FOR many of us, when we hear about the Flankers community in Montego Bay, there’s some negative connotation. But now it’s quite the contrary. The team at the Flankers Community/Peace & Justice Centre have made it their duty to help make their community a better place.

The centre runs a number of programmes for about 150 children, TEENs and young adults from the community, from educational aid to youth development. The centre is seen as a safe-haven and a home away from home for many of the children. They not only are kept occupied so as to not get into trouble, but they also get the opportunity to socialise and get help while doing the things they love like sports and the performing arts.

All with the help of the Sandals Foundation and volunteers, the centre also caters to the wider community by providing a remedial programme for persons who are no longer of school age, a suspension programme to keep those students out of trouble, and they also offer subjects at the CSEC level.

With an emphasis on literacy and reading, the management team at the centre ensures that all students are on top of their academics before getting involved in extracurricular activities. Their annual Read-A-Thon is open to the community and is held with the help of the Sandals Foundation, specialists and celebrities, to promote the importance of reading.

TEENage got the chance to speak to four volunteers at the centre to find out about how they felt the work that the centre is doing.

Eighteen-year-olds Koran Thorpe and Theodore Sheckleford have both been a part of the volunteer team for a year. They help out in academics and dance respectively, and both admitted to the fact that the centre is a sure benefit to the community. Natalee Thorpe — 16 and Shantel James — 15, who assist in academics, have not been a part of the team for long, but they too see the importance of the centre to the community.

Other volunteers: Tonya Pratt and Keirn Thomas, have been active members of the team for many years and have helped out in almost every programme that they have available. Both are now at university and can surely testify to the importance and significance of the centre.

Tonya stated: “The centre will always hold a very special place in my heart, and Keirn admitted that his drive for advocacy and youth development started at the centre. He gratefully states “many of the posts I hold now, would not have been possible without the Flankers Community Centre.”

Success stories

As they aim to develop the holistic child, the team at the centre helps in building self-esteem, social skills, and providing opportunities to which the TEENs otherwise would not have access. The Flankers Community Centre team is grateful for the Sandals Foundation as they have also helped in the provision of scholarships, medical care and jobs for a number of young people who reside in the community.

As it relates to job opportunities, the three Sandals Resorts in the Montego Bay area, employ residents who they believe have the right-fit personality, skills and determination to help develop the hotel chain. With a number of success stories, the Foundation has proven that although there is a stigma attached to the community, there is no reason for them not to have hope, and to be successful.

Simone Jarrett, Conroy Hall and Keneisha White, who were with TEENage as we visited the centre, are three young residents of the community who have gained employment at Sandals properties.

Another success story is that of Andre Jones. At 19, Andre is going into his second year at the Edna Manley College of the Performing Arts where he is studying for a bachelors in music education and is also a co-founder of the Flankers Marching Band.

Andre has been a part of the centre from his early childhood days, and was a part of their peace management programme, the youth crime watch group and the youth club. He recounted the numerous opportunities he has been given with the help of the centre, including the chance to do the Royal School of Music Examinations in his instrument of choice — the flute. He is currently at Grade 5 and he boldly stated: “I don’t think I would be where I am now without the centre. They motivated me to get into music, and I love it.”

He says that in about 10 years, he hopes to be performing on a big stage, but he will definitely be back at the centre to help out other children just like him.

This summer

For summer 2011, some of the TEENs at the centre were given the opportunity to travel to England and the United States for a cultural exchange programme and summer camp programme respectively.

Ten TEENs went to the Pinelands Presbyterian Summer Seaquest Camp in Florida, where they helped out in camp activities and a homework centre. The nine TEENs that went to England, were given the opportunity to share our culture with students from the theatre group at the King James I Academy (Bishop Auckland).

In speaking with some of the TEENs, they expressed how excited and grateful they were for the opportunity and that they feel good knowing that they have the Flankers Community Centre to thank for that.

TEENage applauds the Flankers Community Centre for the positive work they have been doing to help in the development of our nation’s youth. We urge other TEENs around the island to get involved in their community centre where they can benefit from a range of opportunities.