is the counselling sessions that have remained near and dear to Ms. Williams’ heart.

In fact, information provided indicates a notable increase in the number of requests from youngsters for counselling, particularly those trying to cope with the recent demise of four of their peers who were involved in motor-vehicle accidents or drowned.

Ms. Williams told JIS News that she has been conducting counselling sessions with the teens who she noted have been emotionally impacted, pointing out that they “have not been eating, they’ve been depressed [and] they’ve been sad”.

She indicated that she has sought to utilise several channels to engage with the youngsters.

“So, my counselling sessions have been happening over Instagram, WhatsApp calls and in-person conversations,” Ms. Williams shared.

She is also focused on ensuring that the Hub continues to positively impact the youngsters’ lives, particularly those who she said “don’t have a voice” to express themselves on issues of concern.

“So, my job [is] to help them find their voice and to help them get back their voice in the sense that, ‘yes, they are kids, but they still have their rights… they still know what they want’,” Ms. Williams added.

The Hub is currently gearing up to host its Summer Axis Programme, which runs from August 12 to 23.

The Programme will feature empowerment sessions, movie day, sporting activities, games and prizes, between 12:00 noon and 3:00 p.m. daily.

The two-week engagement culminates with a ‘Hype Club’, which will see prizes being handed out to participants, who will get a chance to talk about what they have learnt.

“It’s been a rough two months – June and July – because we know things happen when schools go out. We want to give them the ‘hype’ that they need to go back to school,” Ms. Williams said.

The St. Thomas Teen Hub is the second such established by the Health Ministry, following the launch of the Kingston Hub in 2017.

The Teen Hub Project is funded by the European Union (EU) Spotlight Initiative, with implementation through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).