Dave Hazle: Keeping Jamaican youth focused
REV. DR. Dave Hazle has spent much of his life organising and addressing issues affecting young people. From his early years as a student at Jamaica College (JC), the young Dave served as president of the Students' Council and was selected as the school's head boy. A two-time graduate of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Dr. Hazle completed two degrees, the first in Natural Sciences in 1986 and the second in Theology in 1991.
Dr. Hazle was a very active member of the UWI chapter of the University and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) eventually serving as its president in 1985.
In 1986, Dr. Hazle took up the post of UCCF staff worker with Students' Christian Fellowship and Scripture Union (SCFSU). This he held for three years before commencing ministerial training at the United Theological College of the West Indies.
RITES OF PASSAGE
He was recently awarded a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. The topic of his doctoral thesis was 'An Emancipatory Family Theology Towards a Contextual Model of Inner-City Family Pastoral Care in the Caribbean'. Dr. Hazle has published articles in overseas journals on topics related to family life, counselling, pastoral care and theology.
At Men on a Mission on Saturday May 29, 2004 at Family Church on the Rock, Kingston, Dr. Hazle examine the 'Rites of Passage for Jamaican Males'.
Rites of passage refers generally to markers and signposts that indicate stages of life transitions for boys on the way to manhood. According to Dr. Hazle, there are informal rites of passage for moving from boyhood into manhood in Jamaica. At its worst, if misinterpreted, these can become negative and destructive to the development of a positive male image and identity.
SHAPING POSITIVE MEN
The Rev. Dr. Hazle will demonstrate to men attending his session how they can help to shape their boys into positive and responsible males.
Today, Dr. Hazle keeps his focus on the youth by maintaining contact with his alma mater and is involved with counselling and guidance in general. He is a counsellor
of no mean order and has serious interests in family life issues and community development. He has served as school chaplain at Meadow-brook and Camperdown High Schools and as Director of Youth Ministries for his denomination.
Dr. Hazle is Minister at the Shortwood United Church in Kingston 8.
Since ordination in 1992, he has served as Associate Minister at Meadowbrook United Church and Minister of Lincoln Kirk United in Franklyn Town. Dr. Hazle has been married for 15 years to Maureen, whom he met while they were both at university during the 1980s.
