Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago: Several young people of Malabar are poised to be better role models within their homes and communities following a one-week camp in Tobago.
The camp, hosted by the Malabar Police Youth Club (MPYC), was held from August 3 to August 9 at the Cocrico Inn, Plymouth, under the theme ‘Be the Change,’ where forty-five campers underwent psycho-social development in anger management, peer counselling and career guidance.
The campers, ages seven to 28, were also engaged with sports, cultural exchanges, talent and trivia nights, and visits and hikes to Castara Waterfall, No Man’s Land, and Black Rock, among other activities. This is the third instalment of the camp, with past editions in 2017 and 2022.
Leader of the MPYC, Inspector and Public Information Officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), Michelle Lewis, said it is all part of the police’s efforts to effect meaningful changes in the lives of young people and provide a safe place for their holistic development.
“When we look at some of the crime statistics, we can see that there is a high prevalence of crime among young people, and without immediate interventions, some may never even know what they are doing is illegal or is negatively impacting their personal and familial lives,” the MPYC Leader said.
The Inspector added, “This is why when I received a phone call from the mother of one of our 13-year-old members that she had been seeing the positive change in her son’s behaviour, where he refused to engage in some activities with his peers, it makes all the efforts worthwhile. You know that somewhere in the future, lives would be saved, and a better quality of life would be afforded.”
She explained that the country is experiencing unpatriotic citizens, some of whom do not see their value. She said when this occurs, it transitions into the family and then to society.
“When you won’t care for yourselves, your family, your fellowman, you won’t care for your county, right?” she questioned.
She revealed that the club has an open-door policy and that a team of professionals tailor programmes unique to the youths of Malabar.
Insp Lewis rubbished the idea that a PYC is for “troubled” children and youths, stressing, “While it caters for and addresses these occurrences, the PYC Organisation is not only for troubled children, school dropouts, not because you’re doing bad, getting low grades, have run-ins with the law. It is about building character and opening new doors of opportunities.”
She said this is the message shared with members every Saturday at the Malabar Secondary School, where they host their meetings.
“The TTPS is here to support and encourage, to provide an alternative to toxic home environments and to give the tools needed to help the youth club member and the family,” she said.
Insp Lewis said while they cannot change every situation, they can help by introducing coping mechanisms and empowering its members to rise over the challenges and, in the process, become “change agents.”
“We are enrolling a series of discussions to build morale and self-esteem and to focus on family, school and community life to bring change. Children and young adults can make life better; they can contribute to the welfare of the family, especially to reduce stress in the home,” she said.
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