Volunteers help kids improve skills

Over the past two weeks we’ve been highlighting several summer camps for children with a lot of time and energy on their hands. While many organizers behind the camps deal with the kids only at this time of year, the Youth Department is charged with the task of keeping our young people on track all year round. Yvonne Codd, Human Development Officer for the Youth Department, told News Five about one of their programmes that ends today.

Yvonne Codd, Human Development Co-ordinator

“This programme is a programme co-ordinated by myself and the youth department and we have volunteers from schools through the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. These kids are kids between the ages of seven to twelve years. They’ve come here to be tutored in remedial English and Math along with reading. They have volunteers from a high school in Kentucky and they have been with the kids from nine to eleven in the morning at St. Mary’s Hall.”

Jose Sanchez

“You are here to teach the children what have you learned from them?”

Lauren Hinkel, Volunteer

“I’ve learned about how to be happy. They’ve taught me so much. The enthusiasm they’ve had has brought a lot of happiness with us. We see the surrounding areas and its a lot different than what we’re used to but when we get around the kids, they’re even happier than the kids at home and then so enthusiastic to meet us and share with us what they know, all that about Belize with us, and hear all about the United States. So it’s been really great.”

The Youth Department will be hosting a table tennis tournament next week and a leadership conference in Belmopan from the 25th to the 28th. If you are interested in attending either event please contact the department for more information.