Community members and officials hold hands during the launch of the Unity Across Communities summer camp at the Hugh Sherlock Auditorium at Boys' Town in Wilton Gardens, St Andrew, recently. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

School's out! With thousands of students out of the classroom for the sizzling summer holidays, caregivers hustle to beat the devil at finding work for idle hands.

Summer jobs are few and far between and leaving children at home alone is not always a ready option. Community-based organisations like the Kingston and St Andrew Action Forum, along with inner-city stakeholders, have moved swiftly to engage young people in the Corporate Area in a series of camps. Six summer camps will target 200 youths aged seven-18 from areas such as Boys' Town, Arnett Gardens, Tivoli Gardens and Waterhouse.

At the Hugh Sherlock Auditorium in Wilton Gardens (Rema), St Andrew, during the recent launch of the camps, Dr Elizabeth Ward, co-chairman of the Violence Prevention Alliance, said Jamaica was in trouble and all leading organi-sations must unite and work to stem crime.

Aiming to reduce crime

The camps are designed to occupy the imaginations and energies of the youngsters and provide development and skill-building activities. These intervention strategies are hoped to reduce youth involvement in crime and violence during the summer months.

The launch, which was held under the theme 'Unity Across Communities', saw representatives from the Jamaica Social Investment Fund, the Crime Observatory, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and Environment, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Food For the Poor and the Jamaica Cricket Association participating.