THE United Kingdom-based social work company One Step Forward Consultancy (OSFC), and the Victoria Climbie Foundation will expand the 2016 Safeguarding Children Conference to two days, to facilitate additional outreach activities and initiatives directly aimed at building the capacity of local child care programmes.

The first conference, held in Jamaica in May, attracted the support of local child care agencies. The 2016 conference is scheduled for May 5 to 6 and will be under the theme ‘Education, Training and Development.

Organisers said that among the new initiatives for next year are social work training and placements, during Child Month, of overseas-based social workers, trainees, interns, students and other young people involved in children’s services.

Director of One Step Forward Consultancy Patricia McKenzie-Thomas said the introduction of these new initiatives was based on feedback from the conference held in May.

“It was discussed and recommended at this year’s conference that consideration be given to introducing work/placements that will allow overseas professionals, students and youth workers to come to Jamaica to share and exchange experiences with local counterparts,” McKenzie-Thomas explained. “There will be liaison with universities, training institutions and organisations involved in child care to facilitate the voluntary placements within local organisations of young people in child care services, from the UK, United States, the Caribbean, and elsewhere.”

She noted that organisations which partnered with OSFC for the 2015 conference have again pledged their commitment, in addition to new partners.

Workshops in various activities and sports targeting at-risk youth will also form part of the new initiatives for the 2016 conference . Jamaica Welter Weight Champion Sakima Mullings of the Oracabessa Boxing Club is expected to lead the thrust to get at-risk youth involved in several boxing clinics across the island.

Mullings expressed delight at being given the opportunity to reach more at-risk youth across the island through his Oracabessa Boxing Club. “Myself and members of my team and the wider boxing fraternity will teach the youth the basic fundamentals of boxing which will involve live exhibition bouts led by our members who are actively involved in the youth boxing programme,” he said.

“Being a part of the conference held in May was a great experience, and with these new initiatives for the 2016 conference, I will be able to share with the youth what I have learnt about boxing, the benefits of being involved in this sport and the opportunities available that can positively impact and change their lives,” he said.

McKenzie-Thomas, meanwhile, said she is confident that the impact of the 2016 Conference will be even wider. “Based on the approach we have decided to take, we expect greater impact. However, we welcome other recommendations from the public and persons involved in the care and protection of children, as it is through our collective efforts that we will be able to better care for and protect our children,” she said.