Rotary Club of St Lucia Youth Workshop

As a program coordinator The People's Workshop, St. Lucia (TPW) I was lucky to find myself participating in the 18th annual Youth Development Camp run by the Rotary Club of St. Lucia. The Rotary Club of Truro supported this endeavour in 2008 and I was happy to deliver a short presentation in September to the Truro club on what we accomplished at our camp.

Since 1990, the Rotary Club of St. Lucia has hosted an annual Youth Development Camp during the Easter break.  The camp serves more than 100 at-risk youth selected from secondary schools in the Castries basin.  Sessions focus on adolescent issues such as peer pressure, healthy decision-making, conflict resolution and substance abuse.  Participants are provided with accommodations and food over the four days at no cost to their families.

In 2008, The Rotary Club of St. Lucia partnered with The People's Workshop (TPW) - a Canadian-based charitable organization - to provide youth-led activities and peer mentorship for the camp.  This partnership arose out of a longstanding relationship between our Club and TPW, which has been active in St. Lucia since 1996.  TPW offers literacy, leadership, and training programs to children and youth in the south of the island.  Canadian volunteer teachers and youth workers work alongside a St. Lucian team of youth facilitators to run summer workshops in disadvantaged communities.  The Rotary Club of St. Lucia has supported TPW's efforts over the years, providing logistical and financial support, as well as guest speakers, field trips, and program resources.

This Canadian-St. Lucian partnership proved successful during the 2008 Youth Development Camp.  Two Canadian educators led a team of six St. Lucian youth to deliver a focused program for camp participants.  Participants enjoyed the peer-led, experiential approach utilized by TPW staff, who in turn benefited from the opportunity to use their facilitation and mentorship skills outside of their home communities.  It is our hope that this partnership will continue to grow in the future.

To that end, planning has begun for the 2009 camp, which will be held from Friday April 10 to Monday April 13, 2009.  Four Canadian TPW volunteers plan to travel to St. Lucia to offer leadership and support during the camp.  These volunteers hope to raise funds in Canada to defray travel and transportation costs.