'Shock Treatment' boys get a view of technical education at BTVI

Sat, May 17th 2014, 03:53 PM

BTVI's Dean of Construction Trades, Alexander Darville sharing the benefits of having a trade with Shock Treatment participants. NASSAU, Bahamas -- As a part of the Ministry of National Security's Shock Treatment program, a group of 22 at-risk boys were recently exposed to several disciplines while touring The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI).
"To see the amount of young people in prison isn't thrilling. If we don't save them now, we'll have to manage them later," said the program's Director, Pastor Carlos Reid.
The boys, ages 11 to 17, are among the first to participate in the intervention program which will see a new installment of vulnerable young males on a monthly basis.
Shock Treatment allows them to experience first-hand the consequences of deviant behaviour. Over the course of the three-day intensive program, the young men would have visited the prison, morgue and a grave site. However, there will be further training over the next two years. The boys will also be monitored, evaluated and if necessary, intervention performed. Ultimately, the program provides them with positive alternatives.
"One of the objectives is to place them in a position to make positive choices. We want to expose them to different disciplines," said Pastor Reid.
Minister of National Security, the Honourable Bernard Nottage mentioned during a recent press conference that it was important to introduce the boys to some of the programs at BTVI in an effort to expose them to the benefits of acquiring a skill.

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