“Encouraging Healthy Lifestyles in Youth: Your Life, Your Health: Make it Right,” was the theme of a one week training workshop organised by the Commonwealth Sports Development Programme which will conclude tomorrow at Murray Heights Hotel.

Regional Coordinator, Kathy Harper-Hall described the programme as one with a difference, which was started by the Caribbean Netball Association and by directors of sports associations throughout the region for young women and youth. She said that the programme, which was in conjunction with the Organisation of Caribbean Administrators of Sports and Physical Education (OCASPE) and the Caribbean Netball Association (CNA) was mainly geared for young women in sport to develop themselves. She however pointed out that later the programme opened up to young men to ensure that both genders had equal opportunities to develop.{{more}}

Harper-Hall said that not all the young people in the Caribbean were negative and the few who were straying just needed guidance to find themselves. The Barbadian facilitator said that there were still some “good, solid and strong” young people in society and more adults needed to build them up and not tear them down.

The Coordinator noted that by ensuring that the youths were trained with what she described as “life skills” they would eventually become good future leaders.

In her address she explained, “I am looking after me when I impart these values into you. You would be in charge of governments, hospitals and businesses in the future. If we prepare you now, we would be better able to take care of others.”

Praising the programme was Director of Sports Nelson Hillocks who advised the participants to learn the mission and vision and to make the training count. Minister of Sports Glen Beache, who declared the workshop, open also challenged the participants to absorb the knowledge imparted and put it into practice.

The youngsters learned skills such as how to deliver presentations, how people learn, volunteerism, peer pressure, sex and sexuality among other issues.

The two other facilitators at the Caribbean Healthy Lifestyle Project were Paul Sealy of Barbados and Sarah Cluer from Canada.