BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WITH Operation Future’s 2015 Creative Youth Academy Summer Camp concluded, the organisers have already begun putting their ideas together for the 2016 camp.
The camp, which ran from August 13, climaxed on Friday (Aug. 21) with a march through the streets of Basseterre, ending at the Independence Square.
It catered to 120 children and according to Operation Future’s founder Officer Lauston Percival, it was a challenge, but one that was overcome and resulted in a successful hosting.
“From beginning to end, it was challenging but fun. The children were a bunch, a real sweet bunch. There were some who had some challenges but we got over those challenges and I can safely say everything went well from day one to now.”
He said a number of disciplines were taught at the camp and it was necessary to teach some of the campers basic life skills, to prepare them for the different stages of their lives.
“I wish the children well going back to school and I hope that whatever they would have learnt from the camp they would put it to use whether it is in the house, whether it is learning to manage their time or whatever it is that was taught. We hope they would put these things into practice and not let it go to waste.
“We had persons coming in to give them sewing lessons, teach them how to iron and even how to sweep because some of them don’t know how to do it. Even the basics of washing the very utensils which they use during their mealtimes, we taught them how to do that.
“It was a lot of life skills because we realise some of the parents over-parent their children, they do everything for them and we want them to be able to do things for themselves so when they do leave mommy and daddy, they can do things for themselves. So we know definitely we are leaving them with something to piggyback off of when they get older.”
Officer Percival told SKNVibes that plans are already being made for the 2016 hosting of the camp to involve children on Nevis.
“For 2016 we want to involve Nevis because we have a Creative Youths Academy in Nevis also. We will sit down after we would have gotten some rest and figure out where we went wrong, how to make it better and think about who we can get onboard as volunteers and sponsors for next year.”
