A small not-for-profit organisation used a mobile workshop to provide psycho-social support to children, who were displaced by the explosive eruption of La Soufriere.
Summer Crash Academy Incorporated partnered with a network of local groups to provide the workshop.
Programme facilitator Mordel Cato said the number of children who were seen using their government-issued devices to play games and generally surfing the internet during the displacement, had become a concern.
“When opportunities like these present themselves, where children are left unsupervised for an extended period, they can be easily tempted to venture onto hazardous terrains which can alter their behaviours. Thus, workshops like these help to raise awareness and to propose ways to parents on how these situations can be handled given the unfortunate circumstances,” Cato said in a press release issued by the organisers.
Additionally, the workshops were in preparation for the annual Summer Crash Academy Kids Workshop scheduled for Summer 2021.
Cato said that four emergency shelters were selected for the mini-workshops.
They were Kingstown Preparatory School, Bethel High School, Buccament Bay Secondary and the Barrouallie Government School and children from neighbouring shelters were shuttled to the workshop venues.
The children were engaged in creative arts activities, even as they were reminded of the COVID-19 protocols
They were also engaged in lively discussions on how to use the internet safely, how to cope with stresses associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the eruption of the volcano, and how to identify potential sexual predators.
Cato described the programmes offered by Summer Crash Academy Inc. “as the most consistent and comprehensive training workshops for children between the ages of 7 and 12 years old.”
Summer Crash Academy Inc. has been serving the North Leeward constituency since 2008.
Another facilitator, La Fleur John, said:
“The children had lots of fun. I have been a volunteer for quite a while. I have worked with the children in the creative arts department and it is very rewarding to see the children complete their projects”
At the conclusion of the workshops, participants were given stationery supplies and
got a chance to interact with local soca artiste Darren “Magikal” Rouse.
Other facilitators were Doreth Ashton, Lafleur John, Sia Creese, Kenica Nichols
and Zarriah John.
Very good thing to help the kids in these times happy to know we still have genuine concern citizens to assist