country programs
About Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica
Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica helps schools and communities in Jamaica start and sustain their YCW programs. Services include:
- Background information about Youth Crime Watch
- YCW awareness presentations
- YCW implementation training for your site
- Technical assistance getting your site started
- Technical assistance once your site is up and running
News from Jamaica
Features |
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Flanker Digest |
BATH visits Flanker |
The Flanker Digest is the community newsletter of the Flanker Youth Crime Watch in Jamaica.
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Students from rainy England visited YCW Jamaica (summer 2008) to learn and share. They kept a log of their impressions, which we are very pleased to offer here: The BATH log
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Flanker visits BATH |
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| Young people from Jamaica's YCW program visited the UK (Jan. 2009) as part of a cultural exchange project. A writeup of the visit appeared in an English newspaper. We are please to reproduce it here: The UK story | |
May 2009: Flanker Youth Dancers Steal the Show, Head for National Competition
The Flanker dancers wowed their audience with their bright costumes and even brighter reggae dance moves.
The Performance and Creative Arts Group at the Flanker Peace and Justice Centre won gold and silver medals for their debut performance in their parish dance competition. The group is now set to go on to the national dance finals. Read the full story in the Flanker Digest (PDF 360 kB).
Other stories in the May edition of the Flanker Digest:
- Teachers Day Luncheon
- Girls Day
- Mothers Day Forum
- Customer Service Training for Staff and Volunteers
- Labour Day
- National Security Minister Tours Community
- Jamaica Social Investment Fund Making Moves in Flanker
- Fogo and Seaview Sports Teams
Read the May 2009 Flanker Digest. (PDF 360 kB)
May 2009: YCW Jamaica announces a change of address
Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica has announced a change of office address for their program headquarters. The change of location is the result of YCWJ's partnership with the Young Americas Business Trust, the youth arm of the Organization of American States. All correspondence to Jamaica YCW's central administration should be to their new address:
Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica
c/o Young Americas Business Trust
47B South Camp Road
Kingston C.S.O.
Jamaica W..I.
Tel: (876) 930 0499
youthcrimewatch_jamaicayahoo.com
National Chairman:
Allan Bernard
Matters in the Western Region are still handled through the Flanker Peace and Justice Centre:
Western Regional Office:
Flanker Peace and Justice Centre
Morning View Drive
Flanker P.A.
Montego Bay, Jamaica W.I.
Tel/Fax: (876) 940 4919
May 2009: Jamaican delegation reports on lessons learned at the conference in Orlando
Pictured, left to right: YCWA's CEO Chris DiCarlo, Patrick Russell, Brittany McIntosh, Keirn Thomas, Nickeisha Walker, and YCWA's International Chairman Lt. (Ret.) Gerald Rudoff at the 20th National Youth Crime Prevention Conference & International Forum in Orlando.
National Chairman Allan Bernard of Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica accompanied four youth members of YCWJ to the international gathering of Youth Crime Watchers in Orlando, Florida. The trip was combined with a meeting with Sue Cobb, former U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica. Now YCWJ has put together a wonderful report outlining their conference trip and the lessons they have brought home. We are delighted to have the opportunity to share it with you here.
Excerpts from the report:
Keirn Thomas, 19: "Attending the conference has opened my eyes to the possibilities available to young people when they strike meaningful partnerships with adults and organisations."
Nickeisha Walker, 21: I particularly liked the diversity of the gathering. I met people from all over the world and had a chance to speak with the leaders of the YCWA. The meeting with Ambassador Sue Cobb was also an exciting experience."
Brittany McIntosh, 13: "The most memorable thing I took from the workshops was that no matter what situation you are in you should always be a S.T.A.R. (Stop, Think, Act Right)."
Patrick Russell, 15: "I have always thought of myself as more of a follower than a leader. However, the conference has opened up my eyes to new leadership roles that I can play in my school and community."
Read the full report from the delegation (PDF 242 kB), where the individual members describe their experiences.
Thanks to Jamaica for sharing their impressions with the YCW community! We wish you continued success in your program.
April 2009: U.S. Ambassador Meets Flanker Youth
Flanker youth met with former U.S. Ambassador Sue Cobb.
A delegation from the Youth Crime Watch of Flanker attended the 20th National Youth Crime Prevention Conference in Orlando, Florida, April 19-22, 3009, and made a call at the office of former United States Ambassador to Jamaica Sue Cobb. CEO Chris DiCarlo and Lt. Gerald A. Rudoff of Youth Crime Watch of America facilitated the meeting. More about the youths' experiences at the conference and their meeting with Ms.Cobb in the Flanker Digest (PDF 330 kB).
Other stories in the April edition of the Flanker Digest:
- Past students give back
- Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica cops international award
- Community round up
Read the April 2009 Flanker Digest. (PDF 330 kB)
April 2009: How YCWJ's Edward Dixon makes waves
Edward Dixon is Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica’s Regional Coordinator for the SE of Jamaica. He is living proof that hard work and determination can raise a person to be their best. And he is determined to help others do the same. Edward Dixon's story appeared in the Gleaner, April 5, 2009.
March 2009: Sandals Foundation supports Flanker Peace and Justice Center
The Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic endeavor of the Caribbean resort chain, has renewed its commitment to support the activities of the Flanker Peace and Justice Centre in Jamaica. Read the full story in the Flanker Digest. (PDF 339 kB)
Other stories in the March edition of the Flanker Digest:
- Celebrating Esther Victoria Johnson: Give mom the roses while she lives
- Flanker Peace Model: Peace invades war-torn Flankers
Read the March 2009 Flanker Digest. (PDF 339 kB)
February 2009: Flanker Peace and Justice Centre celebrates its eighth anniversary
The Flanker Peace and Justice Centre marked its eighth anniversary with a week of activities including a parent forum, senior wellness day, community pride forum, and a "youth explosion" with music and entertainment. Read the full story by Keirn Thomas on page two of the Flanker Digest. (PDF 308 kB)
Other stories in the February edition of the Flanker Digest:
- Protect Red Dirt Road
- New Parent Trainers for Flanker
- Best Street Competition Launched
- Community Teams off to Slow Start in Parish Competitions
Read the February 2009 Flanker Digest. (PDF 308 kB)
January 2009: "Jamaica Difference" in England
« Nakitta Williams and Keirn Thomas with student members of BATH
Three representatives from the Flanker Peace and Justice Centre and five members of the Montego Bay Boys and Girls Club visited with the Bishop Auckland Theatre Hooligans (BATH) at the King James I Community Arts College in Bishop Auckland, Durham, England from January 17-27, 2009.... Bonds were formed friendships were made, and the possibilities of a good partnership established. Read the full story by Keirn Thomas in the Flanker Digest (PDF 288 kB).
January 1, 2009: Peace Wall commemoration
On January 1, 2009, Youth Crime Watch of Flanker held its Peace Wall Commemoration ceremony to mark the beginning of the year and display the community's commitment to peace and good will among its members. Read the full story by Tonya Pratt on page two of the Flanker Digest (PDF 288 kB).
January 2009: New executive members at YCWJ
Two new members were introduced to the YCWJ executive fold. Edward Dixon will be responsible for coordinating the south-east region and Tonya Pratt will carry out similar responsibilities in the western end of the island. These two young energies are well positioned to add value to the organization. Read the full story on page two of the Flanker Digest (PDF 288 kB).
December 2008: YCW Jamaica participates in Barbados youth summit, provides program model
The Barbados Advocate, Thursday, December 11, 2008
Youth peace summit held
By Janelle Riley-Thornhill
Left to right: Reynette Royer (UNDP), Modupe Sodeyi (NTFCP), Paula Mohamed (UNDP), Cheryl Willoughby, Allan Bernard (YCWJ) and Adisa ‘Aja’ Andwele (UNDP)
The growing violence within our schools is a major issue that needs to be addressed. For that reason says Adisa “AJA” Andwele, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) spokesperson for Peace and Poverty Eradication, he, together with UNDP and the National Task Force Prevention collaborated to host the first in what he said will be a series of National Youth Peace Summits to gauge from the students themselves what needs to be done to address the problem of violence with in our educational institutions.
Addressing those gathered for the opening ceremony of the one day summit, AJA said that the activity is the start of a synergy that will not only make a tremendous impact on violence in Barbados, but also influence similar action across the Caribbean.
“A need has come about for urgent action and as a result a natural synergy has taken place here this morning. This synergy on one hand reflects a level of maturity within the Barbadian society which has the intelligence to make the National Youth Peace Summit a reality. However , on the other hand the fact that such a gathering was necessary suggests that something is not right, that something need to be fixed, that something is violence within our societies, violence in our homes and the socialization of violence within our young people to the point where it has become a major concern within our school,” he said.
He continued, “I therefore applaud the Government of Barbados, the UNDP, the Ministry of Education and principals of the public and private secondary schools for making this first National Youth Peace Summit a reality”.
Meanwhile Cheryl Willoughby, director of National Task Force on Crime Prevention (NTFCP) noted that research has indicated that the level of violence in school escalating and she said, the NTFCP is looking at feasible solutions to combat this growing problem.
She added that during a recent conference hosted by her agency on Crime Prevention, the youth identified: drugs, lack of morals and respect, violence and use of weapons as some of the issues that of necessity should to be addressed.
She noted that crime prevention programmes in school that target children, parent and teachers should also become a part of the system.
Acting prime minister and Minister of Home Affairs, Freundel Stuart delivered the feature address of the national Youth Peace Summit under the theme “Safer Schools-Safer Communities”. He expressed concern about the large number of young people being incarcerated in Barbados, for a range of what he called “very bold offences”.
The Acting Prime Minister said that it is imperative that the schools develop linkages with agencies such as that National Task Force on Crime Prevention, the National Council on substance Abuse and the Probation Department, which develop programmes that seek to address violence as well as conflict mediation as a response to the problems in our school and the wider society.
He said that while he is aware of the syllabus constraints that the schools may have in trying to fit such activities in, that is still no excuse for non-participation by the schools, because he maintained, children cannot learn in an environment of fear and disruption.
The closing session of the day’s proceedings saw Allan Bernard, national chairman of the Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica, making a presentation on the way forward. He highlighted the importance of the moment and the need to learn from the lessons of other Caribbean countries like Jamaica. Using the work of the Youth Crime Watch programme as his point of departure, he outlined the model being used in Jamaica and the successes coming out of such a programme. Cheryl Willoughby stated that her office was very keen on facilitating the Youth Crime Watch programme in Barbados. Mr. Bernard welcomed the move and pledged his support to work closely with NTFCP on such a venture. He congratulated the participants for their sterling deliberations and expressed confidence in the future of Barbadian leaders.
November 2008: YCWJ relaunches program
Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica was relaunched on Thursday November 6, 2008. This repositioning signals a revitalized and refocused organization ready to make its contribution to the reduction of crime and violence in Jamaica. [full press release]
November 2008: Press conference marks relaunch of YCW Jamaica
You are invited to a press conference to mark the re launch of the Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica
‘Moving Forward, Working Harder’
At the
University of the West Indies Endowment Fund Boardroom
On
Thursday November 6, 2008
At
10 a.m.
For more details please contact the YCWJ Secretariat
by phone at 313-9139
or email youthcrimewatch_jamaica@yahoo.com
*An information desk will be set up at the venue on the day of the press conference, with published material documenting the objectives and activities of YCWJ. There will also be a press release issued after the event.
November 2008: New Address
Please note the new address for Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica (at right). The main office will be operating out of Kingston. The Flanker Pease and Justice Centre will now operate as a regional office.
October 2008: YCWJ leadership changes
On October 10, 2008, National Administrator of YCW of Jamaica, Marlon Moore met with former National Director of YCWJ Fabian Brown who turned over the organizational books to the new leadership.
It goes without saying that our gratitude and best wishes go out to Fabian Brown who was the founding National Director of YCWJ and who brought the organization through its infancy.
To take the organization forward, we also congratulate the new board members under the leadership of National Chairman Allan Bernard, National Administrator Marlon Moore and Deputy National Chairman Alfred Palmer.
Summer 2008: Jamaica Gleaner story spotlights efforts in Flankers
Reclaiming Flankers - Peace centre seeks to rescue troubled community
by Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter, the Jamaica Gleaner
published: Monday, July 14, 2008[photo © Jamaica Gleaner]
Tonya Pratt (centre), chairperson of the Youth Crime Watch of Flankers, has the attention of the August Town Youth Crime Watch members.Mention the name of Flankers in Montego Bay to Jamaicans who are familiar with current affairs, and they could tell you a thing or two that are not impressive about it.
This image is, however, being changed by the work of the Flankers Peace and Justice Centre, which has been able to bring down the incidents of crime and violence in the community.
Allan Bernard and his team have been influential in the whole process. Bernard, who is Flankers-born and bred, has seen his community go through many stages of change in both peace and violence.
Bernard, a UWI graduate now pursuing a PhD at the University of Cape Town, described Flankers as a community with inner-city features which include violence, poverty, unemployment and strong family bonds. He said over the years, rivalries have developed in the community, fostering hate and gruesome murders.
A series of interventions
Bernard said transformation, which took and will take more time, occurred through a series of interventions. Leadership was the first step, he said.
"I have to start out by saying that it takes real serious committed leadership from everybody who considers themselves to be leaders, and I am talking about those who you consider illegitimate, because everyone has to come on deck," he said.
Bernard also stressed the involvement of different organisations in the community such as the Church, civic organisations and the police.
The other important interventions include the ownership of the process by community members, including law-abiding citizens and gang members alike, and those considered as the 'good youth'.
"The other important thing was getting the buy-in. We had to get the buy-in from everybody, meaning that the Police High Command ... the political directorate, everybody has to buy into it," he continued.
One intervention targeted the family members of those involved in gangs, such as parents, spouses and children, through different programmes. These programmes included welfare programmes for the elderly, gainful employment for spouses, and classes for the children.
"What we recognise clearly, is that we have to address what we call societal problems, because even though we nah say we a tek weh the responsibility away from those a pull the triggers, but you have to admit that you have societal problems that do contribute to these behaviours."
Bernard said that this targeting "softened" up the gang leaders who wanted to come to the table to meet and talk.
At this stage, they involved the police in a way which integrated them in the community. Sports, in this regard, played an important role as members of different sections of the community played a game each Sunday with police personnel.
He said this was so successful that most of the members of the gangs came out to play and after the game, they went to the centre and ate and socialised.
This broke down the taboo of talking to the police. Because the police were in the community talking to the residents every day, talking to them did not seem strange.
Reducing mental barriers
Entertainment sessions were also used to bring the community together, as members of each community went to each other's dances, which reduced the mental barriers in the communities.
When Inspector Donald Francis of the Mobile Reserve of the Jamaica Constabulary Force was sent to the community to deal with the flare-ups, which had become unbearable in November 2007, there had already been 31 murders as a result of the feud between sections of Pele Drive and Red Dirt/Vietnam. Now, he has seen the positive influence of the centre and believes it has assisted him in doing a better job in the community.
"The relative peace is there and both factions have a willingness to deal with the peace, this time, though they are cautious. But there is 90 per cent participation from both sides."
Keeping the peace
Inspector Francis believes, most importantly, that the community members have latched on to the idea and do not want to see a return to what it was before
Joan Munroe Green says the project has been beneficial for the community of Flankers. Munroe Green has been a member of the community for over 25 years and according to her, she has seen it all. She, however, believes that the centre and its techniques have transformed the community.
"It has impacted on Flankers in a positive way. Before, no one cared about the community and its members. I am glad they saw the need and the services that they (community centre) give now can address every problem that a community could have."
Munroe Green was also impressed with how the centre was able to get the community members from the opposing sections to come together to 'reason' and stop the war. She is also hopeful it will be around for the long haul.
"It can be sustained a far way. We know that we are far from being perfect, but we can sustain it, as community members want change. The Peace and Justice Centre is the liaison officer that keeps the peace."
Bernard admits that there are some limitations and Inspector Francis believes more social intervention programmes need to be brought in.
"People say to me all the while as a criticism, 'How you no get the guns them?' You are correct, I don't have the guns them. The guns are there - that is a more longer-term thing. What I do have is zero violence, including domestic, comfortable community people again, with reassurance from the police."
Fact file on Flankers
- Located on the outskirts of Montego Bay, adjacent to the Sangster International Airport and the Montego Bay leg of Highway 2000.
- Bordered to the east by the Ironshore Industrial Complex and the community of Norwood to the south.
- The Flankers Peace and Justice Centre, formed in 2002, has been nominated for the Michael Manley Award for Community Self-Reliance this year.
January 2008: First Flanker Digest outlines Youth Crime Watch activities
Greetings from the Flanker Youth Crime Watch.
The Flanker Community would like to present you with a copy of the first issue of our newsletter. This was initiated to give a brief synopsis of all that has taken place in our community in the previous month. We, members of the core group have decided to widen our reader base beyond the scope of our community via the internet. With the publication of the newsletter we aim to present the communnity in the light that speaks well of its residents. Hope you enjoy our first issue and if you have any comments you can always email us.
Read The Flanker Digest - Vol.1, No.1 (PDF 192 kB)
Thank you.
Monique Christie
flanker_digest@yahoo.com
January 2008: Youth Crime Watch training strengthens Jamaica program
Over 200 participants from the parishes of Kingston, Clarendon, Mandeville, St. James, St. Catherine, and St. Andrew, came together for Youth Crime Watch training led by trainers Dr. James Corbett and Alfred Palmer January 16-20, 2008.
The core of the training was an awareness session covering Youth Crime Watch fundamentals and an implementation training outlining the practical side of running a successful program. A variety of training methods enlivened the sessions: dramatic analysis, music, discussion, skills-building, and more. Break-out groups discussed given YCW program components (the nine components) and presented their thoughts and conclusions to the gathering.
The training weekend also included a personal development planning workshop led by Dr. Corbett to guide YCW leaders in envisioning their work and personal growth over the next three years.
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