Sea Lots residents graduate from CSP’s ICT training programme

“Everyone has a computer and, at some point they will have computer issues,” Assing said. “Now I can do something about that and maybe charge a small fee in the process. (This) programme was, in fact, much more than I was expecting.” Assing was speaking at the graduation ceremony on Wednesday at COSTAATT’s City Campus Student Centre in Port-of-Spain where 20 men and women received certificates of completion.

The programme ran from January 24 to June 7 at the COSTAATT’s School of Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning, in Port of Spain.

Eleven of them obtained certificates in computer repairs and maintenance while another nine obtained certificates in web page design.

Funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the project was conceptualised in response to data from the National Security Ministry’s Citizen Security Programme (CSP) conducted in East Port of Spain and Sea Lots.

Participants between the ages of 16 and 25 were then recruited from CSP communities including Sea Lots, which served as the primary recruitment community, St Barbs, Laventille and Gonzales. They attended classes three evenings per week from 5 pm to 8 pm.

Highlighting the importance of such a programme for the communities involved, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon said while the primary focus was on developing ICT skills, facilitators also sought to address participants’ educational, psycho-social and employment needs through the provision of vocational and life skills training.

He said programmes such as the CSP “offer effective methods in empowering community members, improving perception of safety, strengthening public safety infrastructure and reducing crime and violence.” “In fact, the CSP has noted that through their interventions and training programmes in CSP communities, trends in crime and violence are moving downward.

Reports show an increased number of residents feeling they could make a positive difference in their communities (while) an average of 74 per cent of participants demonstrated improved emotional, cognitive, technical and behavioural competencies following exposure to specified social intervention.”