Devon Evans, Gleaner Writer

McGill

OCHO RIOS, St. Ann:

The Coalition in Support of Adolescent Leadership Training (CSALT), a school-based mentoring programme designed to serve at risk Jamaican boys and their families, has been launched in St. Ann.

The programme, which is being run by the Family Counselling Centre of Jamaica, is the brainchild of Executive Director, Dr. Sidney McGill.

Its objective is to seek the co-operation of churches, business persons and other organisations with an interest in building leadership skills among Jamaican young, in working together in a structured mental health programme for at risk adolescent boys. This will be done in conjunction with the Minister of Education.

One-year therapy

According to Dr. McGill, CSALT will identify boys with emotional problems and place them in a one-year therapeutic programme.

"We aim to teach them leadership skills and help them to grow into productive members of the community," Dr. McGill said. He said many of the boys identified are in danger of engaging in violence and criminal activity and that CSALT presents a positive solution to these problems.