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HomeNewsArchivesIntervention is Key for Youth at Risk, says Rotary District Governor

Intervention is Key for Youth at Risk, says Rotary District Governor

Intervention is key to helping youth at risk, said Jeremy Hurst, 2013-14 district governor of Rotary District 7020, in front of some 20 Rotarians Thursday at My Brother’s Workshop.

Hurst’s visit to My Brother’s Workshop is part of a series of stops that make up his leadership visit to the 10 states and 16 islands that make up the Rotary district. Since his Oct. 7 arrival on St. Thomas, Hurst has been busy with Rotary Club meetings, board meetings and visits to community service projects, including Bethlehem House, the Nana Baby Home, Charlotte Amalie High School, Fairchild Park and the Schulterbrandt Center.

“I like to see examples of some of the tremendous work that they do in the community,” said Hurst about the 83 clubs that he oversees across District 7020. “My job is to go and work with the clubs, most importantly to support them and let them know that we are here for them as a district in Rotary International.”

According to Hurst, while there are major differences between the Caribbean countries he has visited so far, he is struck by the similarity in the challenges they face. Youth at risk, a major focus of District 7020 and Rotary International, is one common problem, he said.

“We see that that is an issue that joins us together across all of our islands,” said Hurst. “We’re seeing increased violence in small communities; in particular, gang violence and violence associated with what we didn’t anticipate would be problems years ago.”

Hurst, who has worked closely with youth and anti-drug initiatives in his community in the Cayman Islands, emphasized that the first step to remedying the problem is accepting that the problem exists.

“Too many of our communities have denied that gangs were going to be a problem and we’ve woken up too late,” he explained. “It’s almost too late to start.”

Literacy and education are a key component in early intervention, he said, and are crucial in reducing the risk factor. “Making sure that many of our youngsters, as much as possible, have the full advantage of a great education is a starting point,” he explained.

Hurst added that a lack of parental guidance and support expose certain youth to greater risk, which further stresses the need for early intervention. My Brother’s Workshop, said Hurst, is “a perfect example of intervening at that most crucial stage,” when young people are choosing which path to take.

My Brother’s Workshop, a Rotary-supported local nonprofit, offers youth ages 16 to 24 a range of services that reduce risky behavior, including counseling, job support and life support. Vocational training, a major offering of My Brother’s Workshop, teaches participating youth skills in electrical work, masonry, carpentry and plumbing.

“Giving them an alternative to doing bad things has always been our goal,” said My Brother’s Workshop program director Scott Bradley, who points to growing gang violence, dropout rates and youth unemployment as factors that out local youth at risk.

Bradley estimates that some 200 youth have gone through My Brother’s Workshop in the last six years.

“We can truly help about eight out of 10,” Bradley admitted. “The others we don’t give up on, but it’s just harder.”

With the help of Project Safe Neighborhood, the Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the V.I. Police Department, My Brother’s Workshop has seen visible results in the intervention efforts.

“I’ve seen kids go from hanging on the corners, getting in trouble, to having a life and having their own family,” Bradley said.

Bradley said he is grateful to the Rotary Club of St. Thomas and Rotary Sunrise for supporting My Brother’s Workshop “from day one.”

“They help us get the equipment. They helped us get the site,” he said. “No matter what happens, when we turn around, there’s always someone from Rotary there.”

Hurst said that Rotary International supports many initiatives that relate to peace and conflict resolution, particularly intervention projects like My Brother’s Workshop.

“My Brother’s Workshop, which combines a vocational solution along with guidance and support, is very much at the forefront of these types of solutions we should be adopting,” he said.

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