ONE hundred children, chosen from four schools and a girls’ home in St Ann and St Mary, are to benefit from a mentorship programme run by Sandals and Beaches Resorts.

The programme, dubbed “Sandals/Beaches Care – Mentorship 100”, was launched last Tuesday at Sandals Grande Ocho Rios. It has brought together 20 students each from Marcus Garvey Technical High and Steer Town Primary and Junior High in St Ann, Oracabessa High and Iona High in St Mary, and 20 girls from Windsor Child Care Facility in St Ann, with 100 managers, supervisors and team members from the Sandals properties in the two parishes – Sandals Grande, Sandals Dunn’s River, and Beaches Boscobel.

“It is a mentorship programme where managers and team members will act as big brothers and big sisters for the youngsters. They will help them with their schoolwork, help them in their behaviour. They’re going to be there as positive role models,” the resorts’ regional public relations manager, Ian Spencer, told the Sunday Observer.

The one-year programme will also see participants attending monthly meetings at the schools or at the hotels where they will be able to interact with each other. In addition, they will be taken on field trips geared at allowing them to benefit socially and educationally.

“We’re also going to keep a report on their behaviour, on their attitude and their school work. The whole idea is to try and see progress in their schoolwork,” noted Spencer.

Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) president, Ena Barclay, who was guest speaker at the launch, commended Sandals on the initiative. She said that the education system needed the support of all stakeholders to deal with the challenges facing the schools, and wished the programme success.

Barclay noted that she was heartened by the fact that managers at the hotels had come to realise that students were having problems and had embarked on a programme to address the situation.

“This is a gift to Jamaica,” she said.

The JTA boss told mentors that what they were seeking to do was very difficult, but urged them to become positive role models for youngsters, helping them to develop good values and beliefs to aid their advancement.

As for the beneficiaries, she said, “You are privileged to have been selected and you are expected to behave in a responsible manner.”

“Be respectful to your mentors. What they are taking on is a labour of love. You have a golden opportunity, don’t blow it,” Barclay added.

Meanwhile, Gerald Christ, general manager at Beaches Boscobel, who will be mentor to Shance Jones of Iona High School, said it was an honour and a privilege to participate in the programme.

Said Shanice: “I feel good. It’s good for someone to care about us.”