The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Swimming Federation on Sunday completed a 24-week basic swim programme with residents of Liberty Lodge Boys Training Centre as part of the federations’ grassroots initiative funded by the Mustique Charitable Trusts.
The centre is a home for at-risk and troubled youths and provides a caring environment as well as an opportunity for the youths to get an education and learn a skill.
At the award ceremony, two of the boys spoke of how their confidence in the water grew during the programme and how great they felt about this.
Coach Xaveon Caesar spoke about how the stronger swimmers helped the weaker ones and they all worked well together.
Lavinia Gunn, administrator of the Mustique Charitable Trust, said she was truly pleased with the camaraderie of the boys in the water and was heartened by the positive comments the boys made about how their own confidence grew through the programme.
Social Worker Janiel George thanked the Swimming Federation and the Mustique Charitable Trusts for the programme, indicating that the benefits to the boys went way beyond learning to swim, and included helping in their discipline and development.
The Grassroots programme has also supported the development of open water clubs in Bequia and Owia.