Out-of-school Plaisance youths graduate from skills course

Twenty-three young people from Plaisance, East Coast Demerara last Thursday graduated from a skills/vocational training course hosted under the Community Action Component (CAC) of the Citizens Security Programme (CSP).

The youths were trained in several, fields including catering, cosmetology and electrical installation, in a programme that targeted early school leavers from ages 14 to 25, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said.

The programme started in February and Plaisance was selected from a group of 10 high-risk communities in regions Four and Six identified by the programme for intervention. Plaisance was identified because of the potential for crime.

At the graduation ceremony, CSP Community Action Specialist Roseanne Purnwasie said, “CSP looks to use social development strategies to lower the crime and violence in disadvantaged communities.”

She pointed out that there is also the child abuse prevention class and shortly sessions on preventing domestic violence will begin.

“The youth violence prevention and the personal development classes which would address anger management, conflict resolution and others will be available to the entire community,” she added.

Member of the CAC Advisory Board Juan Edghill explained that because of funding constraints, only 10 communities could be accommodated.

He said he hoped that what was being done in these communities is replicated in the others.

During the training course, the participants were offered a monthly stipend and single parents were offered an allowance, GINA noted.