A skill is often defined as the ability to perform a particular task but in the eyes of those facing the long arm of the law, high school drop outs and others regarded as being useless to society, a skill is a second chance at life.
This treasured second chance is given by the A GANAR program offered by the Social Centre.
A GANAR which means “to win” as well as “to earn”, is a program geared at giving at risk youth an opportunity to learn various skills.
The program is funded by USAID and Dominica.Partners of the Americas is coordinating its implementation on the island.
The state prison and Social Centre are two of the four organizations that are implementing the program on the island.
The others are CALLS (Center Where Adolescents Learn to Love and Serve) in Portsmouth and The Youth Development Division in Roseau and Marigot.
Country coordinator for the A GANAR project in Dominica, Francis Joseph, says the program has a strong sports base which is used to teach key employability skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, effective communication, negotiation, respect, discipline, leadership and drive for results.
It currently benefits around 6,000 young people ages 15 to 24 throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
“I have been participating in the program for about 3 months now and it is making a significant impact on my life giving me different skills and teaching me ways to conduct myself out there for a better future. It is basically putting me on track for life in the future” 24-year-old Rico Warner, of Tarish Pit, told Dominica News Online.
Warner is one of 30 prison inmates participating in the program who are all serving short sentences for minor offences.
He added that he is learning various skills like cooking, sports, craft and poultry. He said that he acts as a mentor for the other participants in the program and gives motivational speeches to his friends.
“I try to give speeches to motivate my boys to do better in the future. This program allows us to motivate one another and be a support for one another because we know that prison time is always a hard time,” he said.
He advised other young people like himself to make wise decisions.
“Before making a step think about what you are about to do. , not every step that you think of making is the right choice it is always good to look for advice from somebody else who knows best,” the young man stated.
Meanwhile Chavon Joseph, a 20-year-old inmate of the prison said the A GANAR program has reintroduced him to some things and exposed him to new things that are beneficial to his life.
“We did a mock interview, learnt how to write applications, how to handle yourself at an interview amongst other things to give us a sense of what it is like in the business world,” he stated.
Joseph warned other young people to take education seriously since it is the only way to succeed. “You miss out on a lot of opportunities when you do not take your education seriously and many times you do not get a chance to get those opportunities again. In everything that you do in life you need an education or you will lose out a lot,” he said.
Prison officer and facilitator of the program at the prison, Theresa Delsol, commended the inmates for their response to the program.
“I did the training on respect and discipline and the inmates responded very well,” she said. “However, the program had to take up speed and thus you are not able to give as much as you want to. Some of them left the prison and I hope that they continue,” she added.
She thinks that the program should be continued at the prison since individuals go in and out of the institution all the time but pointed out that limited time is one main challenges which the program faces.
“At the prison we have to work with the time of the prison, and there are certain things that we really want to do, but because of the prison setting we are unable to do,” she stated.
The program also received praise from 22 year old Shanta Esprit of Warner who is enrolled at the Social Center. Esprit was unable to complete her high school education and she is now training to become a pre-school teacher under the program.
“The program has allowed me to develop my skills in terms of communication, motivate myself and build up my self-esteem and leadership skills,” she said.
She said A GANAR has also allowed her the opportunity to be involved in sports.
She encouraged other young people to beware of their actions and take full advantage of every opportunity. She also advised them to build a spiritual bond with God and place him first in all that they do.
Co-ordinator of the social center Norma Cyrille noted that the change in student’s attitude is evidence of the impact that the A GANAR program has had on their lives.
“The students have either dropped out of school for various reasons, or got in trouble with the law and sent here by the magistrate. The programs offered by the Social Center all give them a second chance at life. A GANAR is more or less enhancing the programs that we already had. A GANAR allows for positive changes within the human person,” she said.
Fifty (50) students are enrolled in the A GANAR program being conducted by the Social Centre .
i my self want to salut the mr. francis joesph for giving this youth a second chance as a certified track coach and a young person who trying to ensure that our nation youths are being given the opportuunity to remain focus and to stay away from crime and drugs reading this about the two imate makes me smile hearts of to mrs norma cyrille and the social centre if you all need help in terms of sports i would be glad to give my support
wow this sounds pretty great, you see all these programmes which are being implemented and those persons for which it is cut out for still dont take full advantage of it and then they blame others. But I applaud the programme. Blessings to all.
Rico glad to see you moving in the right direction keep it up
Great program. Keep it up.
Sounds like a very good program. Everyone deserves a second chance. Good luck to all!
Excellent, lets pray that it continues and grow from strength to strength our youth need to be focus and they need direction, we have to help them in every step of the way. We were young and had our challenges, but in this century the peer pressure is much stronger and they really need our support and encourgement.
Go for it my young people, embrace the opportunity you will not regret it. Hats off to the funding agency. God’s Blessings. A few years from now we will benefit from the harvest.
I read this article with joy in my heart that something is being done for those youths. They are the future adults whom Dominica need to also make it a better and a safe place to live.
This is the time to assist them. Having something constructive to do and also a hobby will give them a second chance to do something worthwhile with their time and for their future. Keeping fruitfully busy add happiness, peace, tranquility and self-worth to their life.
The majority of them and hopefully, all of them are not bad people. They simply fell into the wrong company, with no guidance and being idle.
Where God is concerned, they are not lost people. They simply need help, guidance and encouragement.
My words are insufficient to express my feelings. I wish this new venture success and may God bless especially the organizers of this project. Of course, I wish the participants all the best. Keep us further informed.
Ma Dominique Loves that;GOOD LUCK Francis and crew.GOD ALLAH and all the other GOD names be with you.
very good programme
Very good programme………hats off….. I pray God that it continues because there is to much idlers all over the place causing trouble. I know mr francis will do his best to see this programme continues. Enjoyed reading the testimonies. Wish all the particpants well or should I say success.
I love to hear things like this! Everyone has something meaningful to offer in society! We need to award the people who are starting these initiatives!