BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FOLLOWING its February 15 launch, the St. Kitts Chapter of the Caribbean Healthy Lifestyle Project (CHLP) dubbed “Club Sugar City” has been working closely with high schools and sporting and athletic clubs to fulfill its objective of inculcating leadership qualities in young athletes.
Local Coordinator Terry Morris told SKNVibes that CHLP was established in 2000 to increase the involvement of Caribbean girls and women in physical activity and to promote the value of healthy lifestyle choices. By 2003, he said, it became necessary for the programme to be expanded to cater to male and female youth representing all sport areas.
He informed that the project serves to instill the value of maintaining a healthy lifestyle among Caribbean youth while promoting peer leadership skills and a sense of social responsibility while attempting to create a forum for young people to voice their opinions and to be listened to by their peers and adults.
Morris said that the project, supported by a number of regional organizations including the Commonwealth Sports Development Programme and the Organization of Caribbean Administrators of Sports and Physical Education, provides a holistic approach to leadership to youth between the ages of 14 and 23.
“CHLP is based on three principles: the participation in sports and physical activity gives young people positive and empowering experiences; mentors/trainers can help young people to recognize the benefits of healthy lifestyles; and leadership attitudes and capacity can be shaped through sport.
“We will organize leadership development locally and will focus heavily on sports-based initiatives as we recognize that sports may be used as a vehicle toward leadership development. Most concepts would deal with interpersonal skills and team building as we find they are areas that appeal to young people. “
Morris explained that the project is rather relevant because the organisers felt that the young people are losing interest in sports as they do not see the many linkages and opportunities for holistic development.
“We have started to go to high schools in St. Kitts to register students and we are hoping to do a massive public relations drive to get the message out. We are also hoping to get registration done on a district level to reach a much wider group of youth.”
He said being aware of the previous challenges that restricted the club’s establishment, the organizers are determined to make the club fully functional to make its objectives more realized.
CHLP is undertaken in a number of countries across the region including Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, and Guyana, and is expected to expand upon its success in the CARICOM region.
