SOME 600 children from the inner-city communities of downtown Kingston will benefit from a free multi-faceted summer camp session organised by the MultiCare Foundation for Children, commencing this month.
The camp is held in collaboration with the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica and the National Gallery of Jamaica. Its main objective is to expose the children to environmental awareness as well as training in sports and the visual and performing arts.
According to Elizabeth Campbell, public relations officer at the MultiCare Foundation, emphasis is placed on the arts and sports as these areas assist in the children's character development. "These areas help to develop character, discipline, teamwork and it increases their concentration skills," she said.
COMPOSITION TECHNIQUES
There will be a children's workshop under the theme, 'ummer Art on the Waterfront', from July 5-30. And in August, a workshop examining choreography and composition techniques will be conducted at the University of the West Indies Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts.
The summer programme is linked to the programme that MultiCare offers in 31 inner-city schools including Denham Town Primary and Junior High, Donald Quarrie High and Dunoon High schools throughout the year.
The programme is a "solution to the growing level of indiscipline and aggression displayed by the children of some inner-city communities," Ms. Campbell said, adding that there has been "much success".
The environmental aspect of the camp is hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Department, and it seeks to inform the children about the importance of water to human survival and development besides exposing them to rural life.
